When I was backing into the site, I could see something weird in the back-up camera display. I stopped The Palms and got out to see what it was. Someone before us collected a lot of rocks and organized them according to type, and they were pretty cool to see. I enjoyed seeing them every day and left them for the next camper to enjoy, too.
First there were regular rocks, probably river rocks? They were pretty and all different colors. They were arranged from smallest to largest.
Next were flat, slate type rocks. You could make a nice slate patio with these.
The last group were the largest, and they all had fossil impressions. (From CSUS, Lab #1: Fossil Preservation: Imprints are left when an organism is pressed into soft sediment. The original hard parts may be gone, dissolved after burial. Very shallow imprints are called impressions, as of the fern leaf. Larger organisms may leave molds or casts. A mold is the imprint left by the organism, and is a negative of the organism. Molds may be external - of the exterior of the shell, as on the slab of snail and clam external molds.)
I've never seen these on our walks, whoever left this collection must have taken a LOT of walks in the area.
You just never know what you're going to come across!
Below is one of our last sunsets. Looking east it was pastel colors,
and looking west, the sun had just gone down, leaving us with a beautiful sky.
And that's it for Elephant Butte State Park, South Monticello Point Campground for this year. Onward to the north!
From me and Katie, have a great Friday, everyone! :)
