Jamie,

You asked me to check into the 13 million year old volcanoes and yesterday, as I was hiking, I realized that I already knew about those ranges. I have visited Mt. Capulin many times. Mt. Capulin is one of the youngest volcanoes in this region and is a classic cinder cone. From the top there is a trail that goes around the vent with stations along the way pointing out the lava flows and other volcanoes in the region. What these signs say is that there are three "layers" of volcanoes and in general, the closer one gets to the mountains the older the volcanic range. The Capulin series is closest to where I found the meteorite, being about 200 miles away. These are all young volcanoes and Capulin itself erupted last about 6,000 years ago. Next is a range of volcanoes which are about 1 million years old and finally is a range that is about 10 million years old. The city of Raton, NM is next to this range. The younger volcanoes like Capulin still exhibit lava flows and one can still find lava rocks in those locations. However, the 10 million old range is so eroded that the only thing left from them is just the internal column where the magma was flowing upward through the volcano. Nothing else is left of those ranges.

I know that you haven't had time to look at the latest sample I sent you, but you will find that it is very delicate. Many of the walls are so thin you can break them with your finger nail. I also know that I have spoken with you the least about my findings and therefore you haven't had the opportunity to think about the arguments I have made, which I believe, proves that this rock could not have been on Earth one year much less 13 million years. Remember how delicate the outside of the rock was? Remember that I said I could throw the rock to the ground and break into a million pieces? Well, the interior is even more delicate than the outside, because the melting on the outside has made it stronger, much like an egg shell.

I will continue to research your questions, but I think an objective viewing of this rock will prove that the inner contents have not been touched since their incarceration by the lava. Also, this rock has not been wet during that time. I think I can prove this to anyone who will listen, but you yourself know how much trouble I had getting 30 minutes with David, and he never did actually bend over and look through my microscope to examine the rock. What I wanted was to spend a couple of hours with you two so that I would have time to show you all the evidence I had collected. Remember that I brought samples of the sand from the landing site and it is different from the sand inside the meteorite. Also, within this sand, are a number of magnetic particles which I believe represent the magnetic dust of Mars.

The evidence is overwhelming that this rock came from Mars and represents the most important find to date in understanding what actually happened on Mars the last few billion years. Everyone studying Mars deserves to know this information, if the rock did come from Mars. So this is why I have pressed so hard for someone to test this rock for planet of origin.

Keep up the good work and let me know if you find out anything. Remember, if this rock does turn out to be from Mars, you will be able to write your own part in the future studies of this rock.