Dayton, OH to Cincinnati...I75 Roadcuts

[hrguy54]

Back at the end of 2015 I posted about an Early Christmas present...went hunting on a ridiculously warm Christmas Eve at a roadcut near an exit on I75 between Dayton and Cincinnati. Found some Flexiycalymene trilobites, RafInesquinas, and Cephalopods - Orthocones.  

That spring I went to the other side of the highway and found some more of the same plus these trilobites:

 

I then decided that I would visit each of the roadcuts between the I675 and the I275 interchanges. This has taken me until this past May...about a year.

The one closest to Dayton was pretty disappointing. I picked up a few nice Strophemans, a RafInesquina, a partial Leptaena, and a few brachs (right of the coin below) I was unable to identify...there were a ton of those.

I went back to the initial interchange but went to the exits at the south end. Google maps said it was about 70 feet lower than the north exit ramps  I was not expecting what I found.... 

It was a Vinlandstrophia Ponderosa mecca.  Both sides of the highway as it turned out. Here are some from one side. The other side had nearly as many.

 

Some broken and showing nice geode centers

 

Along with a nice array of Orthocones, RafInesquinas, Gastropods and even a few Horn Corals. I've never found horn corals along side the Vinlandstrophia Ponderosas.

 

 

 

The next stop, slowly getting closer to Northern Cincinnati, was a very exciting spot not only Cephalopods and RafInesquinas but some unexpected Flexicalymene trilobites:

 

Including the largest "roller" I've ever found (2 views)...As big as a quarter. I had to prep it as soon as I got home.

 

As I got to the last roadcut before I275 I didn't know what to expect. No 2 consecutive were the same. Even the same exit was different at north and south.

 

 

 

 

[hrguy54]

The last site involved climbing through pretty dense overgrowth to find.....Vinlandstrophia Ponderosas.

These were especially nice specimens. Very clean with few damaged ones.

So ended my journey. It was a real challenge on several of the sites to even get to them... a lot of hiking, climbing fences, trudging through thick plant growth, and then climbing some steep inclines. At times it was physically exhausting. For those wondering: yes, I got stopped by troopers. Twice. Each time I was reminded not to cross over the drainage ditch onto the shoulder. No citations.

I am sharing my "secret sites" because I'm pretty confidant I got everything of "value" at each spot. Further, these sites probably hadn't been investigated in a really, really long time, if ever. And I don't think they erode very quickly. Finally, I'm 62 and by the time they "re-stock" I'll be too old to make the trip. Someone else can do it.

 

[Miocene_Mason]

Nice report, thanks for sharing! I bet there are some more trilos hanging out under a rock somewhere, maybe I'll come and take a look someday.

[ynot]

Sounds like a fun time checking all those places.

Thanks for sharing.

[Darktooth]

Nice report and Great finds!

[Nimravis]

Great report, thanks for sharing.

[matt2396]

Nice finds! I made it out to the Cincinnati area a couple of months ago, you guys have it made in the shade. 

[hrguy54]

Don't we though?

If your willing to do some research and "exploring" and have some time you can find a lot of nice stuff.

[hrguy54]

 

I knew everyone was waiting breathlessly for this news.....

 

I went to this site....https://www.cedarville.edu/-/media/Files/PDF/Geology/fossil-identification-guide.ashx?la=en&hash=FA8D2A98A52E8F1B979109285FCA0961201ACE63

 

Found out that the unidentifiable brachiopods in the second picture were Cincinnetina meeki and Cincinnetina multisecta. Previously know as Dalmanella meeki and multisecta.

 

Everyone can exhale now....phew.

[Monica]

 

I LOVE all of your finds - congratulations!!!

[Kane]

Great finds! Those flexi rollers especially are stunning. 

 

(I initially misread the topic title and thought it said 175 roadcuts, not I-75!  ).

[Monica]

13 hours ago, Kane said:

Great finds! Those flexi rollers especially are stunning. 

 

(I initially misread the topic title and thought it said 175 roadcuts, not I-75!  ).

 

I did the same thing, Kane - maybe it's a Canadian thing, eh? 

[Kane]

4 minutes ago, Monica said:

 

I did the same thing, Kane - maybe it's a Canadian thing, eh? 

Lol - too true!