Hi Mark, Thanks very much for the rather colorful report. I am jealous, particularly since I have not had the plesaure of ever meeting so many list members whom I have conversed with for so many years.
Maybe next year (only if I get a new job)... -Walter ------------------------------------------------ Walter Branch, Ph.D. 322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B Savannah, GA 31405 www.branchmeteorites.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "MARK BOSTICK" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Meteorite List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 3:49 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Tucson 2003 Show Report > Tuscon 2003 Show Report > > By Mark Bostick > > I am always worried about flying with meteorites. My solution on going to > Tucson this year was to pack very little meteorites. Buying is much more > enjoyable then selling anyway. Leaving through Wichita, Kansas I had little > worries. The last year or so has taught me it is the larger airports that > seem to be more of hassle. After being stopped for 25 minutes and setting > the alarm off 3 times I now have to rethink this theory. Since I did set off > three alarms, I was informed that the airline now had the option of not > letting me fly and that they would search my other baggage as well. I had > just purchased some overpriced but cute little Masterlocks, so I gave one of > the airport security people a key and asked that they do not break the lock. > Minutes later he came back and told me that it was too late, they had > already broken the lock, slightly frustrated and annoyed I was then cleared > and made my way towards my departing gate. > > I would fly out Wednesday and arrive early Thursday. After making a few > appointments I would have time to make it to Jim Kriegh and Twink Monrad > party. Or at least that is how the plans went in my head. Their party was > kind of early and sadly I did not make it. I really enjoyed the year before. > That year, they had great food, and company. After Tucson last year I went > south of the border for a short visit to Mexico and therefore they gave me > my last real meal for a couple weeks. One of the highlights I remember well > at the Kriegh-Monrad party was eating at a table with the Labenne's and > having Robert Hag come up and talk about their then recent lunar finds. I > invited Hag to set down and listened while they talked moon rocks. This was > a conversation I felt way outclassed in and had nothing to add. (Hey, I've > purchased a few....does that count?). Next year I will try to come in > earlier and not miss this friendly event. > > The day ended quickly but I did manage to pick up a few items. A 464g full > slice of Two-Dot, a complete slice of the Lunar DAG461 (0.728g), a large and > heavy box of coral fossils and few other small items. Shared a couple beers > with Marvin Kilgore, met with a few of the non-meteorite sellers I got to > know the year before while selling, but the day ended quickly and I would > soon have to make it back to my room for my last real night of sleep in > Tucson. > > Rosie Hackney, would arrive in the middle of the night and we would soon be > joined by Jason Phillips. Even the flea bag hotels are close to $100 a night > during the show time and many people share rooms and rides to limit our > cost. So me and Rosie started the day by trying to find a Denny's or the > like for breakfast. After much search we retreated to the interstate and an > IHOP (Thats "International House of Pancakes" for those of you not here in > the states.) > > Friday I spent a lot time at the Inn Suites. Meeting Anne Black, Fred Hall, > Fred Olson, Richard and Dorothy Norton (who along with Twink Monrad were > kind enough to ask and notice that I missed the dinner the night before), > Mike Jensen (who was helping out with the Pitt auction), David Weir, Nelson > Oaks, Geoff Notkin, Steve Arnold....both of them and a few others. > > I even witnessed the first meeting of the two Steve Arnolds. Amazingly, not > only did the world not end, I do not think it even effected the earth's > gravity. Of course I will be watching global news reports to verify this > uneventful clash of names. > Paul Harris and Jim Tobin could also be found here at the Inn Suites and > carried with them a couple of the best looking button australites I have > ever seen, perhaps they will be future Tektites of the Month and you, my > fellow list members can see the great shape these tektites have. > > Marvin Kilgore had some of the best displays I have seen and some of the > best meteorite examples to go in them. The highlight to his room this year > was however his collection book. Which I can honestly say is the best > collection book I have ever seen. Hardbound, with nice color photos, at > $55.00 it is a great bargain. In fact they were so good he had sold out of > his first shipment before I got there.....:-( After looking through his book > on hand it only took me a few minutes to decide I wanted one. But fear not, > a new shipment is due the 15th so do yourself a favor and order one. Kilgore > was mostly by himself which makes me wonder.....how did you ever get those > very large display cases there and set up? > Friday night was the Birthday Bash, Me and Rosie, now with our other > Roommate Jason Phillips made it a little late. There was one table with > three chairs left so we sat down with Steve Arnold (of Chicago) and I made > my way to the bar for a drink. Here I was met with a challenge. Getting a > drink and making it back to the table, while socializingand not coming back > to the table with an empty drink. After a few attempts at this I managed to > get a waiter to bring me two drinks. > > The Birthday Bash is always fun and this year was no exception. One of the > highlights of this event is the Harvey Awards. This year I even managed to > win. Granted they auctioned one off in an effort to buy drinks for the award > winners and that was the one I won. I always attempt to help or promote the > different events in Denver and Tucson if I can, as it is these events that > pull us together. Winning the Harvey award, a plastic cube with a baby > Toluca on top, also got myself a drink and with the Harvey Award, a great > souvenir of Tucson. Perhaps in the future I will really win one and one of > you will buy me a drink in return. Although, feel free to by me a drink > even if I never get awarded one. > > One of the soon to be "classic" moments of the Birthday Bash was the many > announcements made by Steve Arnold (the broker) not so much from Steve > Arnold (Chicago). The first was "Steve Arnold from Chicago is look for > Honolulu meteorites.", the came "Steve Arnold from Chicago has found his > Honolulu meteorites for $100.00 a gram", the "Steve Arnold from Chicago is > selling his Honolulu meteorite for $200.00 a gram." followed by "Steve > Arnold from Chicago is willing to trade his Honolulu meteorite for Nevada > meteorites.", followed by...okay I think you get the point. It was > entertaining and pleasant event and enjoyed by all. Thank you Steve Arnold > (from Chicago) for being a good sport. Also thanks to Steve Arnold > (Meteorite broker) and Geoff Notkin for putting on the event. It was enjoyed > by all. > > After the dinner a few of us got together for more drinks in one of the > Hupe/Lang rooms. After finishing the keg there, the canned beer there, and > attacking a few bottles of Lang's wine (Thanks Allen), light told us it was > now daytime and therefore we better lay down before any sleep was > impossible. All the rooms are always packed during these events and rather > then make it back to my room, they were kind enough to let me crash by the > doorway, hoping it would not get opened in the middle of the night, and > therefore hit me head. It didn't. > > Erich Heider's room was at the Pablo Inn. Formallyy the Four Points, and > before that one or two other names. (They like changing names in Tucson to > confuse outer towner's). Erich and Sylvia have always been one of the > friendliest sellers. Always willing to offer drinks to guest and often > selling many meteorites at a well below "retail" (if there is such thing in > the meteorite world anymore). Here I purchased a full slice of Martian > DAG975 (0.901g) and a 52g etched Taza. The price on the Taza....a little > over $2.00 a gram. It was an end cut but very thin and just a little over a > the thickness of a regular slice. I was glad to add an etched Taza at a good > price (finally) and I could always use another full (even though small) > martian slice to the collection. > > Paul Liu could also be found at the Pablo Inn. The same spot as last year > and as he mentioned to the list. "Right in front of the main entrance". I > saw him there last year and somehow could not find him too easy. Strangely, > he was RIGHT in front of the main entrance. Paul is a great guy, if you ever > see him in Denver or Tucson (always outside) say hello. He is the chinese > guy in the baseball cap, which should somewhat narrow it down for the 1000's > of sellers...and if you can pay attention to small details like "right in > front" you should have no problem finding him. (Hello Paul). > > There were many people "suit casing" the show, as rooms are high and keep > you stuck in one place. One of them was Steve Arnold (the meteorite broker). > Steve always carries around a large case of meteorites, this year he was > carrying two. (But his arms hurt about right now). From Steve Arnold I > managed three thin sections, A DAG734 (EL4), Pena Blanca Spring (Aubrite), > and a Camel Dongo (Eucrite). All three for the price of $150.00. A bargain > considering the DAG734 looks like it took 1g of meteorite to make (which has > retail at $140 a gram). > > The Michael Blood auction was (in my opinion) the best place to find > bargains. Since I was helping Michael I did not have the chance to record > prices, but perhaps Michael or someone else would be kind enough to post > prices. I did pick up a few things. One of Anne Black's Libyan Glass/Gold > pendants for $30.00, a 3.18g DAG734 EL4 for a low ~$85.00 (to go with my > thin section I purchased from Steve Arnold the day before), the 80g lot of > Taza for $100.00, a case of 150 2003 meteorite calendars for $110.00 with > shipping (can you say calendar sale), and my more favorite from the lot, > well that I purchased, a 36.8g Homestead slice for $135?...if I remember > right. Bill Jensen and Rex Kelsey played the role of Beermeister and their > help was greatly appreciated. I did not get one beer with a head....that's a > topping of beer foam for you non-drinkers. Greg and Adam Hupe entered some > of the best specimens and took the low market very nicely. (Thanks for > sharing your meteorites at almost give away prices). Michael Blood's quiet > friend, Cecil Caufield helped me and Rosemary Hackney assist Michael during > the event. I have always tried to be supportive in anyway I can to the show > events as I really feel it pulls us all together. > > A noticed a appreciated salute goes to Daryl Pitt. Who not only attended > Michael's auction, but purchased a piece and came up to Michael with kind > words and a hand shake. A great show of character from a nice guy. While it > may seem at times that we like to fight and argue on the list, when we are > at the shows the drinks are plentiful and friendship is obvious. WAY TO GO > DARYL!!! (and please keep us updated on Steve Schooner). > > I flew out pretty early on sunday and did not have the chance to hang around > the Pitt auction much, but I did manage to pick up one item, the 44.8g Oued > El Hadjar end cut for I forgot price....very fair. That's the alter > sacrificed stone. Sadly my plane would be leaving early in the day and I > feared a long wait at the airport, while they questioned each meteorite for > its possible weapon usage. So I had to leave the auction early. While the > item I was most interested in went above my pre-bid, and my on-sight bid > (wasn't sure if I would be there for it), I did manage a nice meteorite at a > good price. > > Other people I enjoyed meeting not mentioned above, and please grant me some > slack if I leave out your name would be, Steve Drummond, Howard Wu, Eduardo > and Oscar (meteorites.com), The Saharan Overlord people, various mineral > dealers met previously, Eric Cane (a wire-wrapper who worked on some jewelry > for me), the blond I met at the Pueblo Inn poolside, who is most likely not > a list member, but if you are e-mail me....:-), Eric Olsen (although he was > pretty much too busy to talk), various Denver Meteorite club members, Jim > Kriegh, Twink Monrad, John Gwilliam, Matt Morgan, Michael Farmer, Jim > Strope, Michael Cottingham, David Freeman, and also thanks to whoever made > my omlette at the Best Western.....mmmm. > > Clearing security in Tucson was quite easy. I guess the mass of mineral > collectors and sellers makes them use to people like me carrying 200 pounds > of rocks, some of them iron. One of my bags they kept putting in and > rescanning it from different angles but al in all....no problems. > > Leaving Tucson, I plugged some headphones into my seat to listen to the > flight cabin. I was now leaving nice warm Tucson for cold and boring Kansas. > The plane was completely full with passengers and I was worried all my items > would not make it on board. The pilot reported that all but 5 of golf clubs > bags made it under the plane. It was snowing across the northern US so I > didn't see them get much use the next week anyway. > > After I landed in Wichita, the pilot reported the flight was "terminated" > and we were now taxing to the "departure" wings. Makes you wonder who gave > those airplane nicknames. > So without typing out a book, and telling you all my deals and such (Hey I > cant give everything away) I hope that gives those that did not attend a > good ideal on how the show went and activities. I think it can be said we > all had a great time. I know I did. > > See you all next year....and remember Denver in September. Denver is > September...hey, that almost rymes. > > ______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
