The Quarry At Night
- Early Evening Showers In A Dry Land
Thunderstorms are churning over the Wind River and Absaroka Mountains, making today’s weather less than ideal. Still, the adventurous spirit thrives on a bit of risk and excitement, right? With daylight on my side and the absence of my mom’s watchful eye, I’m ready to explore on foot. Time to hit the trail!
A few scattered showers, the prelude to impending storms, welcome me at the quarry. Water is a precious commodity in this arid landscape, transforming the typically dull tan and gray scenery into a warm, vibrant canvas. It’s a magical touch to the desert!
Exploring between the showers proves fruitful, and I discover abundant wet rocks, intriguing calcite crystals, and a chaotic jumble of geological wonders.
- Abundant Wet Rocks
- Some Nice Calcite Crystals. Will They Glow?
- A Crazy Geologic Jumble
As the day progresses, the looming question remains: what will the night unveil?
Darkness
Night falls with dramatic flair—darkness punctuated by rain and lightning. Thunderstorms have replaced the gentle showers, with the third storm hovering directly over the quarry. Most lightning remains high above the clouds, allowing me to explore the quarry floor and nearby outcrops using a long-wave UV LED flashlight. The limestone glows in shades of orange, tan, and cream, adorned with white to cream glowing calcite veins and vugs. Amidst this vivid display, a few lavender-glowing calcite pieces catch my eye on the quarry floor.
Yet, the most captivating fluorescence isn’t in the rocks but in the life forms that inhabit them. Lichens outside the quarry glow in vibrant reds, oranges, and electric blues against the backdrop of coal-black schist and iron-stained diabase. It’s a galactic scene! And surprise—bright aqua to turquoise glowing scorpions scurry across an orange limestone outcrop, adding an otherworldly touch.
Despite my attempts to capture this alien experience, the storm and my presence send the scorpions into hiding. The race against time drains camera batteries, leaving me with only one surviving image.
- Leaving A Very Dark, Very Wet Quarry
Specimens
Here are the few specimens I brought back home.
- Some Fluorescent Rocks And Lichen From The Quarry
Returning home with a handful of specimens, including fluorescent rocks and lichen from the quarry, I find myself drawn to the resilience of lichens. While I generally leave them undisturbed in their natural habitat, a few small pieces on the quarry floor—likely remnants of quarry operations—find their way into my collection. They may not be the grand, glowing boulders found outside the quarry, but these small pieces will join a lichen garden—a concept inspired by my time in Casper.
Surprisingly, lavender-glowing calcite proves scarce in the quarry, contrasting with the abundance of typical white glowing carbonate and even some greenish-blue glowing aragonite. A piece of pumpkin-orange glowing limestone, crossed by lavender-glowing calcite veins, adds a fascinating touch.
- Calcite Veins In A Silty Limestone Under Natural And Long Wave UV Light
- Calcite Pieces From The Quarry Floor Under Natural And Long Wave UV Light
Despite the challenges, the quarry beckons for another visit. Armed with a better understanding of what glows and what doesn’t, my next exploration aims to uncover the source of the calcite-veined limestone and, of course, spend time with my aqua friends—this time with a tripod in tow.
Cheers, D 🪨🔥
