April 2014

Birdseye Maple

The phone had a message at lunch.  My order of Birdseye Maple had arrived at the terminal.  So I finished lunch and headed over.  At the terminal I checked in and was admitted to the yard.  Drive around to the ramp they said but no one was around.  So I went up the ramp into the terminal and still saw no one.  Up some stairs was an officy-looking place with windows.  Up I went and entered the office.  I don't think they were expecting me as they queried whether I had been checked in.

The Pond

I just looked out the window at our small pond and saw the funniest thing yet.  One of the gold fish had found a three inch long worm and was swimming around quickly trying to out run the other gold fish chasing the after the trailing worm.  Then another fish grabbed onto the end of the worm and the worm became longer.  Just too funny.  If I try to go out and video they will scatter.  They haven't had time to get used to visitors.

2014 ACC St Paul - The Drive Home

By the time I got cleaned up, ate breakfast, packed up, and loaded my van it was time to check out.  I then filled Ody with Shell gas and headed out.  I had a free lunch waiting for me in Lacrosse.  Garmin took me from St Paul across the Mississippi River and down the Wiscinsin side of the river road.  Then back across the Mississippi River to Red Wing, MN.  Then down the Minnesota side of the river to cross back into Wisconsin at La Crosse.

2014 ACC St Paul - Sunday and Load Out

The show started later and ended earlier than previous days.  This is an attribute of Sunday as loadout happens today.  What took two days to set up has to be cleared in just five hours.  

2014 ACC St Paul - Saturday

More attendance than Friday and in waves meaning busy periods and slow periods.  Most artists I talked with admitted passing their breakeven point with sales.  That goes for me as well making this my highest selling St Paul show in the four years I have been doing it.  And there is one more day to go.

2014 ACC St Paul - Saturday

More attendance than Friday and in waves meaning busy periods and slow periods.  Most artists I talked with admitted passing their breakeven point with sales.  That goes for me as well making this my highest selling St Paul show in the four years i have been doing it.  And there is one more day to go.

2014 ACC St Paul - Friday


The day started with this view of Tanner Lake.

 

This is a 10 hour day on concrete.  The attendance was average and arrived in three waves during the day.  The periods between were slow.  Some artists were selling others were not.  Optimism appeared high as artists stayed in their booths.  

 

2014 ACC St Paul - Friday


The day started with this view of Tanner Lake.

 

This is a 10 hour day on concrete.  The attendance was average and arrived in three waves during the day.  The periods between were slow.  Some artists were selling others were not.  Optimism appeared high as artists stayed in their booths.  

 

2014 ACC St Paul - Preview party

The forgotten drape was delivered by FEDEX at 9:00AM.  I headed into the show about 11:00AM to complete the setup of my booth.  It looks better now.

 

2014 ACC St Paul- The Trip

Todays trip started at 6:19AM.  The day quickly became sunny and warm.  Ody whizzed along without a care in the world.

I am always impressed with the Wisconsin River and crosssing the Mississippi River.  I shot some video of both along with the usual remnants of snow this trip always displays as one approaches the Mississippi.  Included in the video is some of the St Paul skyline.  For some reason Garman took me in the back way along the river.