What is the most unconventional way you have had reef items delivered ?

[andrew2010]

Recently I delivered some coral to a fellow URS member . In hindsight The delivery method was not usual in any sense of the the term normal. Being a nice day I decided to pack up some coral in a bag with an ice pack and padding for the trip to buffalo from Olean. Its a 1hour 30 min drive to my destination. I decided to ride my motorcycle to this members house. Being in the motorcycle community I decided to wear my colors on this ride (I had another rider with me) . In retrospect this sight must have been odd. lol I spoke with this URS member and and his neighbor politely asked him what the "bikers were doing at his house" to which he replied that we were dropping off coral. I am sure this was funny if not hilarious to his neighbor. It was akin to Andrew dice clay as the new mr rogers. ALSO crossing my mind was how I was going to explain to erie cty sheriffs why I had coral in my bag if I was t be pulled over (they like pulling over motorcycle i hear).

SO WHAT WAS YOUR ODD REEF TRADING EXPERIENCE? Trade in parking lot etc. Please share your stories. - Drew

 

[Seefour]

By colors do you mean the Flag or your groups colors? Either way, its still funny.

Officer: What's in this bag?
You: Coral
Officer: Very funny, what kinda drugs are you running?!
You: No I swear, open it. (Being placed in handcuffs...)

 

[toddmh]

cool story lol

Mine is not all that cool,but the most odd trip for coral I made was to a URS members house during a lake effect snow storm lol,no roads were cleared and it was coming down hard..was an intersesting drive to get to his house,stayed for a couple hours talking shop and by the time I left about another foot came down..

No lie I was driving on side streets with no tracks and the snow was deeper than my headlights..Forward momentum was the key lol..

 

[AmherstReef]

I remember one of the first times I ever bought coral from someone on URS. It was a 2-3 years ago, I think the guys name was Joe and he was from Syracuse I think. Anyways he would thin out his tank every 8-10 months and then deliver while traveling for work. So I met the guy in the parking lot of my office and paid him for two heads of frogspawn. After I walked back into the office a co worker asked "who was that ?" I said "that's my coral guy"

 

[NirvanaFan]

I've bought a few corals off Gary M. One time, I was picking something up on a nice, bright, sunny day. I pull up to his house and his sprinklers are on. Uhh Ohh... So, I time my run to the house well, ring the doorbell and wait... As the sprinkler starts to swing back towards my location, I bolt towards the driveway to get out of the path. As I'm standing in the driveway, his wife opens the door and says "Hi." I say "I'm here for Gary. Watch out, sprinkler is on." As soon as she looks over, the sprinkler sprays the side of the house, her, the door behind her, and inside the house a tiny bit. She wasn't too happy and started to mutter some choice words as she went to go get him.

Not really an unconventional way, but it was definitely funny to me. She wasn't too pleased though.

 

[andrew2010]

@ seefour yes MC colors I ride with a veteran group called the reinforcements. We raise money for a hunting and fishing cap called LEEK that takes veteran amputees hunting and fishing. We are not a 1% club however we wear a three piece MC patch. So I was well aware of the ERIE county motorcycle roadblocks and random pull overs. Thoughts in my head while I was riding were many, none good lol. I mean what do you say ? I have coral, be gentle they are fragile. I would be dumb to think that was believable, it is a probable cause search waiting to happen.

These stories are entertaining. Thank you for sharing.

 

[csig]

To nonreefers, any delivery of coral is a strange delivery.

I've sold and traded quite a few frags with people here in Rochester and on occasion in Buffalo. I usually try to find a starbucks midway where we can meet. It's a public location, so no one needs to feel suspicious of who's going to show up, especially if one party is carrying cash to pay for corals.

On one occasion, i was buying a coffee before the other person arrived. I had a wegmans bag with three or four frag bags inside it. I put bag on the counter so i could pay for the coffee. the starbucks barrista looked at the bag and asked what all the other bags full of water were. I said, 'oh, that's just coral I'm selling.' They looked at me like, 'okaaaaaaayyyyy. whatever you say.'

Another time I was selling a couple of frags to a guy in Buffalo. My family and I were going to Penn Yan (sp?) to dig for fossils, so we agreed to meet at a starbucks close to the buyer. We arrived a little early, so I went in and got us drinks. My family stayed in the car, while I waited on a bench in front with my bag of frags. The buyer pulled up and saw me. We exchanged pleasantries. he paid for the frags and looked them over. we shook hands and were on our way. When I got into the car, my wife said, "I know that was perfectly legal, but it just looked wrong!"

 

[csig]

In terms of delivery, I got a laugh the first time I received a frag in a urine specimen cup. It's a great idea and not uncommon any more.

 

[EllieSuz]

The neighbor directly across the street has a reef tank also. We trade frags back and forth all the time. We just put them in a cup of water and walk them across the street. Not unconventional, I know, but imagine the convenience for both of us that we share this hobby. Here's the really huge coincidence. My husband loves drag racing and the same neighbor has a '63 split window Corvette that he races. What are the chances of one neighbor sharing both our passions?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I got a laugh the first time I received a frag in a urine specimen cup

I'll see your urine cup and raise you a sippy cup.

 

[SkiFletch]

I remember one of the first times I ever bought coral from someone on URS. It was a 2-3 years ago, I think the guys name was Joe and he was from Syracuse I think. Anyways he would thin out his tank every 8-10 months and then deliver while traveling for work. So I met the guy in the parking lot of my office and paid him for two heads of frogspawn. After I walked back into the office a co worker asked "who was that ?" I said "that's my coral guy"

I've done that twice with Joe . I was just waiting for Campus Police to roll by and exchange pleasantries. To add some weird to my version, I brought them back inside and tucked them away in an environmental room I had dialed up to a happy temperature.