GMS Field Trip June 2021

GMS Field Trip
Geodes and Ordovician Fossils in Tennessee
Saturday, June 5, 2021

This two-location trip started off under bright sunny skies. Attendees scrambled over boulders seeking tiny brachiopods, branching bryozoans, possibly some burrow traces, and other Ordovician fossils. There was a nice straight shelled cephalopod embedded in a boulder, so we collected that one with a camera rather than a hammer and chisel.

The second location was a creek with geodes! The property owner was so incredibly gracious and welcoming. She mowed a path for our vehicles and even erected signs to direct traffic to the creek! Once our toes hit the cool, crisp water in the creek, it was time to find some geodes. Though they weren’t as plentiful as in prior years, they were still fairly abundant, so everyone found several to take home. Carefully searching through the gravel in the creek yielded some beautiful colonial corals as well as some splendid crinoid specimens.

It was a wonderful day to be collecting side by side again with our GMS family. Everyone found some goodies to take home and brag about. We cannot thank the property owners enough, especially our creek friend. She went above and beyond our wildest dreams to turn the trip into a memorable day for all involved. Many, many thanks to her! And many thanks to Jason, Nedra, Nate, and Aaron for stepping in as field trips leads to keep everyone safe, expertly direct traffic, and help two terribly rusty field trip people get back into the game.

Lori Carter
On behalf of Charles Carter, Field Trip Chair
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