Third Collecting Trip to the Ohio Valley

[Jeffrey P]

It was a planned family get together at my sister's ranch in Kentucky to celebrate my father's 90th birthday. I was travelling from Southeastern New York by car. Made it to Harrison, Ohio the first day, right on the border with Indiana. Next morning, weather was pleasant and I was out to the famous St. Leon road cut, a place that I've wanted to visit for years. Finally made it there. Spent the entire day. Despite the site's fame, didn't see another collector and except for one brief shower the weather was perfect though a little on the warm side. I explored the entire exposure though the best was just below one of the terraces where the brachiopods and corals were weathering out of the shale complete. 

[Jeffrey P]

Every rock was covered with fossils. 

[Jeffrey P]

Picked up a lot of loose specimens like these Zygospira, 

[Jeffrey P]

Also Eochenetes and Sowerbyella. Couldn't distinguish the two species. Will have to do more research. Also found a bunch of Lepidpcyclus.

[Jeffrey P]

Rafinesquina and Strophomena:

[Jeffrey P]

Plaesiomys and Herberella:

[Jeffrey P]

There were also a few Leptaena including these on a rock. Big rugose corals were also plentiful. I found one nautiloid:

[Jeffrey P]

Did I forget to mention trilobites. Unfortunately I didn't find any complete individuals this time. Maybe next? 

[Jeffrey P]

Spent the night camping in Versailles State Park. Next day it was on to Vernon, Indiana and the Tunnel Mill site- my first time collecting in the Silurian Waldron Shale. Fossils weren't as plentiful here as at St. Leon's, but almost everything was a new species for my collection.

[Jeffrey P]

I thought these gastropods were very cool. Also found tiny brachiopods like these Rhynchotreta  and Stegerrynchus:

[Jeffrey P]

A pleasant surprise were the trilobites including this pygidium of Arctinurus and the cephalon of Glyptambon. Also found this enrolled specimen which hasn't been identified and could use a bit of prep:

[Jeffrey P]

Reached my parent's home that evening in Elizabethtown, KY. Spent the next few days with family and my girlfriend. Also managed to get up to Louisville to see TFF member Herb and peruse his amazing collection. Following the big get together which included a live band, the next morning I was on my way home to New York, but spent a day exploring the enormous Ordovician road cut just outside Maysville, KY. The Dry dredgers had been there the week before and it looked like they picked the site pretty clean. Did find some nice Vinlanostrophia in the talus: 

[Jeffrey P]

Also found this split specimen that was like a geode. Also picked up a couple of nautiloids. When I saw the one on the right it was on a large chunk of limestone and I was far from my tool bucket. I used the old and tried technique of breaking the rock down by picking it up and throwing it down until the nautiloid was freed. I was lucky it didn't get destroyed. So that was it. I'm back in New York going through the trip's finds and planning my next. 

[JarrodB]

Nice finds. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

59 minutes ago, Jeffrey P said:

Also Eochenetes and Sowerbyella. Couldn't distinguish the two species. Will have to do more research. 

Lots of loverly brachiopods! 

Sowerbyella is  not found in the Waynesville or Liberty, so these will all be Eochenetes clarksvillensis. 

Love the nautiloids and the Waldron shale stuff too. 

[Jeffrey P]

6 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Lots of loverly brachiopods! 

Sowerbyella is  not found in the Waynesville or Liberty, so these will all be Eochenetes clarksvillensis. 

Love the nautiloids and the Waldron shale stuff too. 

Thanks Adam. If you come to America you have to visit St. Leon. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, Jeffrey P said:

Thanks Adam. If you come to America you have to visit St. Leon. 

I know. I wish one day..................

But Ralph @Nimraviskindly sent me some hash plates and brachiopods from there. 

Here's one:

Marvelous! 

And the Waldron shale is also on my list.

I want to compare the species to the Wenlock Limestone Middle Silurian from the UK. 

[Ludwigia]

Very nice, Jeffrey! Looks like you had a successful trip judging by the finds. It’s nice to get into sites and layers you’ve never explored before, isn’t it?

[fossilcrazy]

Looks to be a fun and productive trip. Glad you enjoyed the family occasion and still got in some collecting.

[Nimravis]

Great finds and I know the area at the St Leon roadcut that you were collecting for the horn Coral, they just pop out from there. 

[Fossilis Willis]

Clearly I need to get out and visit my relatives more often. Looks like a good trip with some nice finds.

[deutscheben]

Thanks for the report! I've had the Tunnel Mill site on my future road trip list for a while and those trilobites and gastropods from there are really cool to see. 

[Al Tahan]

Wow!! Nice Jeff. You checked some boxes off my bucket list hah. 

[Monica]

Nice nautiloids, cool gastropods, and beautiful little crystals in that geodized specimen (brachiopod?)!  Thanks for sharing!

[FossilNerd]

Very nice finds! St. Leon isn’t too far from me (150 miles or so).I’ve heard of the site, but never visited it. Might have to take a day trip!