[meteorite-list] Tucson Thanks! Part I of II

From: MexicoDoug <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:47:47 -0600
Message-ID: <08ff01c75a54$8126b9e0$c3cf5ec8_at_0019110394>

Dear List,

Finally I'm home! It's been a long "Tucson" for me, all very enjoyable.
Please take a moment
to hear me rant -or more appropriately: rave- about the meteorite folks who
colored my world in Arizona and beyond.

First, in order of meeting, is Jim Kriegh with whom I feel privileged to
have shared an unexpected couple hours of fine conversation with and
appreciated
his suggestions and observations. I am looking forward to the day I can tag
along in the field with you, Jim. Shortly later, I met 'Twink' and kind
meteorite spouse Larry whose reservoirs of kindness never ran dry in the
most
challenging situations. I thank my lucky star to have you as friends and
frankly couldn't have done anything besides a basic Tucson without your
help. I am sure that I am talking for many a meteorhound when I also say
the meteorite cake colors golden our Tucson experience like the children
looking forward to the Rosca de Reyes (Pan de Reyes: The round glazed
candy-fruited sweetbread) in Mexico on Epiphany:
http://www.worldonaplate.org/world_on_a_plate/2007/01/rosca_de_reyes.html

To The Classic Chladnis, Andi, Stefan, and Martin were the kindest folks,
and once wound up and rolling, proved to be a barrel full of meteorites,
moons and loons, not to mention knowledge, conversation, food and mead...
What a fun gang, and place to escape the high pressure sales joints, thanks
friends - I hope you are able to attend next year! Martin, have you yet
recovered from the alleged S. American plague? Take two Hasparos and call
me in the morning under Appley Bridge and I promise you'll be cured.

Next, I met up with "Rusty" Bill Mason in the rear of Heorot's Hall of
Paleoenterologists. Bill has a delightful sense of humor and is always
ready to help you recover your irons wherever you might have put them,
gratis and with a big smile. What more could one ask of such a experimented
practitioner of non-petreous proto-planet preservation? I hope he never
closes the gates to huddled meteoritical masses, whether they be immersed in
the mainstream or relegated as poor plum puddinged deserted individuals.

OK, next in line was the room with the nicest duo that has put up with
meteorites all these years. That would be Blaine and his every sympathetic
brother Blake Reed, plus the caravan of mirth that you can count on finding
there this time including the likes of Blake's attractive and pleasant
girlfriend, plus the likes of AL and Mike Mtz who I saw this time there.
Thanks for my wonderful wine glass which I am pleased to have cared for all
the way home, over a few mountains, valleys, wet lakes, urban forests and
numerous army check points. Whenever I am in the presence of the Reed's,
truly, I am filled with
admiration. Blaine has put up with the ups and downs of the "Business" like
no other,
never sacrificing his smile, genuine generosity and helpfulness, and sage
advice, such as "Always leave something attractive on the table for buyers."
Ah ...
a phrase so easily said by many but so hard to find when you need it...but
friends of Blaine will know exactly what I mean.

Rumor was that the IMCA was to have a dinner, so upon the encouragement of
several members, I decided to crash the party which was at La Fuente
restaurante. Here I was fortunate to meet up with the kind and openly
jovial Jensens, cladistic Chladnis', oh lala Anne B., the enchanting Maria
Haas and the nice guy (name?) sitting to her right, and Mark Bostick, Greg
Hupe and many others further from my seat. That evening for me, though, my
heart was
won by Maria Haas, as it was the first time I met her in person and realized
just how honest and caring of a person she is - always helping others, and
as we
saw leading an effort to help Walter Branch and family from the meteorite
community. Just listening to Maria's caring comments had me realize how
lucky I am to be in the same virtual community as she. Good luck Maria in
Holbrook I wished ... knowing I would not be able to arrive there and share
the hunt until she was about to leave.

Speaking of Maria I also met the always pleasant Latin superstore jefe
Eduardo a few times who was clearly having a great time. Such a contagious
smile! He mentioned he wanted to go to Holbrook so I invited him to come
along with me a few days later. He politely declined in favor of holding
out until Maria invited him again. It went down something like this: Why
would I want to go with you, when I could go with (harps play theme from
West Side Story) MARIA. Actually there was a lot of sense to Eduardo's
words. I wouldn't want to go with me either - if I could go with Maria. So
next time I'll check into the possibility of ditching myself and going with
Maria instead. Say it loud Eduardo and there's Music Playing! Hope you
enjoyed your royal suites hotel with Jacuzzi and all, btw. Sure beat the
crap out of my accommodations but I'm not complaining. Also, thanks for the
lessons southern-South American style on the regional pronunciation of
Allende...all the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word ... Allende
... no matter how you say it ... suddenly this name will never be the same
to me ...

On to the daily rounds towards Edwin Thompson's room where his son was a
welcomed addition to the ET team. What a nice library! There were no
doughnuts but the chocolates were exquisite and ET kindly made -by his own
hand- the Margaritas one gray day to spice up the festive meteorological
ambiance. Not to mention that he gave me a steal on a book that little he
knew I had only dreamed about having before! Three cheers for that!
Thanks, Ed! I now forgive you for beating me to that deal that left me
pouting two years ago. I think I'll sleep with my new book as soon as I
unpack it:-)

By ET's room there was this concentrating fellow who I recognized from my
prior internet sleuthing. "Hello Martian!" I shouted to him, and he
returned this blank stare of "Who the h---"... Now this was Marcin C.,
never sitting for a moment and having a fine time selling at his tables. I
was mad he didn't bring his saw along, but other than that Marcin is a very
nice guy to chat with once he knows who you are. And it is a good thing he
was so vigilant given all the sad rip-off stories from tables especially as
his were set up...

Onward in the rounds there was this unlikely room, entitled "MINRESCO". A
nice man, though somewhat curt was in it. I somehow recalled him from
somewhere. So I wished him a friendly hello and he responded the same to
me. "Got meteorites?", I said with a milk stained upper lip from prior
rooms... He was a bit stern though kindly courteous. "No, I don't bring them
anymore, not enough buyers and they don't move enough." "Thanks, anyway", I
said, as I left thinking, "Bummer!".

So, next in line during my Tucson pilgrimage, as if to prove the prior
statement folly, I headed upstairs to find a room buzzing with activity and
dealers, executives and TV personalities, swarming together alike with
meteoritical grins stretching back everyone's lips. I got to meet the Queen
Bee of meteorites herself, none other than "Anne of a Thousand
Meteornights!" This was a grand meeting for me as I greatly respect the
fine niche Anne has carved out in the meteorite world and fine selection of
meteorites she offers, putting a fairer, pretty face on shiny and rusty
space rocks alike. Anne, Mr. Iron is some great piece you have and the
accompanying story was very entertaining! Thanks.

The next worker in that beehive had this Tennessee Floppy hat on in full
regalia and started to pull coins out of my ears. That was so MT! Thanks
for the chuckle:) As I was recovering a kind aerolitic Geoff came over to
me to say hello bearing a video of the Becky episode, which I simply had to
have! There was the Becky iron, no less! Geoff seemed to have aged a bit
since I last saw him, but then he confessed he had a new doo which involved
the tone gray. Though it probably had something to do with his talented
wild rock n roll group, I preferred to think he got into a fight with a
bolide - and WON! The guided tour of your meteorites was very enjoyable,
it's too bad for me Steve #1 wasn't there at the time.

After encountering all of that meteorite drama in one place, I staggered
back and made it to Chladni's Lair and plunked down into a seat without
permission in this very wonderful room of space and Lunar jewels. Nothing
like "5 Coronas" Darren! But just then this beautiful bubbling blonde rolled
into the door with Don Edwards in tow, by the name of Leigh Anne. She had
some very nice meteorite jewelry creations which she shamelessly flaunted,
and we liked them too. Leigh Anne even got to model holding the Green Moon!
A very sweet young woman, too bad there weren't more like her to keep some
of us who are high on the rocks sane. Hope you worked something out to fix
your automobile, Leigh Anne and it was a real pleasure to meet you.

Next arriving in style was Ed Grondine with a copy of his thick book, "MAN
AND IMPACT IN THE AMERICAS". Ed was a delightful person and also very young
at heart, with whom it was my pleasure to discuss subjects of our general
interest and watch Ed building his voucher collection of meteorites and
impactites for lectures. Ed has mentioned his stroke on this list before;
all I can say is Ed is a storehouse of information now, I shudder to think
how brilliant he was before...Thanks Ed for all your kind words to me. And
though I get wound up in my own set of priorities when arriving late to the
party, your honorable reaction as an early arrival at the Meteorite Mayhem
Bash Party didn't escape my notice with the ninny drill sergeants holding
the trenches at the door (more later on this). Forgot to say that your
Indian jacket was very "cool".

I took a walk and saw a familiar face in one of the rooms, none other than
Louis Carion holding the fort for Alain who was not to be found then.
Louis is always so friendly and open to discuss his expeditions for
Tatahouine, Fulgurites, LDG, you name it. What a fun stop to chat and
practice a little bit of my own abominably abysmal French, as here
everything is understood with good vibes and a smile...

...Now emboldened by my success in French, I ventured into Luc L.'s room
where I found his tr?s gentille Mom with a small but select set of specimens
to rival any museum anywhere for those pieces. Communication was a very
enjoyable challenge and in the end we actually succeeded! Then Luc returned
and was all smiles
as a great host for discussion on the specimens that left a pit in my
stomach when I finally left that room. Luc's room has great presentation...

Which brought me to a peregrination to Mike Farmer's room as next on the
agenda. That room never fails to have museum quality presentation. Mike
and Jim Strope were there ready to sell meteorites or trade insults
depending on the mood of the visitor. After a little exercise in needling,
the vault of this treasure chest was open to me. Mike, for all the rare
stuff you guys have managed to assemble, and the space beauty in that room
of every imaginable classification. I left with dreams of the natural
Glorieta piece this year. It was the most natural, manageably curvaceous,
voluptuous, undulating piece of perfection I saw that day as I left with
molten crystals of pallasites on the surface of my brain.

Also set up in "Mike's" room were Eric Olson and a surprise new display
entrant from Europe Achim. If Eric's specimens were top quality and
complementing and enhancing Mike's offering, what can I say about Achim?
English is a little lame on the superlatives to describe Achim's wares. If
I said Museum quality I would be using the wrong standard. They were truly
Achim quality and there is no more to be said in historical witnessed falls
anywhere, period end of thought. The words are BEST COLLECTION and other
superlatives need not apply. Thanks Achim for your conversation, insight
and friendly thoughts. I hope to see more of your trove in the future.
whew. walking out of that room I had to get something to drink. I passed a
bank on the way and whether I could get half of the stuff I had just seen by
hitting only one bank. Now back to reality and a Coke:-(
Received on Tue 27 Feb 2007 04:47:47 AM PST