They come from New Orleans, California - even Germany - and just down the road.

Their enthusiasm is boundless, though their experience and qualifications are limited. In short, they enjoy getting down on all fours - toothbrush and dental pick in hand - and digging in dirt for hours on end. Bone fragments make them giddy; words ending in ''saur'' evoke downright delirium.

They are kids in a candy store, savoring the sweet taste of discovery. And, like children, their pleasure is divulged in boyish smiles and delighted giggles.

Part Indiana Jones, a little more like the Nutty Professor, they are among a smattering of explorers conquering the new West by way of the old: Grown men trading 9-to-5 jobs and steady salaries to dig for fossils in the foothills of Wyoming.

This is no hobby or weekend project. For these entrepreneurs, it is the ultimate business venture in an era of high-stakes stocks and dot-com millionaires - one that unites childhood fantasy and adult ambition.

''If I could make a living doing this,'' Bob Simon says with a wistful sigh, ''that'd be awesome.''

''It's just an amazing feeling when you start opening the ground and you find something that's never been seen before,'' Makowski explains. ''It's like coming on a crime scene and taking all the clues and figuring it out. It's seductive. It's solving the mystery.''

Some common words found in the essay are:
Dinosaur Safaris, National Park, Wyoming Pohl, Dinosaur Center, California Germany, Bob Simon, West Grown, Hendrickson Probably, Bernie Makowski, Orleans Shell, amateur fossil, dinosaur safaris, makowski sold, dinosaur bones, computer technician, fossil collector, dinosaur center,
Approximate Word count = 1428
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)