Mike it does surprise me how you youngins, cannot read so well. Among the first, does not mean the FIRST, to collect or the first to produce. If you read Denny Millers book, he mentions a fella in Tucson was producing over 200 a year, Hmmmmmmm that would be me. That was written in the early seventies I believe. I caught my first alterna in 1970. I was lucky and found a number of them. So I produced them very shortly after that.

I believe the first blairs was way way later then 1901, found by a bridge as they filled Amestead(sp)lake. Something like late fifties or later. I cannot remember exactly, but I went to the spot.

If you consider, there are thousands now keeping blari, then being in the first dozen or so to produce them IS AMOUNG THE FIRST. Same for collecting.

I remember finding my first really good alterna phase, I sat looking at it and thinking to myself, so this is one of those, having never seen one alive or dead before. I thought, it kinda reminds me of a spotted night.

The first blairs I saw was in 66 or 67, it was at the alligator farm across from Knotts Berry farm. at the time I lived a couple blocks on the other side of KBF. Ken told me that a fella walked in with a bag of snakes, the fella said, the normal ones are $2, the pretty one is $3. So they bought the pretty one, a nice lite phase blairs, for $3. hahahahahahahaha the fella explained how he drove across south texas and picked up snakes to sell them when he got to California.

Now days, some of you may go find your first and think, hmmmmmm this is not/is like the one on so and so's website. Hmmmmmmmm a different reality. Then we heard about stuff, then got to actually SEE it in real life. Now, you see stuff and not really SEE the real stuff(for so many) a bit like playboy/girl, see funny pictures, then go be with a REAL WOMEN/man. I will take the real women anyday. Paper is so flat. Theres more to seeing a snake, theres feeling a snake, and feeling where it comes from. And not a shoebox either. Being lucky enough to be amoung the first to do so many things herp related is a joy I have and none of you can take that away. Cheers

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