Still at the Show, today was great hanging with Ralph, Tom & Dave at Tom's shop. What a blast we had watching an Aussie shooting lollipops and some idiot tangling a 5wt up in a tree. One thing missing tonight, will be the late night hang out session with the NERBs, Mark B., @#$%&, Mudhole, Terry, MikeB, Rich K, Timo, & many others.

Doc & Mike J - brothers from different mothers. You guys are both insane, and funny as can be. It was SUCH A PLEASURE meeting Doc, he kept everyone laughing, and I mean REALLY laughing hard the entire weekend. Mike, the birthday party was a classic, I wish we had that on DVD. I cannot beleive the amount of Apple Juice & Coffee consumed on Saturday, Doc, Paul & Mike - you guys are icons, lol. Doc, I can't wait to see you again in a couple of months on teh evil side of the country, we have a flamboyant contest for sure, lol. I gott try to win teh title from you (I was SO GLAD you were around for tha taward)

Mike, Sean, Al, Paul - thank you so much for helping at the booth, with everything.Before the show and during, you really did a lot to make the booth what it was. Friday set up was a big help, thanks. Takign the stuff back home - THANKS. Packing, unpacking, THANKS. everything THANKS.

Rich - Thank you a million times. HAvign that flight cancelled and being on teh road in 45 minutes was so much of a relief. I know you had a great time, but I am really grateful for the ride down ASAP. I also want to thank you for Friday set up and tryign to relax me a bit - I told you I was right abotu thos estupid grips, lol.

Dave B - What a great itme we've had this weekend. It is great to see your program sellign as well as it did, and the feedback from those who have seen your presentation and seminar is awesome. Classic = seeing your face after popping a lollipop into a million pieces, lol. We still have one more day to hang out, which I look forward to tomorrow.

Mark Blabaum -THANK YOU for the grips. YOu're a great guy, I can't wait to come out to do the Chicago gatehring and spend time with you. YOu're a great guy, and the work you are doing with teh grips - it's not fair to take pictures of them sinc ethey do absolutely no justice to what they look like in real life. AMAZING - both as a person & as a craftsman/artist.

Hiro - What a pleasure it was spendign all weekend with you. I truly enjoy chatting with you every year, and I am impressed with how much English you have learned since last year. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! lol What a great time with a ton of laughs.

Mark & Colleen - lmao. I don't know at what, but I'm lol. You guys are funny. Mark, it was great hanging with you, and hearing how bad of a fisherman you are. At least I won't be alone. Coleen - lol. And then some more lol, and then a lmao!! "You want an umbreela with that _____?" CLASSIC.

Terry - What a pleasure it was to meet you. You are a GREAt guy who I truly enjoyed hanging with. You were like a big kid in a candy store the entire weekend, I can't wait to see you in May so we can do it all over again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2008 09:53PM by Billy Vivona.

A big thanks to everyone who supported the NERBs over the weekend. It's great to see the look on peoples faces as they looked at the 50 custom rods, the 250 EVA grip inlays, Mark B's grips - which were all on display at the booth. I know a lot of people took pictures of the rods, I hope some new ideas will be created as a result of somethign someone saw at teh booth. I hope people had as much fun while at the NERB booth, as I had while workign the booth - I TRULY had a great time and dont' remember much about what went on - both days FLEW by, and I spent the entire time laughing with everyone.

The one down side is that I did not buy a single item at the show, an dI dind't walk around the showplace one time. The amount of traffic we had at teh booth for BOTH days, from 9-5 was literally non-stop. I loved every second of it, especailly guessing people's names from prior shows. Hello Fran Park!!! lol. Saw a lot of people from prior shows, as well as a lot of new faces. To me, there seemed like there was a lot more people at our booth.

Like wise Billy,
I missed getting to spend more time with you this year bouncing ideas off each other.

Wished I had known you were going to be in town for an extra day. I only live about an hour thirty minutes from Toms shop

Steve, while we didn't have nearly enough time to talk, when we did speak it was an eye opener for sure. I wa shoping to cast the rod I built, that's why I had the reel on it, but it was just nuts. What you showed me will make people rethink handles, imo. That was NICE, and innovative through the roof. I do appreciate you waiting for me at the booth while I "worked", I'm really sorry that happened but I had to do what I had to do. I think next year I'm going to have a scheduled time for myself to walk around and talk to people in other booths and away from C16.

Hello to you as well, Billy! I am still impressed that you remember my name from a year ago. For anyone that hasn't experienced Billy's incredible memory, he is a master at remembering names. Always a pleasure to see you at the show, Billy. I'm glad the weather didn't deter you from attending. AS usual the NERBS stuff was awesome.

Billy,

Man, the NERBS booth was AWESOME / OUTSTANDING!!! Not really enough adjectives to describe it. I sure wish I had patience enough to do what you guy's do!! You guy's are all great guy's. Sorry I didn't get to hang with you!! I see that you didn't heed my 1 AM curfew!!! LOL!!! Maybe I'll get to hang a little next year, Lord willing!!! Everyone at my table at the reception had a good laugh from your comments about Charlotte!!! LMAO!!! If it makes you feel any better, I didn't spend much money either, LACK OF FUNDS, Bummer...... there was a lot of things there I would have loved to have bought. Especially a couple of Mark's grips, and some of JP's. As for JP, he put on an awesome grip seminar!! Learned a lot from him. I also spent some 1 on 1 time with him at his booth, and he gave me some great idea's on a rod I'm fixin to build in the near future. That's the thing about this exposition, once things die down a little, you can really get a chance to spend that 1 on 1 time and share!! It was AWESOME!!!!

Bill in WV

Hi Billy,

That explains why you have not answerd your emails - LOL - That's ok, when you get back and catch your breath get back to me about that book & program. Thanks - Have a safe trip home.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Billy...thank YOU for coaxing me along and making sure I didnt u turn in CT...great roadtrip!!!!! When I left I had a cold and a fever of 101, I'm back to 98.6 now, but REALLY REALLY tired ...cant imagine why.

You dont know how great it was to finally meet Doc Ski (brothers from anotha mutha...good one). sooo much fun!! I finally got to meet Terry Hensen and some of his craftsmenship, both of which have incredible personality. I finally got to meet Dave Boyle ...happy birthday Dave and I wish you success always.

It was just a great time....couple little speed bumps here and there, that I need to repair....but overall. I'm so glad I went this year.

Some of the stories from this adventure......priceless.

I'm gonna let Sparky out now to play with the coyotes...then go sleep for a day.

Yea,....................what Billy said...........Just kidding

Just wasn't fair.........had a few drinks, met a few people and ....POOF! Weekend was over. Too short, not enough time. Would like to have spent personal time with everyone, you all are such great folks..............even Doc "Super Mario" Ski.!!!! lol ROTFLMAO......................p.s. Doc, I won't forget those comments......just kidding !!!............it is all good.....

Doc, Mike J (email me), Mike B, Sean, Al, Paul, Rich, Dave B, Mark B. Hiro, Mark & Colleen, Steve, Tom, Jim Gamble (Ellington, MO.....lmao!) and Ken Preston (bamboo rod maker) ............................Thank you all for the fellowship, the good natured ribbing, the drinks, the laughter that will last me a life time and I laugh now thinking of that first night and the shock of meeting some of you for the first time, seeing what you look like.........was blown away...............except Billy and the Crocs............knew that one was coming.....lol....

Thanks Mark and Coleen for Dinner at Outback.......appreciated it.........You both are good folks.

The fellowship is something I wouldn't have missed for anything...........Can't wait till May 3rd, but I am already planning on HighPoint next year...what an event!

Thanks for sharing JP and FOR GODS SAKE, KEEP THE OTHER NINE REMAINING FINGERS AWAY FROM THE BLADE!!!!!!!!

If I missed ya, I'll git ya next year and if I left you out of this email.................it was the WINE that made me forget........................See ya next year

Terry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2008 11:36PM by terry henson.

We're both dead tired, sick, and STILL can't stop laughing...

So, MIKE started it!!! Doc went down with a fever in the middle of the night, Colleen's started about noon and mine kicked in on the final plane ride tonight. We had two three hour flights home with recirculating air in the planes, so we probably shared it with 200-300 unsuspecting folks and it will go from there. One to three to three hundred in just a couple of hours. Stay tuned. This should be an epidemic by the end of the week. Someone alert the media so they get the spelling rignt. "Teh Nerbs Fever" sound about right?

Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

NERBonic Plague!!!!..........(sorry, I'll take teh hit...my bad)

NERB that types with a bar of Ivory soap in his mouth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2008 11:55PM by Michael Joyce.

Many thanks to you, Billy!! NERBS would not be what it is today without you and what you have done for NERBS. Great time hanging out with my fellow NERBS as always!! Great to finally meet Colleen Griffin, Doc Ski, Dave Boyle, Timo, Terry Henson, and any others that I may have missed. And pleasure to see all those that I have met at past shows!! Looking forward to next years show already!!

Sean Endres
North East Rod Builders
New London, CT

Billy, Sincere thanks go to you for for being the king pin of the NERBS!!! still have a little ache in the back of my head from laughing so much Saturday Night. The Polish joke told in your brand of Japenese was off the wall funny and Hiro understood it(priceless)
Mike Joyce and Doc Ski should not be allowed in the same room together (too funny together). I`m sure Paul had a good time playing bar tender to Doc Ski!!

Great show all around although the travel was tough in both directions for me it was well worth it.


Thanks to all!!

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

WB - You had a great crew at your reception table, I'm glad I stopped by to revisit some of the old school Charlotte jokes....it's a LOT easier for me to wear wha tI wore in H, than it would have been in Charlotte. Although I may have made about 300 new friends, I don't think those would be the friends I want to make, lol. THanks for the compliments on our booth, it is much appreciated and worth the effort.

Hank - I never got Jim to sign your book, I apologize. Jim & I barely had a chance to sign each others book, we were just both too busy.

MJ - glad to see you're feelign better. You might be the first person to wear a hoodie inside the show. Thanks for suckign it up and helpign out on Sunday, and especially packign the truck in the rain, while my stupid self froze since all I was wearing was a tee shirt & shorts, no socks and crocs. BRRR!

Sean - thanks. It's guys like yourself, who make my vision of what the NERBs should be about possible. IT's really satisfying to see how far we've come as a group of friends and the impact we've had in this craft.

Fred- I wasn't sure if they made those jokes inJapan, I guess we now know. Seeing Hiro's face light up with laughter when I turned Paul around, was just so over the top funny, I'm still laughing now.

Terry - YOur posts sound different now tha tI can hear your typing voice. You smiled and laughed the entire weekend, which to me is what teh show is all about. IT's great to sit and speak to guys who ou share common interests with and learn a little bit about their personal lives, which within 30 minutes of meeting you we got a chance to do on FRiday night. Thank you for sharing some of that and enjoy your outlet from real life while figuring out your next feather inlay combo in your shop.

MArk - hope you guys feel better. Thanks for the signs, and especially teh change on Saturday. It was funny to hear how the people came over to you guys after seminars like wildfire. I thin Terry enjoyed that story much more than us though.

What a great show, I had an absolute ball!!!

Sean, Billy, Mike, Rich, Hiro, Al - hangin' with you guys at the booth & the bar was the best. Doc - you're an animal LOL

I've averaged about 4 hrs sleep per night. No complaints, I've had the time of my life. Everyone was so friendly and receptive. Billy has been the perfect host - what more can I say. Met many old friends and made lots of new ones too.

Thanks to all who stopped by the booth and said G'day. Am hoping some of you visit Australia some day so I can repay some of the great hospitality that's been shown to me.

The highlight for me was celebrating my "birthday" - that memory will stay with me forever. This NERBS thing aint a club, it's an attitude. What a great thing for rodbuilding.

Dave Boyle

Billy, it was a pleasure to meet you finally face to face. I really enjoyed hanging with the Nerbs and the Outback birthday experience was something that I soon won't forget (lol). The look on Hiro, Dave, and Timo's faces were priceless. I look forward to getting together with you and Al in a couple of months.

Al, what can I say, but it was great to meet you and look over your shoulder while you set up and executed a wrap. I think I learned more in five minutes watching you work than I have in two years of reading about it. Darn you threadheads now I have to try this obsession of yours.

Mike J, I'm trying to put together a couple of packets of literature on how I've kept my youthful look (lol). I still think it may have something to do with all of the exhaust fumes that I've take in at the shop over the years.

Sean, Paul, Rich, Fred and the rest of the Nerbs what can I say, but you are a great bunch and I'm glad that I got to spend time with all of the Nerbs.

Dave B, I'm looking forward to our next meeting and hope that your flight back to Australia goes well and you don't have any problems along the way. BTW you should have shown Tom the Aussie way and used a boomerang to break the lollipop.

Doc, there's not much more can be said other than; I'm glad that I know you and can call you a friend. You are a great inspiration to me and many others.

Terry H, I hope that I didn't hurt your expectations by not being 70+ years old and no grey hair. It was great to meet you and I hope that I will see you again next year.

Thanks for taking a Midwesterner into the Nerbs I'm a better person for meeting you all.

Billy,, Sean is right on the money about the NERBS. It's your enthusiasm and passion that drives the whole bus. I'm ever so gratefull that you guys adopted me. I hope you know how much you and Mike have inspired me to try and excel at this thing we call threadart and how much thanks I owe both of you. You are both special to me. Sean, Rich, Paul, Freddy,,, what can I say? You guys are what makes the whole trip worthwhile for me. Hangin with my brother threadheads is what its all about. Thanks for your friendship it means a great deal. Hiro, you honor me with your presence. You are a true gentleman. It was really great to spend some time with Mark and Colleen from Acid rod,, you guys are the BEST and thanks so much for the food and the ride to GSO. Dave,, I really enjoyed meeting you and hangin out. I look forward to seeing you again. By the way,,I thought your birthday celebration was tits,, not to mention the joke about the boomerang. You're a funny guy. Mark it was great to meet you and see the guy behind the grips. Looking forward to doing some of that fishing we talked about. Terry, I wish I was the young guy you thought I was. Damn! It was great to meet you and hang for a while. Like I said,, be carefull out there. Doc,, you were the highlight for me. It was a sincere pleasure to meet you and spend some time hangin' out and @#$%&. Not only are your weaves incredible,, but your taste in refined, and understated evening dress, is impeccable. Mikey B, I hope Bob and his brother and Rich had a great time. You're right ol' buddy,, we're gettin' too old for this ---t!! A special thanks to Ken Preston for acting as interpreter during our conversation with Hiro about CP. Quite enlightening. Thanks to Tom K for putting this whole thing together. None of the fun would be possible without his hard work. Thanks.

Billy

What can be said that has not been said above. I think that you and your band of threaddy men has started something in the hobby. By that I mean that all who really practice thread art has to give you and all of the NERBS credit for the inspiration you impart on all of us. Your work either in thread, or grips, eva or any other medium that you decide to get into will challenge us in the hobby or profession of building custom fishing rods. It was my honor to meet you and have you fertilize the seed of thread art. You do not know how my feeble aged brain has been working overtime since I have seen in person the work that you and the NERBS are doing. again thanx Billy, can't wait to see you and the NERBS again, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Bob Moffat

Billy, it was good seeing you and the other NERBS again. I'm glad the weather didn't ruin your trip. I know Jim hated to miss the show this year, but hopefully he can make it next year. Robert and I really enjoyed being there and talking with you guys. Thanks for the stuff for Patrick too, he's going to love it. You guys are really great!