Day 1
Our trip began rather early on Friday morning, March 30, 2001. The weather in Columbia was cooperative, but the weather forecast for the weekend in Kentucky was dismal; the forecasters were, for once, correct. A cold, light rain began falling shortly after our departure. Near Saluda, N.C., approximately 2 hours into the trip, the rain stopped and the skies cleared. Unfortunately, this was only temporary. Shortly after crossing the Tennessee state-line, a light rain once again began to fall. The weather continued to deteriorate for the remainder of the day. Only our unyielding commitment to the task at hand and the encouragement of our fearless leader kept our spirits high.
At stop #1, our leader demonstrated his fearlessness by lecturing to the group while standing dangerously near a major interstate highway (I-75). It was extremely difficult to hear Dr. Kendall as he described the rock formations that we were observing, but I was able to gather that the rocks were Pennsylvanian in age. Rocks in this area are orthoquartzite, or pure quartz sand, possibly deposited in a microtidal environment. The quartz grains were mostly rounded indicating that they may have been reworked on several occasions. The presence of pebbles indicated the close proximity of a river. Rocks in this area could be associated with barrier islands or back barrier bars due to the presence of ravinement surfaces (Photo 1, below).
Stop #2 was approximately 1 mile past stop #1 on I-75 and, geologically speaking, we were still in the Pennsylvanian. Sheet formations at this outcrop could represent a flood delta, crevasse splays, or tidal flats with the thicker beds resulting from channel action and the thinner beds resulting from crevasses. Grain size was uniform and cup-and-fill features were obvious. Also obvious was cross-bedding (Photo 2, below).
At stop #3, which was approximately 5 miles past stop #2, we observed older Mississippian limestone. Sediment layers at this stop coarsened upward and many contained shell fragments. An oolitic layer was also present (Photo 3, below). It was decided that sediments in this area were deposited in shallow water (the decision was made by Dr. Kendall).
Approximately 2 miles past stop #3, we encountered clastic sediments again indicating that we had traveled farther back in time, back to the Devonian. One mile later we encountered black shales rich in organic matter.
At stop #4, we had moved into the Ordovician. We stopped at a rather small roadside outcrop in farm-country Kentucky. Sediments in this area were deposited in a shallow sea: approximately 60-70 feet of water. Alternating layers of shales and carbonates indicated that many changes in base level occurred. Fossils, including crinoids, bivalves, and brachiopods, were abundant. After the first fossil was found, Dr. Kendall's in-the-field lecture was largely ignored, if only temporarily. He was photographed at this site in the midst of his own fossil hunt (Photo 4, below).
We moved into the Silurian at stop #5. Red staining of the rocks indicated dolomitization that possibly occurred in tidal flats. Changes in base level resulted in several exposures and, thus, dolomitization.
Following stop #5, we checked into our luxury suites in Morehead, Kentucky. Time was allowed for us to freshen up (use the bathroom) and reflect on the days events (are we are seeing the same damn rocks over and over again). The group reassembled and it was decided that we would go to Morehead's finest, and perhaps the only, Mexican restaurant. As it turns out, Kentuckians love Mexican food; half the population of Morehead was there. Later, we found out where the other half of Morehead's population was: at Wal-Mart.
| Next |