Thanks for sharing!
-Andy
Andrew. Gluesenkamp, PhD 700 Billie Brooks LaneDriftwood, Texas 78619 (512)
799-1095 a...@gluesenkamp.com
On Monday, January 4, 2021, 09:54:55 AM CST, Bill Steele
<cwilliamste...@gmail.com> wrote:
Speaking of first-person-on-the-moon Neil Armstrong, I methim and spoke with
him about the caving expedition he went on to Cueva de losTayos in Ecuador.
Through my job as anational-level staff member of the Boy Scouts of America, I
worked with aviatorSteve Fossett. Fossett died in a plane crash. I went to his
memorial in Chicago.I spotted Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Scott Carpenter, and
Richard Bransonthere.
After the memorial there was a reception in a big hall overlookingLake
Michigan. The event was at the Adler Planetarium. I was talking withpeople and
saw Neil Armstrong and his wife entering the hall. The body languageof the
people was interesting. One of the world’s most famous people and peoplewere
jockeying to be in his path to meet him. I didn’t worry about it and gotanother
scotch instead.
A little while later I realized that Armstrong and wife wereright behind me. I
turned around, introduced myself, and said to Neil, “I knowabout the cave
exploration expedition you went on in 1976 to a cave in Ecuadorwith the
British.”
He said, “You do, how do you know about that?” I told himthat I’m an active
caver and pretty well read on it. He wanted to talk about it.He held out his
hands to show me how big the spiders were in the jungle. Peoplestanding around
seemed curious what we were talking about. I got the impressionthat Armstrong
was tired of talking about the moon.
A little while later I walked up to Buzz Aldrin, introducedmyself, and said, “I
saw you on TV punch that guy who accosted you screaming thatthe moon landing
was faked.
Aldrin said, “Yeah, goddamnit, cost me $10,000 in lawyer’sfees, but it sure
felt good when I connected!” as he held up his fist.
Three years ago, I rented a car in London and drove aroundthe British Isles for
three weeks. I contacted a caver couple I had met in Alberta,Canada at caver
Mike Boon’s memorial. The couple invited me to stay with them afew days in
Leeds, England, and I did. In their hallway I saw a photo of theman of the
couple posing with Neil Armstrong in Cueva de los Tayos. He’d partneredwith
Armstrong on the expedition.
And Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Records and airline guy,I only met him
while standing at a urinal. I said hello. I did not shake his hand.
Bill Steele
speleoste...@aol.com
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