Daytona

[Jeremy Letkey]

I need a couple of nights of mindless drinking sooo badly!!!

I can't wait to see those of you who are going to make it.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I am soooo excited about seeing you, too Jeremy. I need to get away from here soooo bad. I have been crying all evening, I am so discouraged and depressed. I need my gecko friends.

 

[dprince]

And many of your gecko friends will be there!!!!!!! I've got a big hug for you, Marcia, and I can't wait to meet you Jeremy!!! I'm also excited to meet Kelli - who else from the RR is going?

 

[nwheat]

I'm counting down the days!! I can't wait to see you guys!!

 

[dprince]

I can't wait to hang out with you again either Nancy!! How much fun is this going to be? Woo hooooooo!!!

 

[PaulSage]

I wish I could make it again this year (even if I don't have any geckos) but I need some time off before classes start Monday. Grr!

Anyway, I hope you all have a great time and those who are vending do well.

Oh, and congratulations, Debbie!

 

[dprince]

Thanks Paul!! I wish you were coming too - it'd be great to meet you in person!! But hey - I understand the school thing. Good luck!!

 

[nwheat]

We'll miss you, Paul!!

Classes start for me today. Last year we didn't start until after Daytona.

Have a great semester!

 

[Mel&Keith]

I hope you all have a great time this weekend! I hope some one brought a camera. If I miss out on the lampshade on head, bra over clothes pictures I'll be pissed!

 

[Jeanne]

I hope you all have a great time this weekend! I hope some one brought a camera. If I miss out on the lampshade on head, bra over clothes pictures I'll be pissed!

Oh Good Times! Good Times! For those who haven't seen these pictures yet, or need a friendly reminder of them, here ya go! (I can't beleive it's been a year and a half since then!)

(????)

And, the person that started it all, SHANTI!

 

[Mel&Keith]

I miss everybody! Aren't you all home yet? It feels like it's been more than 3 days. :bigcry:

 

[dprince]

Those are great pictures Jeanne!!!!!! :main_laugh: I'm back and just trying to wake up.............still............apparently, you don't get to sleep in Daytona.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Yeaaaaaaaaaa!!!! So who wore the lampshade this year?

 

[nwheat]

I'm home - got in around midnight California time last night. We were delayed getting out of Daytona. Even so, I would've made my connection, but that was delayed too. Not bad - just a couple of hours. Marcia and Kelli weren't so lucky. Their flight to Atlanta was supposed to leave a couple of hours before mine, but after the weather cleared in Atlanta, they had mechanical issues and reappeared in the airport after sitting on the runway for a couple of hours. They should be arriving sometime today. Marcia's spending a few days with her step Mom in Texas, though.

I had an absolutely wonderful time!! I admit that I got way more sleep this year than last year, but still it'll take a while to get caught up!! Who wants to waste time sleeping when the weekend is soooo short?? So many people to visit with - so many beautiful animals!!

I miss you guys so much already!

 

[Mel&Keith]

I'm glad you guys made it back safely and hopefully Marcia and Kelli do too!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Those pics are NOT from Daytona... they are from the first NARBC Show in Arlington, TX in Feb. '07 for the GF hospitality suite and party!!! (OMG, did we ever have a PARTY!!!)

Kelli and I got stranded trying to get out of Daytona, and after 8 hours in the airport and sitting on the plane we had to spend another night (compliments of Delta Airlines). Kelli got stick in Atlanta for an extra couple of hours, and I went on to san Antonio to spend a few days with my step-mom.

On the way to the airport at 6:00 AM this morning for my trip home, we got CREAMED on the freeway by a semi-truck. We are both OK, but my step-mom's Cadillac STS might be totalled. A nice guy stopped to help us, and took me to the airport, and I barely made my plane.

I am soooooo tired.

 

[Jeremy Letkey]

Holy crap!!! Marcia, that is crazy. Glad to hear that you are both alright.

 

[dprince]

Oh my gosh Marcia!! I'm so glad you guys are OK. Holy smokes!!!

 

[dprince]

So here's my crazy Daytona story...........

First of all, I don't recommend flying into a "tropical storm." Cross it off your bucket lists. We had a great flight in until about the last half hour into Orlando, then.....well, let's just say I was preparing for the plane to crash, it was fishtailing so badly. Luckily, we landed OK and the cabin exploded in applause!! LOL.

My friend Cindi and I drove in the POURING rain and wind (again, don't drive in tropical storms if you have any choice) to Daytona, got to the hotel, and hit the hay.

Friday, we set up (in the same area Jeremy, Paul, and Jason were in last year), and had a couple of really awesome people on either side of us. I got to meet Jeremy and Kelli in person. Plus, I got to see Marcia and Nancy again - It was awesome!! Hanging out with you guys was really the highlight of the trip (well, that and my fun purchase........:main_evilgrin: ) LOL.

We ended up not having much foot traffic where we were(gotta love it when people say late "gee, I didn't know you were vending here" - ah well), but we were much cooler (the main room was hot and humid) and close to the potties!! EXTRA important this year. A bunch of folks told us attendance was way down this year, which would make sense with the weather predictions and the sucky economy.

I ended up not selling too many geckos, but did sell some expensive ones that are heading to Taiwan, which paid for the trip. Thank goodness!!!!

Sunday was the day of extreme highs and lows........I almost got arrested by Florida Fish and Game. No, seriously. I didn't have a permit (which I didn't know I needed to have and Wayne forgot to inform me when I asked), so the possibilities were: 1. The could arrest me, it would be a misdemeanor, they could confiscate all of my animals, and I would have to fly BACK to Florida to go to court, or 2. I could pay a fine of $175. They took my driver's license and went off somewhere................when I say I was FREAKING OUT, well, it wasn't an understatement. :main_no: They came back, handed me my license and a white paper, and let me off with a warning - no fine. So, at that point in time, I decided that even if I didn't sell a single gecko on Sunday, I had really won since I didn't go to jail!!!! Best. Day. Ever.

Then, Nancy (who knows how much I want a ball python) said she say female pieds at a table, and though they weren't ADVERTISING a price, she told me a price she'd overheard that I couldn't resist!!!!! Now, for those of you who know my husband, he is TERRIFIED of snakes. But...........I figured I'd call and beg anyway. Only............this time, it actually WORKED!! He has been wanting a Nintendo DS for a long time, and had gotten Best Buy GC and cash for his birthday, so I told him he could have the DS if I could have a snake. HE SAID YES!! I almost ran over one of the folks next to me trying to get my snake!! LOL. Nancy the awesome went with me and showed me where the booth was, and helped me pick a nice one out. She then helped me buy tongs and a BP book. I'd actually done research on them before, but had given up when it looked like Aaron wasn't giving in. I'm STILL totally pumped!!

The trip home was relatively uneventful - we had "a bit of weather" in Atlanta that almost prevented us from leaving, but after a 20-30 minute delay, we were good to go. Phew!! I was glad to be out of the heat and humidity!! LOL.

So..........in a nutshell, there's my Daytona breakdown. The people are the best............but the animals..............WOW. I cannot WAIT til next year!!!!!!!

 

[Mel&Keith]

Wow, Marcia and Kelli, I'm glad you made it back to Texas...eventually! That's really sucks about the car accident, I'm so glad no one was injured. I can't wait you hear y'all's stories once you recover from your trip.

Debbie, I thought you were posing with that pied for the pic!! What breeder did you get it from? I remember picking through wild caught shipments for funny looking BP's way back before any of these morphs came out. I saw a Pied at ETHS a couple years later and thought it was one of the prettiest snakes I'd ever seen. I vaguely remember the guy saying he wanted $13,000 for it. I'm curious to know what they go for now.:main_lipsrsealed: Keith's holding out until he can get a pair of Albinos for $300. :main_rolleyes: Huge congrats on the deal you made with your hubby, you totally got the better end of that deal!

Maybe we should plan on meeting and an NARBC in Arlington next time, it's chilly but the chances of bad weather are much lower! LOL The last time Keith was at the Daytona show hurricane Charlie blew through. I don't know why they plan it during hurricane season. :main_no: