[meteorite-list] I'm going to start scouring California Dry l akes.

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Feb 21 01:11:34 2005
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C86904EE6447_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi Mike, Norm, Jason and List,

I'm enjoying the banter on the California dry lake meteorite hunting
thread! Not sure why California is being singled out, since there
are excellent dry lakes in Nevada and Arizona as well; the only
reason California has so many finds is that there are a lot of
people working these areas that live here. Sure, I like hunting
in Nevada and Arizona, but why drive further than you have to? ;-)

As for making money doing it, Jason's analysis demonstrates the
folly of thinking one can make much of a living hunting dry lake
meteorites themselves -- even assuming the extraordinary and
unrealizable average price of $100/gram. Sure, you'll occasionally
find something rare, but the majority of the time you'll be finding
small, weathered H- and L-chondrites.

Mike writes:

> ... I do believe that I have put in my time hunting around the
> world, so hunting dry lakes in California where I can sleep in
> nice hotels and eat nice food (and even be home that night)
> doesnt sound to hard or boring to me.

It's definitely easier, at least logistically! Nevertheless, I
envy your trips to Oman and Morocco [notice I don't add India to
the list..;-) ] for the pure adventure of it. Dry lake hunting
isn't glamorous and it doesn't require a lot of capital up front.
Its main requirements are patience and persistence; I've known
many people who've tried it, but few come back a second time.

Speaking for myself, I don't do it for the money -- I do it to
relax. The scenery is beautiful, it's QUIET, and if you're lucky
you won't see another human being the entire day. There is
something very pure about such a single-minded, private endeavor.
(That said, it is also fun to occasionally do it as a group-thing!
I enjoy taking people out to some of my favorite haunts from time
to time.)

Hope to see you out there sometime -- be it California, Nevada or
Arizona! Now if it would just stop raining... --Rob
Received on Mon 21 Feb 2005 01:13:13 AM PST