My kids are really into fishing, camping, fossils, etc. So I was looking for something that we could could do that's close by yet not too close. That's when I came across geode hunting in Keokuk, Iowa:
Geodes are known from many localities around the world, one of the most productive and famous collecting regions is encompassed within a 35-mile radius of Keokuk, Iowa. Rock collectors commonly refer to geodes from this region as "Keokuk geodes." In fact, the Iowa General Assembly declared the geodes as the official "State Rock" in 1967.
Anyway, I found this great website where you can get info on geode hunting in the Keokuk area and the site has a great picture gallery of nice geodes:
http://www.teresarocks.com/keokukgeodes.htm
Mrs. Manocloth just doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm about doing this.....
My parents used to take me there all the time. It was actually a lot of fun. My Mom broke her toe on a rock in a quarry near there and it ended up being a fossil over 2 billion years old. There is another place along the Illinois border that is pretty good.
Dang, I'd like to get my hands on some of those geodes! (And yes, I mean the large breasts behind those rock things)
Geode hunting must be a cold business
Those were some very nice, ancient boulders.
And a 2 billion year old fossil? There was lofe back then?