And that's how we found ourselves in the backseat of a pickup truck at the end of a caravan of vehicles down to the bottom of the quarry. The water in the quarry bottom was a gorgeous clear green. "The lab tests said it was cleaner than the city water," a guide told us, "and you can see to the bottom at thirty feet. But those waterfalls," he grinned and gestured to streams cascading down the quarry face, "are only turned on once a year for this event."
We had less than thirty minutes on the site, but the experience did not disappoint. Enthusiastic quarrymen, volunteers, and geologists were on hand to curate the experience and answer any questions we might have. Many tracks were circled in blue chalk, and the staff would cheerfully spray them with water for a better view. There were also informational signs on sandwich boards.
Through it all, we were gently reminded that we were guests on private property and a mining company owned the fossils. There was no expectation of preservation, either. "Oh, these will be visible another fifteen years or so," a guy in a yellow vest and quarry t-shirt told us. "After that? They'll probably either be blasted for rock or underwater."
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