F & S Frag swap and coral conference

[BenjieC]

I'm up here in sunny rhinelander. F & S are gearing up for the event. They were putting out a TON of corals in their tanks. They promised this year will be far more organized. They still only have the same 3 display tanks. I think they should set up atleast a few more for the event. I remember last year it was way crowded around their tanks. So this year I'll be wearing elbow guards, steel toed shoes, and a helmet! I'm sure I won't stand out.

 

[SaraB]

Awesome! I'll see you there on Saturday.

 

[glbtrottr]

So, YZNHMR and I are off to Rhinelander. Not sure if Mr. Hurley will be joining us yet...leaving from Naper, a pickup at Schaumburg...anyone else?

Rats! Can't race SaraB in her RCS (Red Clown Shoe) with the Vette around the track!

 

[SaraB]

Red Clown Shoe? Is that what you call them? See you all tomorrow.

 

[mhurley]

Can't fly tomorrow though I'm dying to get behind the yoke of that Mooney and to see F&S in person. Not to mention a trip down memory lane for me (parents used to rent a cabin in Rhinelander when I was a child).

I get to help a friend move a 180 into his house on Saturday.

 

[glbtrottr]

We missed you, Mr. Hurley - Jason and his next door neighbor (to celebrate his birthday) came along, and we got a ride up and a ride back...

...kept looking for the RCS (Red Clown Shoe) with Sara B, but she was nowhere to be found...the severe thunderstorms must have slowed a couple of people down...

 

[mhurley]

I missed going...We're you IFR?

Anybody get any good stuff?

 

[SaraB]

I was there ... just not with the car. How long did you stay ... did you stay through the raffle? I won 2 items.

Sara

 

[glbtrottr]

SaraB: Nope! Like all good partygoers, we left earlier to party another day. Rumor has it other people in the plane had "steak dinners" being cooked for them by their lovely brides...something about celebrating a birthday or something...What did you win? Need my address to send it my way? You don't need raffle stuff with a 2500gal pond!

Mr. Hurley: first flight for Mr. Birthday Boy...a little turbulence, a little rime, a few category 4+ thunderstorms on the weatherscope, and "extreme precipitation" being reported by ATC everywhere...the only thing he missed was an approach to minimums...now I have the most expensive hi-fin goby, mandarin girl to go with the boy, and purple firefish ever bought...

For good measure, since Jason promised to get out of reefing altogether and donate all his corals to me, I figured I'd let him have one last trip to Rod's, so we visited Captain Surge and the Overly Promiscuous Onyx Perc's...I mean, really. How many perc's in the world get a frequent diet of freshly hatched baby brine? Is that the most spoiled pair of Nemo's you've ever heard of?

We had to stop by since I had to pick up some Caulerpa and Reef Salt...Rod and Jason are performing an 'in-care-vention' not letting me buy any more corals for now....

 

[yznhmr]

Yes Lloyd, we will have to take away your CC till you upgrade your tank. No more buying!.. Lotsa water changes..lol

Thanks again, we had a great time. Those storms were unbelievable, but our trusty pilot flew us right between the storm systems. Good thing yesterday wasnt "the day he decided to quit drinking" lol.

I will post some pics shortly...

The swap was cool.. DFaS had their act togeather, for the most part. It seemed well orginized, kinda sad the last "tour" was @2pm, and it was booked full, they could have had another.

And maybe some more FANS, it was very warm and humid (all that water?)
I was able to trade most of the pieces i brought with me, and ended up with 12 frags .

All and all it was a VERY cool day!

 

[yznhmr]

Lloyds Ride...

The Guys..

Doctors Fosters and Smith Facility on right, and Rhinlander(sp?) airport on left.

Frag Swap 1

Frag Swap 2

The STORM...

Storms to the right..

Storms to the left..

Woo Hoo we made it to Dekalb.

Frags I got from trip...

 

[yznhmr]

the small frags in front are from the trip..

 

[mbunaman]

Looked like fun to bad I had to work I could of been your private airplane mechanic for the day. Is that the newer model with the glass cockpit. I love small planes its a nice change from the Jumbos I work on.

 

[glbtrottr]

You could break your Jumbo monotony with the CMAS Airlines fleet anytime! It was good enough to carry frags and salt in, but I couldn't fit the 210G I was thinking about picking up in the back of it.

It's not the brand brand new model, but it does have most of what I would have in a glass cockpit...rides for frags? Wait! I forgot my in-care-vention.

It took us about 1:40 to get there since we had a storm and re-routing...anyone up for MACNA?

 

[mhurley]

Way to thread the needle Lloyd.

 

[mbunaman]

Awesome ride I love to power of those planes and you gotta love the speedbrakes. Gotta go for a ride some day with ya.

 

[glbtrottr]

You and Mike...anytime...

 

[yznhmr]

did some one say MACNA? sounds like a GUY trip..

 

[BenjieC]

I picked up some nice frags, of course I was cherry picking about a half hour b4 the swap "opened." A couple echino's, RPE, and a pink florida ricordia.

I saw Sara B but she was otherwise occupied(scope and dealing for frags), I would have said hi, but I was also after some frags. Sorry I never saw you again to say hi. Maybe Sat at the cliub meeting in Rockford.

I saw the aquaculture facility again this year....and it was even better than last year. I spent a good deal of time talking w/ Dr Foster himself. A very nice man I must say. And the same can be said for the rest of the employe's. My wife got some great pic's of the various tanks at F & S. I'll post them as soon as she gets them shrunk down for me.

I'd love to go to MACNA, but not this year. This year I'm going to Alaska!

 

[SaraB]

BenjieC - Sorry I missed you as well. I was around all day Saturday and again on Sunday 'til after the raffle. I picked up 3 monti frags as well as 3 acro's. I had to behave as the hubby was there with me during the swap. I can't make this weekend's meeting either as we are heading back up to Minocqua for the long holiday weekend ... maybe next time or at Rods!