M was working on Monday, our first full day in Paonia. We dropped G off to hang out with K (Y took them fishing at the Crawford Reservoir) and W, E, and I went to visit Fruita dinosaurs. We started at the dinosaur museum, which is a fun place to take preschool through elementary aged children. We've visited the museum every time we've traveled to Paonia and, though E wouldn't have known, the exhibits have barely changed in 12 or so years.
The museum features robotic representations of Dilophosaurus, Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Triceratops, Utahraptor, and T-Rex. E is standing near the head of a T-Rex and a Triceratops.
When we were done at the museum, we moved on to the Fruita Paleontological Area, a few miles to the south and west. Since an Apatosaurus had been unearthed here, we were hoping for a marker showing where it had been found, but had no such luck. The interpretive signs along the path were interesting, and would have been more interesting if the temperature had been under 90°F, but they covered general geological history rather than fossil finds.
On the other hand, untrained eyes like ours can see weathered rock layers and imagine that fossils would be easy to find. Since then I've found a few interesting sites about the area, including Geologist Russell Jacobson's and a route marked as the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway.
Since it's so dry, once water stops flowing animal tracks can remain for months. We didn't get photos, but on the way to and from the trail we saw many prairie dogs.
I did mention that it was HOT. Though the trail went in a circle and covered less than a mile, after going about halfway E wanted to return to the air conditioned car, so we turned around.
Every once in a while W borrows the camera and I appear on the other side.
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