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Post by texaswoodie on Feb 4, 2009 10:34:46 GMT -5
I made a quick fossil trip last Sat. Didn't find a lot, but I was pleased with this little ammonite. It's about the size of a silver dollar. Trachyscaphites spiniger Supposed to go again this Sat. Curt
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 4, 2009 10:52:35 GMT -5
Awesome find Curt! They don't seem to be real common in this area but I'm still lookin for a complete one....Mel
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Post by Lady B on Feb 4, 2009 12:16:39 GMT -5
That is so neat, Curt!!
You find the neatest things in Texas!!!
Lady B
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adrian65
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Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
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Post by adrian65 on Feb 4, 2009 12:29:34 GMT -5
Beautiful find! You look like being surrounded by the most interesting rocks! It looks like you only have to stretch your hand to grab what others only dream at.
Adrian
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franzibear
starting to spend too much on rocks
Let's rock
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Post by franzibear on Feb 4, 2009 15:44:49 GMT -5
What an interesting material. What kind of matrix did you find it in?
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Post by texaswoodie on Feb 4, 2009 19:22:51 GMT -5
Thanks guys! Adrian Let me tell you a little about stretching out my hand and finding stuff. Last weekend I drove 100 miles to the location. I made the mistake of carrying my buddy Oscar with me. Oscar is my constant poodle companion. He has (had) long hair. When I got there, I found a 30 ft almost vertical bank I had to go down to get to the river bottom. The bank and river bottom is the blackest, slickest, nastiest mess you'll ever want to get in. So, Oscar and I bailed off the side of the bank and slid down. It was easy to get in, but then I looked back up and asked myself " How on earth am I going to get back up that slick bank?" We went on down the river and the farther we walked, the taller we got. The clay would stick to the bottom of our feet and would NOT come off. If someone had seen our foot prints, they would have sworn that they were Big Foot and Big Foot puppy tracks. We walked about a mile down the river, then sludged our way back to the truck. Oscar looked like a walking mudball and if that were not enough, there were huge cockle burrs all over him. When we got back to the truck, I had to either climb back up that bank or call for rescue to come pull me out. Calling 911 would have been rather embarrassing, so I started up, then I started up again, then I started up again. Finally I saw some huge concrete chunks that were there from the construction of the bridge that were going more or less up the bank. I would slip and slide until I could reach a block of concrete, grab hold and pull myself up until I could stand on it. Then slip and slide to the next one. Finally reached the top. Then I had to drive 100 miles back home. When I got there, it took me an hour to cut out all the burrs and get Oscar clean. Now he has huge gaps all over him. One was stuck on his eye, so he looks like a pirate with one eye shaved and the other one furry. It took almost that long to get myself clean. All this for a backpack of rocks. I absolutely need to be committed and my wife agrees with me. ;D Curt
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Post by texaswoodie on Feb 4, 2009 19:25:16 GMT -5
Franzi
The matrix is Pecan Gap chalk. It still has quiet a bit of matrix on the bottom. Maybe one of these days I'll clean it, maybe not. ;D
Curt
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 4, 2009 20:07:36 GMT -5
Gee, I was going to suggest a fossil trip while I'm in San Antonio/Austin area until I read the description of the location. Great story and nice find Curt. I keep hoping I'll find something in the limestone on my property but so far just bugs, snakes, and every kind of sticker you can imagine.
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Post by sitnwrap on Feb 4, 2009 20:25:41 GMT -5
I love the ammonite but I loved your story better. I'm glad you got up and out ok and that part must have had you worried but the vision you created of your one eyed Oscar had me laughing. Sorry, couldn't help it.
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Post by texaswoodie on Feb 4, 2009 21:55:47 GMT -5
Come on up John! I'll be glad to take you fossil hunting. ;D ;D
Lori ;D
Curt
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franzibear
starting to spend too much on rocks
Let's rock
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Post by franzibear on Feb 4, 2009 22:33:26 GMT -5
Hey, is that the Sulpher River? I use to hunt that one down around Pecan Gap and Honey Grove!
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adrian65
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Post by adrian65 on Feb 4, 2009 23:59:49 GMT -5
Well, Curt, this surely is a day to remember! ;D And I know what you mean about the mud, it tends to gather more and more on the boots until it breaks under its own weight. But sometimes it takes a lot of mud to happen that. You and your buddy Oscar are both brave! WTG to you. So I have to re-formulate: maybe you have to do a bit more than stretching the hands for your rocks, but it still looks that when you get muddy on your feet you also get rocky on your back Adrian
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2009 0:00:22 GMT -5
Sounds like my kind of adventure. One of those times where you say never again but the next chance you get.......off you go into the same mess. At least I do anyway. Shannon
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Post by texaswoodie on Feb 5, 2009 18:08:08 GMT -5
Hey, is that the Sulpher River? I use to hunt that one down around Pecan Gap and Honey Grove! That be the one. And you moved away? Shannon Yep, when I got home I told my wife that I need to leave that kind of hunting to the younger folks. Now I'm planning to go back this weekend. What an idiot I am! ;D Curt
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franzibear
starting to spend too much on rocks
Let's rock
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Post by franzibear on Feb 5, 2009 18:11:47 GMT -5
I didn't live in TX, unfortunately (or fortunately, for other rockhounds! I woulda got'em all!). I had a girlfriend who lived there near Honey Grove, and I used to come down from Arkansas to spend nice spring days crickwalking. I only found some small teeth, bone pieces, and arrowhead pieces--but I wish I knew then what I do now. Oh the innocence of youth!
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 6, 2009 8:17:19 GMT -5
Nice fossil.......................... ;D
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DeanW
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Post by DeanW on Feb 9, 2009 11:24:19 GMT -5
Nice find; I've gotten into some mud like that before. I try to keep plastic bags and extra shoes in my truck for occasions like that.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 5, 2009 8:40:54 GMT -5
Very cool find.........................Love ammonites... ;D
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Post by frane on Mar 6, 2009 10:55:23 GMT -5
Curt,
You have a wonderful way about telling a story! I would never had made it out of there. I would have been laughing too hard at myself! Sounds like your buddy just needs a buzz cut for the spring season to even things all out and at least you have a great find to show for all your hard work! Fran
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