Post It Notes From The Edge.....of Sheridan

[WinterBear]

Ok, so I had planned to leave a little earlier than I actually managed to on Friday. But I did eventually get on the road. Rain dogged me the entire way, but It really poured from Chugwater until I left Buffalo. The trip wasn't without its occasional perks though--It looks like there is a pair of bald eagles at a nest just off of I-25 near Glendo. The rainstorms were impressive though, sometimes a considerable amount of water standing on the road, and sometimes with hail floating on top, and lots of lighting. Made for some white-knuckled driving, but most of the truckers were careful of the little cars like what I drive.

The weather delayed me, I didn't reach Sheridan until after 6, and I was 17 different kinds of frazzled. I decided to find my hotel room, find C, and try to figure out where my brain was. I'd had enough caffeine by this point to send me into orbit,and it was pouring, as it seems the rain followed me into town. The Sheridan Leather Outfitter's Reception had already started, and I had only a vague idea of where that was anyway, so C and I decided to hop into my car and figure out where it was. Whoops, it was right next door. Silly me.

Wow, what a lot of neat stuff. They had a tent out front full of leather and all kinds of tools and boot lasts, there were various stitching horses outside in the tent and inside, chap leathers, stingray, shark, beavertails, and all kinds of sheepskins. A set of shelves inside had splitters and various other tools, link pinkers, punches, edgers, and a bunch of other things I wasn't sure what they were. Glass cases held slot punches, strap end punches, awls, rein rounders, concho punches, and lots more. There were also a couple of tool racks holding handmade stamps from nails and brass stock, a few McMillian and Bob Beard's stamps, and a bunch of the older craftools. There were all kinds of neat things on the walls and up near the ceiling as well. There were serving food and beer as well (apparently the rain ran nearly everyone inside!), and there were mobs of people talking and looking at tools.

Well, we didn't see people we knew, so we decided to try to find the Mint and see if we could find anyone. Lots of stuffed animals heads on the wall and a really big rattlesnake skin over the bar too. Back to the hotel. I was still wired, so I decided to grab some groceries at the Walmart and double check that I know where the convention center is.

And then back to the hotel to finally upload the car and find my own hotel room (I'll add pictures of the reception and describe Saturday tomorrow--I'm a bit out of steam...)

[leatherwytch]

I hope you have a great drive back with no weather issues. Hopefully you had fun and got some cool stuff. I can't wait for next year.

[Bob Blea]

Cheryl, sorry I didn't run into you in Sheridan but as you saw, there were a lot of people there and lots going on. Way too much to catch it all. Sounds like you pretty much has a nightmare getting there, and I hoping it goes much better getting home.

[DoubleC]

Yes Bob, a nightmare on the way, and maybe back but what a great time while I was there

[DoubleC]

Monday/5 18/15

Well on the road again and though I'd catch up my peeps about things since Andrea joined me, classes, etc. We just pulled into Buffalo, WY. Got a 10 minute break to get something to eat. I have my usual chocolate cupcakes with me so don't need anything to eat.

OK Friday night, a little more to finish. We left the outfitters and went to the Mint bar. A popular hangout for LWs. We rn into some people we knew from the forums and had a nice chat. I had a beer ( I couldn't finish it, I think my party hardy days are over). We stayed probably an hour, ran through Wendys on the way to the hotel and crashed.

Saturday 5/16/15.

Yes the hotel clerk assures me, it really is 6:30. But I know the clerk, computer and clock are lying. I think i sit up, and just stare. Finally reach for my ever present soda and down some. Then meds and more soda. Know I can get awake somehow.

Before I came to Wyoming I practiced being awake. Seriously. I don't have a schedule at home so either sleep late or take very long naps. So for a week I practiced staying up from round 9 until midnight. It worked to some degree. I would make it two days and sleep 16 hours the next. Not a total success but better than 16 hours everyday. However, even though 6:30 was 8:30 in VT I'll admit the practice didn't do much good. However with the practice i was using every muscle in my body and some I seemed to have grown just so they could ache. My feet hurt 24/7. I got used to it, was able to forget them most of the time. My legs and the soft bed fought a lot. I'd lean back against the headboard to do my computer stuff and we I needed to get up for some reason, my legs didn't go the direction I told them. That happened a lot. I tripped going up steps. I tripped over my power cord getting off the bed. At outfitters I tripped twice before I ever had a beer. Numb feet and sore legs don;'t seem to work well together. And my arms were sore from constantly carrying something. Pop from store across the street, supplies to class, things I bought from the vendors, but always something. My back was sore because it refused to be left out, lol.

I may have been contemplating this while I stared at 6:30 or I my have been contemplating why Wylie the Coyote never dies when he falls off cliffs. I took a bath. Baths are great for waking up. Of course they're also great for going to sleep. So that plan didn't work. Pop and meds were starting to kick in a little. Cubby called me all perky to see how I was coming along getting ready for class. Oh? I had to get up AND go to class?

Actually I was as fine as ever so off we head to Chan Geers exciting class of building billfold, checkbook and various other interiors. I woke up in class when Cubby stabbed me with the scissors. I was not asleep, I was meditating on Chan's words of wisdom. Easier with your eyes shut. After my second error that couldn't be fixed I told Chan, 'you'd think I'd never seen leather before.' Chan said, 'Have you ever seen leather before?' I would recommend a class with Chan anytime you can take it. He's hysterically funny and a wonderful teacher. However I flunked the class. I am the world's worst interior doer.

After that Cubby and I shopped. Oh yeah we shopped during lunch too. I showed her the purple and pink python I wanted for absolutely no reason and she reached in a box and came out with a piece of rust, brown and beige python I could use with some beautiful Italian Leather I have at home. I stayed and bought it while she went back to class. So of course I was late because I was at manic Jerry's, that I had to finally trip to pay. He wasn't injured to badly and I'm fairly sure he isn't going to file charges either. OK, let's see, it's Saturday so that means the awards ceremony. Cubby wants to go, I want off my feet we're both happy with that decision so I sleep while she takes picss at the ceremony. AND BOBBY PARKS won the Al Stoleman award for lifetime achievement as master leather worker or whatever that award is for. I was really happy for him.

So Cubby brought back food she had cooked for me in case I was hungry and went back to the Mint to meet up with people. I stayed up and did.......who can guess, Thursday's entry, Fridays, maybe next years, don't remember. But napped until 9:30 PM so couldn't sleep and went ahead and updated this some. At around 10 I put in for a wake up call on Sunday at 6 AM. Thought I'd try a new plan. However I stayed up until 2:30 doing an update.

Sunday, 6:00 Am. 5/17/15

6 AM is so blissful. Especially when you're asleep because no one gives you your wake up call. Andrea called and I answered, 'good morning.' Until she told me it was 7:40 and all I did was say ACK like some kind of parrot. I tell her to go ahead and I'll get ready and she can come and get me on break. I'm in the lobby by 9:30 pacing and drinking coffee. I talk to the registrar, express my displeasure at not being called. She put down right then to wake me at 6 today (Monday). I drank coffee, I paced, I asked the time. Finally at 10:40 she calls the Holiday Inn for me so I can send someone back for Andrea. I guess Ed Labarre isn't big on breaks Or lunch, lol).

Andrea comes to the phone and I tell her if she waits until lunch I'm gonna have 2 hours of class. Andrea said, 'he hasn't taken a break yet and I've told him twice I have to come and get you. I'll go back and just say I'm leaving.'

So I get to Ed's class after 11 but all they've done is case the leather and draw the pattern on. So I am pretty caught up. And I can case leather and draw patterns on it so feeling pretty comfortable after giving Ed a hard time. OK now time to carve. I ask Ed which of my swivel knives I should use and start. What is wrong with my right hand? I'm telling it one thing and it doing something completely different. I can't follow a single line. And it's cased right and my knife is sharp. Ed comes over, sees I'm struggling and explains part of the problem. My knives are not adjustable and are too short for me. And I'm holding it wrong, beyond the death grip I always have on my tools. My carving looks like a 6YOs and I am really discouraged. I haven't picked up a swivel knife probably in a year but I didn't expect things to be this bad. Worse than the people who have never held a swivel knife because I have the wrong tool I'm trying to learn to hold right.

Everyone finally leaves around 1. Some people are leaving to go home. Some are starving and tired from being in class 5 hours straight. Me....I'm just discouraged. I was however glad to have a taken a class from Ed who carves beautifully. And is so nice. You think of 'Bearman' as a tool maker but he can do it all. And I noticed Sunday as I passed Ed's booth, his son was carving a picture on a piece of leather free hand.

But hey there is still shopping we can do. that perks me up. And we're going back to Sheridan Leather Outfitters so I can get my grey leather. And we do, and I can't find it. I start asking people who work there because they've packed up most of the leather in the tent already. One woman tells me she saw it waving bye bye earlier as it left with it's new owner.

Then I see a woman with a piece of green Mili... whatever leather I wanted, but a much smaller piece. So I go back to where i saw it Friday and all they have is the big piece i saw. Over 200 bucks worth. OK so I start looking at deer and other hides.And need a bank loan for those. They won't sell me my boots and I'm ready to run through the building committing mayhem. Instead I settle for a nap and a knot lesson from Cubby later.

As always, Skadi made more friends than I did Well except maybe Pat in Chan's class who sat behind me. For some reason Skadi kept scooting back to lay on his foot. He limped outta class from lack of blood flow to his feet but I'm pretty sure he's not filing charges So Sheridan has come and gone and again I feel that longing as the bus goes along the wide open spaces. While writing this I've seen about 100 prong horn does. The last one a few minutes ago was down in a gully crossing a little steam. We are 8 miles from Casper and I'm realizing we're getting closer and closer to civilization with each mile. Not that Sheridan wasn't quite civilized and modern on the surface. But you get to their small town ways after a couple of days. One taxi, no hotel shuttle services, almost a completely dry town. You don't just run into an Exxon station and come out with beer. You go find a liquor store just like it was in the small town I grew up in. And I found I loved it. I wanted to keep my bronco Billy bed spread. I thought it was fun after a while shutting the bathroom door to get to the microwave. And it had a nice meeting table and two chairs that i immediately covered with junk so couldn't use it. And what's wrong with a sink in the living room? Saves you a few steps.

So now I'm actually up to Monday 5/18/15

They did call me at 6. I did my fair share of staring straight ahead and comprehending nothing. I was dressed and that was about it when Cubby called at 7. I asked if she minded lending me a hand packing. We had everything done and downstairs by 7:40 I think and bus came at 8:10. I still had to walk Skadi though and get pop at the Exxon when we got there, etc. We got lost and was still over at the Exxon by 8. well not real lost, Exxon was only a block and 1/2.

I didn't want to say goodbye to Cubby. Our time together had been too interesting and fun. I have a new knot I learned from her last night and i hope to have a new one to teach her next year out of the knot book she gave me.

Today Wyoming is grey and cold. The day I showed up it was grey and as hot as VT had been when I left it. I'm wondering if VT will be as cold and grey as Wyoming as I leave it.

Did I miss VT? No. Did I miss my downtime? Oh yeah. I didn't have any downtime on this trip. I was either sleeping, writing this, or some where spending money All three fun activities but can be really tiring, well except sleeping. I'll probably add more to this from the motel tonight, or at least edit it and gt it online.

I think we're in CO but I wouldn't swear to it. Much more congested than the rest of the trip. Lights, cars, houses, grass, trucks. I have sat so long so uncomfortably that my left hip feels like it's coming out of my skin. I think we just reached Greely or getting close. A woman getting ready to get off.

Greely was a mixed bag like all of America these days I guess. I'm starting to get a little nervous because we're coming into Denver and I don't have a plan. If I stay at the Ramada it's going to cost me about 80 bucks in fess and I'll have to get up at 5 to catch my plane. If I take this shuttle the bus drivers are telling me about it goes to the airport but I don't have a hotel reserved. Anywhere. Looks like it's going to pour rain and it's windy and cold and I'm without a plan. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Just kinda dawned on me again since last night. Was too tired to look after we did the lacing and too tired to wake up and look this morning. And I've en without internet all day and pretty close to the greyhound station. Well no sense worrying about it until I get there I guess.

I have been through so much in such a short time I may have just completed a crash course in desensitization. Or maybe I'm too tired to worry.

I think I hate Denver. I can't breathe, there's no O2 in the air, LOL. And I seem to find a lot of nutty people wandering around like they actually live here so I guess they do. One came leaping at the bus and it looked like he was cursing it? I thought he was gonna go under the bus but he didn't. Then I get to the Greyhound station. Of course the seriousness of my situation has kinda sunk into my foggy brain. I need to find this shuttle some where and make a reservation for a room. I'm standing in the ticket line because I know the shuttle doesn't come for another 1/2 hour. I'm hoping to get some help finding reservations someplace. Suddenly something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. It's a pit bull service dog that's trying very hard to get away from it's owner and at Skadi. He asks me if Skadi is friendly. I ell him, 'well yes but less so on a leash with other dogs.' He tells me his dog doesn't like other female dogs and I tell him Skadi is female. I start to turn back around and he's coming at me with the dog. It starts snarling from 3 feet away and I tell the idiot to stop. He doesn't and the dog is snapping and snarling at Skadi who is in reverse and squealing paws. I tell him to leave and he does but comes right back over and reaches to pet Skadi while he holds his dog away with the other. I ell him to stop, he's just making his dog jealous and at this point everyone in line has taken up the good fight and is telling him to sit down and stay away from us. He is angered by this, still doesn't see that he's done anything wrong. The woman behind the desk comes out and asks what is going on and I have 5 people answering for me, and I'm glad because I'm on one knee trying to breathe and shaking all over. The woman asks me if what was said was true and I nod, still trying to catch my breath. And then he starts over AGAIN to talk to the woman who is next to me. I tell her to stop him, she does and security is called. And the police. I take Skadi outside to go to the bathroom and try to light a cigarette and it takes me a minute. I lean against a wall out there while Skadi is pointing the pigeons for me. She loves anything that moves, well not in a good way, wants to chase them but she's completely forgotten about the incident at this time. When I get back in security is escorting the dumbest man I've ever met out of the station. I have had some annoying incidents on the trip but this was scary. I'm about to ask the woman about a motel and here he comes again with the police. He wants a refund. There is a man at the counter filling out his luggage tags and the stupid man walks around him so he can get closer to me to get his refund. I am screaming hysterically by now, 'GET HIM AWAY FROM ME.' The police make him move on the other side of the man at the counter.

I'm calling the hotel the woman tells me about and they don't have a room at the one she told me about, but they have several hotels so he checks the next one, and they have a room, but not smoking. He checks the next place and is about to book me when I find out it's 30 miles from the airport. I just thank him for his time and hang up. I know a Ramada a mile from me that's getting me again. I'm so tired I could cry. Woman wants me to talk to the police and I agree. Same story he's heard from everyone else when I ask him if he can walk out with me while I get a cab. When I get outside they are tying to get him into a police car and down on one knee I go again. I'm gasping and a guy asks me if I'm OK and I nod. He says he'll call me a cab plus there is one at the curb who tells the officer he'll be right back for me. We pull up at the Ramada and my cab driver takes my luggage in which no one has ever done before. I give him my card for his payment, he goes out and gets all his payment info while I talk to the front desk. They don't have any rooms available. Convention in town. Then she says I have a queen but it's smoking. I said I'll take it. $159.00. Cabby returns, and I pay and tip him then tell the girl I need help with my luggage. They have me in a the furthest room from the hotel on the second floor. It's like an alcove that you can't even see from the door and was probably once a laundry, or meeting room or who knows what. I have to stop and catch my breath on the way there. The room is disgusting. The carpet looks like multitudes of people have had unprotected sex on it. The bedspreads appear to be around 20 years old and the curtains even worse. And I just don't care. It has wifi and I have it locked along with the dog. She barks at anyone who knocks and sounds quite ferocious. Later I go back for food and snacks and have to rest on the way although it's pouring rain. I can't make myself breathe, I'm just too tired and anxious. I know I'm going to be staying another day because I know at this point there's no way I'll get up at 5 AM to get to my plane. I talk to some friends in chat and fall into bed.

I wake up at 11:30 this morning. Housekeeping comes along even though I have a do not disturb sign on the door. I am not awake yet and grouchy. Even grouchier when the woman's first language wasn't English. 'You leave?' No. You stay" No ( I really hadn't planned to but since it was so late I changed my mind a little later) 'Oh you leave.' I leave later. 'Oh you leave.' Not now. later. 'Oh you stay?' I said, yes I stay some where and shut the door.

I call my bank to get my PIN number I left in VT. Doesn't do me any good/. I call the front desk and tell them I'm staying another night. She said, 'that's fine just bring your card down for us.' I say, I'll be sure and do that later.' She says, 'within a 1/2 an hour, it's almost 1.' I flip off the phone.

When I went to the front desk I tell the girl I need to be closer and on the first floor because of my disability. She gets me on the first floor but still as far away. But the room is nicer and I'm quite content to sit here the rest of Tuesday while I straighten out my flights I missed.

[WinterBear]

Well, hell. I was hoping you'd have a somewhat better trip back.

[groovytech]

Sounds like 'Fear and Loathing in Sheridan'..... I hope you can rest when you make it home.

[DoubleC]

No Groovy, maybe it didn't quite come across but I had a great time while I was there. I started this to help somebody next year or anytime that goes to the trade show know how to get around and tried to show the ins and outs. But I'm glad you came on the journey with me.

[DoubleC]

Post it notes from the edge 5/20/15

Say what? you got home on the 19th didn't you? Well not exactly. Well not even close, as you read I missed my plane Tuesday. So after making all the arrangements to change the flight to today and paying my 'bad girl' fees, I stayed up all night Tuesday. I had the desk clerk at the hotel come and help me over with my luggage. That was about 4:30 AM. I just hung out in the lobby and played on my computer until about 5:30, then asked the clerk to call me a cab. In the meantime a man had opened the door for me when I went in to the main hotel. We smiled, and did all the greeting stuff and then I went on. 2 secs later so did he. I had just tied the dog to a chair leg when I hear this, 'can I get you a cup of coffee?' I look up and think damn, I'm going to have to try to be polite on no sleep. I said, 'no, I have pop here.'

So Tex (seriously don't know his name, and was wearing a Texas shirt and cowboy hat) plopped down into the lobby area with me and asked me some questions, you know stuff strangers ask each other. Finally to shut him up, I asked him if he liked to fish. 'Oh yes ma'am' Well good, let me show you this cool fishing game i have on the computer. do you know how to use a computer? He does and as I lean a little closer to show him how to play the game, he says, ' we oughtta keep in touch.' Sure Mr. Married Tex whose wife is in Las Vegas with their two dogs. 'If I give you my info can you get a hold of me on here?' He asks. Nope, uh no I can't. My computer doesn't have that function. Whatever function he's talking about, email, chat, skype, all of mine are broke. He went to put his clothes in the dryer and my cab came and oh my I didn't get to say bye bye to Tex. One more Denver weirdo.

Hey I know weirdos. Most of my friends are weird. Just not creepy weird.

The trip was ONLY 58.00 this time. Gas prices must have dropped. I have been screwed so many times without a kiss on this trip I'm kinda in a rage about it. At every turn a tax, rate increase, non refundable, added charges, hidden fees, the list goes on and on. Of course I'm not talking about the trade show, don't think there could be a much more honest bunch as a whole. I mean all the 'hospitality (that aren't very) industry. For example I got to Newark a while ago. I asked them to have a chair waiting on me (forgot I was back in normal country that has o2 in the air, LOL and I could probably walk. But Newark is huge so I just let the man do his thing. Said I needed to go to the bathroom and then needed to take Skadi out. He went 14 kinds of ways around the airport, and of course English was not his first language so I had no idea what he was saying. Until we got Skadi out to the pet park and I turned her loose to go. He explains to me several times that he has done a good job and things that weren't his job so what was I going to give him. 'A fat lip ran through my mind.' I handed him my credit card and he said, 'no credit. Need cash. What you give me?' I explain to him I have no cash and can't get any. No PIN. PIN he seems to not understand because he says 3 times, 'I will take you to ATM.' Amazing how his speech improved after we got to money. Anyway he reluctantly took me to the TSA check point and after I got through he was gone. Language I definitely understood by this point. United wanted his name. It was something like Zgwlsheirkufoml. Right like I knew his name.

I get on the plane to Newark and I'm in the last row by myself. Ahhh, sweet silence plus room for Skadi. I don't believe it but in a few minutes I'm asleep. In a few more minutes the attendants wake me to see if I want anything to drink. No more napping on that flight. But I did relax and was glad Skadi was comfortable. I got off at Newark and told you the story above so beyond that, no big deal. Since United had told me they gave me an upgrade on the the phone when I switched flights (for the 75.00) I was expecting a similar ride into Burlington. Of course I forgot it was a puddle jumper. No it was full so I couldn't have the bulkhead area. No couldn't sit in the middle area with more space. NO NO NO.

Got Skadi squeezed under my feet and seat in front of me and after the flight took off I couldn't believe it but I dozed off again. And Skadi tolerated her situation maybe 10 minutes and tried to crawl out. So awake again, I try to drag, push, lift, and pull her back into the torture chamber they gave us. She wasn't having it. The woman across the aisle from me asked if I wanted to try her there. She put her feet on her husband, leaving a little more room and petted Skadi the rest of the trip. Skadi modified the sweet woman's behavior very fast. When the woman would quit petting her, Skadi would move just her head like she was going to get up, which caused the woman to start petting her again. Demon dog.

We get to Burlington, Vermont and my friend, Patti Jo is waiting for me and I hug her so tight I mighta killed her. I was so glad to be back in Vermont with someone who wasn't going to make me and the dog ride in the trunk, LOL. Which is about how much room we'd had on the plane, or maybe less.

Patti takes Skadi outside to bathroom and I wait on my checked luggage. OK again I have to tell you you will think I'm lying but this really happened LOL. Neither of us made plans to meet up. My luggage comes out, Patti isn't back so I go outside and sit on a bench where cars are driving up to load passengers. I sit. I sit some more. After a good 1/2 hour goes by Patti comes around the corner and says, 'Where have you been?' I said, 'Where the hell you been? I've been sitting right here watching people get picked up.' She says, 'I was in the parking garage, where else would I be?'

Chin is so sore by now from hitting the ground, I try to grab it but miss. She takes the dog to pee, I get my luggage and some how know she goes on to the parking garage AND which the level and spot. So I have to carry my luggage about 1/4th of a mile to the garage while she walks Skadi. I am too tired to be mad. Tell her I wanna stop for a beer and to buy us both something to eat. She ate on the way up. She has worked 8 hours before coming after me and I know she is tired but you would think she pulled the car to Burlington. I told her I'll settle for stopping for some beer to take home because everything is hurting. She says she doesn't care if I drink one as long as I'm careful and look before raising it. So off we go. A block and a convenience store. Not yet she says, need to get out of traffic. So we follow her GPS and she doesn't have a clue where we are. In places no cell service. Phone battery is low and it's dying. All of the trip except last 5 minutes is out in the country. I get to buy my beer the last 5 minutes, LOL but don't care, almost home now.

She takes the dog up and the pop I bought at the same store, and I try and carry a 12 pack, and three pieces of luggage, LOL. Way too tired for that so take the beer and the heaviest piece. Walk back down gasping for the other two pieces. Drag myself upstairs and Patti says, 'that's disgusting.' I look where she points and I forgot to empty my coffee pot. I look at the rest of the house and think, that one's a quick fix, LOL. just vinegar.

Silence. Patty Jo is gone after a big hug and thank you from me. I know being tired has made us both grouchy and I am not upset, just so very happy to be home. I do 'home things.' Find my meds. Feed and water the dog. Change clothes. Lights on, windows open to get some of the 'stale' out. Kick a path through to the living room and set up the computer and head to see if anyone is on Skype or in LW chat. Chat for a while and drink two beers, take my meds and hit the sack. Sleep for 20 hours and here I am.

I need to clear up some misconceptions I had while writing this. The most important one is there was no info available at Leathercrafters site for people like me. It just wasn't available before I left. When Cubby comes she has a huge printout of info she has folded like a book and brought with her. And when we go to class the next day there are the exact same things on the conference table except the outsides are made of card stock or something stronger than printer paper. They had been professionally done.

I guess if I was to offer some suggestions for them the first would be to put on the workshop site to stop by the Holiday Inn first thing and pick up pertinent materials and get your questions answered. That way they wouldn't have to have everything done way ahead of time, because there is tons to be done. But newcomers that are totally lost on the process would know where to get the information they need.

I asked the Mill Inn if they had any info and they said, 'no, they never give us anything like that.' I would suggest to Leathercrafters that they get a bare bones info sheet out to the close by motels and hotels.

Maybe part of the info available to these places to stay could be a map and a brief description of how things will work. Or not work. OK one cab in town, and classes at the Bethesda Church which is two miles out. A shuttle that stopped a couple places to ride out on would be nice. The cab driver told me it was going to be I think 15.00 to go that two miles. I have nothing against anyone making a living but convention people being taken advantage of is another thing. It's no different than paying 10.00 for a Big Mac in airports simply because they can charge that. Well I can't change all the airports or Amtrak stations (food the same way) or even bus stations (3.00 can of pop) but we can change this trade show. I had a wonderful time at the actual trade show and learned so much but still came away with a bit of a nasty taste in my mouth.

And this is the most important thing to me of everything else. Change the class times or the vendor times. When classes run from 8-5 and the vendors are available 8-5 how is that supposed to work? I missed one class on Thursday because of the plane connection but didn't go to my next one because I was trying to work out that surprise before Andrea arrived plus I wanted more than an hour lunch to shop. I guess this has been an ongoing problem for both attendees and vendors. I work at our local Farmers Market and it's a much smaller scale but I would be furious if every Saturday I worked the Farmers Market also had another event they were putting on some where else at the exact same time. I would find another venue. But there is no other venue quite like the Rocky Mountain Trade Show. Even if there was one afternoon where no classes were offered it would be better. And schedule all the 8-5 classes on the other 3 days. I'm sure it can be worked out.

I am going to offer this to the Leathercrafters and Saddlers Journal. I don't want you to think in any way I was asked to critique the event. I did it to help other newbies. They can consider the suggestions I made or not. I'm keeping a copy of this and will post it again next year before the event. I'm still hoping Andrea will find some time in her inhuman schedule to write some more from her perspective and add some pictures. Mostly I hope you enjoyed at least parts of this. I'm not leaving the edge just signing off from Post It Notes From the Edge........of Sheridan. Cheryl

[leatherwytch]

This is great Cheryl and Andrea and parts of it are hilarious. I had a better time reading it then you did living it.