I made a friend yesterday and I had to share the story. The wife and I are both retired, but she had several commitments over the last few days so I decided to take our little motorhome and go camping by myself. I often do solo camping trips to enjoy a campfire and some nature. Of course, camping trips always includes some quality pipe smoking. Throughout the day yesterday I was sitting at my campsite smoking my pipe. Shortly after dinner a young couple walked by. They sauntered into my campsite and the man asked me if I minded if he asked me a few questions. He told me that he didn't know any pipe smokers, but was intrigued by it. He also told me he was a former cigarette smoker and now smokes cigars but was tired of the expense and the inconsistency of cigars(his words, not mine). He also said he loves the smell of a pipe and asked me about my story. I explained that I was a former cigar smoker but transitioned to pipes and don't really miss cigars at all. I happen to have an unsmoked corn cob pipe with me and asked him if he would like to try it. At that point, his wife left and he joined me as I took him through the process. I showed him how I load a bowl, light the pipe and how I slowly smoke it. I also encouraged him to get a few basket less expensive basket pipes Three hours and two bowls later he left excited about our world. As a gift I gave him the corn cob pipe, a baggie of 1q, a tamper and a bic lighter. I know 1q can be hard to learn with but the other tobacco I had with me was perhaps a little strong for a beginner. He stopped by my campsite this morning, insisting to pay me for the starter kit I gave him and I told him the only payment I would accept is for he and his wife to join me for a campfire and a couple more smokes. I told him about this forum and encouraged him to become a brother of the briar. I sometimes think we are our own worst enemies, and that we make pipe smoking way more complicated than it is. I was so happy to guide this young man through the process and to simplify things.
An Unexpected Encounter
- Thread starter PApiper63
- Start date
@PApiper63, Great story.
A few years back one of my drinking and cigar buddies said he wouldn't mind getting back into pipes again. He dearly regretted tossing his old pipes and wanted advice on getting some pipes and where to get them.
I cleaned up a few I had and gifted them.
Along with a tamper, some cleaners and a few samples of tobacco.
The payoff is I now have a pipe buddy who comes over every few weekends to share a couple of bowls
A few years back one of my drinking and cigar buddies said he wouldn't mind getting back into pipes again. He dearly regretted tossing his old pipes and wanted advice on getting some pipes and where to get them.
I cleaned up a few I had and gifted them.
Along with a tamper, some cleaners and a few samples of tobacco.
The payoff is I now have a pipe buddy who comes over every few weekends to share a couple of bowls
About 10 years ago when I only had three or four pipes I decided to start buying old pipes at flea markets, antique malls and restore them to smoking condition. In a short time, I had a collection of maybe 30 estate pipes.
I have found a good use for those restored pipes is to gift them to new pipe smokers I've met who only have one or two pipes. They are always very appreciative and I encourage them to pass it on in the future when the become old pipe smokers and meet new ones.
I have found a good use for those restored pipes is to gift them to new pipe smokers I've met who only have one or two pipes. They are always very appreciative and I encourage them to pass it on in the future when the become old pipe smokers and meet new ones.
I sometimes feel that the first rule of pipe smoking is "Don't talk about pipe smoking."
I often get together with friend who I met 11 years ago when I was coaching his daughter. Our wives are now friends and our daughters are still very close. Over those 11 years we have smoked many a cigar by the firepit. The other night he stopped by after work to pick up his daughter and I was sitting by the fire with a pipe and he flipped out. Turns out he often smokes a pipe on has various camping/hiking/canoeing trips. I feel like I made a "new" friend after 11 years!
I often get together with friend who I met 11 years ago when I was coaching his daughter. Our wives are now friends and our daughters are still very close. Over those 11 years we have smoked many a cigar by the firepit. The other night he stopped by after work to pick up his daughter and I was sitting by the fire with a pipe and he flipped out. Turns out he often smokes a pipe on has various camping/hiking/canoeing trips. I feel like I made a "new" friend after 11 years!
I love the "at that point, his wife left" part......man, my wife has been giving me a bit of heat recently....I think she is stressed (our 5 year old started school).....and my wafting smoke is a good target!
Love it!
When i was frequenting the cigar lounge on a very regular basis (meaning multiple evenings a week), we had a great group there. Over time i got a couple of my buddies smoking pipes as well. At that time i was buying lower end stuff and restoring/reselling to justify upgrading my own collection with the proceeds. Anyway, as it turned out more and more of my friend group became interested and i became the go-to guy for pipes/accessories and baccy. So the game shifted from smoking cigars all night to starting off with pipes for a couple hours with conversation and then switching to cigars as the evening went on and the darts came out. Fun experience!
When i was frequenting the cigar lounge on a very regular basis (meaning multiple evenings a week), we had a great group there. Over time i got a couple of my buddies smoking pipes as well. At that time i was buying lower end stuff and restoring/reselling to justify upgrading my own collection with the proceeds. Anyway, as it turned out more and more of my friend group became interested and i became the go-to guy for pipes/accessories and baccy. So the game shifted from smoking cigars all night to starting off with pipes for a couple hours with conversation and then switching to cigars as the evening went on and the darts came out. Fun experience!
From the story, the young man's wife seems to be a tobacco Nazi. He has been smoking badly constructed cigars, possibly cheap cigars his wife allows. With new found joy of pipe, and gifts, he's not getting any that night. If he's lucky, his wife will let him sleep by the camp fire. Forget about the tent. He might be whipped, both physically, and mentally.
Actually, she was great. The first night that they stopped by she wanted her husband to have time to sit and chat and she didn't want him to feel rushed so she went back to their campsite. The second night she came with him and was just as pleasant as could be. She had lots of questions about where to buy pipes and tobacco and even took some notes in her phone
Now you ruined a perfectly good fan fiction of "A Couple I Met In A Woods".
P.S. Just having fun.
For some reason the Monty Python 'say no more' guy popped into my mind.