Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 To the best I can calculate I was in the field 86 days in 2009 logging roughly 16,602 road miles, mostly driven alone, with miles of hiking, and miles floating in bays and various waterways not accounted for...I might have picked up a goody or two along the way. How much time do you spend afield? Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infidel Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I've been thinking about tracking this, but then my life gets cluttered with too much data. I know during the longer days of summer I was on the creek at least 2-3 days after work, then of course every day on the weekends. I could tally hours, fish caught, fossils found, but again, I deal with data all day long, don't need anymore cluttering up my personal life. Take it easy, but take it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ahh, but I need to constantly monitor and improve my quality-fossils-per-hour-dollar-mile index........ Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ahh, but I need to constantly monitor and improve my quality-fossils-per-hour-dollar-mile index........ Why is that a write off Dan? "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." Upton Sinclair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt cable Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I do keep a fossil journal or log just so I remember where I've been and when I was there. I don't keep track of the hours though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Why is that a write off Dan? Yes, if fossil collecting and selling is a business for Dan. Mileage, meals, motel rooms, airline tickets, equipment -- all, and more, are business expenses. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 i have no idea how much time i've spent afield. no idea how many miles i've driven. no idea really what all i've found. i've tried very hard to move through the experiences enjoying them as much as i could, knowing that perhaps i'd never again be where i was, and certainly not at the same age and with tj there with me at his same age, so even if we did go back, it would never be the same. i have some photos for the purpose of trying to again spark vague memories of the days and the times and the discoveries. the memories fade much more rapidly than they once did, and i prefer to attribute it to the volume of information i consume, as opposed to more probably being victimized by an aging brain. but it's good to take a young guy along, so that someone will remember the beauty of the days, and the exhilaration of the discoveries, and the adventure of going not only where you have never been before, but where many people would never go. dan, there are many days when i think about dragging up stakes and heading out to put whatever effort is required into giving you a run for your money in the field. but i think we both know that will never happen. while you're counting the miles, don't forget to count the dreams. it's all about the bucket list, regardless of whether you believe in keeping one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ahh, but I need to constantly monitor and improve my quality-fossils-per-hour-dollar-mile index........ You have a good idea of the time I spent "afield" last year. But like I've told you before, to me, it really has to boil down to the quality time afield index. If that's missing, then it's not going to be much fun. If one does a little homework, then it should include some quality fossils. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Wow, Dan! I was probably lucky to average 1 or 2 day trips a month last year. Probably 1/3 or more of that time was in driving. A couple of trips were thwarted by Mother Nature (bad timing for rain, flooding, excessive heat). The shortage of time usually results in better planning, quality time outdoors and a fun time collecting with good friends. I need to win the lottery, so I can retire and spend more time collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 On a whim I was wondering what I've thrown at this hobby lately so I burned a couple lunch hours looking up my old reports online and tallying up all the running around. Good times.....the miles and days were more than I expected though. I won't show these numbers to my girlfriend...... Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I used to go collecting every single night when they were digging opencasts in the area or back filling.... every night there was new stuff to look at and only a couple of hours to do it in after they knocked off work.... waiting for them to stop work so I cant begin to think how many hours travelling and looking went into that and I dont want to know as I did it for approaching 3 years.... I get to the coast for maybe 3 days once a month now, but if you count the prep time as well.... I lost count long ago.... hundreds of hours work just vannish into the collection as another piece although time means nothing when you have a real passion for something..... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Good times.....the miles and days were more than I expected though. I won't show these numbers to my girlfriend...... that's the primary reason i'll never be in contention. there is always something i should be doing other than going collecting, and so far my wife and daughter have supported us in our exploits because we don't overdo it. harmony at home is a big deal to me, and the ladies of the house are important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scmense Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 An accident ten years ago was my original reason for going to Western Kansas for extended periods, the drier climate. I camp every April, May and June, come home for two months then go back for Sept, Oct and November. I met a rancher and he has land in the Smoky Hill river valley. I try to fossil hunt as much as physically possible, I probably average two to three hours a day, just depends on the pain level. I camp at some beautiful chalk formations that very few people get to see. Built me an off road trailer to carry supplies as my flatbed trailer was getting the wiring torn off and fighting flat tires. My wife enjoys fossil hunting as well, included a picture of her fossil hunting. She takes a weeks vacation every spring and comes to the ranch. The picture is a composite of four pictures that gives an idea on the type of land I hunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Ahh yes....peace on the home front....that's part of the reason I've been doing more collecting at night with a headlamp while the females slumber...... Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I don't need to keep a count, I can tell how much I've been going by how irritated the wife is with me, and it is a directly proportional relationship. Hopefully, as we get older, it'll become inversely proportional. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharks of SC Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Ive been hunting consistently at 2 or 3 times a week for as long as the low tide lasts...usually 2 or 3 hours. All of the collecting is done a few miles from home...easily accessible on the moped (70+ mpg) so milage isn't an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 (edited) Enjoy it while you can Danny boy. My closest fossil friend has been divorced 5 (five) times. For long periods of time, he would hunt EVERY day after work and most weekend days . Kinda explains the wifey thing doesn't it? My second closest fossil friend has only been married 5 times. He's not keeping up. In fact most of my extreme fossil hunting friends have been divorced. Me, I'm a one and done, but I was lucky to get the world's greatest daughter out of it. It's probably not the fossil aspect, it's more the compulsion - any interest would have the same effect. So if you want to talk about how much you are in the field, let us know after you get married. The Voice of Experience Edited February 11, 2010 by Smilodon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Ahh....so you guys understand my plight. Gotta level with yall.....last year I was divorced all year...Ma Nature was my rebound.....lotsa double and triple header fossil weekends whether or not my son was with me....this year may be a bit different....moved my 20 year high school reunion honey and her daughter from FL to TX a couple months ago, kinda hard to justify <even in my mind> doing many double headers these days. It was pretty gratifying however to !SELL! an Eopachydiscus to my ex a few months ago.....mua ha ha ha Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone digger Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I've never thought to keep track! So far this year it's 3 days and 700 miles of driving. Best find so far this year is this 3 3/4" Tyrannosaur tooth. here is 2 more nice finds, it's already shaping up to be a good year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Smilodon..... He was divorced 5 times.... I hope he didnt lose half of his collection each time.....that would leave him 1/32th of his origonal collection yikes! Ive never really understood blokes who have to ask permission to do things or understood a woman who could moan about being given some peace and quiet for a few days .... as long as things average out fair .... I mean who could mind you looking for fossils.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Precisely! We, as fossil hunters, are the few who come home with tangible evidence that we were actually where we said we would be! Mua ha ha ha Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 (edited) Smilodon..... He was divorced 5 times.... I hope he didnt lose half of his collection each time.....that would leave him 1/32th of his origonal collection yikes! Terry, you have to understand that my friend is a fossil HUNTER - not a collector. He is unlike anyone I've ever met. Not many people have been hired by the Smithsonian to find certain fossils they wanted to study - he was. I'm not talking about going to the creek to find some broken shark teeth and scraps of bone, I'm talking about going into mines to find and bring back skulls and skeletons. Although one or two of the wives tried the "its mine too" approach - they never succeeded. But oddly, his "collection(s)" don't mean much to him and he has disposed of them from time to time. "I'll just find more stuff and build another one (collection)," he would say. The thrill of the hunt is what motivates him, not possesions. He's 63 and suffers silently in some pain, but he can still out hunt anyone I know. He even had a new genus of critter named after him last year and there is a huge amount of desire left in him - for the hunt. Oh, and he's a lot of fun too. Us together selling fossils at a show near Halloween. Edited February 12, 2010 by Smilodon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Interesting dialogue gang! I certainly dont get out as much as I'd like to---probably once every two months at this time of year, there's more inclement weather now and I have too many other interests and other things going on. We still have some teenagers who tend to use up alot of hours also. Years ago, I went weekly and sometimes daily, particularly when I was very near a collecting site. I've never logged mileage/trip dates except for when in college on geology field trips... On the subject of wives, I'm still happily married and will admit to having taken a chance in the early courting phase by taking her on what I considered to be an absolutely thrilling diatomaceous shale plant fossil collecting trip date in town! I dont know that she would remember it that way but inspite of that poorly thought out lackluster event we are still happily married and I still get to go collect fossils!! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 I lured mine to Texas with fossils.....hehehe Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infidel Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Smilodon..... He was divorced 5 times.... I hope he didnt lose half of his collection each time.....that would leave him 1/32th of his origonal collection yikes! Ive never really understood blokes who have to ask permission to do things or understood a woman who could moan about being given some peace and quiet for a few days .... as long as things average out fair .... I mean who could mind you looking for fossils.... So there I was last weekend, middle of nowhere, driving slow on a windy road looking at roadcuts, irritated drivers behind me, when my phone rings. It's my wife, wanting to know what I'm doing, so I tell her "just driving around". She goes on a tirade about how she has "every right to know what I'm doing" and that "just driving around" is too vague and is what someone would say if they were having an affair. She wasn't happy, I told her I really was just randomly driving around. Just an hour ago we were having an early valentine's day lunch and she asked me if I think about hunting fossils more than I think about gender. Without hesitation I answered yes. Take it easy, but take it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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