On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:16:35 -0400, Brian Lawson
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 15:17:36 -0500, "Robert Swinney"
wrote:

Brian,

Did you go to N.A.M.E.S.this year? Did you help them find Mike Graham? I
remember you guys live in about the same general area.

I can't make N.A.M.E.S. this time. Blew the budget on a steamboat cruise on
the Mississippi Queen. I do get to see an interestring steam engine,
though. The Queen's Engines have a 10 foot stroke.

Bob Swinney

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Hey Bob,

Yes, I was there at NAMES 2006. It was only 35 minutes further drive
for me, time-wise, than the old places. I go a few days early to help
out, and this year I was "dockmaster", so too busy to see the show as
well as a visitor would, or could, or should!! My legs are bad, so
any slack moments I tend to grab a chair out on the loading dock and
wait for the next load to show up, so I truly do not get to see too
much. By the time late Saturday afternoon rolls around, I've been
there and busy working for 4 days and I'm whipped, and as most if not
all the arrivals are in, I head for home just prior to the Saturday
closing. What I did see was very good though, and well received. I
think most people liked the single large hall, rather than the double
rinks of the past two years, the lack of "overhead wires and air
lines" makes it look more professional, and the lighting is very good
too. Disappointment on the part of some exhibitors is that while
there is compressed air piped in "everywhere", there was not
electricity available free due to the "house rules" at the Seagate.
Hopefully, some sort of arrangement can be made for following years to
provide it to those who need it. I heard good comments on Ron
Ginger's seminar too, and I wish I had attended. I have no idea as to
paid attendance, nor what is "normal/usual", but it sure looked like
lots of people throughout Saturday. The Seagate Center is easy to
find and get to, and parking is readily available at reasonable rates,
and if there is rotten weather (like last year in 2005), the line
forms inside the building out of the weather!!

I have no idea how the vendors fared, but with the well spaced aisles
there was no need to "by-pass" anyone. Quite a number of new vendor
faces too, and of course lots of the regulars, but some were
conspicuous by their absence. Maybe one of each of them can jump in
here and have their say as to how they felt it went.

Hopefully you'll make it next year, April 21 & 22, 2007.

And about Mike. I noticed someone PINGing him here on RCM last week,
but I didn't get in on the hunt. I seem to recall he lived a bit
north-west of Toronto. near Bolton or Caledon, which is about 160 plus
miles from me. I figure if he wanted to chat with us, he'd be here. I
will contact someone (that's you Speff) who knows him better than I,
and at least tell him he is sorely missed by us all and that someone
is trying to contact him for specific reason.

I've seen the Delta King (or was it Queen) from the Muzipee shoreline,
but not been aboard, and not even seen the Mississippi lady you were
on except in Live Steam magazine. Sounds like a hoot! Got any pix??

Take care.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.

It was a good show, and I hauled home plenty of iron (the 1/3 Galloway
kit). However, a number of vendors I usually see weren't there or I
didn't see them. I didn't see Scott Logan or the Hodgsons. Ron
Colonna had his H-D running like, well, an H-D. The scale Duesenberg
was there, a full scale steam launch, and a Model "D" JD just ticking
over.

The extra distance was a good excuse to spend the night. The Seagate
Center is much nicer than the rinks, and like Brian said, no standing
around outside.

It finally dawned on me to take lots of detail photos of the completed
Galloway hit'n miss on display, so I did that before driving home
Sunday morning.

I could post some pics if anyone's interested.

Pete Keillor