Winter Metal Detecting in Upstate New York, page 2

At the end of my long flight over the Atlantic ocean, when an aircraft was descending over Long Island towards JFK Airport, I looked out of an airplane window and down at the landscape below... and was taken by surprise: there was no snow on the ground! For next five seconds, I am sure, my face expressed open-mouthed disbelief: "No way! Wow!"

After the plane landed, I still could not believe what I was seeing: lots of sunshine and snowless, dry surface of the tarmac. "How long was my flight? Is it still February?" - those were my silly thoughts. But my next thought reflected both my excitement and a huge correction to my initial plan: "I'll be metal detecting sooner than I thought!"

Summer-Like February Day at JFK

Being overjoyed, I ran along with other happy passengers to a Passenger-Pick-Up area to share my cheerful idea with my ex-girlfriend Shelly and her sister Ann who were waiting for me. But, this time and to my little disappointment, Shelly and Ann did not joyfully run with open arms towards me and ahead of all greeters. I found them two sitting at the other end of the pick-up area (how nice!) and enthusiastically discussing something.

Having nothing else to do, I interjected their lively discussion: "Hmm, sorry for my interruption, but... Oh! Hello Girls!" Now they gladly hugged me, and everybody were happy! But I could not resist to add a little remark (I do not know whom I quoted): "You two are like a couple of ladies who shared a prison cell for 20 years, and, after having been released, spent another three hours talking to each other outside the prison gate before going your separate ways."

When Shelly and I began treasure hunting around the Capital District, the metropolitan area surrounding Albany - New York state's capital, I had two metal detectors - White's XLT and Minelab Explorer XS, in my arsenal in 2001. Shelly right away became fond of the XLT for its light weight, superb pinpoint capability and its maneuverability. The latter allowed Shelly to be very competitive at the club competition hunts which she loved very much. At one of them, we and our team of four detectorists won all top prizes! And I got a placement into the Guinness Book of Records for my performance. All thanks go to Shelly for her strong support!

Shelly and I after Winning Top Prizes
at CASH BASH 2002 Competition Hunt

Coin shooting was not the only metal detecting activity Shelly and I were enjoying very much. Residing in the New York state's Capital region - one of the main "intersections" of the early American history, gave us an opportunity to hunt for relics and artifacts of the French and Indian War, American Revolutionary War and 1812 War periods.

Also attending meetings at the local metal detecting club - Empire State Metal Detector Association, was another way of obtaining knowledge about many historical events that took place in the area during the Revolutionary War period. Not only there were a few Rev War relic hunters among club members, who sometimes would bring amazing finds to the meetings to let everyone see and touch relic treasures, but also special guests - historians and reenactors devoted to the early American military history, would come to the meetings and give interesting and informative lectures.