Jeepnut22
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2007
- Messages
- 5,599
First off...
WOW!
What a great experience at my first Blade show. I never thought it would be that much fun. It all started with GregB posting a thread asking someone to talk him into, or out of going. He mentioned that he had weekend responsibilities and a 5 hour drive to get there.
I was in Orlando wrapping up a conference. Had a friend/co-worker there as well, and he is an INFI newb, but very enthused. I mentioned the possibility of a road trip mostly in jest. But my buddy took me serisously. Within a day, plans were set in motion. We landed a hotel room 1/2 a mile from the Blade show the day before Blade, which meant we didn't have to rent a mini-van and sleep in the back!
Then we landed a car; Pulled the trigger on the upgrade to full-size (leather Lazy-Boy like seats) and busted a move up to Atlanta. We even got about 4 hours of work done on the drive reviewing documents and getting design and effort considerations hashed out. Laptop battery died and we were forced to wait out the miles until we arrived. Enough about work...
Got to the hotel, dumped our junk in the room and snagged the next shuttle to the Blade conference. The hotel desk mentioned something about 95% of the hotel guests were there for Blade. Sweeeeeeeeeeet!
When we got there, we made a bee-line for the booth. I introduced myself to a few folks and instantly struck up some conversation.
Met some great folks!
G19G26 and Mrs. G19G26
GregB
Jaxx
RedWolfHowlin
Ken44
MikeH
Stabber
xaman
The other Jeep guy there with the great har (forgot your BF name)
and others that I have temporarily forgotten... And that was on the outside of the Busse/Swamp Rat/Scrap Yard booth...
The whole Busse gang was great!
Jerry (of course!)
Amy
Eric
Messer454
ThatMGuy
Drew
Doc
and of course everyone I missed, sorry for my short term memory...
My first frenzy was insane! My jaw dropped and the spectacle. Missed out on some nice items, but I was determined to land something. The next round brought out the HOGFSH SE. I had made it up front, but wasn't ready to grab that beast (hind-sight sucks), but when I got one, I handed it to the guy behind me who wanted one as well (Was that you Greg? Can't remember...). Customs rolled out and I landed the sweetest AD. Just sweet!! Wow!! My first frenzy score!! I held that knife with child-like excitement! Within the first few hours of being in Atlanta, I met a ton of great people and even got lucky enough to land a beautiful peace of INFI! Went around the corner after paying for the AD and found a great sheath that fit perfect from Rowe's Leather. Green Elephant Inlay...
Met up with everyone at Magiannos (SP?) that night. Had a blast! Talking with Ken44 and his buddy and the rest of the gang was great. I slept with the AD next to my bed that night... Wondering what Saturday may have in store... I knew that we had to hit the road around midday, but I was hoping that the SH-1 Anniversary SE blade would come out before we left. 10:00 AM came... Fat Warden SE... Had to remain strong and hold out. Customs flew by, and I missed out on a couple I was interested in. Ok, no biggie... Talked myself into staying for the 12:00 PM frenzy. Got up to the counter and waited. IronKlad next to me on one side, G19G26 and Mrs. G19G26 on the other. All of us hoping for the SH-1...
Jerry steps up, gets the next SE blade from Garth... He oogles it. Looks at us all and smiles...
SH-1 Anniversary Special Edition!!!!!!
Hands fly up, men, screaming for the INFI goodness!! Jerry is handing them out as fast as he can!! IronKlad lands one!! I get one!! G19G26 gets one!! WOOOOO-Friggin-HOOOOOOOO!! Jerry throws up a cardboard sheath, it floats, bounces off people and lands at my feet! Another one!! Holy Cow!! I get the blade and hand it to the guy behind me that was unable to reach past the front row INFI fans for one. Customs go up... Calm settles in. The Blade that was the main drive for even considering the drive up was in my hands. I look at my fellow INFI fans and we smile together.
After paying for the sweet loot I landed, it was time for us to go. Said goodbye to everyone we had met, and then, lastly the Busse gang. Amy ran out from behind the counter to give us a departing hug, Eric gave us a very sincere handshake and wished us well on our drive, and then, the Boss man...
He threw a gazillion reasons for us NOT to go and stay for the Induction dinner. "Food!! Beer!! Cigars!! Scotch!! Come on!! Tell your wife you had a flat tire... For three Days!!" he says. But we have to go.
On the way home to the Washington DC area, we stop and get fireworks in SC. Stop and check out Lowe's Motor Speedway in NC and then get home. Basking in the sweetest road trip in a good while. Good people, leather Lazy-Boy car seats, the open road, Knives, Fireworks, race cars... What the hell else is there!! Next year, we will be there and for the whole weekend!
WOW!
What a great experience at my first Blade show. I never thought it would be that much fun. It all started with GregB posting a thread asking someone to talk him into, or out of going. He mentioned that he had weekend responsibilities and a 5 hour drive to get there.
I was in Orlando wrapping up a conference. Had a friend/co-worker there as well, and he is an INFI newb, but very enthused. I mentioned the possibility of a road trip mostly in jest. But my buddy took me serisously. Within a day, plans were set in motion. We landed a hotel room 1/2 a mile from the Blade show the day before Blade, which meant we didn't have to rent a mini-van and sleep in the back!
Then we landed a car; Pulled the trigger on the upgrade to full-size (leather Lazy-Boy like seats) and busted a move up to Atlanta. We even got about 4 hours of work done on the drive reviewing documents and getting design and effort considerations hashed out. Laptop battery died and we were forced to wait out the miles until we arrived. Enough about work...Got to the hotel, dumped our junk in the room and snagged the next shuttle to the Blade conference. The hotel desk mentioned something about 95% of the hotel guests were there for Blade. Sweeeeeeeeeeet!
When we got there, we made a bee-line for the booth. I introduced myself to a few folks and instantly struck up some conversation.
Met some great folks!
G19G26 and Mrs. G19G26
GregB
Jaxx
RedWolfHowlin
Ken44
MikeH
Stabber
xaman
The other Jeep guy there with the great har (forgot your BF name)
and others that I have temporarily forgotten... And that was on the outside of the Busse/Swamp Rat/Scrap Yard booth...
The whole Busse gang was great!
Jerry (of course!)
Amy
Eric
Messer454
ThatMGuy
Drew
Doc
and of course everyone I missed, sorry for my short term memory...
My first frenzy was insane! My jaw dropped and the spectacle. Missed out on some nice items, but I was determined to land something. The next round brought out the HOGFSH SE. I had made it up front, but wasn't ready to grab that beast (hind-sight sucks), but when I got one, I handed it to the guy behind me who wanted one as well (Was that you Greg? Can't remember...). Customs rolled out and I landed the sweetest AD. Just sweet!! Wow!! My first frenzy score!! I held that knife with child-like excitement! Within the first few hours of being in Atlanta, I met a ton of great people and even got lucky enough to land a beautiful peace of INFI! Went around the corner after paying for the AD and found a great sheath that fit perfect from Rowe's Leather. Green Elephant Inlay...
Met up with everyone at Magiannos (SP?) that night. Had a blast! Talking with Ken44 and his buddy and the rest of the gang was great. I slept with the AD next to my bed that night... Wondering what Saturday may have in store... I knew that we had to hit the road around midday, but I was hoping that the SH-1 Anniversary SE blade would come out before we left. 10:00 AM came... Fat Warden SE... Had to remain strong and hold out. Customs flew by, and I missed out on a couple I was interested in. Ok, no biggie... Talked myself into staying for the 12:00 PM frenzy. Got up to the counter and waited. IronKlad next to me on one side, G19G26 and Mrs. G19G26 on the other. All of us hoping for the SH-1...
Jerry steps up, gets the next SE blade from Garth... He oogles it. Looks at us all and smiles...
SH-1 Anniversary Special Edition!!!!!!
Hands fly up, men, screaming for the INFI goodness!! Jerry is handing them out as fast as he can!! IronKlad lands one!! I get one!! G19G26 gets one!! WOOOOO-Friggin-HOOOOOOOO!! Jerry throws up a cardboard sheath, it floats, bounces off people and lands at my feet! Another one!! Holy Cow!! I get the blade and hand it to the guy behind me that was unable to reach past the front row INFI fans for one. Customs go up... Calm settles in. The Blade that was the main drive for even considering the drive up was in my hands. I look at my fellow INFI fans and we smile together.
After paying for the sweet loot I landed, it was time for us to go. Said goodbye to everyone we had met, and then, lastly the Busse gang. Amy ran out from behind the counter to give us a departing hug, Eric gave us a very sincere handshake and wished us well on our drive, and then, the Boss man...
He threw a gazillion reasons for us NOT to go and stay for the Induction dinner. "Food!! Beer!! Cigars!! Scotch!! Come on!! Tell your wife you had a flat tire... For three Days!!" he says. But we have to go.
On the way home to the Washington DC area, we stop and get fireworks in SC. Stop and check out Lowe's Motor Speedway in NC and then get home. Basking in the sweetest road trip in a good while. Good people, leather Lazy-Boy car seats, the open road, Knives, Fireworks, race cars... What the hell else is there!! Next year, we will be there and for the whole weekend!
