Rocky

[tbutler]

These rocks particularly caught my eye on the Tallgrass hike. Partly from their size and prominence. (The area's named the Flint Hills after the rocky soil and the way outcroppings of flint are scattered around the land; this doesn't look like flint, but maybe more geologically knowledgeable readers can comment?) Partly because I like the way erosion has shaped them. Partly for the grace note of a sprout growing out of one of the holes in the rock. :)

Comments

[affreca]

You asked for a geologist?
Limestone. The rocks in the flint hills are layers of limestone and shale, with the flint of the Flint Hills occurs as nodules in some of the layers of the limestone. The limestone is more resistant than the shale, and the flint more resistant than the limestone. The limestone makes the tops of the hills, and the nodules of flint are left along the sides water wears the limestone back. You can see nodules in some of the cuts along I-70.

[tbutler]

Hah. I wondered if that would bring in Kelly the Great... :)

I wondered if that was limestone - I didn't think it could be flint, from the way it eroded - but I certainly don't know enough to say for sure, so I'd rather listen to the voice of expertise. And as they say, far better to be silent and thought a fool, than open my mouth and remove all doubt. *sheepish look*

[pameladean]

For a moment the rock looked like a skull. It doesn't really, but just for a moment it did.

P.

[tbutler]

Huh. Yeah, I can see it - the rock at lower-left a human skull, the upper-right a gazelle or other animal with a long, thin head.