[meteorite-list] I'm so happy! My 1st Post

From: Bill Hall <meteoritics_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:18:36 -0700
Message-ID: <883a36d30903150818p6f942eb6o4b538e15cbf0879f_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hello to all,
                  I've tried to post on here over a year ago and
couldn't get any thru. Thanks Steve Dunklee for the advice. My problem
was different, but you inspired me to work on it again. gmail has a
tab you must click to send messages as plain text.

OK METEORITES. I probably got the bug the same way many of you did,
watching a show with Robert Haag searching for the Tucson Meteorite.
This was many years ago, and thanks a lot Robert if you read this. I
hope your HAPPY! You've created a brand new Addiction all on your own!
Soon after this I purchased O Richard Nortons book Rocks From Space.
Great book, but guess what! I found out I lived only 5 miles from
Richard and Dorthy Norton!. I found myself soon sitting at the kitchen
table looking at thin sections with Richard, and learning all about
chondrules, etc. What a treat!! He told me all about the field of
meteoritics, and this pushed me over the edge. I have a serious
problem when it comes to meteorites. I'm a bit of a freak I
suppose,... I take meteorites with me wherever I go, I buy meteorites
for less than their worth, more than their worth, give them to
strangers, and pass them out at star parties to the children. I
constantly think about all the different ways to include them in my
life, process them, preserve them, make things from them, hunting for
them, e-bay etc. Its a wonder I get anything done at all!

Took a trip to Florida in 2003, went to Kennedy Space Center, and
purchased my 1st meteorite. About 40 grams on Nantan crust for only
$40!! How funny! I was ( and still am ) so happy to have my Nantan
crust rust. ( No I don't want to buy any more _at_ $1 gram, but thanks )
I did go back in 2004 and buy another piece however.


Oct, 2007 found me heading to Arizona, (I live in Bend Oregon) what a
ride! I spent 4 month there hunting meteorites, and purchasing
whenever possible. Made my 1st trip to meteor crater, UN believable
experience! Met all the guys from Morocco, and purchased several
kilo's NWA, a few kilos here a few kilos there. Spent most of my time
in Quartzsite working (I have a mobile RV service business) and
playing. In quartzsite I met a guy who many of you know I'm sure who
brings us the Campo's. I spent nearly every spare moment working on,
and discussing meteorite hunting, preservation, future searches for
the Esquel Palllasite etc. and a BBQ almost every night. Ended up with
Campo's running out my ears! Then my new friend had to go to
Tucson,... how sad.... I had to stay and work. Well he called me
several times from there, and made several nice purchases for me, some
of these were purchased from list members.

#1 I got the nice big Brenham slice, with the L.A. Times newspaper,
thanks Steve Arnold, I love it!
#2 I got a big 12 kilo complete oriented chondrite, I think it came
from Mohammad, but not sure
#3 I got a 1 kilo Seymchan, and small 40 gram slice from one of you guys.
and several other smaller pieces, thanks everyone.

I vowed to make it to Tucson in 2009. I kept that vow.......WOW!
Even before I went, I had the pleasure to meet Ruben in Quartzsite,
and be in one of his videos. Oh yea! I forgot, I found a 40 plus gram
chondrite in the Quartzsite area. My 1st find, I GPS the coordinates,
and photo in situ, etc. My friend Mark and I had walked for a hundred
miles before we found it. How cool it was....and Ruben videoed it with
his new HD camera, and stuck it on You Tube. SO COOL, thanks Ruben!

Then Tucson: Oh boy......the post is getting long, sorry so exited to
post.....be calm, breath.......OK 1st stop, the Ramada, and got 8 kilo
chondrites from a nice boy from Morocco for REALLY cheap! then to the
Days Inn and found my Campo connection, visited a bit, then Steve
Arnold walked up and I got to meet him! Almost peed my pants! Then got
oriented, found a place to park for the day, and headed to Inn Suites.
Here I met Marvin Kilgore, ( again nearly peed) what a nice
guy! purchased his book, and talked meteorites for an hour or so, met
his nice wife Kitty and got some pictures. thanks Marvin and Kitty.
Then met Bruno Fectay and Corine Bidaut, SUPER nice people. Checked
out their Mars rock Chassignite, nice......and took their picture!
Thanks. Then found Mike Farmers booth, WOW how cool is that! What a
display! The work involved just setting up these rooms must take days.
There were a ton of people in the room, but Mike went out of his way
to help me, and was REALLY nice to me. Thanks Mike. Then found the
Steve Arnold, Geoff Nottkin Room and met Steve again. I got a picture
of me and Steve holding up a big Brenham. NICE. Thanks Steve.

Well, before it was over I ended up at the Harvey Awards, and birthday
party, and met too many more cool people to list. Even got Rober Haags
picture, (poor guy was being pestered to death, so I didn't meet him,
last I saw he was running for the back door exclaiming "holy shit!").
Had a great time, and met tons of great people, and went home with
many more kilos of meteorite. Special thanks to Carl from South Africa
for the Gibeon deal.
I skipped the Auction, tucked tail and went back to Quartzsite, packed
my stuff and prepared to head home, and WEST happened. But that's a
different story!

So happy to finally be able to post, Promise to never break the rules
on purpose, wont spam or be mean, and will help this be a positive,
productive, enjoyable, learning experience.
                                                       Have a great day,

              Bill Hall
Received on Sun 15 Mar 2009 11:18:36 AM PDT