brachiomyback Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I took my 5-year old daughter to the Aurora Fossil Festival (Aurora, NC) this past weekend and then to the Green Mill Run (GMR) in Greenville, NC on Sunday for her first fossil collecting expedition. I probably shoveled only three gravel screen loads when she came up to me and stated that she found a sand dollar (barely in the water next to the large gravel bank that we started screening at). I was busy picking out teeth in my quarter inch screen when I decided to see what she really found. "DOUGH" (Homer). I couldn't believe what I was seeing. An echnoid!! Talk about beginners luck !!! I was dumbfounded on what I was holding, not to mention the condition of it considering how bad the GMR can wear fossils down. I never heard of anyone finding an echnoid at the GMR and was wondering if anyone else has ever found / known anyone who has found one. Finally got an ID from Mr. Dewayne Varnam of the East Coast Fossil Club (echnoid collector) who stated that she found a Hardouinia mortonis (Michelin, 1850) from the late Cretaceous, Peedee Formation. Gas - $40 Hotel - $100 2 days of fossil hunting with my daughter and finding her Pièce de résistance on her first fossil expedition - Priceless She was also proud of her almost 1" Squalicorax pristodotus that she pulled out of her 1/2 screen. Thanks again for the ID Dewayne. I'm a very proud father and had to share the news. - Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 That is too cool! Good for her. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobC Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I've never seen one of those! He's cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Wow great trip, great finds and great pics. Your daughter is beautiful, she looks so cute holding the echinoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkfoam Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Brad, See, this is the problem. Kids, they are built low to the ground and their eyesight is a lot better than ours so they find all the good fossils. It doesn't end there, next she will probably take the fossil to school for "Show and Tell" and all the other kids will get interested in fossils and then they will all be out picking up the good one and then they will all learn to read and the next thing you know they are all in the library checking out the good fossil I.D. books and I'll have to wait in line to even get in the library and then they will probably start writing books on fossils for all the scientific journals using words I can't pronounce and don't know what they mean anyway but it doesn't matter because the kids will have already picked up all the good fossils that I couldn't see. LOL Congratulations, it sounded like a really great trip. May you have many more. JKFoam The Eocene is my favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 ... Kids, they are built low to the ground and their eyesight is a lot better than ours so they find all the good fossils.... JKFoam HA! That's been my contention for a long time. In addition, their quicker memory is a function of less upstairs <pointing to head> to go through! The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Priceless is right! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilover Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Wow, what luck!! It was nice to meet you at the festival (I was with MikeDOTB). Your daughter is even more beautiful than the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Very, very nice for her and you! I like the detail on that ech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Congratulations to her http://www.mbfossilcrabs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 A great stroy and good for you for getting your kid involved with fossils. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh-Man Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 That's awesome - great pic, too! That one needs to get blown up and framed for your office! What is geology? "Rocks for Jocks!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Very cool! Didn't know you could find them there! The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 News to me finding that there. Remind me to borrow your daughter when I want to upgrade my GMR stuff... Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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