Finding Dinosaurland: Searching for Orange County's Lost Dinosaur

Finding Dinosaurland: Searching for Orange County's Lost Dinosaur

An unsuspecting family becomes involved in the search for a lost dinosaur in the hills behind their suburban home. Who ever thought there could be dinosaur land there? Dinosaur land and dinosaur digging is right in our backyard! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hunt a dinosaur? Come along with us on our quest! Experience the challenge of finding a real, local dinosaur that was forgotten for decades. California’s first dinosaur fossil was collected by a college student in the badlands of Irvine Ranch in 1927. And lost. Many years later, the toothy specimen turned up by accident in front of a young father with fossil hunting children, who searched back into history, discovering hint after hint, following a faded, confusing, paper treasure map. Eventually tracking down the aged finder. The search progressed rapidly for several months until it became overshadowed with a major snag. What at first seemed to be an easy task became an increasingly difficult, almost impossible one. Months turned into years. Lost in the quest, the fossil hunters searched aimlessly, hiking hundreds of miles in barren, mountainous terrain, turning over rocks, finding dozens of ancient fossils, but not the lair of the dinosaur. Falling back on his training, the budding psychologist drew upon skills designed for the study of human beings, and applied them to a life that was lived long in the past. Consulting with famous fossil experts, becoming more and more informed about the ways of the dinosaur, the amateur sleuth gradually turned into a detective. Pursuing the hiding dinosaur in several ingenious ways, the realm of the dinosaur was brought to life, renewing the search, revealing an unseen world filled with beauty and impossible things. This is the true story of a dinosaur adventure sparked by a museum visit. Factual, inspiring accounts of Sherlock Holmes style detective work, deep insights and digging in the dirt fossil hunting. Join the hike along chaparral covered hills into the mysterious world of the dinosaur. An excursion of scientific, adventurous, thought provoking, whimsical events that kept confronting the seekers on a treasure hunt that could jeopardize life itself.