Hello from CO

[stonehendge]

Hi Everyone. Newbie here. 52 years old and I've been at it for a month. Long time cigarette smoker who finally gave up the nails thanks to the drought and fire bans here in the mountains.
Long story short, I own a chartered transportation company and had to do a 5 hour job up in a resort where smoking is strictly verboten except in your vehicle. Well, the vehicle thing doesn't work when its a bus! Normally I would have gotten some gum to get me through the job but i ended up picking up some ecigs instead (for some reason I had never tried them before). Strangely, the ones I got reminded me of the times I had tried pipe smoking over the years. When I got back to the bus yard at the end of the night and pulled out a cigarette, i didn't want it. The next day I did a little research and was quick to realize that I had been doing so much wrong every time I had tried a pipe in the past (this internet thing does have its benefits). Anyways, ordered a few pipes and tobaccos from SmokingPipes and absolutely loving it thus far - variety is the spice of life! Yeah, vaping is needed to get me through the day, but now when I want to relax and enjoy some tobacco I reach for a pipe and not the lone last cigarette that I've been carrying around in my breifcase for 2.5 weeks.
Plus, I'm now eccentric looking enough to pull it off in public. My only concern is that since I'm in CO and living in a resort, when people see me behind the wheel of my truck with a pipe in my mouth, they have to be assuming that something other than tobacco is in it........

 

[timt]

Welcome from Minnesota! Don't worry about pulling it off in public. Let your freak fly. I recently visited Mount Rushmore and walked the park and gift shop clenching a loaded cob (unlit) - didn't seem to get a second look.

 

[james72]

Welcome to the forum, bud!

 

[mikefu]

Nice. Welcome to the forum! I’m in the Springs myself. Puffing is a huge improvement over sucking, IMO!

 

[techie]

Welcome!
If you're smoking a traditional-looking pipe I doubt most folks would think it's holding something other than pipe tobacco. But I know what you mean about CO. I lived there for 10 years and have many great memories of the State.

 

[weezell]

Welcome!...

 

[puffy]

Welcome Aboard

 

[cwpiperman]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Civil War]

Welcome to the Forums!!

 

[jpmcwjr]

My only concern is that since I'm in CO and living in a resort, when people see me behind the wheel of my truck with a pipe in my mouth, they have to be assuming that something other than tobacco is in it........

Well, then, you'd be OK, as that stuff is welcomed in CO. As you are here.

 

[cfreud]

Stonehendge, I live and work between Vail and Beaver Creek and smoke a pipe wherever I go. As far as fire restrictions go, I have a collection of wind caps for my briars which helps with the random spark.

 

[stonehendge]

Thanks everyone. cfreud, then we're neighbors - I live in Vail and my shop is in Avon. BC is where the hassles are - I had security called on me the weekend after the fourth by a homeowner whose underwear was way too tight. Ended up being a nice chat with the security guys! I'm just looking forward to the end of labor day weekend - I got to believe restrictions will get peeled back once the Front Range goes home. But I can live with the smoking rules - as an avid long range shooter, the completely uninformed decisions to close all the ranges in the county have hit my summer fun hard

 

[papipeguy]

Welcome. You should have a lot of fun here.

 

[cfreud]

Stonehenge, Welcome to the neighborhood. The gun ranges are closed in Eagle County because the Lake Christine Fire (Near Basalt) was started by two people shooting tracers during the day when there were already Stage 2 fire restrictions. We're already getting more rain and it's getting cooler at night. Get a wind cap and you're probably good to go.

 

[cossackjack]

Greetings from Evergreen.

There are about 3 dozen Coloradans on the PM Forum by my estimation, though most are not very active.
I smoke exclusively outside, preferring flakes - folded, twisted & stuffed which are less likely to shed small embers, & always use a wind-cap.
Welcome.

 

[bnichols23]

Welcome from upcountry SC, stone! If you're that much like me, I wouldn't give a rat's butt. I get looks on occasion but I always figure it's just me, since it happens without the pipe too!
Bill

 

[tkcolo]

I'm in Middle Park. I used to worry about what people thought. Now I couldn't care less.
For me, smoking a pipe and driving is probably worse than texting and driving. I force myself to smoke an easy smoking burley (PA or Haunted bookshop for me) and preload the pipe. Ideally I will even do the char light before I start. I love vaper flakes, but that takes a lot more maintenance during the smoke that takes attention away from the road. Be careful!
I'd personally stay away from vaping. There is still a lot of unknowns about it, and you are at the mercy of the manufacturer for chemicals. Try chewing some brown bogie. It's got soo much nicotine, I have to wrap it in some minty gum to stave away the niccups. After the initial few spits, you really don't even have to spit much. Not nearly as fun as a pipe, but it is something to do, and you can mostly hide it when you have to.