Epes, Alabama

***"Epes, Alabama"*** ***Out Bound Travel***
Marcasite (balls and crystal formations) and some Cretaceous fossils (e.g., Exogyra) embedded in the banks of the Tombigbee River. *2003* This spot is very close to I-20 West and a great place to stop and stretch your legs while picking up some great mineral specimens. The weather was perfect for spotting the better marcasite specimens by the Tombigbee river. The banks of the river were dry today and the bright sun was at just the correct angle to catch the brassy reflections of the marcasite crystals.
Tombigbee River and bridge.
Collecting area by the river.
This site is of good size with ample specimen material.
Marcasite ready to be "picked up"
Marcasite from Epes, AL.

2004

I had planned on leaving around 6 AM on Day One but a filling had fallen out of my head the week before and I had to make a stop at my dentist for a "patch job".

The weather out of Atlanta was "ICE STORM", 32 degrees, and a lot of fog. By the time I hit the Alabama state line, the temp. had risen to 62 degrees with a little sun peaking through the clouds.

Epes was just as I had left it a year ago on my previous trip out West. Marcasite nodules were plentiful but the sky was overcast making it difficult to spot the better (more stable) specimens.

The current was flowing along at a good clip.

Next, I drove to a distant fossil area to try and find the "oyster fields site" which was suppose to be absolutely remarkable in the large numbers of giant Exogyra and Pycnodonte oyster shells. I found a likely looking area but with out the oyster shells. I didn't have time to really look further as it was getting late and I had to make it to Jackson, MS to spend the night and eat at my favorite BBQ joint! I will go back for the oysters....

2006

This year I was going to leave on a Tuesday but the Weather Channel radar displayed heavy rain and thunder storms all across my intended route for the first day out. I decided to wait till the weather cleared on Wednesday to start my trip to Tucson. I awoke the next day to a slight dusting of snow around my property on Eagle mountain.

It had been two years since my last visit to this location on the Tombigbee River for marcasite. I figured that my arrival after the previous day's rain and the bright Sun at a low angle to the horizon would make for a great collecting stop. I should be able to easily pick out the bright, brassy color of the marcasite nodules against the white chalky ground cover. Something seemed to be very different on this trip . . . almost NO marcasite was visible on the surface. Those nodules that I did find were almost completely weathered and rotten(fell apart)! I was able to find about a small ziploc bag full of collectible nodules where, in the past, I was stuck with "high grading" a grocery bag full before I drove back to Interstate 20.