DUST N BONES is a new TFF member from St. Paul, MinnesOta – accent on the “O”. 😀 A 13 year-old budding paleontologist, his parents brought him down to Fillmore County to do some fossil hunting. And fossil hunt we did!
Dad and son comparing finds on Bryozoan Road.
I showed them at least 20 sites to hunt fossils, they knew about 3 others having hunted here before, within 20 miles of Spring Valley. I was figurin’ this would take 3-4 hours, but we started at 10:3o and they didn’t drop me off until 4:30! They were lovin’ the huntin’! And we were havin’ fun. LOL 😀
SCORE! I think we might have to rename him Trilobite Joe!
Second site huntin’ and Joe reaches down and scores himself what I believe is an enrolled Anataphrus borreaus trilobite! Just like Waldo only stuck in the rock.
Waldo – Anataphrus borraeus trilobite
What a prize! Now he has to practice his prep skills and get him out!
Mom was the smart one though, she waded into the middle branch of the Root to hunt fossils. 🙂 Hot day over 90 degrees in the sun…
Mom hunting fossils in the river.
That is one tall, ripe burning nettle framing Mom. They are rather good to eat when young. Steamed they taste better than spinach! Rather starchy and stringy at this time of year. We moved onto another site…
then pie at the Village Square in Fountain. DUST N BONES was not impressed with the pie. Guess Mom does a better job – you go Mom!
Dad didn’t want to leave!
Pointed out a few more sites and this one Dad didn’t want to leave.
On to “Paleontology Point” and Joe steps out of the car and finds a 450 mya cephalopod! The kid has an eye for fossils!
Working Paleontology Point.
DUST N BONES at Rifle Hill Quarry.
Rifle Hill Quarry is legendary in the fossil literature. How could we just drive by without taking a peek!
The famous Rifle Hill Quarry showing the formations. Photo by Caleb Scheer – deceased.
A short drive and we were at “Stucky Road”.
Joe working “Stucky Road”.
Just do a search for “stucky” and you will get it. 🙂
More sites and we got to dry wash gulch. And Joe steps out of the car and finds another cephalopod older than the dinosaurs!
Joe, that rock is a little big – isn’t it?!
Up the dry wash we go, wadin’ through waist high swamp nettle (don’t know if that is edible or not) because it is shady!
NOOO! 100+ degree heat in a sweltering quarry!
They took me home… But DUST N BONES wanted to hunt more! Well, that was between him and his parents.
I found this Ordovician Stromatoporoid! Don’t know the difference between Stromatoporoids and Stromatolites? Neither did I until I went to this website and spent an hour or so studying it! Very interesting reading!
Stromatoporoid
Stromatoporoids are calcareous sponges. “Stroms” can be massive, tabular, cylindrical, encrusting, arm-shaped or even in a chocolate-drop shape.
MUST READ:
Www.earthsurfaceprocesses.com/3f-E-StromatolitesStromatoporoids.html
