The Rio Puerco Valley

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

The Rio Puerco Valley was my introduction to fossils...it immediately caught my attention...lit a match...became a place I am always eager to revisit...search...learn about...

 

...and in roaming it, have learned about myself.

 

Many of my adventures in the Puerco are posted here, here...here and here...and here.

 

From here on out, my excursions will be shared here.

 

May you find happiness in your hunting.

 

-P.

[Raptor Lover 21]

Congrats! Good for you

[ynot 7,230]

Pretty cool! Wish I had known about that place when I was a kid.

Tony

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Pretty cool! Wish I had known about that place when I was a kid.

Tony

Thanks, but I am thankful you didn't.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Congrats! Good for you

One of the best things that ever happened to me.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Though I had thought of it often...it had really been too long since I was last in the Puerco.

Finally made it back.

I wanted to check some areas I had been wondering about for some time...those low lying hills, in the distance, at the end of previous trips. Last weekend, I went and looked...

...there were some fossils.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

What looked like nothing more than a slight ridge of Junipers, was Paguate Sandstone...Cenomanian age, marine rocks. Little did these Junipers know, fossils lay at their feet.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Further down a fence line, was a flat of greenish shale. I had always wondered if it was the tail end of a stretch of, Turonian in age, Carlile shale...

...these Spathites puercoensis were proof it was.

Edited October 6, 2015 by PFOOLEY

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Midday brought along an undeniable hunger. Nourishment rekindled another.

The afternoon was spent climbing the talus slopes of Carlile capped in Semilla Sandstone...

...Prionocyclus hyatti were in season.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

This stone...

...made me smile.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Strange shapes trapped in sand stone...

...become creatures from time unknown.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

My best was noticed in a glance...

...a day with this pattern on my mind has concluded with a prize...

... and just when I thought it could not have ended any better...

...it did.

Gotta love that desert sky.

Happy hunting,

-P.

[Troodon 18,523]

My first introduction to this area, thank you, what a wonderful place to collect. I can understand why you fell in love with it. Looks like fun, how productive is it and do you ever see other collectors in the area?

[Auspex 3,996]

There is little on this Earth to rival the blaze of solitude in a desert sunset.

[Raptor Lover 21]

One of the best things that ever happened to me.

That's awesome!

[Raptor Lover 21]

There is little on this Earth to rival the blaze of solitude in a desert sunset.

You have a lot of good sayings

[ynot 7,230]

Awesome finds!

Tony

PS Sorry, I am at a loss of words this morning.

[JohnJ 4,274]

All I have is a Turonian sigh....

[Ludwigia 6,431]

Man, am I envious, but happy for you at the same time, you lucky guy! Great finds in a spectacular landscape! Who could ask for more?

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

...how productive is it and do you ever see other collectors in the area?

This area has been very productive...lot's of open land to roam. I have run into a few collectors in my tenure...a church group, which I think I may have startled as I approached from seemingly nowhere, and 2ynpigo...we met in the field long before I knew of this forum.

There is little on this Earth to rival the blaze of solitude in a desert sunset.

Word.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Awesome finds!

Tony

PS Sorry, I am at a loss of words this morning.

Thanks Tony.

All I have is a Turonian sigh....

From viewing my Turonian high?

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Man, am I envious, but happy for you at the same time, you lucky guy! Great finds in a spectacular landscape! Who could ask for more?

Thanks Roger, but one could definitely debate who is more envious of whom.

[Ludwigia 6,431]

Thanks Roger, but one could definitely debate who is more envious of whom.

Let's just say we're both also quite happy with what we've got.

[PFOOLEY 2,634]

Let's just say we're both also quite happy with what we've got.

Yes, lets.

[amour 25 35]

Looks nice and peaceful Mike.

Thanks for sharing it.