Fossil Trilobites and New Friends

[minnbuckeye]

@GeschWhat had the opportunity to join us in this hunt, but requested a picture of my find instead. To appease her request today, I hastily put this report together: 

              @RandyB and his lovely wife are currently on a 2-3 week fossil tour of the western US and I volunteered to provide them with a little fossil hunting during a rest period on their way west. We had a wonderful time, maybe chatting as much as fossil hunting during their short break from driving. We were in the middle of dairy country and the smells of fresh cut alfalfa  mixed in with a little "coprolite" permeated the air. 

 

 To show their appreciation for my time, I was gifted a few fossils. Cretaceous ferns and shark teeth. THANK YOU!!! 

 

 

 Randy and his wife (see, I told you I would forget your name) are such a lovely couple, and I love it that both husband and wife like to fossil hunt together. 

 

  

 

While scouting the area ahead of their arrival, I stumbled on this stromatolite that I would love to set in my back yard as a table.  

 

 

This site has all of the normal Ordovician fossils which "Randy's wife" concentrated on. But I sensed ahead of time that Randy had an interest in finding a trilobite and he was successful!!!! 

   

 

 Notice the X. It marks Randy's honey hole!! Don't tell him I showed you. A close up of his trilobite:

 

 

 

A nice complete roller of an unknown trilobite to me, to go with countless pygidiums and cephalons of many species. @piranha 

Not bad for a few hours hunting. Here are a few more from this site, unfortunately, some found after their departure.  

Isotelus? Hopefully more embedded in the matrix. This is going home to Pennsylvania.

  

 

 

This unknown specimen was found too late to send it with: 

 

 

I just noticed in the last photo something bumpy below the trilobite. An eye?  

 

Next is a Cerarurus?? Unfortunately,  bit weathered. 

This site is where I found  my complete Dolichoharpes reticulatus so it was surprising  another great find came my way. Not nearly as rare but absolutely complete. A Thaleops ovata. Both points on the cephalon are there and the genial spine on one side perfect, the other side hopefully embedded in the matrix. I will have this one professionally prepped to ensure the front of the trilobite can be displayed properly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

 

As mentioned, Randy and his wife could only stay a few hours. I had told them of a Cheese factory close to my home and they cut into their fossil hunting time in order to splurge on cheese curds and ice cream. I think it was justified!!!!!! 

 

[Ruger9a]

Very nice finds...……….

[jpc]

trilobites AND cheese curds... !  What  great day for Randy and Mrs Randy!  

[Monica]

Great report, Mike!  And wonderful trilobites!!! 

[Malcolmt]

WOW...

 

[minnbuckeye]

3 hours ago, Malcolmt said:

WOW...

 

Malcolm, I almost asked for your prepping services on this one but postage has become an issue lately. I had thought of a fly by night visit to the Buffalo area and meeting up. Or talk you into a Buffalo mailbox! LOL However, I am going to be in Cincinnati next week and talked to the gentleman across the river and his prep lab is going to undertake it. They did an outstanding job on my Dolichoharpes, so I am assured of quality work as good as yours.  

 

 Mike

[Malcolmt]

2 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

 

Malcolm, I almost asked for your prepping services on this one but postage has become an issue lately. I had thought of a fly by night visit to the Buffalo area and meeting up. Or talk you into a Buffalo mailbox! LOL However, I am going to be in Cincinnati next week and talked to the gentleman across the river and his prep lab is going to undertake it. They did an outstanding job on my Dolichoharpes, so I am assured of quality work as good as yours.  

 

 Mike

Not looking like our border with you folks is going to be open anytime soon. Think they just announced they are extending the closure another month to July 21.

[RandyB]

Chris and I had a great time meeting up with you Mike, @minnbuckeye You were a wonderful host and I greatly appreciated my gifts from your home turf.

 

We wound up going to both the cheese shop we originally mentioned as well as your personal favorite... for scientific comparison of course.  Tough job, but it had to be done.

I haven't taken any pics of my finds yet, so thanks for sharing my first complete ordovician trilo. We have collected at 2 other sites so far; petrified wood at the Buffalo Grasslands in SD and tonight I found my 1st (2nd, 3rd...) ever ammonite while visiting Montana. I wasnt able to collect for long because it was getting a little late and mostly because I was exhausted and sore everywhere from climbing devils tower yesterday. Probably should have thought it over a bit more first (age + extra padding + deskjob for 25+ years ) made for an exhilarating but exhausting experience and one heck of a first climb. 

 

Devils Tower

 

Me at the leaning column on the Durrance route

 

A gorgeous bonsai courtesy of Mother Nature a couple hundred feet up the tower

The finds south of Glendive also seem to be heavily associated with veins of yellow crystals that are quite pretty. I remember someone talking about it a few years ago but I havent looked up the post yet to see what they are. Regardless i gathered a number of nice samples and they will make great pieces to give to friends/family when we get back home.

 

We have a few more sites on deck even if covid took out the dino dig we originally had booked for tomorrow. 

 

I will try to put together a comprehensive post once we get back.

 

Thanks again Mike

 

[Jackson g]

That's going to be a real trophy whenever its finished being prepped out, don't forget to share a photo! Looks like you all got some great finds though.

[Ruger9a]

4 hours ago, RandyB said:

Chris and I had a great time meeting up with you Mike, @minnbuckeye You were a wonderful host and I greatly appreciated my gifts from your home turf.

 

We wound up going to both the cheese shop we originally mentioned as well as your personal favorite... for scientific comparison of course.  Tough job, but it had to be done.

I haven't taken any pics of my finds yet, so thanks for sharing my first complete ordovician trilo. We have collected at 2 other sites so far; petrified wood at the Buffalo Grasslands in SD and tonight I found my 1st (2nd, 3rd...) ever ammonite while visiting Montana. I wasnt able to collect for long because it was getting a little late and mostly because I was exhausted and sore everywhere from climbing devils tower yesterday. Probably should have thought it over a bit more first (age + extra padding + deskjob for 25+ years ) made for an exhilarating but exhausting experience and one heck of a first climb. 

 

Devils Tower

 

 

Me at the leaning column on the Durrance route

 

 

A gorgeous bonsai courtesy of Mother Nature a couple hundred feet up the tower

 

The finds south of Glendive also seem to be heavily associated with veins of yellow crystals that are quite pretty. I remember someone talking about it a few years ago but I havent looked up the post yet to see what they are. Regardless i gathered a number of nice samples and they will make great pieces to give to friends/family when we get back home.

 

We have a few more sites on deck even if covid took out the dino dig we originally had booked for tomorrow. 

 

I will try to put together a comprehensive post once we get back.

 

Thanks again Mike

 

Beautiful scenery!  Did you make it to the top?  Most importantly, did you see ET?  LOL

[minnbuckeye]

Looks like your adventures are getting better and better!! I am totally impressed with your climb, especially after TWO cheese shops!!!!!! 

 

 Mike

[RuMert]

Great trilos and scenery! Hope Randy's wife forgives you

[smt126]

I had planned on stopping in MN on my way out west this year, but I'm hesitant with coronavirus and recent political activity. We thought it would be a nice midway spot on the way to Montana, but Mall of America will have to wait for another year. Luckily here in Wisconsin, we can get our cheese curds any time we want. 

 

@RandyB those crystals are barite or calcite. I found a few of those as well when I was there a few years back. Also save some ammo's for me when I go back this summer

[RandyB]

8 hours ago, smt126 said:

 

@RandyB those crystals are barite or calcite. I found a few of those as well when I was there a few years back. Also save some ammo's for me when I go back this summer

When I checked other resources it looks like the crystals are Gypsum Selenite with sulpher which causes the yellow coloring.

 

As far as saving some for you... well, maybe.  I actually only broke up 4 concretions while we were there so I am positive there are many more to be found.  I love the fact that many of the ammonites and baculites are full of crystals. I will make a post when I get home, but the largest piece I kept has several large baculites with crystals and nacre. I also have a nice piece that looks like it has at least 3 ammonites partially exposed.

[smt126]

I’ll have to look more into it then. I was going off the book rockhounding montana for the info in the crystals. I’m not real big on the gem/mineral collecting, and thus don’t really know much about the differences between them. To me they are crystals lol.

 

I only broke open 1 when we were there. We mainly just scrounged around the already broken ones. This year my goal is to find some to break open and hope to find a bigger ammo as the ones we found were all 2 inches max.

[FossilSniper]

Excellent trilobites. A nice, enrolled partial Isotelus like yours would certainly be a dream to find here in the Ordovician of Ohio. And it sure sounds like you and your crew had fun collecting. Nice finds.