LeeCreek2thHntr Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 My son and I are traveling cross-country from NC this summer to do some fossil hunting in Bakersfield. This will be our first Bakersfield dig and would appreciate any tips as to where to look (legally) or better yet meet up with some other enthusiasts. We will be there on June 29th and 30th. Thanks in advance.... Adrian and Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 What states will you be passing through and by roughly which route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 My son and I are traveling cross-country from NC this summer to do some fossil hunting in Bakersfield. This will be our first Bakersfield dig and would appreciate any tips as to where to look (legally) or better yet meet up with some other enthusiasts. We will be there on June 29th and 30th. Thanks in advance.... Adrian and Andy Adrian and Andy, You are heading to Bakersfield just when it is getting hot, meaning mid-90's towards 100 (July and August are cookers with 100+ heat waves). Technically, it's not a desert but it feels like one. Usually, there is no shade other than your own car. Bring lots of water with you. The good news is that the local rattlesnakes hide during the day. The local Motel 6's are clean, cheap places to stay and you should visit the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History on Chester to see some great fossils that have been found in the area. If you do a search on this site for the word "Bakersfield" or "Sharktooth Hill" you should find some people talking about sites to check out. Members have asked for this info before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 And the Sharktooth Hill bone bed near Bakersfield contains extraordinarily high concentrations of the disease-producing fungal spores. Most cases of Valley Fever either produce very few if any symptoms, or resemble a minor touch of the flu. In the vast majority of infected folks, Valley Fever resolves itself without medication. In rare instances, unfortunately, the disease ravages a particularly susceptible individual, causing high fever, chills, unending fatigue, rapid weight loss, inflammation of the joints, meningitis, pneumonia and even death. Every fossil-prospector who chooses to visit the Sharktooth Hill bone bed--and the southern San Joaquin Valley, in general, must be fully aware of the risks involved. I have understood that the spores are in the soil not any of the rock formations. Can spores impregnate the silt? At some sites the rock is friable and falls apart in water but it's like concrete in others. Obviously, the wind blows soil and dust onto rock exposures and rain washes it into pits and trenches dug by fossil collectors but I'm not sure any of the formations contain the spores. The Valley Fever fungus is known from the San Joaquin Valley to Texas. I was told that the Phoenix area has the highest concentration of cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 (edited) I have understood that the spores are in the soil not any of the rock formations. Can spores impregnate the silt? At some sites the rock is friable and falls apart in water but it's like concrete in others. Obviously, the wind blows soil and dust onto rock exposures and rain washes it into pits and trenches dug by fossil collectors but I'm not sure any of the formations contain the spores. The Valley Fever fungus is known from the San Joaquin Valley to Texas. I was told that the Phoenix area has the highest concentration of cases. The spores are called arthrospores and they are the breakdown products of dead hyphae. They will grow in the soil but they will not be found in the rocks except by accident through the movement of water or air. Spores will not be deep down in the soil but digging in a large hole and breathing recycled air full of dust (as one Forum member did) can result in the overwhelming innoculum needed to cause a disseminated fungal infection. As Inyo said, most Cocci infections are mild and go relatively unnoticed. Edited June 7, 2010 by Hawkeye 1 If you believe everything you read, perhaps it's time for you to stop reading... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 i personally don't pick fights with fungi...not easy enough to kill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeCreek2thHntr Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Adrian and Andy, You are heading to Bakersfield just when it is getting hot, meaning mid-90's towards 100 (July and August are cookers with 100+ heat waves). Technically, it's not a desert but it feels like one. Usually, there is no shade other than your own car. Bring lots of water with you. The good news is that the local rattlesnakes hide during the day. The local Motel 6's are clean, cheap places to stay and you should visit the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History on Chester to see some great fossils that have been found in the area. If you do a search on this site for the word "Bakersfield" or "Sharktooth Hill" you should find some people talking about sites to check out. Members have asked for this info before. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeCreek2thHntr Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 What states will you be passing through and by roughly which route? Are trip is mainly for national parks and not fossils hunting but we will be stopping in this order in Arizona, Utah, California, and Wyoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members ns145 Posted June 16, 2010 New Members Share Posted June 16, 2010 Do a google search for "Ant Hill Fossils". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Got any fossiling plans in Wyoming? Are you guys only after shark teeth? Its hard to drive ny the Green River fish beds and not stop in for a day of collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeCreek2thHntr Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 Got any fossiling plans in Wyoming? Are you guys only after shark teeth? Its hard to drive ny the Green River fish beds and not stop in for a day of collecting. No we won't.. just traveling up there. Wish we could..... sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilForKids Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 A few points: * Valley Fever is usually mild but when it's not.....it can kill you......Minimally wear a mask * The heat after 9:00 am will be totally unbearable. An umbrella would help if you didn't have serious overburden to remove. The odds are you'll be miserable. I might be able to drive down and get you started but I want you to know what the challenges are. If I were you I would invest in a day at either U-Dig or Kemmerer before I would risk Bakersfield this time of year. Please believe me when I say I have alot of time and experience in Bakersfield. FFK If only my teeth are so prized a million years from now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilForKids Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 The spores are called arthrospores and they are the breakdown products of dead hyphae. They will grow in the soil but they will not be found in the rocks except by accident through the movement of water or air. Spores will not be deep down in the soil but digging in a large hole and breathing recycled air full of dust (as one Forum member did) can result in the overwhelming innoculum needed to cause a disseminated fungal infection. As Inyo said, most Cocci infections are mild and go relatively unnoticed. Valley Fever!!...I suppose you believe in Bigfoot as well If only my teeth are so prized a million years from now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 A few points: * Valley Fever is usually mild but when it's not.....it can kill you......Minimally wear a mask * The heat after 9:00 am will be totally unbearable. FFK Oh, c'mon John. The heat doesn't get totally unbearable in Bakersfield in July until after 11:00 am. It's only mostly unbearable at 9:00 am. Remember it's only a dry heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilForKids Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 The Scorpions strap on Ice cubes at 9 If only my teeth are so prized a million years from now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dare2Dream Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 My son and I are traveling cross-country from NC this summer to do some fossil hunting in Bakersfield. This will be our first Bakersfield dig and would appreciate any tips as to where to look (legally) or better yet meet up with some other enthusiasts. We will be there on June 29th and 30th. Thanks in advance.... Adrian and Andy How did the Bakersfield dig go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Yes, I'd like to know how it went too. It's been over three years since I've collected there. How did the Bakersfield dig go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeCreek2thHntr Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Found alot of cool stuff including lots of angel, gray, dogshark, and broken makos. Also we found lots of nice makos, including hooks, about half a dozen tigers, no hemis, 3 dolphin teeth, 2 basking shark teeth, an associated pair of prosqualodons, 2 hammerheads, and a partridge in a pear tree. Most had that fragile yet beautiful fire zone color. It was worth getting up at 2 and atying til 11 in the tremendous heat. :hot: Don't have a camera to take pics right now. :pic: Sorry Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yeah, it's like anywhere else - lots of broken stuff - but you found a lot of nice stuff too. Getting two hammerheads is really lucky. Most people might get one only after several trips. Yeah, east coast collectors are often surprised at the rarity of Hemipristis. If you took home some matrix, you will probably find more basking shark and lots of micro-teeth (especially stingray) in it. I've never done an overnight dig. You see, the heat may be tremendous but it not unbearable until 11. Found alot of cool stuff including lots of angel, gray, dogshark, and broken makos. Also we found lots of nice makos, including hooks, about half a dozen tigers, no hemis, 3 dolphin teeth, 2 basking shark teeth, an associated pair of prosqualodons, 2 hammerheads, and a partridge in a pear tree. Most had that fragile yet beautiful fire zone color. It was worth getting up at 2 and atying til 11 in the tremendous heat. :hot: Don't have a camera to take pics right now. :pic: Sorry Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason longboard Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Yeah, it's like anywhere else - lots of broken stuff - but you found a lot of nice stuff too. Getting two hammerheads is really lucky. Most people might get one only after several trips. Yeah, east coast collectors are often surprised at the rarity of Hemipristis. If you took home some matrix, you will probably find more basking shark and lots of micro-teeth (especially stingray) in it. I've never done an overnight dig. You see, the heat may be tremendous but it not unbearable until 11. Are we allowed over night? I guess its most likely ok, you never know in this town. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable is my mentor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeCreek2thHntr Posted August 16, 2010 Author Share Posted August 16, 2010 I think it's ok. But with the Bakersfield police at every block, you don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 if you get thrown in jail, just don't tell the other prisoners that you're there because of your interest in fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason longboard Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 if you get thrown in jail, just don't tell the other prisoners that you're there because of your interest in fossils. lol, I will remember that. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable is my mentor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyrules244 Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 I moved to N.C. from the Bakersfield area 1 tip make sure to use at least masks while your digging you really dont want Valley Fever "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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