Any other Geology peeps in here?

“Just curious. Seems this is a field that would attract alot of nature-folk.

Even more specifically, any other paleo people?”

“yes - me!”

“Nope, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn.

Local (Adirondack) geology does interest me.
last edited: 11/07/05 9:46:38 AM”

“Hmmm. I'm pale, primitive and ancient. Geology is on on list of courses to take. Every time I go somewhere I'm reminded of how little I actually know. (In the bar I know everything!)

from http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=paleo

paleo- or pale- or palaeo- or palae-
pref.

1. Ancient; prehistoric; old: paleobotany.
2. Early; primitive: Paleozoic.”

“LOL, nowslimmer! Are you volunteering yourself for my study? You'll have to ditch your mammalian vertebrate status first-do you mind? hehehe”

“What are your specific interests Twinks? I have been scarfing up fossils in Pa., Va., and W.Va. for decades now.”

“what age?”

“Present!


Economic Geology.”

“I took a geology class in college. Does that count? LOL!”

“Geo - any ammonoids?”

“No ammonoids that I have found in the wild.

Ordovician through Devonian marine fossils and Pennsylvanian coal fossils are what I run into. There were at one time Cambrian sites open around the Philly area, but all have closed due to being on private property. All I have from the Cambrian from the wild are some skolithos from the western slopes of the Blue Ridge in Virginia.

I have a lot of trilobite parts, but not many whole specimens. I have a theory that trilobites had three asses, based on the prevalence of pygidia over thoraxes and heads.

I do have some cephalopods from the Ordovician to Devonian - Michelinoceras and Orthoceras.”

“We find bunches of ammonites in the Upper Cretaceous Bearpaw Shale around here. Some are about 12" across.”

“That's the beauty of Montana you lucky bastig!

Geo - not sure what a skolitho is...clarify?”

“Skolithos are worm tubes in a former sandy beach deposit that became quartzite.

Sko refers to the worms and lithos to rock from the Greek.”

“I bought an allegedly pyritized ammonite at an otherwise reputable geology fair once. Turned out the pyritized color had been painted on. A true pyritized straight shell ammonite has turned color and is oxidizing. The painted one never turned color.”

“duh, I knew that....haha

I've not found any trilobites thus far - but haven't been it the appropriate araes for that stuff. Currently helping out with a K/T project and also analizing microfossils from Middle Devonian. Interesting stuff.”

“Yeah, I'm always wary of purchasing fossils. Lots of fakes out there. Prefer to collect my own.”

“Good formations to look for:

Ordovician - Martinsburg Formation has a fossiliferous lens near the top. Found near the Tuscarora Formation, which is a major ridge forming rock.

Silurian/Devonian - Keyser Formation - has both very small marine fossils and major stromataporids.

Mid-Devonian - Mahantango Formation - major marine vertebrates and invertebrates.

Early-Devonian - Oriskany Formation - Marine invertebrates in a sandy sandstone.

Early-mid-Devonian - Needmore Formation - has trilobites up to about 4-6 inches in length, other marine fossils.”

““yes - me!”
Geobeet
9:40:15 AM
11/07/05

The dude has gravel in his gut and rocks in his head.”

“I'm working with the Tully (Givetian)”

“There are stromatolite fossils in my town.”

““There are stromatolite fossils in my town.”
lumberzac
12:11:23 PM

I don't think she cares who hangs out in the local bars in your town, Zac! :)”

“Hey, some of them might even have all of their teeth, in their pocket that is.”

“Tully sounds roughly analgous to the Mahantango, perhaps later. The names change at state lines due to the State Line Fault.”

“There's a Devonian fossial gorge on the Iowa River near Iowa City -- actually the Coralville Reservoir. The flooding river ripped away some rocks a few years ago and revealed the stuff.

Whoa! I see they have a new display! http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/coralville/devonian_fossil_gorge.htm

I like rocks. Rock hounding is my next hobby. I got a book. I tried to take a geology class in college, but it was one of those deals with a TA from the Middle East and damned if I could understand him!

The Iowa Historical Museum in Des Moines is where I first saw one of those fossilized tunnels.

Checking that Devonian Gorge .pdf brochure, I know I've found brachiopods. Lotsa good stuff in rock quarry walls!

I *don't* know rock layers and all that. Well, I do know we have the Decorah layer and Prairie du Chien layers around here -- and the towns, too! There has now been something identified as "Decorah Shale," which is a layer on slopes where groundwater often seeps out. Don't know that it's a big discovery, or just putting a name and another land use ordinance on something. lol....

And I go into caves and am up on karst features...

Ok, do I qualify as nerdy enough for the Geology Club???”

“I'd say you're a member of the Baby Geologists Club.”

“Nope! No sireeeeee! No Geologists here!”

“Rock on!!!”

“Budder is one of the coolest people to hike with. You learn so much! It's kind of like having Jim Brewer as a naturalist guide. LOL!”