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jackknifeboot

Lurker
Sep 1, 2018
4
0
Greeting from Las Vegas! I've recently gotten off of social media, but still like to talk to people (Vegas isn't that friendly). Anyway, glad to see that forums are still alive and breathing. I recently moved here from Indiana and the atmospheric humidity and heat are making me feel like a new pipe smoker. I honestly didn't realize how drastically it would affect my smoking. Any ideas?

 

jazz

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 17, 2014
813
65
UK
It's often pretty humid here in the UK these days and when it is I find I need to dry many tobaccos for longer before smoking. Failing to do this may result in a disappointing and frustrating smoke. I also think that humidity changes the flavour of the smoke but have nothing to back that up with. I avoid pipes prone to gurgle when humidity is high.
You're probably better off without social media. Personally, I have lost friends to it because I simply won't meet up with them anymore due to their refusal to put their phones away when I am with them. I think fakebook and the like are insidious and don't care what anyone says it's obviously designed to be like crack to the user. They know exactly what they are doing.
There is an argument :) that this forum is social media, though.

 

oldtoby

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 7, 2011
798
341
Totally agree, Jazz. Insidious is putting it quite mildly, imho.

 

quaffer

Lurker
Sep 8, 2012
44
2
I think people are misunderstanding. The issue in Vegas is a lack of moisture in the air, not an abundance.
The humidity in Vegas affects my humidors more than my pipe tobacco. I place all of my opens in mason jars, so the dry air does not have an impact. I guess the takeaway is do not smoke from the tin. Seal the tobacco up in something right away.
When I lived in other locations, I used to carry my tobacco in a small zipper pouch for day trips. That does not work in Vegas. Everything will be crispy by the end of the day. I ended up buying one of the mini Vault containers, the one that is about the size of a Dunhill tin. It seals well and is just as portable as a pouch.
Concerning the high heat, it has not had any effect on my pipe smoking.

 

jackknifeboot

Lurker
Sep 1, 2018
4
0
Jazz, I agree on the SM thing. And yes, quaffer, it's the lack of moisture thats throwing me off. It [the dryness] seems to be affecting the way tobacco tastes. My main daily smoke is Mac Baren Navy Flake. Back in Indiana I just kept it in the tin and it would stay good until I smoked the tin, usually in 2-3 weeks. Out here I have to jar everything. But the taste is off. Everything has an ashier taste. I've tried packing differently, puffing slower and faster, using different lighting devices- I'm starting all over. And its not just the MBNF, its everything. Ashes.

 
Forums are just more... I mean this particular forum is just the best way to discuss tobaccos and other pipe related matters. Mostly because certain things are not allowed that get in the way of discussion.
I have a great story about going to Tucson for my first gem show. I took cigars, and smoked one that first evening, and being from Alabama, land of 90% humidity, I was unaware of what no humidity would do to me. I awoke that first night unable to breath, with a burning sensation in my throat. I was gasping, choking, crawling to the sink, thinking that I had throat cancer or worse. I drank and drank and drank water right out of the tap. I was praying off cigars, “if only God would give me one more day to live.” It hurt. I was crying... dry tears. It was horrible. I couldn’t talk. I just wanted to tell my girlfriend that I loved her one last time.
Then she woke up... gasping too. She was reacting the same as me. My thoughts were, “thank God.” It wasn’t just me. When we could finally speak, in raspy quiet voices, we wondered whether there was a mustard gas leak somewhere.
We went to the first pharmacy, and asked... they told us that it was the lack of humidity. So, we spent $150 for a $20 humidifier. Way over priced. We breathed in the steam for hours, till we were normal... somewhat.
Now, when we travel out west, we take several humidifiers with us. It’s horrible. I can’t imagine living that way. I would need a steam suit to stay normal, like some sort of weird super villain.

 
May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
Welcome to the forums!
Fellow Las Vegas here. Vegas really is a city... if you want to get lost and not be bothered ya buy a house in Vegas lol. Yeah we have the glitz and glamour and there's tons of shows, there's always celebrities in town to go see, but the actual city where people live is kinda like those sprawling midwest communities in that you'll run into people you know all over the valley, but you can still have time to yourself if you want it. That's what I love about this town and why I'll never leave it.
A couple of us Vegas locals are meeting up tomorrow at the Tobacco Leaf on Lake Mead tomorrow (Sunday) at 3PM (Lake Mead and Rainbow wherethe In-N-Out is just east of). You're absolutely welcome to join us. Also, don't forget there's the West Coast Pipe Show at the Palace Station on Sahara November 10th and 11th. That Friday carvers, blenders, store people, and collectors usually gather up to just talk pipes and hang out, possibly swapping/sharing blends or pipes. The show is a bit overwhelming if you haven't been to one yet, but it's a great experience.
It definitely is A LOT more dry and warm here in the Vegas valley. Per Jensen of Mac Baren said he's noticed in sales that the warmer climates tend to buy the sweeter blends and that's true for me. I'm very much into the sweeter Virginias and Virginia-Perique blends as well as some aromatics.
Out of all the social media I would suggest staying/getting on Instagram. It's a lot easier to tailor that to your hobbies and lose all the crazy political/religoius b.s. that pollutes Facebook. If you're constantly liking just pipe pictures the search feed will throw more and more of those at you. I like it cause I can follow SmokingPipes, Cup O Joes, Pipes and Cigars and see their deals. I also follow some of the established carvers to see what they're up to. Instagram is also REALLY good to find new carvers.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
On the Forums, I think we are a kind of time machine. We have twenty-something members on up, but the forums format and the acceptance of a level of civility on the 'net is a trip to a kinder past. It's a little like riding the train where the track bed is built through neighborhoods built a half century or more ago. Not that all of the past was so wonderful (it wasn't) but it is magic when the sweeter parts survive.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Welcome to the forums. Despite predictions that this format would die, it seems to be steadily limping along, though not what it was a few years ago. Perhaps growing disaffection with other forms of social media will inure to the forums' benefit for a while.
Allow yourself some time to adjust to the change in climate. I live in SoCal, which is normally a very dry climate, though this year we're had a very unusual summer of "monsoon" weather, as the pretty people pretending to be journalists like to call it. The humidity has been making everyone here very grumpy. I needed extra time to dry my smokes to their optimum moisture, and on a few days where the humidity hit 90, I just did the best I could during an outdoor lunt. Just go with it. Eventually your senses will adapt.

 

jackknifeboot

Lurker
Sep 1, 2018
4
0
@Lordofthepiperings Thanks for the info, I might stop out, I go there occasionally, but the missus and myself might trek up to Mt. Charleston; I haven't been yet. And I may consider Instagram.
To everyone else, thanks for the warm welcome.

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Fellow Las Vegas here.
OK, I am curious. Do you refer to your self as Las Vegans? Las Veganites? Do you have to eat Vegan to live there?
Seriously, love your city and just got back from there a week ago. I left my money there though.

 

bnichols23

Lifer
Mar 13, 2018
4,131
9,554
SC Piedmont
Welcome, jack! Yeah, you'll find a bunch of good spirits here. Since we're from all over our average humidity is better here too.
Bill

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Social media, so-called, put me off right away with solicitations from members to "friend" them, when in fact it was the particular organization that was inviting me. That struck me as extra creepy right off. I know many have found comfort and sociability. Some are not approachable any other way, and I've lost contact with many because of it. Also, the promotion of self-revelation online, as if you are among a close circle, when you are appearing before the world seems deceptive and dangerous. Most people I speak to about it who have signed up for social media rarely participate. Forums seem to be a reasonable compromise. The idea of online being a frontier of freedom and friendship has proven problematical in many ways. Maybe people can make it better. We shall see.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
You may not have fully gotten the hydration thing settled- your body loses a lot of moisture in the dry climate of LV, and that will affect your senses- nose and mouth notably.

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,055
60
Vegas Baby!!!
Peck, I just tell people I'm from Vegas. Those who have lived here all their lives, like myself, often distinguish from transplants using the phrase "born and raised".
Either way, it's a great town. If I go on the Strip or Downtown, I have to Google directions, those places are for Tourons.
Either way, welcome one and all to greatest city on the face of the earth.

 
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