During filming of the final Season Three episode—a couple of weeks back—I arrived at our hotel late. The sun was going down and we’d spent a hot and difficult day shooting in the desert. As I cleaned out my truck in twilight, I heard someone murmur quietly, and under his breath: “Look it’s the Meteorite Man.”

Even though I was tired and a little cranky, I stopped what I was doing and turned around to say hello. Here was a very well dressed older gentleman and his wife, out for a sunset walk. Taking the air, one might say. The gentleman was a fan of my show, Meteorite Men, asked if we were filming in the area, and when the new season would air. I replied that we were filming in the area, and that the new season would start in November on Science. I then asked him where he was from and he said: “Nowhere.” I thought the man was being glib until he added that he and his wife were both retired and now permanent RV-ers. They wandered the country, spending a month here, a week there, and generally taking their own sweet time to see things that interested them. Apart from the appalling cost in gasoline, it seemed a very attractive lifestyle choice. While I could immediately relate to their peripatetic nature, I felt somewhat envious that they were able to see things at their own relaxed pace, because when we are on the move, we are really on the move, and there is no time for sightseeing.

We began filming for Season Three of Meteorite Men in late June, just in time for the big burn, exactly as we did last year, even though we all hoped we would start earlier and avoid some of the summer heat, but we have to deliver the shows when they are needed. This time around I saw seven countries, six states, many airplanes, many meteorites, two eagles, two sunburns, two near cases of dehydration, two quite severe cactus-related injuries, one amphibious vehicle, one giant nest full of giant storks (and I mean giant), one broken toe, one concussion, one Russian cop who looked exactly like Benny Hill, and plenty of other amazing sights.

Steve and I returned to a couple of favorite sites where we’ve hunted in the past, and also broke exciting new ground, visiting some meteorite locations, and even a country or two that we’d never seen before. We continued to receive valuable academic help from the Center for Meteorite Studies at ASU, and the University of Edmonton in Alberta. The highlight, for me, was doubtless working with our new off-road recon truck, “The Mule.” In an earlier and simpler form it’s been my meteorite hunting vehicle for years, and has actually already appeared in several episodes. But, for our third season we thought the MM needed a rougher, tougher, go-anywhere vehicle, and “The Mule” was born. All-Pro Off Road made the crash bumpers and bed rack for me, my friends at Dan’s Toy Shop put the whole thing together, and 1-Day Paint and Body in Tucson, mixed the color for me specially, because I can be a bit nitpicky about such things. In fact, the story of desinging and building the Meteorite Men truck is so much fun it should probably have its own blog entry later on.

So, here I am back in my office with a broken toe, looking forward to seeing what post-production has done to the new episodes. We had a great team this year. Executive Producer James Rowley directed the first four international episodes, and Jeff Fisher handled the other four. Nice guys, and smart. Our director of photography, Per Larsson, has won two Primetime Emmys and pretty much invented Amazing Race, so I expect the look of the show to be nothing short of dazzling and spectacular. For the last few episodes we were lucky enough to work with cameraman Joe “Boots” Parker, who not only lives here in Tucson, but is a former U.S. Army Ranger, and a wildlife photography specialist. What a superb choice he was for us, and I made a new friend in town. Senior Producer Sonya Bourn returned to keep the entire box of monsters on the road and relatively injury-free, once again, and is the only member of the road crew who made it through all three seasons.

Good people worked hard, traveled far, and brought their expertise to bear. Meteorite Men Season Three will premiere on November 28 at 9 pm on Science. Did we find something rare and amazing in every episode? I really can’t remember. Or, if I can, I am proably not supposed to tell you.

Tune in and find out. I think I can promise you one thing—you won’t be bored.

Text © by Geoffrey Notkin. Photgraphs by Suzanne Morrison © Aerolite Meteorites LLC
All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

There is one amusing and slightly irritating thing that happens every year, without fail, during the annual Tucson gem shows (or showcases as some are want to call them, but to me a case is a case—like a display case—not a show, so there will be no strong-arming me into using that phrase). Somebody, or several different people, come up to me each year and say, in a hushed, fearful, or incredulous tone: “I heard a rumor that the gem show is definitely leaving Tucson next year! What do you think?”

What I think is that the gem show leaving Tucson would be much like gambling leaving Las Vegas, or the Empire State Building abandoning New York. It’s not going to happen.

My showroom at the Hotel Tucson City Center

February’s annual event has grown—from rather humble hometown beginnings in 1955—into the largest gathering of rockhounds in the world, and then some. About 45 separate shows run consecutively during the first two weeks of February, and if you live here in town you can hardly miss the tents, forklift trucks, dinosaur skeletons, amethyst cathedrals, and the relentless excitable, jolly-pirate carnival-like atmosphere that takes over the Baked Apple for nearly a month. Even though most of the shows run for just about fourteen days, there is preparation time, receiving shipments at customs time, load-in time, set-up time, cocktail hour, break-down time, load-out time, taking-down-the-tents time, so—for the vendors at least—gem show shenanigans go on for three to four weeks.

Our crew filming us at a book signing for an upcoming episode of "Meteorite Men"

This was my fourteenth consecutive gem show, and my fifth as a vendor. Each year I tell myself I’m going to take it a little easier, and I state: “It couldn’t possibly be any busier than last year,” but it always is. This year we did twenty consecutive 12-hour days, at two different locations. Our main display of high-end meteorites and collectibles was situated at the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at Hotel Tucson City Center (né InnSuites), with a second outdoor booth at the charmingly scruffy and bargain-friendly Tucson Electric Park Show. On top of the two selling locations I had two book signings (my new book Meteorite Hunting was published on February 1, which also happens to be my birthday), three radio interviews, a weekend of shooting with our production company for an upcoming episode of Meteorite Men, production meetings, regular meetings, two tents destroyed by freak winds, a birthday party, an awards ceremony, plus the requisite buying, selling and trading of space rocks.

The Tucson gem and mineral shows are a rockhound's delight

Something that has grown tremendously in popularity within my clockwork universe is the “Is this a meteorite?” request. Enthusiastic rock hounds who, perhaps, watch my TV series, and have also been out patrolling the perimeter, bring in unusual rocks for me to look at. It really is fun in moderation, but too many strange rocks does interfere with commerce, and it’s especially complicated when I inform the finder that he or she doesn’t have a meteorite, and then they start with the “But . . .” part. If someone asks for my advice, I’m happy to give it, but please don’t argue with me afterwards (It has only happened twice; most visitors are very gracious).

Please know that the last thing I want to do—ever—is snap at one of my fans, and so far I haven’t, not once. My dear old friend, musician Anne Husick, who was also my roommate for many years, and who considers me an impatient sod will doubtless scoff at this, but it’s true. And, anyway, aren’t roommates always the most critical? It’s a bit cliché-ish, but without loyal viewers I don’t have a show, and I really do like Meteorite Men fans. They are cool, and smart, interested in all kinds of things, and I enjoy getting to know them. Very occasionally, however, there comes a near-meltdown moment.

Signing a young fan's cast at the Tucson Electric Park

That point, for me, came during the second week, shortly after I sustained $550 in damages to two display tents down at the TEP. In order to prevent this happening a second time, we bought some extra-massive steel stakes with which to secure our new tents. My sales manager at TEP, Beth, called to tell me that the ground was too hard and they couldn’t get the stakes in, and Beth doesn’t give up easily. So, I left my main showroom and drove down to the TEP with a 12-lb sledgehammer. I was already tired, a little burned out, and my mind awash with the many pending deals and events. I may have become slightly defocused. I parked my truck, got the sledge, and started trying to pound in the stakes. The ground was like tempered concrete, and if such a thing doesn’t exist, it should. I was getting nowhere, so I rolled up my sleeves, put on my heavy work gloves and started wailing on the stake, with the sledge, and found it to be quite a good stress reliever. In the middle distance, someone was taking photos, and murmuring: “Look, it’s the guy from that meteorite show.” Not my most flattering moment.

I was out of breath, hot, making progress, and wondering if I was going to have the wherewithal to give all six of these stakes a solid pounding, when a young man walks right up to me—while I am swinging the sledge—with a rock in his hand, and asks me if it’s a meteorite. That was the closest I came to a meltdown. I’d already looked at about a hundred meteorwrongs—and one genuine meteorite—and was a little tired of doing that, but was still focused on being gracious to viewers who—after all—only want to know if they have found a bit of cosmic treasure. I said to the young man: “This isn’t the best time, could you please wait until I’ve finished, and then I’ll be happy to look at it,” while I was, in fact, thinking to myself: “Don’t get close to a Meteorite Man when he’s using a heavy sledge!”

It was not a meteorite, but I did get the stakes in.

Steve Arnold and the author doing a live interview with famed Tucson radio host John C. Scott

It has now been almost three weeks since we closed up shop for another year, and we are still not fully caught up. One of the problems with immersing yourself in Gem Show World is that regular company business, and normal day-to-day orders continue, unaware that we are holding a giant meeting of rockhound minds here in Tucson. Tired as we may be post-show, we have to suck it up and deal with the waiting orders. This year we also had four hundred books to ship out. Business is good, and it is great fun, so I am not complaining, but next year I really am going to try and take it easy and not be as busy. Just like gambling is going to leave Las Vegas, and The Empire State . . . well, you get the picture.

And this afternoon, I shall journey down to the excellent Tucson Festival of Books, where I will be signing copies of my new work, displaying space rocks, meeting viewers, and promoting our own Voice of Tucson. If you think you might have found a space rock, bring it on down. I promise not to snap at you, and I am definitely leaving the sledgehammer at home.

All photographs by and © Suzanne Morrison  www.backcountryphotographyaz.com

On February 8, right in the middle of the Tucson gem and mineral shows, Variety magazine announced that the TV series Meteorite Men which I co-host with Steve Arnold, had been renewed for a third season. It was a big day for us.

Of course, Steve and I had already known for a little while, but we’d been asked to sit quietly on our excitement and keep the news to ourselves. After all, an announcement in Variety is quite a bit grander than me just shouting from the balcony outside my showroom. Variety had been promised an exclusive on the Season Three announcement and I was under specific instructions not to say anything to anyone. In the age of Facebook and Twitter even one mention to one of my viewers could have resulted in the news spreading through the gem show, and then I would have been told to stand in the corner—an experience I was all too familiar with from British public school. I was, therefore, in a happy, yet awkward situation.

The Meteorite Men on location. Photograph by Pablo del Rio Larrain © Aerolite Meteorites LLC

With many Meteorite Men fans visiting the showroom daily, we kept a friendly and unofficial tally of the most popular questions, which were: “Are you doing a third season?” “Where can I get your show on DVD?” “Where are you going next?” and “Is this rock I found a real meteorite?” Oh, and “Can I please go hunting with you?” was in the running too. When viewers take the time to come visit me, and compliment me on the show, and are clearly enthusiastic about my work, and space rocks, and science programming in general, I really don’t feel comfortable lying to them. So, I found myself—for those few rather inconvenient days—dancing around the answer to Question Number One and saying things along the lines of: “We hope to hear news any day now,” or “We are cautiously optimistic,” and in some cases, “If you’d like to see more Meteorite Men please let our friendly network, Science Channel, know.”

So, when the Variety piece came out on the 8th, I was able to relax a little, fully embrace the news, and share it with our viewers. Debbie Myers, the radiant general manager of Science Channel telephoned to congratulate us, and I greatly enjoy Debbie’s company, so that was the best part for me. I told her that I couldn’t imagine having a better boss, and she told me that we should be very proud because most series don’t make it to a third season.

Filming in Kansas with Paul Sr. of "American Chopper" fame. Photograph by Suzanne Morrison © Aerolite Meteorite LLC

During Season Two of Meteorite Men Steve and I had our own cameraman and soundman. As he and I typically split up while hunting for space rocks, and head off in opposite directions, doing things our own way and at our own speed, we each had a separate camera/sound duo assigned to follow us. You end up sharing a lot of powerful moments with those guys: The excitement of a find; the unpleasant surprise of nearly stepping on a snake; the fatigue and disappointment of a long, unsuccessful day. Many times, my cameraman would stop me for a minute, and ask some perceptive off-the-cuff questions: “How are you feeling about this particular site Geoff?” or “What are your tactics going to be for the last hour of daylight?” Meanwhile, the poor soundman has to listen to me blather away, literally for months on end—and through headphones no less! That is dedication to your work.

I was a professional musician for many years, and I discovered that traveling around the world with a film crew is very similar to the band experience. The team works long days, shares moments of hardship and exuberance; there is socializing in bars after hours and, of course, the requisite retelling of amazing stories from other shoots and adventures.

When filming for the season is over, it can be quite sad. We had basically the same crew for six of the eight Season Two episodes and you get to know people, somewhat, when you work with them twelve hours a day, for long months on the road. When I said goodbye to Second Camera operator Tim Murphy in the shopping center of Heathrow Airport, it was the sixth country we’d visited together during a four-month period. We had camped in below-freezing temperatures inside a giant meteorite crater; consumed steaming hot coca leaf tea in the wilderness of the Atacama Desert (entirely legal there, I might add), pulled a 223-pound space rock out of a green field in Kansas, and excavated gaping holes deep in an ancient forest north of the Arctic Circle. Those are not everyday experiences, and I found myself liking and admiring these hardworking men whose job it was to make us look as good on screen as they could manage. I remember saying to Tim, as we shook hands, that I had particularly enjoyed his gentle sense of humor, and I hoped we would cross paths again.

The author under the bluest of skies, at an abandoned train station in the Atacama Desert. Photograph by Steve Arnold © Aerolite Meteorites LLC

Making quality television takes a lot of time. The gaps between seasons can be several months in length. Once filming is complete, scripts need to be written, footage edited, sound effects and music collected, narration recorded, and science facts checked. While those tasks are being carried out by the specialists in post-production, the others— the cameramen, soundmen, producers, and directors—still have to eat and pay rent, so they will likely take the next available project, and we don’t know if we will ever have the opportunity to work with them again.

We expect to commence filming Season Three in the late spring or early summer so, before too long, production will start “staffing up.” That is, hiring people who will work exclusively on that season. For my co-host and myself, it’s a bit like starting at a new school: You have some idea of what you are going to be doing, but you don’t know who you’ll be doing it with. I am a huge movie buff and I love the process of putting a program together. I’m also a photographer, have done a bit of independent film making, and used to work as an audio engineer. As such, I have learned a lot from our talented crews, and I’ve also shared plenty of laughs with them. A favorite moment in Chile was when one of our soundmen took me aside and quietly said: “It’s really fun to hang out with you and Steve. We usually aren’t allowed to talk to the talent.” I found his revelation shocking! What TV host would travel around the world and not want to share some drinks and good humor with these hardworking and highly entertaining professionals?

Fun on the road: Some serious off-roading in Australia's Northern Territories while filming Season Two (and I was driving!). Photograph by Steve Arnold © Aerolite Meteorites LLC

In a month or two I’ll be meeting the Season Three team, and we shall begin contemplating long journeys to strange places, in search of even stranger rocks from space. My job, at the moment—and Steve’s—is to research possible sites, sift through old science papers and reference works, and try to figure out where we should go in order to continue the hunt.

In my spare time—that being a rather narrow window between the end of Season Two and the beginning of the 2011 gem show—I wrote a book. And that reminds me that I forgot to include one of those very popular questions in my list and it was: “How can I find my own meteorite?” I put the answers to that in Meteorite Hunting: How To Find Treasure From Space, which was published on February 1. By very kind invitation of The Voice of Tucson, I shall be appearing at the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend. I’ll have copies of the new work available for sale and signing, and I hope to meet some of the Meteorite Men viewers who reside here in town. Come on down and meet a genuine space rock (and I don’t mean me—I’ll have some fabulous meteorites on display). I will be at the TucsonCitizen.com booth Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. The FOB is a great event. If you have not attended before, come along and experience it for yourself. If you care about words on paper, you will not be disappointed.