However, individuals from Harrisburg, Philadelphia and as far away as Indianapolis attended the event. Most of the time, he finds the families like the Matterns attend these events because they’re looking to do something different with their kids. Obviously, Trop is also enthusiastic about the community digs. “This was a relatively small turnout compared to past events due to the weather.”
“In the past we’ve had 300 to 400 people,” Trop said. Jeffrey Trop, professor of geology and environmental sciences at Bucknell University, has seen hundreds of diggers scouring the quarry hoping to find treasures. “Gage wanted to find coral, but he did find cryozoa, and he was ecstatic about that.” “There’s a lot of brachiopods,” Angela said. Those who did arrive amid rainy weather were hopeful to find treasures. The Matterns were among the 80 who turned out during the four-hour event Sunday. Living so close to the quarry, they have been there many times “to dig just because that’s what they like to do,” said Angela, who with husband Frank, has attended at least four digs. “Everything he finds, he has to show his Uncle Bob (Shambach), who is a geologist,” Angela said. Gage, who has a real interest in geology and marine biology, dug up part of a squid fossil. While they would have loved to unearth prehistoric dinosaur bones, the brothers were happy with what they found. The family traveled a short way from their home in McClure to the fossil dig. He’s (Gage) got an eye he can just pick anything out. “It can be a rock … or who knows a skunk skeleton,” she added jokingly of her sons’ finds. That test certainly has played with the youngster’s imagination. Even if you shake your hand, the bone supposedly stays stuck to your finger. The stick test works from capillary action in the hollow tubes of the bone, causing suction. Gage administered the “stick test” - as it’s known in paleontology circles - which he hoped would land him a bona fide dinosaur bone.
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