[meteorite-list] West american Lakebeds

From: Norman Lehrman <nlehrman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun Dec 12 21:37:24 2004
Message-ID: <20041213023721.34458.qmail_at_web81004.mail.yahoo.com>

Pierre-Marie & list,

There is no simple, single answer to your question.
Many dry lake margins are accessible to a car, but
there are others where it is a challenge to find a way
in with an ATV, let alone a 4WD. Often you will find
yourself in extremely remote areas where it is not
wise to work as a single vehicle alone. If you have
problems, it could literally turn into a survival
situation.

There is a second issue as well. You need to cover
immense areas to have a sporting chance of success.
It sounds romantic to wander around on foot out there
(and sometimes you must), but your odds will be hugely
multiplied if you have some means of conveyance--a
bike, an ATV, or a 4WD. The lake beds vary in
character from firm and smooth (suitable for a car or
a landing airplane!) to soft, fluffy alkali dust-bowls
with very little hope for visible meteorites.
Sometimes you have to travel many kilometers from a
point of access just to find a portion of the lake
that lends itself to a meaningful search. Depending
on the time of year, there can be serious mudholes,
and often they are not obvious untill you are badly
stuck.

I don't mean to sound overly negative, but it is
important to understand the challenges. I live and
work in rural/remote Nevada. My office is a 4WD truck
with an ATV on the back, and still I find access to be
a constant challenge. There are many places that I
simply won't go alone. Don't count on a cell phone
working out there. I carry a sat phone. Do carry
water and survival gear. Try to team up with another
vehicle. Tell someone where you are going and check in
when you return. If you leave your vehicle, be sure
to record GPS coordinates so you can find it again.
Often you will be parking in sand dune corridors, and
they all look the same from a distance.

Have fun and good luck!
Norm Lehrman
(http://tektitesource.com)


--- Pelé Pierre-Marie <pierremariepele_at_yahoo.fr>
wrote:

> Hello to the List,
>
> I'm planing to do a trip in California, Arizona,
> Nevada and go on dry lakebeds.
>
> I would like to know if most lakebeds are reachable
> with a standard car or with a 4WD car.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Pierre-Marie Pele
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Received on Sun 12 Dec 2004 09:37:21 PM PST