371. The Texas Pipe Show
What a show! I don’t have attendance figures, but this seemed to be at least three times bigger than last year’s show. I set up a Peterson “presentation table” this year with books, several pipes from among my “companions,” and my 1953 Sky-Riter with its new Pete Geek tatts. Fellow Pete Geek Gary Hamilton shared a table with me, bringing a number of the special Pete Geek Christmas tampers which he’s planning to release through PPN in a few weeks. The Boss (left) and Gary Hamilton (right) at the Peterson Presentation table Pete-spotting, anyone? I see one and maybe two that I wish I'd seen at the show. There were a number of Certified Pete Geeks in attendance this year: James Foster Gary Hamilton Mark Dominguez of Lone Star Briars Mark Berman Colvin Stephens Chris Tarman Mike Austin Bryan Olen Stephen Mawby Alvin Miller, Austin Pipe Club Treasurer Unknown Pete Geek w/Irish tweed vest Unknown Pete Geek Biker I didn’t get everyone’s names, but I believe I got almost everyone’s photos. If you can identify a few of those seen below, please drop me a line so I can send them their CPG. James Foster, CPG, setting out prizes for the raffle Hats off to James Foster, CPG. While I know it took a big crew to organize and execute the show, James has always been my contact, probably because he’s a fellow Pete lover. He was there to work and serve all day, rarely stopping in one place for more than a minute or two. I’m sure you know him from his writing for Pipes Magazine, but his efforts on behalf of the pipe community are sufficient that this year he was awarded the Master of Pipes at the Chicago Pipe Show. Julie and Ken Byron of Ken Byron Ventures If you haven’t heard of the incredible tobaccos Ken Byron blends up, take it from me: he’s a wizard of the first order. I bought a bag of Venture 23, a special VaPer he blended for the show. I smoked it continuously through the day and strongly recommend it. If you love the old McClelland blends, you’ll like what Ken does. Gary Hamilton Gary sold more tampers than I did books, which isn’t surprising as these are gorgeous. He debuted a short, chunky one I especially like (being somewhat short and chunky myself). Gary also brought one of his latest project pipes, a Peterson System 302GHABC—that’s 302 (shape) and “Gary Hamilton [GH], Army mount [A] Tapered [B] Short [C]” stem. Stephen Mawby, CPG, Customer Service Manager, SPC Stephen Mawby at SPC, who routinely helps me with Peterson queries, also flew in from South Carolina and set up with some jaw-dropping high-end artisan pipes. This was Smokingpipe’s first time at the show, and at the end of the day Stephen told me sales had been good enough that he’d be back at the show next year! You can't see it behind his fist, but Stephen smoked his Pete…