jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 12, 2022 19:25:18 GMT -5
That is a really cool pattern jamesp. I like the shapes of the crystal structures inside. The magnification of the photo helped see the structure Ashley. They can have geodes in each cavity. Cycads are larger and palm like but similar.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 12, 2022 18:21:50 GMT -5
You guys stay safe. You guys drive cars, bicycles farm and lawn equipment, climb at steep areas and up ladders. It didn't help that the brakes were not working well...keep your stuff maintained ! It doesn't take much of a mistake to put yourself in great jeopardy. I shouldn't be alive. Ribs hurt terribly but remembering the intense fear of the likely outcome may be more painful. The emotions were difficult to describe. Thanks for the kind concerns. Sorry for the sobering images but they should increase accident awareness. Glad that you posted about it, James. We all have our moments. You didn't answer about damage to tractor. Kind of looks like the steering wheel got broken when the weight of the tractor was on it. Good thing your were not pinned to the ground by it, also good that it happened right there by home! Hurry up and mend, James. That tractor is rare Jean. If it damaged the steering system it will be a parts tractor. It was in need of a rebuild too; the parts aren't so costly but the labor is costly. when I get mobile I'll go look things over. My hips got deep bruises too so I'm not moving around to well. It took me 45 minutes to get out from under it. I actually had to break my ribs to get past the fender. It was a bad experience.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 12, 2022 17:37:59 GMT -5
You guys stay safe. You guys drive cars, bicycles farm and lawn equipment, climb at steep areas and up ladders. It didn't help that the brakes were not working well...keep your stuff maintained !
It doesn't take much of a mistake to put yourself in great jeopardy. I shouldn't be alive. Ribs hurt terribly but remembering the intense fear of the likely outcome may be more painful. The emotions were difficult to describe.
Thanks for the kind concerns. Sorry for the sobering images but they should increase accident awareness.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 12, 2022 8:53:12 GMT -5
Thanks for all the well wishes guys. All I can say is someone must have been looking out for me because most are not so fortunate in this situation. Over 3 decades operating that tractor on hilly grounds and pond edges and never a mishap.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 12, 2022 6:03:06 GMT -5
Thank God I survived with only some broken ribs. Tractor rolled off about a 8 foot terrace in thick bamboo. Twas a long painful night. Thankfully I am slender and wiry. I had presence of mind to twist in seat so that that my hips were between the seat and ground. The fender broke my ribs. It took an hour to wiggle out which actually is when the ribs broke. Very painful but lived to tell thank you God.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 11, 2022 8:10:37 GMT -5
I sort of figured out how to use this link. This example is simple because it is mostly thin oceanic deposits. The pet wood I find is close to the coastal plain line/GR(Goat Rock fault) and it's intersection at north end of line E to E" at the lower right of map. The underground cross section of line E to E". Note long thin oceanic deposition layers in greens and brown until they hit granites at right. The granite zone was the ancient beach where the wood piled up(Tuscaloosa Formation). Close up of north end of line E to E" where Tuscaloosa deposition layer(Kt) hits granites and Goat Rock fault. This is the ancient beach when ocean was 350 feet deeper. This is where the wave action pushed the trees up for petrification. The layer higher and above this was volcanic ash rich clay that covered up the trees for petrification. And for the heck of it the south end of line E to E" to the ocean is massive layers of sand with bikini clad ladies sunbathing above(not shown). Note how flat the various perfectly intact layers have been deposited with little debris or transitional disruptions between the layers suggesting very rapid deposition.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 11, 2022 6:42:16 GMT -5
Nice USGS link hummingbirdstones. Oddly my computer would not open it until I used your link here. So I went straight to the Tuscaloosa Formation in Alabama and it revealed in that description that the pet wood I'm finding is local and not transported from some great distance. Alabama state geology maps only said 'wood beds', not 'local wood beds'. It makes a difference. For instance if this wood was transported from the north it would likely suggest a colder species. It is good to know when fossil hunting in the Tuscaloosa Formation that findings should be local land organisms and likely not just the same marine fossils usually found at the coastal plains.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 15:48:49 GMT -5
It lacks color but has some cool structure. It had been worn to a cobble. They are normally about 5 times longer than wide when whole. When colorful they are showy and can have many crystal cavities. Not common.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 15:42:59 GMT -5
Unique maul Rick. That design would be a new one on me. Especially being made of basalt. You mentioned metavolcanic rock, the layer above the Alabama pet wood layer is metavolcanic which was a surprise. I never knew the SE US had volcanic anything. Check out Graves Mountain near Lincolnton GA. It was once a volcanic black smoker at the bottom of the ocean. Been there Rick. Is that what happened there ? (I took a date there many moons ago and we snuck in on a Sunday he he). It is full of crazy minerals. So many that the water holes in the mine look like chemical cesspools. I believe it is home to world class rutile crystals. Seemed like copper minerals were there too.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 15:03:06 GMT -5
The Fall Line is an ancient beach line when the ocean hung out at about 350' deeper than it is today. These were found at the intersection of the Flint River and the Fall Line at an odd limestone exposure at Montezuma Ga. BIL lives nearby and we went in his boat. He also found his first arrowhead and two flint tools. Small fossil rich muck filled the inside of the oyster and solidified. The holes in the shell were bored by boring clams. Large boulders were oyster/limestone conglomerate. It is as if they were ripped from their position and deposited rapidly since most of them are paired together and likely buried live. Bear in mind oysters must live at the surface in tidal boundaries.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 14:46:24 GMT -5
Unique maul Rick. That design would be a new one on me. Especially being made of basalt. You mentioned metavolcanic rock, the layer above the Alabama pet wood layer is metavolcanic which was a surprise. I never knew the SE US had volcanic anything.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 14:21:46 GMT -5
Jason, Henry lives a skip-n-hop from the Rio Grande. He COULD go there easily. He can take a long walk on a short dock. Watch him, he is a deviant. He lives close to a half dozen fine Texas rock spots. Says the man who has his own personal Petrified Wood site 100 miles from his house!!! Actually a long walk on a short dock sounds pretty good these days, we hit 102 yesterday with about 40% humidity. Supposed to be 103 today, even hotter in the Dallas area. It was 97 in my garage yesterday late afternoon. I suppose I better get those 3 tumblers moved to the next stages this morning!!! You can always turn on the sprinkler ! That humidity number is the one that stings Henry. A quicky afternoon storm landing on your 103F/40% will do you a fine steam bath. Doing your deeds at sun up is the way. I'll never forget driving from Alpine to Zapata during summer drought Texas 2012 via Hwy 90 to Hwy 83. It even got the wild hogs.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 6:22:45 GMT -5
You'd be in heaven at the Rio smorgasbord Jason. You ain't just whistlin' Dixie on that one Jim! LOL I would get stuck within the first 50 feet (if even that far!) of where I started looking at the cobble! LOL It would sure be nice to have a lease on a big spot out there. A rock collector would do little harm to an owner's land. The place is desolate as far as the eye can see. The land is so harsh they can't run but 1 cow for every several acres. You can see buttes over on the Mexican horizon. No telling how many fine rocks are on the Mexican shore.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 6:15:59 GMT -5
Don't get too excited, remember you and Jim will be loading those buckets of goodies I collect into my truck. Don't worry I usually limit the truck to about 900 pounds of goodies. I'd be more than happy to help load...I just hope you have a trailer that has room for my 900 pounds too! LOL Jason, Henry lives a skip-n-hop from the Rio Grande. He COULD go there easily. He can take a long walk on a short dock. Watch him, he is a deviant. He lives close to a half dozen fine Texas rock spots.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 4:32:22 GMT -5
Jim, have you figured out what to do with it? I have to think there's all kinds of cool things a guy could do with that beauty. He's going to saw off a big chunk, and send it to me! Just kidding, lol. jamesp, that one is certainly a beauty! I don't recall any cool rocks in Alabama when I was there in a previous life. Wasn't looking for them back in 1976. I owe you big time Jean. I'll send you whatever you want. Gimmee your address. I still have rocks you sent me that I have not processed(not many though). Your flea market bargains(and findings) are some of the finest rocks I ever had. I was thinking about how you and Bob used to go on collecting trips. I do miss your trip reports. I hope Bob's health is on the mend. I remember Bob liked to go for gold and you'd wonder off finding agates and wood which is what I would do too. My Alabama friends are pretty freaked out by this wood. I wish I could tell them but guaranteed It would get out of hand and the site would get shut down just like you warned me.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 4:23:23 GMT -5
Holy smokes, jamesp! That's one beautiful rock you got there. Thanks Robin. Looks like it is time to walk up the creek and do some more detailed looking. A better job done pulling a small kayak to load them into. The prettier pieces are found where the creek banks are like this 8 foot bank but 30 to 40 feet tall. Must be the pressure of the thick heavy clay layer that makes them silicify prettier. Finally after a dozen trips I may have collecting the better material figured out. I must be dense or plain stupid.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 4:04:09 GMT -5
RWA3006 I have been sawing them into big rectangular blocks and displaying them in a an area in the garden. In block form it is easy to cut slabs off for other uses. Odd that the bigger chunks over say 50 pounds are actually the prettier. Someone with a 30-36 inch saw would have a good time sawing the bigger chunks. This one must weigh 600 to 800 pounds. Heavily stained by the creek. You have to hammer a window off to see the quality of the inside.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 10, 2022 3:52:34 GMT -5
That’s a looker!! Is that orange due to iron stain? Is it permanent? Are you going to polish one flat side? I’d like to hear the story of how you carried it through the water, up the hill and to your car! Guessing iron is the cause of the coloring Pat. It is covered with volcanic ash rich clay and probably rich in iron. It sure seems permanent. It was in a big creek about 200 feet from the road and was not difficult to bring back to the jeep using a dolly to roll it on. The tricky part is finding the banded material. It takes a lot of shopping to find the prettier material !
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 9, 2022 18:44:07 GMT -5
You're going to start an Alabama vs. Arizona rivalry if you keep finding material like this one! That's a keeper! The petrified layer is on bedrock imbedded in the clay creek banks. The places where the clay bluffs are 30-40-50 feet tall seem to be the best specimens Jason. Had to walk the creek a good ways to figure that tidbit out. The heavy pressure of the clay must have assisted in making better quality.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 9, 2022 18:37:24 GMT -5
|
|