Great post! I have been looking forward to a post like this all weekend; my envy is probably palpable.
Pruss' & Brdavidson's Big Adventure! - Chicago Show Report (Super Pic Heavy!)
- Thread starter pruss
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Thanks for all the kind words gang, I'm just happy to be able to share this with you. I remember being home during last year's show and deciding that I was going to attend in 2014 because of some of your posts.
I should mention that it was also my pleasure to meet, if briefly, with forum members Zack (and Greta!), Winton, and Kevin. I just wish I had been able to find more of you fine folks.
-- Pat/Brian
I should mention that it was also my pleasure to meet, if briefly, with forum members Zack (and Greta!), Winton, and Kevin. I just wish I had been able to find more of you fine folks.
-- Pat/Brian
I am quite sure the rest of the guys who were there saw you and managed to avoid you guys. That's what I would have done.
By the way, I am quite confident I could have made the drive to Chicago in half the time it took you clowns, lol.
A) we were in a van, and had deep dish pizza the night before the trip home.... Let's just be polite and say that there were stops at regular intervals.
B) none of us have your eternal patience for fighting tickets.
C) prove it. cannonball to the 2015 CPCC? I'm your huckleberry... At least we'd be sure to get you there.
-- Pat/Brian
Great write-up and pics! Thanks for taking the time and sharing. Those pipes you got are so cool!!
Thanks for sharing. I will be posting some of my pics later as well, once they are done uploading. I had a great time, and it looks like you three did as well!
What an amazing post Pat/Brian! I look forward to Brian/Pat's review.
I literally have butterflies looking at these pictures, I have to get my butt to one of these shows. Just meeting forum members would be intense, since a lot of us spend so much time on here and never meet.
I literally have butterflies looking at these pictures, I have to get my butt to one of these shows. Just meeting forum members would be intense, since a lot of us spend so much time on here and never meet.
I really really was going to write something up about the show, but Pat did such an amazing job with the narration and the photos, I'll just add some personal experiences.
I and my friend arrived there Thursday morning, and after situating ourselves, headed straight down to the tent for the pre-pre show. Suffice to say, did you ever hear the expression 'kid in a candy store?' Well, I just did not have the correct amount of discipline necessary for this experience. It was just pipe overload.
Any maker you (or I at least) could think of was either represented, or there. My thrill was to meet Rad Davis, Scott Thile, Bruce Weaver, Jerry Crawford and Kevin. As Pat posted above, Rad is just the most down to earth guy, which is quite amazing to me because IMHO, so many try to emulate his stem work.
At Harris' recommendation (and of course I've seen his work on the forum) we went to see Zack and Gretta (sp?) and I bought a volcano and my friend bought one that was sold already; Zach is going to ship both to us. Zach and Gretta are just very warm people and I wish I lived in Florida so I could hang with them.
I will post pics of the pipes I purchased as soon as I take the pics and upload/download them to the forum.
Not the least of everything was planning and running into Par, Chris and Bryan. Chris' sense of humor is very sarcastic, which could make him my brother
Pat and Brad are just good guys. It confirmed why I hang out here in the forum.
Peck and Harris, I'm really sorry you missed the show-this being my first one. On second thouught, maybe its better you guys didn't come? You probably would have bought everything is sight and there would be nothing left for us.
Of course, I did hear that Peck was bringing a lot of cash, and if I ran out I was planning on mugging him...
I and my friend arrived there Thursday morning, and after situating ourselves, headed straight down to the tent for the pre-pre show. Suffice to say, did you ever hear the expression 'kid in a candy store?' Well, I just did not have the correct amount of discipline necessary for this experience. It was just pipe overload.
Any maker you (or I at least) could think of was either represented, or there. My thrill was to meet Rad Davis, Scott Thile, Bruce Weaver, Jerry Crawford and Kevin. As Pat posted above, Rad is just the most down to earth guy, which is quite amazing to me because IMHO, so many try to emulate his stem work.
At Harris' recommendation (and of course I've seen his work on the forum) we went to see Zack and Gretta (sp?) and I bought a volcano and my friend bought one that was sold already; Zach is going to ship both to us. Zach and Gretta are just very warm people and I wish I lived in Florida so I could hang with them.
I will post pics of the pipes I purchased as soon as I take the pics and upload/download them to the forum.
Not the least of everything was planning and running into Par, Chris and Bryan. Chris' sense of humor is very sarcastic, which could make him my brother
Pat and Brad are just good guys. It confirmed why I hang out here in the forum.Peck and Harris, I'm really sorry you missed the show-this being my first one. On second thouught, maybe its better you guys didn't come? You probably would have bought everything is sight and there would be nothing left for us.
Of course, I did hear that Peck was bringing a lot of cash, and if I ran out I was planning on mugging him...
Awwww Thanks for the kind words Allan. It was so good to meet you and Roger. I wish we all could have hung out longer, as the laughs were so good!
Zach must be making a bundle selling the same pipe multiple times. He should become an I-Banker and start up a hedge fund.
Seriously though, I am really pissed I had to miss that. I had taken US$5,000 out of the bank and was going to get a bunch of stuff. I even had some of those fancy new US$ hundreds with the blue tinge that are starting to resemble our own Canadian coloured currency. :rofl:
Well . . . at least I can live vicariously through your posts.
What a fabulous write up. You expressed the essence of the show so perfectly that all I can say us +1, and now I don't have to say anything further, because you've really said it all. I was there with my eldest son, Micah, and ran into a lot of guys from the forum, but I'm so sorry I didn't run into you three. Truly my loss. I arrived home totally exhausted, but had a bowl just to relax my thoughts befor heading off to bed. I woke up at 10 am, and am mulling around, getting ready to head off to practice my euphonium--best not to smoke before that.
In addition to a significant amount of tobacco, including some if Ross's private stock--not yet ready for market, and I promised him a review, I acquired a Claudio Cavicchi, a Dr. Bob, the contest pipe (designed by Cavicchi, but produced by Luciano, a humongous pipe rack from Tim West, and a bunch of Missouri Meerschaums--always great for testing tobaccos, and a fine, all around smoker. Pics to follow, but not on your superlative posting. Thanks so much for expressing the feelings that all of us had at the show, and for highlighting your own personal experiences.
In addition to a significant amount of tobacco, including some if Ross's private stock--not yet ready for market, and I promised him a review, I acquired a Claudio Cavicchi, a Dr. Bob, the contest pipe (designed by Cavicchi, but produced by Luciano, a humongous pipe rack from Tim West, and a bunch of Missouri Meerschaums--always great for testing tobaccos, and a fine, all around smoker. Pics to follow, but not on your superlative posting. Thanks so much for expressing the feelings that all of us had at the show, and for highlighting your own personal experiences.
I will add while I, myself score some fantastic goodies, can not compare to the most imperative purchase I made on the second day. Please keeping in mind I was bunking with Brian/Pat.
You guys were bunking together? All three of you?
I wonder if this scene played out much like it did for our own John Candy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pu0m9iTo4
I wonder if this scene played out much like it did for our own John Candy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pu0m9iTo4
- Status