Bolivia Meteorite Adventure
By Gregory M. Hupe
On November 20, 2016 a massive meteorite event took place over
Aiquile, Bolivia at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time. While still
daylight, Quechua Indian eyewitnesses saw ‘corkscrew’ smoke trails and
heard ‘whooshing’ noises followed by sonic booms and then stones
literally falling at their feet!
Michael Farmer and I went to Aiquile to hunt for meteorites and
attempt to acquire stones from the inhabitants. Things didn’t quite
work out that way…
Welcome to Aiquile Bolivia.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia1.jpg
Possibly the main mass, an approximately 35-kilogram impactor.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia2.jpg
Town Square in center of Aiquile.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia3.jpg
Charango guitar with caballero and bull sculpture in the town square.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia4.jpg
It would take us over two weeks after the fall to fly to Bolivia due
to Mike’s yearly show commitment in Japan. Just 24 hours at home
after returning from the show, Michael flew to Florida to meet me. On
December 8th we began our journey to South America from Miami. Our
travels would take us by air to Aiquile by way of La Paz and then on
to Cochabamba and then by private hire to Aiquile. With no sleep for
over 30 hours of travel from home to the dusty town near the
strewnfield, we were exhausted but too excited to rest. We went right
to work meeting with fellow meteorite hunter, Dario Ruiz, who had been
there for two weeks. He introduced us to individuals about hunting for
meteorites or buying some, but our hopes were quickly dampened by the
news of the town’s government putting up road blocks to deny access to
the strewnfield. It turns out that the officials were confiscating
stones from the Quechua finders which put them in a panic and afraid
to talk to outsiders. Things quickly became complicated.
Dario, Michael and Greg in Aiquile.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia5.jpg
View looking up the Aiquile strewnfield from the Quechua trail.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia6.jpg
Cactus are a common beauty in the strewnfield.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia7.jpg
We realized we were not going to be able to hunt for stones ourselves
without the threat of arrest, or far worse, physical harm from
protective villagers we were told may use force to stop outsiders from
hunting. Knowing this, we immediately went to ‘Plan B’ and were
granted secret meetings with owners of pieces from the fall. To our
thrill and amazement, we were able to see several stones ranging from
small broken fragments to large kilo-sized pieces. Throughout the
48-hours we were on site we were told of several large pieces included
a 50-kilo ‘Puzzle Stone’ which we believe to be just rumor as is
consistent with most falls.
Reflecting upon a fresh meteorite.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia8.jpg
100-plus gram fragment.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia9.jpg
Same 100-gram fragment displaying ‘Slickensides’.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia10.jpg
Interior indicating a shocked high metal H Chondrite.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia11.jpg
On our second day we had an early start with a scheduled meeting to
see some stones, but being on ‘Bolivia time’ we sat for several hours
waiting, waiting and waiting some more. To keep us from leaving and
going to other contacts, our new friend entertained us with some
guitar play dressed in his caballero ranch clothing made of javelina,
lama and other durable animal skins. Aiquile is known as the ‘Capitol
of Charango’ (guitar) where the guitar is manufactured. It was nice to
enjoy this flavor of music high in the mountain village.
Local Quechua playing a Charango guitar.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia12.jpg
Video of the music of Bolivian friendship:
http://www.naturesvault.net/Videos/AiquileBoliviaVideo1.mp4
Newly fallen meteorite with Charango guitar.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia13.jpg
Noon was soon upon us with nobody bearing stones for us to consider so
we walked down the street for lunch and chose one of a few street
vendors offering potatoes and sausage. We ventured to the local
market and town square for a little tourism while we were there. The
meal was very tasty and the sightseeing was nice but we were eager to
get back to work.
Quechua offering an assortment of foods.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia14.jpg
Aiquile market stocked with fresh fruits.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia15.jpg
Coca leaves, a staple of high altitude living.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia16.jpg
Grandmother and granddaughter enjoying an afternoon in town square.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia17.jpg
Approaching our meeting place to see the stones we noticed two
out-of-place characters on brand new mountain bikes looking our way
and pointing a cell phone towards our direction and acting like
tourists. We knew immediately they must be government officials with
their shiny bikes, mirror sunglasses and new clothing. And we thought
WE stood out in the crowd! Most Quechua don’t own bicycles in this
town, and if they did they would be very old and worn out. Entering
the hotel meeting place we were led to a wall where we were informed
that a notice was hastily taped on the wall in the darkness of night.
It was a new ‘law’, or heavy suggestion as we surmised, that
encouraged locals to hand over their finds and forbid hunting for the
meteorite or the sale of them. This new ‘Declaration 69’ would be
voted on in 60 days at which time it would either become official law
or be struck down.
Young Quechua boy wearing chullo cap.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia18.jpg
Small Quechua girl shopping early at the market.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia19.jpg
Declaration 69 (Page 1).
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia20.jpg
Declaration 69 (Page 2).
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia21.jpg
Not wanting to tempt fate and be accused of stealing meteorites or be
set up by the ‘tourists’ on the mountain bikes, we decided to cut our
trip short and bug out early. We didn’t want to alert anyone of our
revised plans so we made new appointments for later that day and the
next morning. After making arrangements for an inconspicuous ‘escape’
we met with our driver who quickly loaded our small amount of luggage
and he made his way through back alleys away from prying eyes. He
stopped by an out of town gas station but did not pull in like normal
but chose to park behind a large bush for concealment from the cameras
at these locations. We would later learn that some cars are stolen
from Chile and utilized in small villages in Bolivia without proper
plates or registration after the right people are paid off. After
filling the tank from a gas can we were easily permitted to travel an
old Quechua trail. The trail was a handmade cobblestone road that
threaded alongside treacherous mountains with hundreds of hairpin
turns without guardrails and lined with 1000-foot drop-offs. Many
memorial markers lined the path indicating where many souls met a
terrifying death.
Handmade Quechua cobblestone road leading towards the mountain pass.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia22.jpg
‘Highway to Hell’.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia23.jpg
One of many destroyed vehicles along the Quechua trail.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia24.jpg
Video of our route on the ‘Death Road’:
http://www.naturesvault.net/Videos/AiquileBoliviaVideo2.mp4
After six hours of a white knuckle and frightening ride utilizing five
different vehicles, either for evasion from possible followers meaning
to do us harm or because of the ‘stolen car’ issue, we finally made it
to safety in Cochabamba. During our travels on the ‘Highway from
Hell’ as we called it, we received word of meteorites that were in
Cochabamba that we could possibly acquire.
Three fragments of the Aiquile meteorite.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia27.jpg
Fresh 437-gram fragment displaying black fusion crust and impact
markings.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia28.jpg
We arrived at the pre-determined location and were escorted to a dimly
lit corridor in a downtown room without furniture. After much
negotiation in Spanish between Michael and the owner, a few pieces
were purchased. The large stone was not to be had as the owner wanted
to what amounted to the cost of a large ranch. We left content with
the few pieces we managed to get and took two different taxis to a
hotel we booked online while in route to the meeting. We took no
chances of being set up or followed. Risk of false imprisonment in
South America is high so we had to constantly be on guard and switch
plans on the spot. ‘Head on a swivel’ was the motto here. We managed
to get a 2-hour power nap after changing our itinerary back to the
U.S. before we had to be at the airport to fly to La Paz.
Michael standing next to fountain town square in Cochabamba.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia29.jpg
Greg in front of government building at town square.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia30.jpg
Upon checking into yet another spur-of-the-moment hotel, we had a few
hours for some sightseeing around the neighborhood before getting some
rest before yet another 3:00 a.m. wake up call to catch a flight.
Pedro Domingo Murillo Plaza in downtown La Paz.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia31.jpg
Christmas celebration at San Francisco Plaza.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia32.jpg
Quechua woman wearing traditional Bolo hat and attire adding color to
downtown.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia33.jpg
After departing La Paz, with a quick stop in Santa Cruz, we flew over
the jungles of Brazil, Colombia and the northern Caribbean coast over
Barranquilla. Next was a narrow of emerald-colored sea that led us
over Jamaica and over central Cuba before delivering us to Miami.
Flying over the jungles of Colombia.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia34.jpg
Leaving South American airspace over Barranquilla, Colombia.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia35.jpg
The emerald Caribbean seas embrace the island nation of Jamaica.
http://www.naturesvault.net/Images/AiquileBolivia/AiquileBolivia36.jpg
While most of the meteorites recovered from this fall were confiscated
by the municipal government, some of those will be put on public
display in the local museum. This means that of the very few that
were legally obtained before any overnight laws potentially go into
effect, very little will be available to the collecting community.
While we were prepared and had to bug out early due to a challenging
and fluid situation, we overcame the difficulties and returned home
safely. The Bolivia meteorite adventure was a quick thrill ride
composed of; Excitement, Frustration, Disappointment, Danger, Reward
and most importantly – A trip we will not soon forget!
Best Regards,
Greg
====================
Greg Hupe
The Hupe Collection
[email protected]
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