[meteorite-list] Rocks from Space Picture of the Day - March 26, 2008 / Story

From: Thetoprok at aol.com <Thetoprok_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:42:40 EDT
Message-ID: <c6d.2453e1ba.351bbae0_at_aol.com>

Hello List,

I'd like to share the story of this meteorite's recovery.

A few weeks after the fall I had returned to the strewn field to hunt the
wooded park area more thoroughly, I was confident I would find something
despite the fact I had already been skunked there in the weeks previous. After two
days of tromping through the woods, poking my metal detector into all cracks
and crevices, looking for skinned, dented, or otherwise damaged trees, I
found nothing! Something came up and I had to go home, (another story) about a
4.5 hour drive, spend the night with plans to come right back the following
morning.
When I returned it was with the intention of making contact with some of the
residents in the neighborhoods, I was finished with the woods! Upon arriving
at the first neighborhood I encountered two men with a big motorcycle down
in a deep ditch, they were struggling with it and could not get it out.
Forgetting meteorites for the moment, I pulled over and offered up the service of
my 4 wheel drive Tahoe. Of course they accepted my offer and I broke out the
tow strap, pulling them out. The bike was not drivable so the one guy called
his cousin Simon, who lived down the street and was the owner of the
motorcycle. Simon walked down, not realizing he couldn't drive the bike home, and when
he realized it couldn't be driven he asked me for a ride to his house. I
obliged and as we headed for his house he asked me what I was doing in his
neighborhood, having seen my Michigan plates. Suddenly, coming to my meteoritic
senses I remembered why I was there.
"Oh I'm looking for those meteorites that fell a few weeks ago." I said.
"I've got one." He says, like it's no big deal.
"Really?" I asked.
"I'll show you when we get to my house."
When we got to his house he brings out this unbelievably fresh Park Forest
meteorite! I held it to my nose and could smell sulphur. I tried to maintain
my composure, not wanting to look too eager. I asked him to tell me how he
came about this meteorite and he told me that on the night of the fall he had
just gone to bed. He was not yet asleep when he experienced the bright light
illuminating his bedroom and the tremendous explosions that followed. A couple
minutes later he heard a disturbance outside, he said it sounded like
something hit his house. He got up out of bed, walked downstairs and opened his front
 door. When he looked down he saw this meteorite setting on his door mat!
This stone was picked up and brought into the house less than a minute after it
hit his maple tree and landed on his porch, incredible!
I was nearly broke and had only a one hundred dollar bill in my pocket. I
thought, there's no way he'll take $100.00, is there? As I pulled the $100.00
bill from my pocket I offered to trade it for the meteorite. He was reaching
for the money and asking his wife if it was ok at the same time! Hilarious,
she said "Hell yes! take the money!" My heart was racing and I couldn't believe
they made the trade. The funny thing is that had I had $500.00 in my pocket
I probably would have offered that!
 I hung out with Simon, his cousin and his uncle, drinking beer out in the
garage 'till the wee hours, slept in my truck, then drove home the next day.

It almost killed me but I sold this meteorite as soon as I got home. I
needed the money.
I'd like to take a moment and publicly thank Ryan Pawelski for giving me the
opportunity to buy this meteorite back from him when he was ready to sell.
It now resides in my collection and is one of my favorite meteorite's and one
of my fondest memories of meteorite hunting. Thanks Ryan!

Best Regards,
Larry Atkins

In a message dated 3/26/2008 7:52:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
SPACEROCKSINC at aol.com writes:
http://www.spacerocksinc.com/March_26_2008.html




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Received on Wed 26 Mar 2008 10:42:40 AM PDT