|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 7, 2019 19:25:05 GMT -5
mrrockpicker and I headed out to the Ocotillo Wells SRVA (State Recreation Vehicle Area) a week ago Saturday, last one of 2018. A lot of people out there camping, the majority probably planning on bringing in the new year out there. I know we always used to! Sometimes we'd even stay up until midnight! New Years Eve 2001 Ocotillo Wells
New Years Eve 2003 Ogilby Road
Those were the days, lol!
Back to the subject at hand... We started the day at the usual time, 3:40 am, hit the road by 5. Stopped at a 24 hour Subway to pick up something for lunch later, then a quick stop at the gas station to fill up, and we were off! We arrived around 7:30, and it was still a little nippy, and there was a still stiff wind out of the east that could blow right through you. Although the sun was not very high in the sky yet, we started hunting rocks as soon as we got there. Lighting conditions improved as the day aged.
As I'm sure I've said this before - we are pretty competitive, each of us trying to find the best rock of the day. We brought home more than this, but I haven't really had the time to sort out, wash and get pics of the rest. These are just two of them, my best and his best.
No idea on this one. Seems kind of agatey, wonder why it formed in this shape? This was laying on the surface, just as nice as you please.
Kind of brain-like, but no straight groove separating the two hemispheres.
Hard like an agate, at least a 6. No, I'm not going to cut it open, will leave as a specimen.
Not quite a perfect circle looking down on it, about 1.3125" at the longest, 1.25" the shorter way.
13/16" the height
Now for Bob's find:
This is a coral, which the area is known for. Have not researched it, but looks like a rugose coral.
The lines remind me of the knit cap on the Fat Albert cartoon character, Dumb Donald.
I did not take a single landscape/scenery photo this time. But I have posted threads on several trips out there over the years: Here is one from 2014 Recent desert trip - PIC HEAVY
Thanks for looking! Jean
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 7, 2019 19:28:48 GMT -5
Nice finds. With all the aliens in the photo I would have though that you were actually collecting at Area 51.
|
|
victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,975
|
Post by victor1941 on Jan 7, 2019 19:58:06 GMT -5
The coral pic looks similar to horn coral from Utah including color.
|
|
zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
|
Post by zarguy on Jan 7, 2019 20:20:05 GMT -5
rockpickerforever - Jean, both of those finds are awesome! No idea what the brain thing is. Looks like maybe someone carved it. Lucky you! Lynn
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Jan 7, 2019 20:40:26 GMT -5
That brain is killer! I wonder if it is actually natural or someone lost their marbles out there? The coral is really cool and very colorful. Definitely prettier.
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Jan 7, 2019 20:59:41 GMT -5
Thanks, Jean. I like the brain specimen. Have you put a light under it? Are you sure it is a rock? Alien dropping?
|
|
|
Post by socalagatehound on Jan 8, 2019 0:51:31 GMT -5
Very nice! Beautiful piece of coral. I think the other is a petrified racoon brain...lol...or more likely some type of sea life. Very unique.
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on Jan 8, 2019 6:18:19 GMT -5
Great finds. I would be too curious what was inside the "brain". Is it translucent enough to look inside with a bright light? The coral has the shape/structure of horn coral. A great piece. Love the colors.
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 8, 2019 11:29:41 GMT -5
Great photos and story Jean...… Liking the material too....
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 13:09:01 GMT -5
Nice finds. With all the aliens in the photo I would have though that you were actually collecting at Area 51.
Thank you, James. Aliens seem to be a recurring theme with me!
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 14:57:54 GMT -5
The coral pic looks similar to horn coral from Utah including color.
Yes, Victor, I imagine they are very like the ones found in Utah. In fact, much of the fossil material found in Southeastern CA came from points north, tumbling down the Ancient Colorado River. I had mentioned the word "Rugose." Rugose corals (referring to their wrinkled appearance), are an extinct order of solitary and colonial corals that were abundant in Middle Ordovician (which began 488 million years ago), and persisted through the Permian Period (which ended 251 million years ago). They had gone extinct before sediments in this area were laid down. In other words, they were transported here, they don't belong here.
Rugose corals, also known as "horn corals" were an important group of Paleozoic organisms. Both solitary and colonial forms are known, but the former are more common. Solitary rugosans usually have a horn shaped (hence the alternative term, "horn corals"), while the colonial types commonly have hexagonal corallites. As they are not horn shaped, I personally don't think of the colonial types as "horn" coral.
Here are pics of a nice colonial type found at Ocotillo Wells years ago. Identified for me on The Fossil Forum.
One side flattened and polished on a flat lap.
Some others found at OW over the years
More information on rugose corals here .
Hope this wasn't TMI for you! Jean
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:00:22 GMT -5
rockpickerforever - Jean, both of those finds are awesome! No idea what the brain thing is. Looks like maybe someone carved it. Lucky you! Lynn Thanks, Lynn. I don't know what it is, but it is definitely not man-made.
I can keep my eyes open, looking for another, the rest of my life and not find a similar one.
Jean
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:02:12 GMT -5
That brain is killer! I wonder if it is actually natural or someone lost their marbles out there? The coral is really cool and very colorful. Definitely prettier.
Thanks, Tela. The brain is an oddity, but the coral definitely prettier.
I have to say Bob won the contest that day, lol.
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:13:33 GMT -5
Thanks, Jean. I like the brain specimen. Have you put a light under it? Are you sure it is a rock? Alien dropping?
Hi Pat, thanks for the comment. The brain is different for sure. I did try to light it up, but it is opaque. I could see light only along the edge, between the stone and my curled fingers...
It is definitely a rock, not plastic, ceramic or organic (an alien poop) material. Unless they can poop stones, lol.
jamesp would most likely tell you it was left (deposited?) by an alien. I have sent some interesting things to him over the years. Ha.
Got a California question
Jean
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:16:41 GMT -5
Very nice! Beautiful piece of coral. I think the other is a petrified racoon brain...lol...or more likely some type of sea life. Very unique. Thank you, Craig. That is probably one of the most colorful coral fossils we have found there.
I have no idea what the other is, probably about the size of a 'coon brain, I would imagine.
As specimens, they will both collect dust equally well, lol.
Jean
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:22:26 GMT -5
Great finds. I would be too curious what was inside the "brain". Is it translucent enough to look inside with a bright light? The coral has the shape/structure of horn coral. A great piece. Love the colors. Thanks, fernwood. No cutting, curiosity will not kill this cat, lol. It is too opaque for light to be transmitted through it.
The coral IS a horn coral, a solitary rugose. It is about the most colorful we have found out there.
Jean
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 15:26:09 GMT -5
Great photos and story Jean...… Liking the material too.... Thanks, Mike. The great finds almost make it worth getting up so early, driving two hours and wandering around in the cold wind. At least it wasn't blowing hard enough to throw dirt and rocks at us. Just enough to drive the chill through my jacket.
Jean
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on Jan 8, 2019 15:40:06 GMT -5
Just wondering if anyone else is seeing the fairly large PB logo in the lower left of some photos here. Sorry Jean, but it is blocking one of the rocks in your group photo.
I have about 500 lbs of specimen rocks that I would never cut and I would not cut the brain of yours, lol.
|
|
NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,439
|
Post by NDK on Jan 8, 2019 16:01:46 GMT -5
Beth that's PB's new way of free hosting. They watermark the pictures. I was actually thinking of trying it again since flickr has turned commie now too 😉
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 8, 2019 16:07:11 GMT -5
Funny you should mention that, fernwood. I never paid the PB "ransom" that they wanted. By all rights, my old PB photos should not show up at all, kind of surprised that they do still show up. I guess that is how they are getting back at me, getting their just desserts. I have no say about them placing it there. Another thing, if I am not logged into RTH, I see the offensive PB. But logged in, I do not... go figure. I have all the photos still on an external hardrive, but figured for this thread, it would be easiest to use ones already edited, sized (using PSE 9, I love it!) and uploaded. Give me a minute, and I will find (that is what will take the longest amount of time, lol) the group photo, make adjustments and post using cloudinary.
|
|