Back To The Pit

[erose]

I had the upmost pleasure of spending most of Sunday collecting fossils with MikeCable, Gwestbrook and JohnJ. Mike and Gary had traveled down from Abilene Saturday for the DPS Whiskey Bridge FT. They had decided to make a full weekend out of it and obtained a permit for the Waco Pit as well. I asked if John and I could join them on Sunday and things were set. The day started early. Up at 4AM & out the door to pick up John at 5:30 to make Waco by 7. And at that we would still be wasting an hour of light.... But John and I had ben hunting fossils and artifacts (got my first! but another tale for another day) the day before and I knew Mike and Gary must have had a long day Saturday so 7 was a more civilized hour to meet.

Now when I awoke at 4 I made some coffee, ate some breakfast and then checked the radar. Dang, there was a whole lot of green, yellow and red stuff NW of Waco and moving slowly SE. But here in Texas you just never know. A few years ago every time I looked at the radar it was raining N,S,E & W of Austin, but not actually in Austin. Weather here can just be real screwy. So when I headed out to snag John I figured it was a 50/50 bet. On the road later with John we kept watch on the radar and told tales of encounters with tornadoes. The rain held off and nerry a drop on the windshield UNTIL we turned off the interstate for the last short leg west to the pit. Oh my that was a rather foreboding dark low wall of clouds slowly moving our way and sitting about where we wanted to be. But the radar promised it would be short and we kept going. When we got there Mike and Gary were in their car and it was coming down cats and dogs. They scrambled into mine and we had a nice chance to make introductions and talk a a bit about what was to be found that day. Within twenty minutes things were letting up and we decided to take a short drive to an adjacent site to begin the collecting. That site proved very productive although the slippery mud and steady drizzle was a bit daunting. John made a great find or two and then I hit the jackpot with a pocket of 13 echinoids. But that was not to last when we heard a park ranger yelling at us from the dam above, and informing us that we were in a restricted area and had to MOVE it. The maps were not clear and we had no need for trouble so we packed up and hiked back to the car. The ranger was just pulling up when we got there and we explained ourselves and he was cool, and now we know better. So heads up everyone, the Waco "spillway channel" is restricted and the permit is only good for the borrow pit.

We scraped the clay off as best we could loaded back into the car and returned to the pit. The rain had stopped and blue sky was starting to peak out. And so we headed back into the mud and muck. The rest of the morning went pretty well. I think everyone found some more great stuff. Mike found plenty of ammonites I believe, Gary found a nice heart urchin. By noon they were ready to call it a day. Gary had the drive back to Abilene ahead of him and Mike was intent on saving his back for yet another day. John and I stuck around another couple of hours and kept finding great stuff. For me that included a small pocket of partial brittle stars. By three it was hot and we were each thinking about cold beverages and hot showers. Driving back south we talked about the days finds, past adventures and new prospects.

There are times I really like being all on my own with nothing but the sun and wind and fresh fossils. And then there are times when the collecting is it's very best because I could share it with friends. Attached are a few photos and I hope my cohorts will add to the post in the next day or two.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

Glad yall smacked 'em. I especially like the Goniophorus with partial spines attached. I've never seen that presentation from the site. Excellent Ophiura graysonensis apical disks too.

[erose]

Dan, I was was a VERY happy camper. JohnJ and I had been collecting the day before and he found a very impressive point (probably have to convincee him to post it along with the bomb Tetragramma taffi he found nearby) this came a month or two after he found the amazing Pseudodiadema that is now his avatar. He found that perfect specimen after we spent a morning in the GR microzone and he snagged it in the last five minutes and just 20, freaking inches, from where I had been looking fifteen minutes before. So, long story short, I was due to find something he would envy. WE all had a great time.

FYI, there are tiny little scrobicular spines as well. see: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/echinoid-directory/taxa/glossary.jsp?begins=S&showImageID=164

Edited June 10, 2013 by erose

[sward]

There are times I really like being all on my own with nothing but the sun and wind and fresh fossils. And then there are times when the collecting is it's very best because I could share it with friends.

I couldn't agree more.

It sounds like y'all had a great time. Congrats on some nice finds. I'm glad the ranger was "cool" with ya. We've all run into occasions when that wasn't the case.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

yeah thats a killer pseudodiadema worthy of praise. i've only found partials at the site that would have amounted to maybe a 15-20 mm test.

congrats on the point. would be kühl to see. i recently found an ellis or big creek point that will be showcased in my may report. you'll know i liked it when you see my photo composition. rain is good.

[Shamalama]

That explains why you found so much, it's off limits so not really picked over. Congrats on your finds, I'm very impressed by the ophiuroid discs.

[Roz]

It sounds like it was a great trip! Enjoying it with friends even better.. I love the echinoids

and brittle stars.

[mikecable]

That explains why you found so much, it's off limits so not really picked over. Congrats on your finds, I'm very impressed by the ophiuroid discs.

Having been there I know a lot of the better finds were actually made at the pit. I'm pretty sure Erich found the verts on their last foray into the pit after Gary had headed for home and I headed to Austin. I know that's the case with the brittle stars. The Goniophorus echinoid bed was at the now off-limits site. But we had all reviewed the map and the permit rules and thought we had the legitimate right to hunt there under our permit. The hour-long heavy rain that very morning helped a lot as well. Gary and I had spent about two hours at the site the afternoon before, and everything was baked into the clay, and in most cases was dusted with a light coat of grey as well. But after the rain bits were sitting on small pedestals, and stuff jumped out at me that I'm sure I was missing the day before. Erich and John have also developed the pattern recognition that only comes from hunting a site more than once and learning to "see small."

Erich--it was great to meet with you again, and equally great to have the opportunity to meet JohnJ. Sorry we begged off of the last few hours of the hunt. But frankly I'm amazed at how well this broken-down old cowboy performed. I was worried about making it back up the steep slope of the spillway gorge after I got down and realized how steep, slippery and uneven it was. Perhaps it was the stern urgency in that ranger's voice, but I came up with alacrity, and no worse for the wear. I may have come up in last place, but I was no more than 30 seconds behind the rest of y'all. You might just start having to call me "Titanium Man".

I won't be back home from my conference in Austin until Saturday. I don't have the proper computer here to upload my photos so you won't see mine until then. I'm not even sure what I have yet. I thought about washing that pernicious clay off some of them in the kitchen sink of my suite, but I'm fond of this hippy-dippy, tree-hugger hotel and didn't want to clog up their sink, especially since I can't take pics. (The Habitat Suites in Austin by the way--about 85 bucks a night--central location near Highland Mall--great organic buffet breakfast--great complimentary happy hour with tapas,chips and dip, and three free beers. For six bucks in tip I had two small plate of hordourves, two beers and a third Shiner to take back to my room for later. They are as environmentally responsible as possible, and grow many of the vegetables used in their fresh salsa, etc., organically right on the grounds. If you see a ripe tomato or pepper or some cilantro you are encouraged to harvest it for your own dinner in the room that night). But I digress.

A great trip--Both the Waco pit and Whiskey Bridge. I did take two showers yesterday when I got to the hotel. I'm convinced I had mud in my ears, my eyeball-sockets, my nostrils, and possibly in other unmentionable orifices. In my infinite, fossil-hunters wisdom I packed pill bottles, baggies, hammers, chisels, sandbags, etc. Then I threw clothes in the suit case willie-nillie. I ended up with my muddy fossil hunting boots, and a pair of river sandals. Gary and I were both smart enough to strip down to our skivvies in the pit parking lot and change clothes. So at least we got into a fast food chicken joint, and they let me in my hotel. But even after rinsing my boots off under a hose bib at the hotel, and chipping off more dried mud this morning, I still left grey, crumbly evidence of our trip in my conference room today. Luckily I'm with science teachers, and even those of the female persuasion understand and forgive such occasional tomfoolery.

I'll post field pics and fossil pics Sat. or Sun. Take care. Mike

[erose]

My boots and hat are still sitting in the driveway. May stay there until it rains...could be a long wait.

Mike, for someone who a year or so ago had been taken apart and put back together with a few extra bits thrown in, you were up and down that hill as quick as anyone. Nothing like the siren call of good fossils to lead us fools forward.

Oh, and thanks for the hotel review. I have many friends who would be looking for exactly that kind of place.

[mikecable]

My boots and hat are still sitting in the driveway. May stay there until it rains...could be a long wait.

Mike, for someone who a year or so ago had been taken apart and put back together with a few extra bits thrown in, you were up and down that hill as quick as anyone. Nothing like the siren call of good fossils to lead us fools forward.

Oh, and thanks for the hotel review. I have many friends who would be looking for exactly that kind of place.

I will have you know, my good man, and now good friend, it was a mere six months ago that they stitched me back up. Six weeks after that I made my first tentative fossil field trip. I may not be the man I used to be, but I'm sure as heck no less of a fool. The Doc probably should have operated on my brain instead of my back. But even that wouldn't have worked. Somehow crawling in the mud gets into your soul. I don't even think the Pope could exorcise me. So I just keep trying to exercise and crawl, scramble or climb whatever dirt I can.

[JohnJ]

The thunderstorm was certainly a surprise, but not something we complain about in Central Texas. It was great to meet Mike and Gary. Witnesses to our crawling and walking in the thick mud would pretty much say we all moved a little weird. That none of us wound up slipping on our backsides was a fortunate accomplishment and the making of a fun collecting memory.

The Goniophorus scotti echinoids that Erich found were really special, given they were the first in his collection. So despite the mud and drizzle, I did what I could to photograph his remarkable find. It was worth it.

I'll try to get a few of my finds cleaned and photographed soon.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

i think the spillway has been considered off limits for some time, but it wasn't really enforced against fossilers, hikers, and fishermen until a cpl years ago. around then i heard rumors of a dead man being found in the spillway by a kid - report unsubstantiated by me. but i've noticed access trails purposely blocked with cut brush since then. another good site bites the dust.

[Ludwigia]

Thanks for the report, guys. Love to have been along with you. Sounds like it was a successful and sociable day.

[erose]

i think the spillway has been considered off limits for some time, but it wasn't really enforced against fossilers, hikers, and fishermen until a cpl years ago. around then i heard rumors of a dead man being found in the spillway by a kid - report unsubstantiated by me. but i've noticed access trails purposely blocked with cut brush since then. another good site bites the dust.

The ranger actually told us it is considered dangerous because every so often they do release water. Of course we all laughed since we will have to be well past this drought before any water is released. The map that is provided with the permit includes that area but doesn't make clear what is what. I'm not an advocate for more rules, but clearer ones would help. But for as good as the spillway gorge is, plenty of great fossils continue to come out of the pit.

[Auspex]

Would that I could have shared the day with this jovial assembly!

[gwestbrook]

Well, I'm finally back from the cool mountains of New Mexico. I enjoyed 50-75 degree temps all week. But, as I came home to a much greener Texas due to the rain, I can honestly say I'm glad to be home. We had a great time trout fishing and just relaxing, overall.

JohnJ and Erose, thank you very much for your kind and generous hospitality and for showing Mike and I the ropes on the Waco Pit area. I really enjoyed it all! It was especially exciting to see Erich find that beautiful little Goniophorus echinoid nest. That was awesome! Just glad the park ranger didn't make you empty your pockets on the way out.

So sorry I didn't get to say a proper goodbye, John. But, I had a 400 mile drive the next morning after getting back home so I had to get some rest. I really look forward to hunts with you two in the future. I think Mike and I will know much better what to look for next time, thanks to your coaching.

Now out to knock the week-old dried mud off my boots!

[Crinoid Queen]

Sounds like a great time! I love meeting up with other members for hunts. It is always some of my most enjoyable and memorable hunts Your guys' trip sounds like my last trip in reverse the drive up was nice but the drive home we drove through tornado warnings the whole way! It was some freaky ride! Those are some great brittle stars and the echinoids are fantastic as well! Makes me wanna come on down to TX Can't Wait to see your next adventure.

-CQ

[JohnJ]

Gary, it is good to hear you are back in the heat after week in the A/C... I'm sure I'll get the chance to meet with you and Mike again.

I finally got a few of my finds cleaned and photographed. All it did was wet my appetite to return to Waco in the near future. The diversity of finds there is compelling...and every time I look at Erich's Goniophorus scotti assemblage (with articulated spines!), I get weak in the knee pads. I was able to find a couple of them - one clean and one similar to Erich's group. The latter is slightly crushed, but still a very fascinating association of plates and spines.

Scanning the ground with a magnification visor focuses my full attention. It's like flying - really close to the ground. I enjoy it as much as any other collecting technique. Anyway, here are a few finds from my low level "flight" and muddy landing.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

cool finds, guys. curious if the straight ammos might be sciponoceras.

and my "flying technique" probably emulates something a little closer to barn storming or crop dusting, i.e. i miss a lot due to pace.

Edited June 20, 2013 by danwoehr

[JohnJ]

I'm inclined to think you are right. I don't have the reference, but I thought yesterday it fit the description of Sciponoceras baculoides.

I'll probably wind up changing the label....

[Uncle Siphuncle]

in my limited experience, sciponoceras precedes baculites in tx. in my collection that transition appears to take place near the Kef/Kau contact.

[Roz]

Beautiful finds! I love how you present your images...

[JohnJ]

Beautiful finds! I love how you present your images...

Thanks, Roz. ...still learning.

[masonboro37]

I am just a bit speechless at the moment with your echi's! Great finds all around!

[gwestbrook]

Gary, it is good to hear you are back in the heat after week in the A/C... I'm sure I'll get the chance to meet with you and Mike again.

I finally got a few of my finds cleaned and photographed. All it did was wet my appetite to return to Waco in the near future. The diversity of finds there is compelling...and every time I look at Erich's Goniophorus scotti assemblage (with articulated spines!), I get weak in the knee pads. I was able to find a couple of them - one clean and one similar to Erich's group. The latter is slightly crushed, but still a very fascinating association of plates and spines.

Scanning the ground with a magnification visor focuses my full attention. It's like flying - really close to the ground. I enjoy it as much as any other collecting technique. Anyway, here are a few finds from my low level "flight" and muddy landing.

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Very nice! Enjoyed your great photos.