This is a snail that’s been dead for about 13 million years. I’m having a bit of trouble keying it out, and so if any of you know where I might look for more info, I’d be appreciative. (Where is Stephen J. Gould when you need him?)
The snail she was extracted from the rock at the locally famous Pleasanton-Sunol railroad cut fossil locality (watch for trains.) It is a shallow-water sandstone-siltstone matrix with sand dollars and scallops and the like. Nice spot.
Oh, yeah: this shot was taken with my new toy.
Is that the place we went that one time? I’m still sad that I left my snail I found there somewhere at your place. It was kinda colorful, at least when wet.
Love the Friday Miocene Gastropod Blogging and hope you love your new toy! But if this were a “serious” blog, wouldn’t we be seeing
Friday Miocene Cat Blogging? Fortunately you have until the next epoch to take care of this.
Craig: yep. Same place.
Heretik: Here you go. (That’ll have to do until Carl shows up.)
Chris,
Like many others, I just discovered your blog, and have now spent several hours devouring the luscious prose in your archives.
I particularly enjoy your hiking stories. I lived in the Bay Area for thirteen years, and just recently moved to a big city on the East Coast for a one-year employment stint. I miss the Bay Area a great deal, and your essays bring it all back. My wife and I plan on moving back in the Fall.
Your stuff is also inspiring me to take up writing for pleasure again. I used to write a great deal of fiction and poetry when I was younger, but as I got deeper into academia, it all got displaced by technical/academic writing. Nowadays, all the writing I do is legal writing. As someone once said, legal writing is to writing what military marches are to music. Bleah.
But your writing… Wow. If I could attain a fraction of the skill and beauty you display, I’d be very happy with myself.
I’ll be reading regularly now, and will comment often. When my wife I get back to the Bay Area, you’ll have a standing invite to a meal at the eatery of your choice, on me, with pleasure.
Hmm. Are you sure that’s not the remains of yesterday’s cinnamon roll? (Nice camera.)
Well, at least this snail isn’t doin’ it!
Nice toy, too.
chris, you’re going to like the reb. i shot the first one for a few years. it’s a nice toy.
I think I’ve got pixel envy.