I figured I'd join after lurking since September and using this forum to learn this hobby.
I'm from Northern Lower Michigan, I've been smoking nails since I was 15, I'm 33 now. I tried my step-dads sour corncob when I was underage and got tongue bite each time from his disgusting medicinal tasting budget brand cherry tobacco and never tried pipes again until recently. I got really into cigars over the summer, and can't afford to burn away 80 dollars over the course of a weekend to smoke as much quality tobacco as I like, which strangely I still wanted cigarettes afterwards.
So I decided to give pipe smoking a try in September, I bought a basket pipe from my local tobacconist, a tin of EMP and a tin of Nightcap and did I fall in love, I also didn't feel a need to have cigarettes afterward. I only smoke cigarettes on with breaks now and only one per break instead of chain smoking. Which I think I can eventually quit after a couple weeks vacation. I also am not nearly as interested in having cigars, they just don't provide the same satisfaction for me as having a good bowl.
I've learned I'm a burley fanatic and Burley/Virginia/Perique blends are my favorite right now, I'm currently smoking some Old Joe Krantz in my Rossi Notte 614. Although Pegasus, Amphora Burley, 5 Brothers, and the green label semois burley are close favorites of mine, especially when my tongue needs a break from perique.
I am finding that controlling myself from acquiring new pipes and buying tobacco to try and cellar is hard when I'm trying to not spend what I was when I was smoking cigars all weekend.
Anyway, thanks for all the information y'all share on here, I look forward to talking and learning from y'all