[meteorite-list] Park Forest, Wonderland...Day 3

From: Rob Wesel <Nakhladog_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:10:06 2004
Message-ID: <02e201c2fe0b$937af740$4e9fe70c_at_GOLIATH>

Sunday

I was early up after 3 hours of sleep and a splitting headache from Saturday
night. The town of Steger had come up several times so Dave and I decided to
try our luck there. It is the place where Mike Farmer's car smasher fell.
Steger is a little more upscale with a more educated demographic. Oddly
enough. in Park Forest many residents right at the "ground zero" area were
unaware of the fall. Despite media, dealers, hunters, collectors, cash, and
hysteria, they did not know. In Steger everyone knew, they had a piece or
knew someone who did. Their idea of value just as skewed but at least they
knew. After not more than 15 minutes of hunting I spot a yellow jacket and a
moptop, it's Bob Haag. We stopped to talk and he said Mike Farmer just found
a big piece a few minutes ago. We decided that it was best to not backtrack
where Bob had just been so we headed for the main road. We made a left to
see Mike Farmer coming toward us on the opposite side and Devin Schrader on
our side. They had each found a piece on that road, Farmers weighed in at
180 grams and Devin's looked like about 25 grams. The same freaking road we
were headed for, we were moments too late. The entire day was spent in the
roads, alleys, lots, and fields of Steger, often times running into each
other or asking a person on the street and hearing "Yeah, another guy was
just here asking the same thing.".

Roman had talked Lori into "just another hour, it's my birthday" and she
kindly agreed. Well it paid off, he found a little over 25 grams in three
fragments. What better present could one ask for? He found just as much as
he bought! He left me with a hoard of calendars to give to Steve Witt to
distribute to the people of PF and set back for Canada. Roman, it was a
pleasure to meet you.

Darkness fell and Dave and I went back to the hotel empty handed. I believe
only four fragments and one individual were recovered between everyone but
Steve Arnold IMB who's mystery location continued to pay off, though in
decreasing number each day. I pays to be there first and Steve has earned
every piece with time, devotion, and exercise.

I got a call from Rob Elliot to come over for dinner and discuss a trade for
the piece I purchased with the black chondritic interior. Dave was going to
meet up with a buddy of, a theatre professor at a college in nearby Joliet.

I got to Rob's room and was met by Steve Witt and Gregory Wilson as well. We
ordered some food and just took time to relax. This is a good time to bring
up Rob and Gregory and I can hear Gregory groaning here in my office. The
two have been friends for several years and relish in an across the pond
banter that strongly resembles an old married couple. Gregory, a tall, well
spoken man of great intellect has the innate ability to scan every word of a
conversation waiting to strike. He has a dry wit and a monotone delivery
that thwaps you on the forehead when you least expect it, and Rob Elliot is
his favorite hunting ground. Not a moment's peace for Rob, plagued by his
unshakable British accent. To listen to the two of them on a roll is
priceless. Rob is a man of class, intellect, and generosity. Far too nice a
guy to get the upper hand on Gregory, he takes his blows and struggles to
fight back, occasionally delivering a winger that silences his opponent for
a brief spell. It is clear these two are the best of friends, though they
will deny it.

Room service arrived and Rob not only bought my dinner, he served it to me!
Steve Witt left for a while on other business and Rob and I had opportunity
to discuss the trade. He pulled from a box three stones, the largest of
which had splinters of wood embedded in it from colliding with a ceiling
joist. These were from the Garza house, along with bits of plaster, paint,
sheetrock, wood, and affidavits signed by Noe Garza. A sight to behold, in
my hands a house smasher. Rob pulled out the smallest fragment, 27.5 grams
and bearing a small spot of white paint from the windowsill and offered it
as a trade. To sweeten the pot, it was agreed upon to return two slices of
my piece and include a piece of the ceiling, paint, and wood from the Garza
house as well as one of the affidavits. He had me at "Hello". The trade was
quickly resolved and on to our meal. Hours were spent eating, drinking beer,
and smoking cigars, having a good laugh at Rob's 2004 calendar and looking
at all the M-list posts over the last few days. We had a chance to look at
my "finds" from the other day and after seeing more material it was quickly
realized we were all fooled. Not sure what they were, but they weren't PF
meteorites. You would think by now that we would all know what a meteorite
looks like but these passed through the hands of the world's top 10% and
fooled us all until better lighting and comparable specimens were available.

The evening progressed and the phone rang, it was Geoff Notkin and Steve
Arnold IMB upstairs to see if they could come down for some drinks. The door
was propped open and we waited for them to arrive. In pops Geoff, arm
stretched out with a bucket of ice perched atop bellowing like a vegetable
vendor in some London street corner "Meatyrites, meatyrites, three pounds a
pound. The trailing arm carrying a bottle of tequila and margarita mix.
Steve right behind, case in hand with his finds. A long discussion followed
between Geoff and Steve as to who would mix the drinks and who would go back
upstairs to fetch a pair of scissors to carefully cut a cigar donated by
Gregory, Geoff did both if I recall. Steve Arnold IMB, one word comes to
mind, business. Steve has every aspect of the business covered from hunting
methodology to detailed cost analysis down to the penny. It is this mindset
that did him so well in Monahans, a determination and work ethic that goes
beyond the average man His hard work is exemplified by his recovered
material and believe me he was thrashed from all the physical labor
involved.

Geoff Notkin, everything you suspect is true. He has a comedic brilliance
and love of adventure, one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I suggest
you all go back in the archives and read a post by list member Jim Glenn
dated April 1st titled "another new meteorite fall!!"
http://www.meteoritecentral.com/archives.shtml as it will enlighten you
more.

We carried on for several hours, drained the bottles, and said our goodbyes
as most of us were due to return Monday.

--
Rob Wesel
------------------
We are the music makers...and we are the dreamers of the dreams.
Willy Wonka, 1971

Received on Tue 08 Apr 2003 04:15:18 PM PDT