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I took my daughters for a short fossil hunt at Trammel Fossil Park. It was about 33 degrees out so they got cold and went back to the car fairly quickly. I would say it was about a 45-minute hunt. They have the formation levels marked at the Fossil Park so I would say I was at the Miamitown level when I found what I think is an Isorophus cincinnatiensis edrioasteroid. Attached are some photos including one next to a 1-inch cube. I also have a small cheap in microscope attachment for my my phone and took a couple pictures of the peripheral rim.

I returned last night from three days of fossil hunting in southern Indiana and southern Ohio. (My specimens are soaking in water, so no pictures yet.) I hunted in two spots: the road cut along Route 1 north of St. Leon, Indiana, and the Trammel Fossil Park in Sharonville, Ohio. Both are Ordovician formations. The first day I hunted on the east side of the cut for about six hours, and found lots of brachiopods, bryozoa, a couple of gastropods (my first) and a lot of shell on shell on shell. The next day I switched sides, and in addition to the above examples, I found trilobite pieces. I just sit on my kneeling cushion and a bucket, and sift through the rocks with my fingers. I'm tellin' ya, I get in a zone and the time flies. So quiet and peaceful. In two days, I saw one other person collecting. The final day was spent at Trammel Park. It's a 10-acre site with lots of the specimens I found at the road cut. I got there at about 9 a.m. A woman walked up to me and asked me if I was here with a group. "No, just me." She replied, "Well, it's fossil day at the park." Peace and quiet were quickly out of the question. I think it's great when little kids get a taste of the hobby. But this is what I heard all day: "Did you find any gold?" "Can I help you look?" "I found a trilobite (pronounced trill-o-bite)!" " I found an arrow head!" "I found a dinosaur bone!" "Look, guys! Silver dollars!" (They may have been referring to Rafinesquina?) Anyway, I had the pleasure of meeting David Meyers, a professor of geology at the University of Cincinnati. It was great to chat with him, though much of his time was spent helping kids identify their finds. "No, that's not a trilobite. Just a rock. But keep looking." We stayed outside Cincinnati, so it was long trip (6+ hours) back to Grand Rapids, Mich. My wife was a trouper, and found plenty of things to do and see in Cincinnati and environs. But I think the six hour trip took its toll, because she informed me that for the next few trips, I would be on my own. "I love that you have a new hobby. But next time, go and have fun. And I'll do my own thing. And we'll both me happy!" Works for me.