Finding meteorites brings in extra bucks

The time required to put this column together into a somewhat interesting enough to read compilation of 600 words can take anywhere from two to six or more hours. There have been a few times that it took much shorter times and I could be making as much as $30-$40 an hour, but mostly it averages out to about $5 or less per hour.

I am of the opinion that I am worth much more than that but have hesitated in asking for more money per column, but realizing that in all likelihood the paper has been cutting back in the number of people they have working for them and they would probably ask that in order to get paid more I would have to do some other duties to help keep the newspaper solvent. I am not about to give up writing the column. As little as it pays, it adds up monthly in enough to help pay my gasoline bill each month. And I have no other talent which can substitute the income so the threat of quitting does not exist.

A new venture

So a few weeks ago I decided to investigate a theory of mine in looking for meteorites in the Highlands area. I have heard that they can be worth quite a bit of cash. In fact, scientists pay as much as 10 dollars or more per gram of weight, depending upon the characteristics of where the meteor might have originated.

I purchased a rather nice and accurate metal detector, and began looking at maps of the lakes we have here in the Highlands. I have always been curious about how they came about and eventually theorized they must have been dug out by meteors hundreds of thousands of years ago as the peninsular of Florida was being formed and as the Highlands was being squeezed up to be the highest area perhaps millions or hundreds of thousands years ago when many meteors or comets were crashing into Earth.

Big bucks maybe

It was a big gamble but in a recent History story a couple of guys went out to the Lake Mead area and received permission to look for meteors in a restricted area. After only a few days came upon a brown-looking stone that registered on their metal detector and it appeared to be rust covered indicating it was indeed metallic.

After digging it up it was larger than a softball and worth over $20,000. They had also found several smaller pieces with a total worth about $500. Now that's pretty good income for three days work.

Most of the meteors found in the United States have been found out west in areas where there has been little vegetation growing that would cover the ground with decaying leaves and growing forests. I have noticed not many large trees in much of the sandy sections of Florida, it's mostly just sand with little grass. That makes it much easier to dig out any metallic objects the detector may find.

Searching for riches

Most of Florida is pretty much fenced off to anyone who wants to investigate farmland or private property. Except for here in this little community where I live. The original owners have much of the area plotted for home sites and there's nary a fence for miles around.

Taking advantage of this opportunity has yet to take place because most of the above is just pure fiction.

You have just been April Fooled!