How I met your mother

[Ron Kelley]

i remember TexasHarper! she was still kinda around a bit when i first showed up, and ive seen her in alot of the older posts. speaking of cool female members, where the heck is RockQueen?!!!

Out gathering up about a million of the greatest artifacts we have ever seen. Just an educated guess.

[CMD]

Back in the day, local collectors had the Narragansett Archeological Society. Got together with other surface hunters once a month. Loved show and tell. But that society eventually folded.

Somewhere along the way, I decided Internet artifact forums provided an opportunity to build actual relationships with local collectors once more.

It has been my great pleasure to have made 4 friendships with members of our online community. First up was Chris Gode(cgode) from Ct. We first got together a few years back, and spent a great day together checking out spots. Recently, Chris stopped up again, and we got together with two of my other hunting buddies, Jay Langlais(Onewiththewild) and Jeff Matteson(JMatt). We had a great day in fields on RI's south coast. It was my pleasure to introduce Chris to hunting agricultural fields. Chris was a beach hunter, as we all are. But not many fields in his neck of the woods in Ct. Without a doubt, we will have more fun hunts together in RI fields. Chris is a first responder in Ct. That's a stressful job. I think we can all agree he picked a most relaxing way to unwind, the day he found his first point. An honor to call him my friend.

Now, with Jay, well, my wife introduced us! Lol. Jay ran into Helen on a beach, saw she was hunting relics, remembered all my posts on the forum, where I often mentioned my better half, and asked Helen if she was who he figured she was. Lol. And so we arranged to meet. Jay is an amazing craftsman, as all the regulars here know by now, and I love the awesome walking stick he made for me. Thank you Jay. I appreciate all the gifts you've given us. You're the best, man.

Jeff I bumped into right here. Saw he was from RI, and reached out. Been friends ever since. As Jay mentioned, I introduced the two of them. Safe to say they are fast hunting partners now. The unique thing about Jeff is he seems to have the ability to walk into any size field and just walk up to the best thing to find that day. I've seen this happen more then once. Jeff likes to get the suspense over with. He is one heck of a surface hunter. He's got a real gift where surface hunting is concerned. Might be a toss up as to whether Jeff or Helen is the most gifted surface hunter I've known.

So, this past June, Chris drives up, and the four of us head out to walk the fields, as the southern New England branch of arrowheads.com for the very first time as a group. Of course, Jeff immediately walks up to the best point that day, lol. We all found something that day. Including a new friend! Nearing the end, we spot a car stop in the road fronting the field. Guy gets out and starts walking towards us out in the field. I have permission from the farmer, but some of his hands can be jerks. Is this guy here to try and throw us out?? I tell the boys "let me do all the talking". Instead, the stranger asks Jay "Are any of you guys Charlie?". Immediately I realize it's Mark from Ma., METACOM on our forum. I knew Mark from another forum. I turned him on to the fields we were walking that day. But I had yet to meet him in person. But I already knew Mark had the bug as bad as anyone I had ever known. That day he showed us the wonderful sinew stones he had found in one of those fields, and that day the 4 of us invited him to join our online community. Mark will have a heck of a collection some day. He has that relentless drive and desire that will result in good things. Brand new to the hobby, and relentless. Sound familiar? Lol...

So, my plan worked. Lol. My plan to rebuild the community lost when the old Narragansett society folded. And they are all great guys. Even me on occasion, lol, lol. I am grateful to know Chris, Jeff, Jay, and Mark. I'm the elder statesmen of this team. I'm the " old timer" now, the guy with the big collection, the voice of experience. I'm the mentor to some degree. I had a mentor. Earl Richardson, last of the most famous of Ma hunting families. Now it is my turn to be the mentor.
But really, there just my buddies, and me theirs.

[OnewiththewilD]

and we're all very lucky to have you bud! we all look to you as our friend and personal mentor, and were very grateful that you share your thoughts, experience and knowledge with us!

[Hoss]

Wow great stories thanks for bumping it. Since there ws no winner as of yet yes it is still going. Keep the stories coming

[Hoss]

Bump

[G10+]

I have met 2 very awesome people from this site ,,,,, it's a damn shame we live so far apart ....... And their is a few more with the good lord willing I will sit in their presence before its all said and done ......

I know its on the contest thread and it's WAY over , but I feel pretty blessed about meeting Chase and Greg and wanted to share ....

[gregszybala]

Thanks bud, feel the same way about you and many here. It would be great to meet and get to know you all better.
One of these days Everett, road trip to Arkansas!