Hello from Upper Michigan

[JoeW]

Welcome from the Birthplace of Texas.

My name is Whitey and I spent some time in that region (mainly Mackinac Island) almost two decades ago.
I would really like to return, even for just a week, during one of those beautiful mid-year months.

Thanks, Whitey! Summer in northern Michigan is so nice. I hope that you get a chance to come back and visit some time!

 

[JoeW]

Greetings from northern Wisconsin. Came originally from down under the bridge (Kalamazoo) myself. But now I feel closer kinship to the Yoopers. There are others pipes up there lurking, including @SBC. Not sure of others. Happy piping! It keeps getting better the more you try.

Thanks! I'm originally from Muskegon County, but lived in WI at various times for school and work, about 8-9 years total. We come down to Green Bay for a dose of civilization several times a year.

 

[Roach1]

Greetings from Southwest Germany.

 

[WVOldFart]

Hello and welcome from West Virginia.

 

[Mortamyhr]

Hello from Nashville!

 

[AroEnglish]

Welcome from a troll! Thanks for sharing your story so far; I’m looking forward to hearing how it continues to go.

 

[GrampaJoseph]

Hello and welcome from Sacramento, CA ::

 

[dPero]

Hello

 

[SBC]

Welcome!

As @Singularis said, I may be in your neck of the woods -- I'm in Niagara, WI, on 141, on the border with Iron Mountain.

If you come down to GB, you literally drive within two blocks of my house when you cross the bridge into WI.

Where are you in the UP?

By the way, pipe maker Lee Von Erck (of documentary "Father the Flame" fame) lives in Negaunee.

Let me know when you're going to be coming through Niagara next and I'll set you up with an assortment of tobaccos (I mean it!).

Scott

 

[bpinkstaff]

Welcome!

 

[STP]

Welcome

 

[JoeW]

Thank you all for your welcomes! I appreciate this friendly forum.

 

[MRW]

My name is Joe, and I live in the woods in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I'm brand new to the world of pipes--completely new to tobacco, for that matter. Until last September (2023), I'd never smoked anything at all: I've always found cigarettes to be vile, nasty things (and I still do). Last summer I became curious about cigars, though, and when I was laid off in September, I decided to give them a try. I have really enjoyed them for their range of flavors, and started to become curious about pipes too. My dad smoked a pipe for a short time in the 1970s, and had pleasant memories of the aroma.

About a month ago, I decided to give it a try. The local smoke shop had a crappy little pipe with a metal bowl and plastic body, and I bought that with a pouch of Captain Black Gold. I stuffed the bowl with tobacco and tried lighting it with matches: I didn't get the tobacco to light, but still managed to burn my tongue. A sane man probably would have given up. Instead, I went to a cigar/pipe lounge and bought an estate pipe (Irwin 676, with a hexagonal bowl), and the owner gave me a few samples of his house blends. I managed to keep a bowl or two lit for long enough to want to try more.

My employer gave me $100 as a birthday gift, so I went shopping online and ended up with a couple of Missouri Meerschaum corncobs and a half-dozen blends. Then I noticed that smokingpipes.com had the Peterson deal with a free tin when purchasing a new pipe, so I also bought a new Peterson (Junior Heritage Silver Mounted Canted Billiard Fishtail) and some more tobacco. It all arrived last Tuesday, and I tried Carter Hall in a corncob: so much better than the Captain Black! I'd planned on sticking with Carter Hall for a while until I learn the ropes, but couldn't resist trying some of the others. I tried Pegasus, and I think I like that one even more than Carter Hall. I've tried a few others like Early Morning Pipe and From Beyond, both very nice. I have some aromatics too (Lane 1-Q and Autumn Evening), but so far have had a lot more enjoyment from non-aromatics.

Thank you all for sharing your wisdom and experience on this forum! I've learned a lot here, and look forward to learning more.

Hello and welcome to the Forum from Deep in the Heart of Texas. You will find this site to be informative and the members insightful (and at times, most entertaining). Enjoy your stay!

 

[JoeW]

Welcome!

As @Singularis said, I may be in your neck of the woods -- I'm in Niagara, WI, on 141, on the border with Iron Mountain.

If you come down to GB, you literally drive within two blocks of my house when you cross the bridge into WI.

Where are you in the UP?

By the way, pipe maker Lee Von Erck (of documentary "Father the Flame" fame) lives in Negaunee.

Let me know when you're going to be coming through Niagara next and I'll set you up with an assortment of tobaccos (I mean it!).

Scott

I read about Lee Von Erck a few weeks ago, and checked out his site: he does such nice work! Negaunee is relatively close (about 30 minutes away).

I live in Marquette county, so we go through Marinette to go to GB. We drove through Niagara and Iron Mtn many times when we were looking at houses up here, but I don't think we've been there since. I'll have to get over there sometime!

 

[JoeW]

Hello and welcome to the Forum from Deep in the Heart of Texas. You will find this site to be informative and the members insightful (and at times, most entertaining). Enjoy your stay!

Entertaining indeed: Last week I read the thread on how to open a tobacco tin, and some of the responses had me laughing.

 

[AreBee]

Welcome from Connecticut!

 

[trudger]

Welcome from downstate! Went to school at NMU back in the day, get back up to fish and fall in the rivers whenever I can. Lots of Michiganders (& Cheeseheads) here, good to have youse.

 

[JoeW]

Welcome from downstate! Went to school at NMU back in the day, get back up to fish and fall in the rivers whenever I can. Lots of Michiganders (& Cheeseheads) here, good to have youse.

Thanks! My sons went to NMU for a few years: it's both good and bad that it's within commuting distance, I guess. I'm glad that you get to come back and enjoy God's country when you can!

 

[MattRVA]

Welcome from Virginia

 

[JoeW]

This morning I went out and tried an MM Legend full of Early Morning Pipe. I'd stayed away from it after reading some reviews reporting high nicotine levels, and wish I hadn't: EMP is some nice, tasty tobacco. I went out for some more after a stressful meeting at work this afternoon. I didn't notice the nicotine (whether that's good or bad, I don't yet know).