Extraordinary Pipe for an Extraordinary Day

[Scottmi]

Well done! and that pipe is a BEAUTY!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Congrats on 30 years sober! And what a wonderful pipe to commemorate your achievement, I’ve always been fascinated by Larry’s stem emblem.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Congrats on 30 years sober! And what a wonderful pipe to commemorate your achievement, I’ve always been fascinated by Larry’s stem emblem.

The insert emblem is way cool!
I had reservations about the obtuse shape of his stems, but the angle actually helps “angle” the dangle in clenching. Really glad I got one of his designs, and for it to be personalized for the occasion is just way over the top!

 

[Sig]

Congratulations on the time free from the booze, and the sweet pipe.
I lost a dear friend to booze. He's not dead, but still lost. I hope one day he comes around.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Congratulations on the time free from the booze, and the sweet pipe.
I lost a dear friend to booze. He's not dead, but still lost. I hope one day he comes around.

As long as there’s breath, there’s hope…

 

[Hillcrest]

Congratulations ! May God continue to Bless you and yours. !

 

[augiebd]

Congratulations on your milestone and all you have weathered and enjoyed to be here and moving forward. Your gratitude speaks volumes, wonderful pipe to commemorate the journey.

 

[PaulRVA]

Brother Congratulations on 30 years as that is a significant milestone, challenge and accomplishment to be extremely proud of.
Just a gorgeous pipe and shape too !

 

[Sigmund]

Awesome pipe and a better story!

 

[huntertrw]

Sobrbiker:

Congratulations on your sobriety milestone and on the perfect pipe to celebrate it! Thank-you, too, for sharing your story.

Alcoholism is such a destructive thing; I know because my late father was an alcoholic, as was his father. I loved my dad and grandfather, but I absolutely HATE what alcohol did to them. Some paths are best left untraveled.

 

[OzPiper]

Congratulations on your achievement. Well done

Great looking pipe
Hope you have many, many happy smokes

 

[VDL_Piper]

Dude.........this is amazing and we can talk about the pipe another time (no offence @Briarcutter) To achieve this is no mean feat and you should be congratulated for a one day at a time process towards a stunning goal. I have a mate who really struggles and he has a spot at the bar in "The Bog" which is the hotel in Marrawah Tasmania just like you had a spot. Dave even has a hole in the bar where he drops his bottle tops through into the rubbish called "Daves Hole". With your permission I would like to show him your post in the hopes that it inspires him to slow down/stop drinking so much. Thank you for sharing this story.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Dude.........this is amazing and we can talk about the pipe another time (no offence @Briarcutter) To achieve this is no mean feat and you should be congratulated for a one day at a time process towards a stunning goal. I have a mate who really struggles and he has a spot at the bar in "The Bog" which is the hotel in Marrawah Tasmania just like you had a spot. Dave even has a hole in the bar where he drops his bottle tops through into the rubbish called "Daves Hole". With your permission I would like to show him your post in the hopes that it inspires him to slow down/stop drinking so much. Thank you for sharing this story.

Share away brother. If I lived closer to Antarctica I’d be happy to drop by and chat whenever Dave decides he’s done…

 

[Chieftiabo]

Those that see my posts probably know that in my relatively short journey as a pipe smoker, I have a penchant for old estates. I’ve acquired fifty or so pipes, and other than a Peterson Short Army, a few Ropp Etudiants, and the obligatory cobs, none were bought new. I appreciate design and function, but other than a couple giant Danes inherited from my dad, they all see use at work, both on the job and around the property-tools, so to speak.
You may also infer (correctly) from my screen name that I’m a recovered alcoholic, and that’s a huge part of my life.
Today marks thirty years from the day that I sat in this very spot at the Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon City AZ and drank my last drink:
View attachment 401895
It was a bad day, full of drunken rage, remorse, incomprehensible demoralization, letting down those I love, assault on peace officers, and almost dying that culminated with myself “coming to” from being passed out shackled to a hospital bed. A doctor stood at the foot of my bed holding my chart (they had paper charts back then).
The doctor looked me straight in the eye, and nonchalantly asked “do you really want to live the rest of your life like this?”
Long story short, that was the spiritual experience that melted away the anger and blame I’d known since I first got blackout drunk as a pre-teen and filled my days up to that point since. With the help of others, and the power of helping others, I haven’t found it necessary to take a drink since.

Okay, back to pipes….
Pipes and tobacco have quickly become beyond a passing interest, and I’m all in. I smoke on average 3-6 pipes a day. With the thirtieth anniversary of my sobriety coming up, my wife asked what I wanted to celebrate the milestone. Bottom line, it’s just another 24hr reprieve from the disease, but it’s also a pretty big deal.
I kicked it around and came up with the idea of getting probably the only high end pipe I’ll wind up with.
As pipes are tools in my opinion, but in the same way a great firearm can also be objects of both aesthetic and engineering marvel, to be cherished and used for decades, I thought this would be a good lasting choice.
And as tools, function is the ultimate goal.
I’d read and heard stories of people getting über high end pipes, that while exquisitely beautiful, they didn’t smoke well for whatever reason. I find that abhorrent and unacceptable, so I did my research and came up with a name that I can’t find any account of an owner complaining about the smoking qualities of their pipe, and that was Larry Roush. From Greg Pease to members here, all I could find was praise for his attention to detail regarding the smokability, attention to detail, and the craftsmanship of every piece he puts out.
Being the jackass I am, I reached out to him to see if he’d sell what would be a second, as I was leery of spending “gun money” on a pipe. He confirmed all accounts of being a perfectionist with his reply: “I won't do ‘seconds’. But that doesn't mean I couldn't come up with something.”
Fast forward a few months, and today, on this very special day by the grace of a god I don’t fully understand, I just finished my first smoke (and it could not have smoked better) in this very special pipe.

I give you Roush #2794, an S4 pot, with a personalized adornment marking the occasion on the wonderfully tasteful silver band:
View attachment 401901
View attachment 401902
The coin is from my wife, and days like today are why I’m grateful every day.

Much respect my friend. My father is an addict. He got clean when was I was 13. Still remember the day. Changed his life and mine. My dad is now 74 (I'm 51) we talk almost daily and the serenity prayer is always referenced.

 

[TN Jed]

Congratulations my friend on an amazing feat against all odds and a freaking beautiful pipe! Looking forward to seeing it on WAYS!

 

[SSGT.]

An alcoholic/addict’s disease never quits trying to lie to them that it’ll be different this time…

You're not alone, the struggle is real. Stay strong you inspire others and let us know it can be done.

 

[georged]

Today marks thirty years from the day that I sat in this very spot at the Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon City AZ and drank my last drink:
View attachment 401895

It was a bad day, full of drunken rage, remorse, incomprehensible demoralization, letting down those I love, assault on peace officers, and almost dying that culminated with myself “coming to” from being passed out shackled to a hospital bed.

During that time, did you ever get riled by sound checks for the band?

Asking because I did a number of "B rig" sound jobs at Rock Springs in the mid/late 90's between big "A rig" concerts and festivals, and there was usually a guy there who hated the afternoon set-up process with a passion. He never came at me, but the staff had to intervene several times to "talk him down".

You wouldn't remember me, but you might remember my wife. lol Here's the two of us (can't remember who shot the pic) behind the board off to the left as you come through the front door.

If so, how's that for a "degrees of separation" bit of coincidence-ness here on the KevinBoard?





PS --- mega-congrats on winning your war

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Congratulations, Steve!

 

[boston]

Congratulations. No small achievement. And the pipe... Larry is a marvelous carver, and a nice man. I have one of his from decades ago, maybe a number in the 800's, I'm too lazy to go look now.

His pipes are as you described. Perfect form and function, carefully engineered....and importantly (to me) distinctive. The man carved a unique niche. Enjoy.

 

[Sobrbiker]

@georged, pic didn’t ring a bell, but Rock Springs wasn’t a frequent haunt, it just happened to be where I stopped already cross eyed drunk for another couple whiskeys heading up the hill on a rampage.
But from mid 95-98 I used to hit BCC for a great old AA meeting at Smitty’s place out on Tara Springs.