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Mudding Around

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A Successful First Hunt


jeepinthemud

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Hello All.

This weekend I went on what could basically be called my first fossil trip... a trip with the sole intent of fossils.

Ill start with Saturday....

After preparing to leave to go to one of my locations, I left for the 45 minute drive. Once I arrived at my offroad location, the first thing I noticed that (after raining for a week) all the water was much higher than normal. Being in my jeep, this didnt stop me, but it made me be aware that it would certainly be muddy and wet everywhere. After passing through the brackish water, I then proceeded to find higher ground, so I wouldnt have to go through any more salty stuff.. Once I found a way back to my normal path, I then kept on going. I reached a large flat plain, which is normally as dry as a desert... but with all the rain, it was completely mud. (on and off the dirt trail). I've had experience driving off road, so I knew to keep one tire on higher ground... the trouble was that there was no higher ground, or anything drier. With images of being stuck out here for a week, I gassed it to keep my momentum and was aiming for anything that appeared dry.

At some points I was driving sideways, with only the mud to keep my momentum.

After a few long minutes of going through the mud field, I finally made it to drier land on the other side... no problems there.

I then went to my first location, found some crystals and and very small fossilized burrows.. an average load for that site.

As I was heading for my second location, I realized I would have to go back through the mud field.... so I backed up and went to go investigate a small trail off to the side.

Luckily, the path was wide enough for my jeep, so I headed down (or up) it... it ran uphill, away from the mud, but still in the direction I wanted to go. Funny that I've never been down it before.

I arrived at an intersection of the dirt roads, slowing down to check the mud, where a dry spot would be, etc.... when I saw someone walking. I got out and asked if he needed anything, and it turned out that I knew him. He was a fellow member of my Gem and Mineral society... and he was out collecting the exact same things I was. When he showed me what he had found, I realized that he knew the exact locations of the things I had been searching for.... which include turtle fragments, horse teeth, etc....(I still dont know where, but on a later date, he will show me some of his sites)

He told me that he was walking back to his car, which was near the highway.... at least 3 miles away... through somewhat deep mud, in the sun, and the hot dry air....I offered him a ride back to his truck, only later to find out that the mud down the pathway to my second site was 'horrible'.... very deep, slick, and sticky. After looking down, I realized I would have almost guaranteed gotten stuck. But I gave him a ride back to his truck, saved us both time, energy, and effort (Him from walking, me from getting stuck for a week.)

For my assistance, though I declined, he gave me a few pieces of selenite.. (a type of gypsum)... all of which dwarfed even my largest crystal ive found there.

We then went our own ways, happened to stop for lunch at the same location, and he paid for my lunch, despite me saying hes already thanked me enough.

(I then spent the next hour and about eight bucks in quarters washing my jeep with a powerwasher at a carwash station. Its still not clean..

Come Sunday morning, I was going to go to a new location, and for the sole purpose of hunting fossils. My first Fossil Hunt. Yay!

I took the drive there, and the creek was not too hard to find... (only bridge on the road for at least ten miles both directions)

I did a quick scout, looking for anything that might look like a fossil, might bear fossils, or anything similar.

I learned very quickly that everything was Deep Mud. I would sink with each step, whether I was on the bank or on the cliff....

I didnt yet have my water shoes on, so I didnt want to get too muddy. Staying clean wasnt really an option at that point, though. (thank goodness for waterproof shoes.)

While scoping, I saw a pile of asphalt in the creek, with what looks like non-asphalt rocks caught against it. Upon investigating, I found what seems to be a bone fragment, and a chunk of petrified wood... its heavy, and nearly solid black.

I then decided I would look there, but I went to go change my shoes and get my 'gear'...

I returned, and searched around, but found nothing, so I decided to go look across the creek at another 'outcrop' of asphalt.... I found a few interesting rocks, but nothing more.

The creek, at this point, was completely mud, water maybe a foot deep, with mud just as deep under the water... with each step my shoes are threatening to get pulled off, while I am trying to stay standing (Cell phone and camera in pockets)... Nothing to be found there.

I return to the first 'outcrop' of asphalt and started digging around. I found an old pottery shard, along with something very strange looking.

After searching around and finding nothing more of interest, (granted, I didnt know WHAT i was looking for... or WHERE.) I decided to head back to my jeep. I got cleaned up and headed home.

I will post pictures in here, on the Trip forum, maybe along with some in the ID forum once I get them uploaded...

Thanks for reading,

Cam

4 Comments


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You might have better luck when not so muddy....

Good thing you do have a jeep or you might

still be walking way out there...

Can't wait to see your find!

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I enjoyed reading your entry. I hope to start taking a few of those trips myself. Good luck on your future hunts.

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Awesome entry Cam! :D And that was definitely very kind of you to help out your pal like that. I can only imagine how hot it must've been out there though...and the mud can't have helped too much with that :hot:

Great entry, you rock bud! :rock:

Sincerely,

Riley :P

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looks like your jeep almost became a fossil!

cant wait for some pics :)

-emily

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