Nimravis Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 To day I decided to take a vacation day and stay around the house, but my wife told me that I was getting in her way and why don't I go fossil collecting. So with that, I was off on a 130 mile round trip to Oglesby, Illinois to look around at a road cut that exposes the Pennsylvanian LaSalle Limestone member of the Bond Formation. I have visited this site a number of times before and have prepared trip reports on my finds. I believe I say on every post that this is not a site for young kids and as adults you need to watch yourself for possible falling rocks or falling on the scree that is made up of larger pieces. In my opinion, this site is best visited in the early spring and late fall, when all of the vegetation is dead, it make foot placement a lot easier and really opens up the site, which is not very big. Shortly after I arrived at the site, another car pulled up and a man got out who identified himself as Roy Plotnick. The name was familiar to me, but I could not pinpoint where from, but I knew it was fossil related. Dr. Roy Plotnick is a Professor Emeritus from the University of Illinois at Chicago (Invertebrate Paleobiology and Paleontology), like me, he was just out for a day of collecting. We talked about several topics, including Mazon Creek fossils, and I had mentioned Richardson's Guide to The Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek book and he stated that he authored the chapter on Eurypterids, and that was when it clicked where I heard his name. We both collected for about 1 hour and then we went on our separate ways. I did not find anything special today and to be honest, this was the least amount of fossils that I ever collected on a trip, here are some finds and pics of the area, Roy and one of me. I asked him to take a picture of me since I usually collect by myself and never end up in pictures. Roy Plotnick- Your's Truly- Pictures of the area- You have to watch out for the branches with the thorns on them, they are deadly. I found this cute little snake hanging around. Composita argentia- Linoproductus cora- Juresania nebrascensis- Crinoid discs- Hash Plate- Something odd and crystal filled, but think it is geological and not fossil. If I am wrong, let me know. I left this piece on site, but I know where it is. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Trilo Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 I like snakes too, I have a pet corn snake but I still like how you go from 9 minutes ago, Nimravis said: You have to watch out for the branches with the thorns on them, they are deadly. to 9 minutes ago, Nimravis said: I found this cute little snake hanging around. Looks like a successful day “If fossils are not "boggling" your mind then you are simply not doing it right” -Ken (digit) "No fossil is garbage, it´s just not completely preserved” -Franz (FranzBernhard) "With hammer in hand, the open horizon of time, and dear friends by my side, what can we not accomplish together?" -Kane (Kane) "We are in a way conquering time, reuniting members of a long lost family" -Quincy (Opabinia Blues) "I loved reading the trip reports, I loved the sharing, I loved the educational aspect, I loved the humor. It felt like home. It still does" -Mike (Pagurus) “The best deal I ever got was getting accepted as a member on The Fossil Forum. Not only got an invaluable pool of knowledge, but gained a loving family as well.” -Doren (caldigger) "it really is nice, to visit the oasis that is TFF" -Tim (fossildude19) "Life's Good! -Adam (Tidgy's Dad) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Nice report an photos, Ralph. And great that you met up with Mr. Plotnick and we get a rare photo of you on site. And, of course, the brachiopods are yummy. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 On 10/5/2020 at 6:00 PM, Nimravis said: Something odd and crystal filled, but think it is geological and not fossil. If I am wrong, let me know. I left this piece on site, but I know where it is. It looks like a cross section of a spiraled Bellerophontid. Do you find any Pennsylvanian sponges in the area? See drawing from: Mazaev, Alexey. (2015). Upper Kazanian (Middle Permian) Gastropods of the Volga-Urals Region. Paleontological Journal. 49. 869-986. 10.1134/S0031030115080018. 5 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 17 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said: Do you find any Pennsylvanian sponges in the area? Not that I know of, maybe @deutscheben would know that answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 49 minutes ago, Top Trilo said: I like snakes too, I have a pet corn snake but I still like how you go from to Looks like a successful day Lol on the post, I use to have a lot of snakes. I would not call this successful, but it was a lot of fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorp Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Funny, I think I've seen him there before. He pulled up just as I was leaving sometime in the spring. Only other time I've seen someone at this site. It definitely is best not to visit in the summer. There is usually a lot of poison ivy, too much to avoid. 1 hour ago, DPS Ammonite said: Do you find any Pennsylvanian sponges in the area? Not at this site. I've read that spicules have been found, but I've never found them (or at least noticed them). Some published taxa can be found in the black shales in the area though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 If that's the smallest haul you've ever come home with then you've never really been to a bad site (never been skunked) - or do you mean only on trips further afield than your usual 'backyard' sites? Maybe it's not worth a 130mi drive but they are nice nonetheless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClearLake Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 Those are some great looking Pennsylvanian brachiopods! I’ll have to look back on some of the trip reports to see what a “good” day there looks like, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 6, 2020 Author Share Posted October 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Wrangellian said: If that's the smallest haul you've ever come home with then you've never really been to a bad site (never been skunked) - or do you mean only on trips further afield than your usual 'backyard' sites? Maybe it's not worth a 130mi drive but they are nice nonetheless! Smallest haul ever, from any site I have collected. On other visits to this site I collected a lot, it could have just been me today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 6, 2020 Author Share Posted October 6, 2020 31 minutes ago, ClearLake said: Those are some great looking Pennsylvanian brachiopods! I’ll have to look back on some of the trip reports to see what a “good” day there looks like, haha. Thanks and Yes, do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jort68 Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 This is crazy, I collected the same roadcut earlier this year! Great place. Did you happen to see a crazy little crevice filled with crystals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deutscheben Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Like @connorp, I have always had this site to myself while collecting, so it’s pretty cool that you were able to share it with an Illinois fossil expert! I have not found any sponges here either. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 On 10/5/2020 at 10:38 PM, jort68 said: This is crazy, I collected the same roadcut earlier this year! Great place. Did you happen to see a crazy little crevice filled with crystals? Not a crevice, but I do find numerous brachiopods with crystals inside. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 You may not have found a dragon’s horde of treasures, but it looks like you had a great time with great company. Thanks for sharing! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 8 hours ago, FossilNerd said: You may not have found a dragon’s horde of treasures, but it looks like you had a great time with great company. Thanks for sharing! That is true- thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stats Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 On 10/5/2020 at 5:00 PM, Nimravis said: Roy Plotnick- Roy has spoken many times at ESCONI meetings. He is always interesting, with some controversial ideas like his paper that Essexella asherae is a sea anemone. Or, maybe you remember this from this summer https://www.esconi.org/esconi_earth_science_club/2020/07/mazon-monday-18-langford-book-inscriptions-mazoncreek-fossils-mazonmonday.html. Cheers, Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 1 hour ago, stats said: like his paper that Essexella asherae is a sea anemone. He mentioned that and said it is coming out soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 What a steep hunting location! It looks kind of scary Very nice brachiopods, Ralph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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