[meteorite-list] Latest Meteorite recovery field trip

[McCartney Taylor]

When I posted my endorsement of a field nickel test that works, I mentioned 
brielfly the iron that I tested it on during my trip last weekend.  Immediately I 
received some wonderful emails of congrats and some asking for a slice.

Also, those I met in Tucson heard me grumbling about a 19 lb stone a farmer 
wanted to sell me, but I couldn't see him before Tucson. Now you will know the 
rest of the story...

I have the pictures ready to post about the entire trip, which brought in a generous 
bounty of material.  The final tally is 2 new stone meteorites and an iron.  Not to 
mention some amusing meteor-wrongs...

First lets begin by telling that I have to drive 7 hours to get to west Texas. Its a 
great drive through sheep country, and I keep wanting to stop at Richland Springs 
to hunt for more of that fall.  But I'm on a short timeframe.  

My first stop for a farmers 'odd' rock yielded up treasure. I call it the Lamesa 
Bookend.  A 1.4kg probable H class black shockened chondrite that was found 
near Lamesa, Texas in a cotton furrow 20 years ago after a hard rain. Because of 
its weight and a broken corner that let it stand on its end; it has been used as a 
bookend on the farmers mantle for 20 years.  His wife finally told him it had to go, 
so I got a call. I own a bookstore, so I'm a little attached to it and may not let this 
one go.  (Edwardo of Meteorites.com - I know your addiction to 'utilized' 
meteorites, don't worry, I'll offer you a piece)  Picture is below.

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/lamesa.jpg

After a few stops in cotton gins to meet with farmers, identify meteor-wrongs and 
post lots of wanted posters, I stopped for the night and called it a good day.

Saturday morning, I went off to the next meteorite near Tohoka, Texas.  But I 
didn't make it.  Because of recent rain and slippery mud roads, I put my car in a 
ditch on the way to the farmers house.  The farmer was 88 (and still farming!) and 
sent his craziest daughter (about 65) to help 'muddy' my car out.  I have to admit, 
I had a blast with her getting the car out. Check out my poor car and landscape.

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/car1.jpg

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/car2.jpg

In the end we made it to his house and had a delightful time talking about 
meteorites with him and his 3 daughters.  His 7.6kg meteorite had been found 
while hoeing weeds in his field 10 years ago, then his wife wanted it for her rock 
garden. After she passed away, he had brought his meteorite to Texas Tech 4 
years ago where they confirmed it was a meteorite then did nothing.  So it 
became a doorstop, until last weekend.  He and his 3 daughters decided to let me 
buy 1/2 of it and he wanted 1/2 of it to be cut into thirds for each of his daughters 
to become heirlooms. I thought it was a slendid idea and agreed. My final part of 
the bargain is to send him a copy of the Bullitin when it comes out.   I forgot to 
take a picture of it before I cut it.  But here is a picture of my half. 

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/overall.jpg

It has the looks of a weathered L chondrite. I've already got it cut, below are 
pictures of a slice with some strange inclusions. Anyone want to give me 
guestimates on classifications?

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/without-flash.jpg
http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/without-flash2.jpg

I drove on up through the panhandle looking at bomb fragments and basalt until I 
reached the top of the panhandle  Here, I was in for a shock.  A big chunk of iron 
was found several years ago by a rancher who kept at his house.  He was curious 
enough to send a piece of iron shale off to U. of Az. to get it identified.  U of A 
said it was meteoritic, then did nothing - didn't ask for a real piece of offer to buy 
it.  So I got a call.

Once I arrived, I could see it was badly weathered.  Didn't look like a Campo or 
an Odessa. I think I could see some regmaglyphs, can anyone else see them?  I 
whipped out my grinder and ground down to clean metal then did the Nickel test 
on it - Bright Cherry Red.  Oh yea, baby, 27kg of a new iron.  We negotiated a 
little bit, and finally he decided to sell me 1/2 in a few months after he shows it to 
some friends.  It was found about 16 miles from the Elton Iron, so I won't know for 
a while if its paired and there's a new strewnfield to work.  I give pairing only 5-
10% chance.

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/iron1.jpg

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/iron2.jpg

Then I kill about an hour in Amarillo and see a few other cars that got stuck in the 
mud worse than I did. They call it Cadalac ranch. Pic below

http://westernwelltool.com/trip-18FEB05/caddy-ranch.jpg

Thatnight I took and offer to stay with a family that had a meteor-wrong, nice 
    family but the dad was a little off. I mean his elevator didn't go all the way 
    to the top.  His wife assured me it was ok, he simply spent too many 
    years in prison!  I slept lightly that night with my door bolted shut. Great...

Sunday, I pointed my nose to the wind and set course for Austin. I stopped at 
every cotton gin I could to post more wanted posters, but finally left cotton country 
and dragged in home.

At this point, I take off to Spain next week to give a lecture. Then I need to race 
back. Someone has found a 8kg iron that I desperately want to check out. 

-mt
--  McCartneyTaylor, IMCA 2760