mikeymig Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 All these corals were found in a hidden gully I discovered on 7/22. The entrance to this gully is guarded by two huge/intertwined rose bushes. I had to go around these nasty bushes, through tall weeds, and over fallen trees to get into this dark & damp gully. I was soon rewarded when I found a neat Favosites on an angled piece of matrix that makes for a flat and stable base. The rocks in the gully were covered in moisture but the creek was dry and water free. I was slowly making my way up the gully when I noticed the top of a large horn coral sticking out of the rocks & gravel. After an attempt to pull it from the creek bed I then realized I had to dig it out due to its size. At 6.3" it’s the largest and most complete Heliophyllum in my collection. Parts of this gully required you to crawl under fallen trees and low lying tree limbs. When I was on all fours crawling under a large bush I found a complete “mushroom” Favosites lying among the boulders and cobble stones. I left my backpack down near the stream so I could bushwhack this gully so I made a pile of my finds on a large rock. After reaching the top I turned around and made my way back down the gully towards the stream picking my finds up as I go. Paula was waiting for me near the gully’s entrance and helped me put my fossils into my backpack. We were heading to the stream when Paula found a sweet Favosites on a horn coral where the gully discharges into the stream. We had a long hike back to the car and stopped at a large piece of shale that I was working on a few weeks ago. I found a complete, enrolled Greenops in it back then and gave it to Gerald Kloc for prepping. This shale block had time to weather and I was able to finish splitting it. There were a bunch of corals in it and I found two complete, little Greenops in the last few pieces of shale. It was very hot muggy that day, my glasses were fogging; my legs are all cut up but totally worth it. mikey 1 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Your trips sometimes sound like Special Ops missions! That Heliophyllum is ridiculously huge, not to mention really, really cool "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Just, freaking, outstanding! Report, fossils, all of the above. I'm jealous of everything but the hot-n-muggy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanNREMTP Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Sounds like a fun trip to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Way to go, Mikey! Paula must have the patience of an oyster...or coral, in this case. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyT. Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Glad your efforts doing battle with thorns and humidity were amply rewarded. Always enjoy your narration and graphics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Auspex I feel like Im on a mission most of the time. I have been collecting at this site for years but never went this far upstream. We walked for about a half mile with no shale or outcrop until I found this little gully hiding in the forest. Paula is very patient and this trip was her idea. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement . mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Here's what the gully looked like. Mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 (edited) Corals are generally not high on my wish list, but finds like those have me thinking twice. Those Greenops are mighty sweet too. Congrats! Wish I could have been there. Keep the mission going. Thanks for posting your amazing finds. Edited July 24, 2014 by Jeffrey P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kap Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Wow! Very cool pieces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Im not into the corals, but have to say those are quite nice! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 What did they used to say at the beginning of Star Trek? Something like "venturing into unexplored galaxies" or "going where no human has gone before" and stuff like that. Captain Mikeymig and his trusty navigator Paula have discovered yet another paradisical world to be explored and have brought back a few prime examples of the endemic fauna! Well done! And thanks for the impressive report on the exploratory venture. Sounds like it was more strenuous that the king's leg at the Tour de France. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Agree with all above! These are amazing and you're so lucky to have such a great site that's accessible to you. Here in Australia everywhere is either Private property and you cant get permission to hunt around, or its government " keep out" land... So im Jealous! lol Jace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 This site is on private property and I have been collecting here since 85-86. Paula said she would like to be first mate not navigator. Mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 <DING!> You could be the fossil hunter from heck if you had a transporter! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbshark Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Great finds and pics, congrats! It's almost always worth taking the trail less traveled! Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Paula said she would like to be first mate not navigator. I didn't think to mention that she is actually both, since she was busy at the time with the navigating task... Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Mikey, Great finds once again - your intrepid exploration has paid off once more! Can't wait to see the trilos prepped out. Thanks for posting! Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 (edited) The trilobites didn't need much prep and each one has only one genal spine. Like almost every Dalmanites, the eyes had to be reattached but one specimen is missing both. Mikey Edited July 27, 2014 by mikeymig Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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