Fossils Like Me
Left Bill and his family this morning and headed towards the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument outside of, you guessed it, Florissant, CO. The ride down to Colorado Springs (I-25) was uneventful but unexpectedly busy for an early Saturday morning. Highway 24 out of Colorado Springs was gorgeous, albeit busy as well.
The site encompasses, according to the National Park Service, “one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world”. The area was the site of a redwood forest 34 million years ago and trails around the site will allow you to get close to a number of them. The trails have minimal shade so be prepared with sunscreen if you come in the summer. That may be a recurring warning for much of my Southwest US tour.
The visitor center has an extensive display of insect and plant fossils as well as some interpretive displays on what the environment may have looked like at the time.
After baking in the sun for a bit, I rode around some of the backroads before heading back towards the greater Denver area. Both Cripple Creek and Pikes Peak were tempting diversions but I opted to forgo both. We visited both when I was a child and, quite frankly, there were hordes of vehicles heading to both. Plus, the road to Pike’s Peak is a toll road that requires reservations in advance.
Back in the Denver area I met up with a fellow UWEC geology alumnus (Jean) for dingy Thai food and beers. Epic stories of working as field assistants were shared; many involved the consumption of adult beverages. Understanding that I am now a poor pensioner and that she has been way more successful than I, Jean allowed me to spend the night in her guest room. Plus, I think she was feeling guilty for not having aged in the last 25 years.
