well the wife and i wanted to do something a bit " warmer" since this winter has been rough up here in Minnesota
we took 9 days,including weekends,and went down to Daytona beach Fla.stayed there for couple of days visiting friends/family
we spent one day in Venice Fla.,very pretty part of the state over on the gulf coast side.
another day in St.Augustine/jacksonville area.then we went and walked thru a cave up in the Tallahassee Fla area,we enjoy cave tours.
then we took a left and went into Alabama and headed north.
we eventually made our way into Tennessee,and i am very glad we stopped in the Clarksville area.
we had made arrangements ahead of time to stop and meet Pappy,Shannon and whom ever else might be there.
we arrived late friday afternoon,and made it to Pappy's around 5pm.we hung out for several hours and meet some very good people
i got to meet Pappy(someone whom i have had high regards for since i have been coming to PA website)Shannon and Jesse(two people whom as knappers i think are top notch and i also look up to).we also met(please forgive me if i mess up names,i am terrible at names
) Greg B,Art(i think that was his name)the token yankee.
and several others but i cant remember all the names.but everyone we meet were all good folks and made us feel more than welcome to be there.
i have to say my wife is the greatest woman alive too.she stood there(mostly bored)in the cold(something like 35 degrees) while i sat in the famous "knapping pit".
i got a chance to do some knapping with Shannon,and learned a few things just from watching him work.this guy is one very talented individual.
not only can he make a sweet bow,and killer points.he can also skin a shrew
.
i watched Pappy as he was helping another young guy make a bow.
Pappy,in my opinion,is one on the best bowyers on the site.i have looked up to him as a bowyer since i started coming to PA's website.
one thing that i never mentioned to any one there,was that thursday was my birthday.i had just turned 44 years old.
i felt like a kid in a candy store while i was there.
Jesse gave me a little rock(very cool),Shannon gave me some pointers on knapping(which is like rock to me,can always use more of it
)and he gave me very nice osage stave too.
Pappy just plain blew me away and i still can not believe his kindness and generosity.
he gave me,some turkey primaries,some deer back strap sinew.but what really made my jaw drop(and i still have the grin on my face)and which is right up there as one of the best gifts i have ever received,a very nice osage bow.
this bow smokes arrows,if my aim was better i could do this bow justice.
i had such a wonderfull time while i was there.these folks make you feel so welcome that you never want to leave.
the wife and i had already decided before we left saturday afternoon that we definitely need to go to the classic.
we wont be able to attend this year,as our vacation time is already scheduled out for the year.
however we have both agreed that come 2011 we will be at the classic.i for one cannot wait
this was the highlite of my vacation.
i will try and post pics of all these generous gifts later,right now i cannot find my camera.its till packed away somewhere
plus the DAYTONA 500 is starting
so before i end this i would once again like to say
"we are glad we got a chance to meet ya'all,and thank you for all the wonderfull gifts.you are some of the nices folks we have ever had the pleasure of meeting"
peace,
tim
