minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 It was about a month ago that I attended a wedding in Ohio. There was a free afternoon for me to do a little exploring. So I took a short one hour road trip to Ambridge, Pa. I had no tools to use other than a carpenter's hammer that I borrowed. Had I been prepared to split shale with the proper equipment, my results would have been much better. Pennsylvanian, Dutch Creek Formation flora exists in the shale cliffs across the Ohio River from Ambridge, along Route 51( a 4 lane highway) as you cross the bridge. It is a very safe area to collect since barriers are in place to prevent rock slides onto the road. This keeps you separated from the heavy traffic on the road. Here are typical fossils found at this site. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Calamites leaf and a Spenopteris leaf: 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Macroneuropteris leaves: This would be a great site for anyone just getting into fossil collecting. Also fairly child friendly, but you never know about falling rocks. the barriers are there for a reason. My collecting entailed walking along the base of the cliff, looking for recently fallen rocks, then just bang on the rock until it splits. Almost all of the shale splits easily and 25% seems to be fossiliferous. It was a fun couple of hours!!! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 So much good quality Carboniferous material you found in one lucky hour! Congratulations on your short productive trip. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 These are exceptionally well preserved, Mike! Lovely fossils. Thanks for showing us! 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...
Nimravis Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Love the Calamites with internodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 very nice specimens "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Wow! Excellent fossils! Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Yes very nice. Love the detail preservation with depth and dimension to it. Sounds like a fun place, but possibly somewhat dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepTimeIsotopes Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 That's some impressive splitting with only a carpenter hammer. Each dot is 50,000,000 years: Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic........... Paleo......Meso....Ceno.. Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here Doesn't time just fly by? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Very nice plants, Mike! I, too, love the Calamites with internodes present - beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 My favorites are the Calamites too. I am surprised many also like them over the fern leaves. As for dangerous, yes rock slides happen there. That is what brings the slabs to the base of the hill. It is more likely that most of the rock, as said, slides down the hill. Flat slabs don't tumble well and the slope is not very steep due to an accumulation of broken shale. I would have taken my children here when they were young. It is more likely to die of an automobile crash getting there than be injured by falling rock.Finally, I destroyed many many nicer pieces because of the hammer I used. But just lightly hitting the surface of the shale would cause bedding planes to separate decently enough to extract some nice specimens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 The calamites are cool, but I really like the cute little ferns. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bguild Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Awesome finds! Sounds like a very productive site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockin' Ric Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Awesome Carboniferous Flora finds! Nicely detailed and love those hash plates. WELCOME TO ALL THE NEW MEMBERS! If history repeats itself, I'm SO getting a dinosaur. ~unknown www.rockinric81.wixsite.com/fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Forgot these different specimens: Neuropteris ovata Lepidodendron Scale Tree leaves (needles) left the trunk of the tree looking hairy: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 I'm planning a trip to DC this year and looks like it might be a nice stop on the way home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 @smt126 My guess is a trip to Ambridge would NOT take you far out of your way. Let me know if you plan this and I can give you a few pointers!!!! It is an enjoyable place to visit if you like plant material. It doesn't take long to find respectable specimens. So great for a pit stop and stretch of the legs. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 @minnbuckeye will do. It will be some time before we go. I was reading about the beaver rd spot a little as well. We are big fans of cephalopod. I have to figure out what the wife is ok with first. Obviously seeing D.C. is on the top of the agenda but I was hoping to hit up some shark teeth by the Potomac, st Leon rd cut, and whatever in between. I got the rockhounding guide for the D.C. Area. Brownies beach sounds like it would be fun but charging me almost 60 bucks for my family is outrageous to use a beach. I'm probably going to pick up the rockhounding pennsylvania next. I put it in the Amazon cart with some other fossil literature hoping my wife would get the hint to get it for me for Christmas since she says she never knows what to get me lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam86cucv Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 2 hours ago, smt126 said: Brownies beach sounds like it would be fun but charging me almost 60 bucks for my family is outrageous to use a beach. They only change at Brownies between Memorial day weekend through Labor day weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Wow! Wonderful site to find beautiful plant specimens! Thanks for sharing these, Mike. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 1 hour ago, Adam86cucv said: They only change at Brownies between Memorial day weekend through Labor day weekend. That is when I will be there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sTamprockcoin Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Don"t bother with the rockhounding PA book (IMHO) look for "Fossil Collecting in the MidAtlantic States" by Jasper Burns which has more localities and better illustrations and is ALL fossils! The other one has too many closed and locations where you can't collect. 3 “Beautiful is what we see. More beautiful is what we understand. Most beautiful is what we do not comprehend.” N. Steno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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