For most of the week, I had been looking forward to spending this Friday off going to the Tri-Cities Sportsmen's Show. Originally, it was going to be with one of my buddies from work, but he ended up having to go into work today, so instead of using the opportunity to get away from my family, I used the opportunity to hang out with my family, taking them to the Sportsmen's show.
I think I allowed all the lucky people posting pictures on THEIR blogs from the SHOT Show to color my expectations a little bit. I was hoping there would be lots of booths full of different guns and gadgets to fondle, and there would be camping and general outdoorsy stuff to look at also. From the advertising stuff, I knew there was going to be a few things that might keep the kids interested: They had little fishing pond, a 3-D Archery Range, and live Grizzly Bear on site.
It is rare that reality actually lives up to our expectations, and this was not one of those rare times.
Roughly 50% of the booths at the show were occupied by hunting/fishing guides, outfitters, and ranches. Somewhat surprising to me, I would say over half of those we working out of British Columbia. Previously I had discussed with my wife that if it looks like our finances with allow, I would be highly interested in some sort of outfitted hunt as a gift for a major gift at some point down the line..either 40th or 45th Birthday, or maybe even our 20th Wedding Anniversary(which will be the year I am turning 46). My dream would be going to either Idaho, Wyoming or Montana...for some reason, B.C. had never shown up in my day-dreaming...I think I have always just been intimidated by the effort it takes to get guns into Canada.
Most of the other booths were a somewhat forgettable blend of sauce/jerky/sausage sellers, taxidermy and leather makers, outdoor decor, knifes and knife sharpers, log cabins, hot tubs, and other attempts to part a fool and his money. A few things do stick out in my mind: The Army Corp of Engineers had a nice display set. For the most part, the Columbia and Snake Rivers are chopped up by dams into lakes...the Army Corp of Engineers controls these dams, and so they had a nice display set up promoting the fishing and outdoors opportunities these lakes and their watersheds provide. They also had a couple of table set up with the pelts, skulls, and plaster casts of tracks from the animals one might encounter in these areas. These tables were NOT a hotbed of action, so I think me and the girls spent a good 15 minutes looking at these tables, using it as an educational opportunity. They also learned where leather and buckskin comes from...I think it might have been the first time the older one really kind of understood that concept. She handled it pretty good.
The fishing pond, was a major disappointment. I'm not sure what I had in mind...this just wasn't it. We skipped it actually...for $2 dollars you got to through a hook in a tank with a bunch of 8-inch long hungry hatchery trout....I'm sure the girls might have dug it....but then you had to carry your trout around in a plastic shopping bag...there was no catch and release.
What the girls did dig was the chance to use a bow an arrow. Next to the rather nice looking adults only 3-D Archery Range they had a little area set up for kids to try out archery...a wall full of balloons where two Responsible Adults helped the kids break the balloons. Each kid got to try three shots, and each of my girls got to break at least one balloon, so they had a good time. The grizzly bear feeding station was something else we looked at but didn't participate in. They had a juvenile grizzly in a cage, and for $5 you could feed him a piece of bread through the cage. My guess is he was about 200 pounds....really good size for a Washington Black Bear...but trying to picture he was going to get 4-5 times bigger...wow. Mommy was NOT letting the girls get close to that, and daddy would have felt like a goober paying money to hold a piece of bread through a cage...
I guess what really matters, is I got to spend about 2 hours walking around with my family. The girls came out of there with a stash of new stickers and a couple of free coloring books, so they enjoyed themselves. My wife found the booth for the Tri-City Quilters Club, and bought a couple of raffle tickets for their quilt they are giving away, so she was happy. The only thing I was unhappy about was there was no opportunity to really fondle any toys...no flashlights, precious few knives, and not a gun-show loop hole to be found.
My wife, sensing my sadness, said we can go to either Ace Hardware or Ranch and Home today if I want, and I can show her a few guns that might make the list of acceptable gifts for our upcoming 10th Anniversary.
After making her some coffee and french toast, I intend to call her bluff.
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