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Herb

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Pam and I went on a Peace River kayak trip Friday 5/31 guided by Mark Renz. We had a great time on the river and talking with Mark, who is very knowledgeable about the river, fossils and the history of the area. The weather turned out great even though we had to postpone the trip a couple days due to thunder storms in the area. We found some great fossils and lots of teeth (another post, another day, I'm a couple years behind in shooting pictures). No alligators, I'm sorry to say, I was hopping for some close up pix :D but not too close up. All in all it was well worth the trip and a lot of fun and we would recommend a trip with Mark anytime.

Thanks, Mark.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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Congrats Herb! Have you been there before? It's getting a bit late to hunt the Peace. I'm sure Mark told you all about it.

And I would say "let's see some pics", but you've already put a kibosh on that one. Haha

~Charlie~

"There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK
->Get your Mosasaur print
->How to spot a fake Trilobite
->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG

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Mark is a great guy though I blame him for my addition to screening the Peace River. Back in 2006 my wife and I wanted to head to Wyoming to see Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Logistically, it seemed easiest to fly from South Florida to SLC, Utah and drive from there. While searching for places along the way that might have been of interest I discovered the little town of Kemmerer, WY famous not only for Green River fish (and other) fossils but for being the home of the very first J.C. Penney store (originally sold supplies to the miners and other folk in the area). We scheduled a dig with George Putnam who was the only one willing to take us out that late in the season (late October). We had a great time, found lots of fish--and it snowed the following day closing the season. George mentioned that a film crew from a Travel Channel show Best Places to Find Cash and Treasures had just finished filming an episode splitting oil shale for fish. I had not heard of the show but put a search into my DVR for "Kemmerer" (as George couldn't remember the actual name of the show). Within a few months my DVR's hard drive started filling up with episodes of this interesting (but controversial) show.

One of the shows that followed Green River fish plates was hunting for meg teeth in the Peace River. I had lived in Florida for over 10 years by this time but had only known about sifting for sand tumbled shark teeth with a spaghetti strainer at Caspersen Beach in Venice. Of course, I instantly found Mark's website and booked a trip one chilly April morning in 2007. These were busy days for Mark. The notoriety from the show ballooned his business so much that he was working nearly 7 days a week and having to hire assistants to help split up the group of 30 of us that showed up that 40 degree morning at the Burger King in Arcadia. With the help of a wetsuit and Mark's guidance we soon found ourselves addicted to Peace River 'black gold'. I remember Mark saying to keep anything that you think may be a fossil and he would come around and tell you if it was something or just suggestively shaped phosphate matrix. I showed him one of my finds that wasn't pointy shark tooth shaped and he asked my why I kept that one. I responded that it looked oddly biological and I was told that I was right having found my first whale tympanic bulla (ear bone).

I've run into Mark quite a few times along the Peace while he's been leading groups and spreading the gospel about prehistoric Florida. We never fail to take him up on a phosphate quarry surface hunt if he is leading the group as he is not only knowledgeable but great fun to talk to--infectious enthusiasm is probably an apt description. Though the season is just about over on the Peace (one good rainy stretch away from being at flood stage) I'd encourage TFF members from points north to either look up Mark Renz or contact one of the Florida TFF members if you are thinking about experiencing the Peace River for the first time. Why not do both?

Cheers.

-Ken

P.S.: Herb, you need to carve out a little time one day and snap a few quick pics of your Peace River souvenirs.

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Not much of a shortage of Peace River pix on here.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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Congrats Herb! Have you been there before? It's getting a bit late to hunt the Peace. I'm sure Mark told you all about it.

And I would say "let's see some pics", but you've already put a kibosh on that one. Haha

I have been there several times, but this was the first organized trip. I enjoy collecting in Florida.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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Not much of a shortage of Peace River pix on here.

True but I have yet to see a Peace River trip or any other that looks the same.... get um up when you have a chance ( :) ). Us addicts need our fix.

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Oh come on, throw us some pics !lol :) I never get tired of seeing others treasures

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

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