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By Jay, on May 3rd, 2012% 
The Raleigh, North Carolina area is a peneplain. The area has been devoid of any mountain building events for quite some time so the land surface has very low relief. As a result, outcrops of exposed metamorphic bedrock across the Piedmont physiographic province are few and far between. Additionally, bedrock may be covered by a literal veneer of dense soil and/or saprolite which conceals the bedrock below by mere inches.
But fear not! I am a trained geologist and have become adept at finding these obscure bedrock outcrops. So for reference, and in case anyone wants to go and visit, lets start with a map that I cobbed together.
Site Location of Bedrock Outcrop along US-401 South, Raleigh, North Carolina – photo by J. Sents, 2012
I used the Wake County iMAPS GIS [Beta] for the base layers used to create the map above. The location presents itself as an unpaved, unmarked parking lot. Along the southern edge of the lot, a stand of trees and bushes conceals the exposed bedrock. So a few days after the initial identification of this site, I made first contact with my camera and compass.
Bedrock Outcrop Photograph facing South – photo . . . → Read More: Raleigh Bedrock Outcrop
By Jay, on March 29th, 2012% It was hiding in plain sight. Let me get through some other issues and then I’ll post some pics, the location, and the structural information…
By Jay, on November 29th, 2011% Well, I say quick, but not entirely. It took me 3 hours to hike up to this location. Then I saw this scene. I thought it looked pretty cool but knew it was going to be difficult to develop unless I went black & white.
The location shall remain unnamed for now. I’ll give you a hint though: I’ve been here before and posted some other photos from this place. It’s a long story that I hope to have cleared up in due time.
Enjoy this Day After Thanksgiving photograph:
The day after Thanksgiving – I think WordPress nerfed the image quality a little – photo by J. Sents, 2011
By Jay, on November 5th, 2011% Sunday November 6th, 2011 at 0200 hours [that's 2:00 a.m. to most], your clocks will have to “fall back” one hour. So 2 becomes 1. It would probably work just the same to set them back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night [tonight].
Now is an excellent time to check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as other household battery-powered emergency alarm systems.
Finally, be sure to update the clocks in your automobiles. Be safe driving until you adjust to the light conditions, and enjoy sleeping in Sunday morning!
By Jay, on October 8th, 2011% 
The predecessor post to this one below lays out the story of the mystery fragment of copper I found at Kure Beach, North Carolina near Fort Fisher. So I gathered up some photographs and sent them along to the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology. Here is the reply verbatim:
It looks to me like an expansion ring from a 40mm Bofors machine gun/cannon projectile. The projectile was steel but the copper expansion ring was designed to catch the rifling in the barrel and often broke away when fired. The grooves that are visible in the “lighted relief” photo look like rifling marks. In the attached photo you can see one that remained on the projectile after firing–this one was found on Kure Beach also.
Kure Beach 40mm Bofors Round – photo by UAB of NC Office of State Archaeology, 2011
Anyway, that’s my best guess. We see dozens of those things every summer when people are out beachcombing. Kure Beach was an artillery training camp during WWII, focusing on anti-aircraft weapons practice. Evidence of this activity is all over the beach, primarily the result of beach renourishment where a dredge boat removes sediments . . . → Read More: Copper Fragment Update!
By Jay, on October 2nd, 2011% 
Earlier in the Summer on a trip to Kure Beach, North Carolina, I just happened to find a small piece of copper in the Coquina Rocks. In a nutshell, the Coquina Rocks are essentially a partially submerged outcrop of sedimentary rocks found near the southern end of Kure Beach near the Fort Fisher Recreational Area. More on Coquina Rocks later…
I was walking along, carefully maneuvering through the Coquina Rocks during during Maximum Ebb Tide this one day. Many people apparently scout the micro-lagoons formed in the cracks and crevasses of the rocks during Low Tide looking for sharks teeth. I really don’t care for sharks, let alone their teeth but these people do. I looked down and saw a gold-red glint with a hint of bright green. Below are some photographs of what I found:
The rule is for scale. It is a standard engineer rule with 1/10th-inch graduations. What is the green stuff? Well that would be considered a marine concretion. First, the environment here is [or has been] oxygenated enough that copper and copper alloys would corrode and oxidize. Chemically unweathered copper is a golden, reddish-brown in most cases. An oxidized copper surface is usually black . . . → Read More: Marine Concretion on a Copper Fragment
By Jay, on September 4th, 2011% From The Greystone Project
The public commentary period for the proposed regulations at Cape Hatteras closes tomorrow. If passed and enforced, we enter a dangerous era of being denied access to the public lands we pay for with our tax dollars. A way of life for generations could be lost. The Land of the Free then becomes “you can go when we say so.”
Please express your concern:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=NPS-2011-0005-0001
Yes they made the text of the proposed rule so long it will put you to sleep. No doubt to discourage you from reading it. Please read it and understand the negative implications that will be realized if this rule goes into effect.
The Hatteras Issue
Read This… Twice
Letter to National Park Service Regarding Hatteras
SH!!
By Jay, on September 4th, 2011% ‘More stars in the north are seen not to set, while in the south certain stars are no longer seen to rise.‘ — Nicolaus Copernicus
By Jay, on August 28th, 2011% So on Saturday I had to run out and I thought I’d get a boots on the ground status report of Irene as she moved up to the North Carolina/Virginia state line toward Virginia Beach.
Without going into all the gory details, I had an accident where my automobile hydroplaned and was effectively destroyed when I collided into the center guard rail. It was one of those post and cable guard rails, so the body damage is pretty extreme. I’m fine.
After wrapping it up with the Highway Patrol, insurance company, and towing service, I found myself stranded. Unfortunately, I stood isolated just far enough from home to walk, and just inside the region of massive power outages, gasoline shortages, and zero hotel vacancies. It felt like I was 5,000 miles from home.
Progress Energy – North Carolina Outage Map Interface
Kindness came from the dark of night. These two nice people bartered with me for a ride home for some gas. They didn’t have to do that but they did. Thank you very, very much.
After speaking with Vince on the challenging journey home, I discovered that he was a Home Remodeling and Repair contractor, with an emphasis on . . . → Read More: Hurricane Irene – 3 – Kindness in the Chaos
By Jay, on August 27th, 2011% The NC price gouging law is in effect. If you see gas, hotel or other prices inflated for the storm [Hurricane Irene], call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina or fill out the complaint form at www.ncdoj.gov
Reference: www.wral.com
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Cape Hatteras Public Commentary Period Ends 09-05-2011
From The Greystone Project
The public commentary period for the proposed regulations at Cape Hatteras closes tomorrow. If passed and enforced, we enter a dangerous era of being denied access to the public lands we pay for with our tax dollars. A way of life for generations could be lost. The Land of the Free then becomes “you can go when we say so.”
Please express your concern:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=NPS-2011-0005-0001
Yes they made the text of the proposed rule so long it will put you to sleep. No doubt to discourage you from reading it. Please read it and understand the negative implications that will be realized if this rule goes into effect.
The Hatteras Issue
Read This… Twice
Letter to National Park Service Regarding Hatteras
SH!!