Re: Making Tracks

After quoting my slightly hyperbolic word picture about rafting dinosaurs,
Michael wrote:
> Actually I find this totally convincing and I now consider myself to be
YEC

I'm glad to hear that my arguments are so cogent! Next time I guess I'll
have to argue for the opposing viewpoint. <grin>

I think that the quote I recently received from the AWAD (A Word a Day)
list applies to my argument.
"The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
-Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)"

As an aside, the dinosaur track picture is now even more complicated here
in Denver. Overlying the Dakota Group sandstone that contains the
previously described megatracksite layer are 8,000 feet of black marine
shale (interpreted to be deposited by that Cretaceous mid-continent
seaway). On top of that shale are more sandstones left behind as the sea
slowly receded from the area. These sandstones (the Laramie Formation)
also contain dinosaur tracks! Only this time the assemblage appears to be
Hadrosaurian (duck-bills) and Ceratopsian dinosaurs. The vegetation
included palm trees since we also have the imprint of palm fronds and logs.
One surface exposed in a clay mine (now part of a golf course) has a
combination of hadrosaur prints, beetle tracks, and raindrop impressions.
Lockley and company have also recently reported rat-sized mammal tracks
from this same area. (See
<http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2004/feb/upfront1_040216.html> for a
picture of the mammal tracks or
<http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2607271,00.html>
 for a popular account.)

I'll leave it to your imagination to create the YEC picture of a vegetation
raft floating around with this assemblage of creatures! My incredulity
overfloweth.

Perhaps the next time ASA visits the Denver area, a field trip can be
arranged to the Parfet Prehistoric Preserve adjoining the Golden Fossil
Trace Golf Course. This area is also being developed (trails and site
stabilization) by the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge volunteers to accommodate
tours.

Steve
[Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and are
not to be attributed to my employer. The identification of which is
obviously easier for me than for Michael <grin>!]
_____________
 Steven M. Smith, Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
 Box 25046, M.S. 973, DFC, Denver, CO 80225
 Office: (303)236-1192, Fax: (303)236-3200
 Email: smsmith@usgs.gov
 -USGS Nat'l Geochem. Database NURE HSSR Web Site-
  http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/
Received on Tue Mar 30 10:49:55 2004