Bagged us some Bryozoans!
Our dinosaur hunt was quite successful. Mason and I bagged several of the elusive and mighty bryozoans (they're about the size and shape of Cheerios.) Actually, we found one that looks like a watch gear, and it's completely free standing, as it were. No surrounding rock. It's nifty.
For the uninitated, the park was somewhat hard to figure out. I had a map courtesy of the Park Permit folks, and the same one was posted in a larger scale complete with helpful images and information all along the trail, but I spent a lot of time wondering: "Is this it?" There were several points where actual places were labeled with large wooden posts, ala, "The West Clay Pit" or some such, but if the Park folks were going to go to the trouble of put up a sign for that, you'd think a helpful "fossil area" would be useful too. Still, it kind of added a treasure hunt aspect to the whole experience.
There were a surprising number of people just wandering about, some were there with tools, like us, but others just seemed to be walking their dogs or otherwise enjoying the trails. The trails themselves were cool, honestly. Some were clearly "official" and others... well, Mason and I wandered around in the wetalnds area probably following deertrails (I sank in some serious muck at one point), but we had a great time pretending to be on a mission to rescue Princess Leia from the remnants of the Empire. Because this park is on the Mississippi bluff area, it was very reminiscent for me of the Hixon Forest trails in LaCrosse. Steep! Several times I slid down areas on my butt (watchful for my wallet slipping out.)
We had a great time. Like any good fossil hunters, we got sun baked and dusty. A success for most six year old boys, I should think. I think it helped that Mason knew the sort of things we'd find yesterday. Despite all my big talk about hunting dinos, he did *not* have his heart set on finding T-Rex. Like I said, he knows more about the Ordovician period than I do, so he was quite content to dig a few holes and admire the clam shells and petrified "seaweed" that we found. (In fact, unlike most kids I know. Mason seems much more interested in PRE-dinosaurs anyway. I think it goes to his general fascination with sea life. The marine biologist in him likes the Cambrian period when, as he puts it, "all life on Earth existed in the the ocean.") Mason was in a great mood for it yesterday too. He kept reminding *me* that it would be okay if we didn't find any fossils. The adventure hike was good enough. Note: Mason isn't usually the patient one in the family.
The rest of the day was spent back to school shopping. Mason has outgrown his school pants and shoes, so we had to make a stop at Kohl's. We also had a successful hunting outing there. We bagged us several tan pants and a few black. He also got some shoes (on sale!), so I think we're ready. We have the open house at Crossroads tomorrow. I'm looking forward to meeting Mason's first grade teacher and seeing the classroom. Mason informed me this morning that there would be no more "cubbies" for his things. First graders, apparently, have LOCKERS. (This was spoken of in a near mystical tone.)
Well, I'm hoping for a writing date with Eleanor today. I need to get ready for that.
For the uninitated, the park was somewhat hard to figure out. I had a map courtesy of the Park Permit folks, and the same one was posted in a larger scale complete with helpful images and information all along the trail, but I spent a lot of time wondering: "Is this it?" There were several points where actual places were labeled with large wooden posts, ala, "The West Clay Pit" or some such, but if the Park folks were going to go to the trouble of put up a sign for that, you'd think a helpful "fossil area" would be useful too. Still, it kind of added a treasure hunt aspect to the whole experience.
There were a surprising number of people just wandering about, some were there with tools, like us, but others just seemed to be walking their dogs or otherwise enjoying the trails. The trails themselves were cool, honestly. Some were clearly "official" and others... well, Mason and I wandered around in the wetalnds area probably following deertrails (I sank in some serious muck at one point), but we had a great time pretending to be on a mission to rescue Princess Leia from the remnants of the Empire. Because this park is on the Mississippi bluff area, it was very reminiscent for me of the Hixon Forest trails in LaCrosse. Steep! Several times I slid down areas on my butt (watchful for my wallet slipping out.)
We had a great time. Like any good fossil hunters, we got sun baked and dusty. A success for most six year old boys, I should think. I think it helped that Mason knew the sort of things we'd find yesterday. Despite all my big talk about hunting dinos, he did *not* have his heart set on finding T-Rex. Like I said, he knows more about the Ordovician period than I do, so he was quite content to dig a few holes and admire the clam shells and petrified "seaweed" that we found. (In fact, unlike most kids I know. Mason seems much more interested in PRE-dinosaurs anyway. I think it goes to his general fascination with sea life. The marine biologist in him likes the Cambrian period when, as he puts it, "all life on Earth existed in the the ocean.") Mason was in a great mood for it yesterday too. He kept reminding *me* that it would be okay if we didn't find any fossils. The adventure hike was good enough. Note: Mason isn't usually the patient one in the family.
The rest of the day was spent back to school shopping. Mason has outgrown his school pants and shoes, so we had to make a stop at Kohl's. We also had a successful hunting outing there. We bagged us several tan pants and a few black. He also got some shoes (on sale!), so I think we're ready. We have the open house at Crossroads tomorrow. I'm looking forward to meeting Mason's first grade teacher and seeing the classroom. Mason informed me this morning that there would be no more "cubbies" for his things. First graders, apparently, have LOCKERS. (This was spoken of in a near mystical tone.)
Well, I'm hoping for a writing date with Eleanor today. I need to get ready for that.