Pipes on Vacation

[brianwalden]

So a few friends from high school and I rented a house for a week this Summer on Lake Ontario. We don't really have any plans, it's just us hanging out so I plan to smoke a lot. What's a good pipe vacation plan? I don't want to have to take too much stuff with me.

I'm almost thinking of going cobs and drugstore tobacco for the week. I've got three cobs (the bigger ones with hardwood bottoms) and I've bought several pouches of drugstore tobacco. I figure the cobs can stand up to a beating if they're smoked multiple times in a day or not always cleaned after every smoke. And the drugstore tobacco usually burns effortlessly - I'll probably be doing other things while smoking a lot so that's a good quality.

One more thing, not everyone is big on smoking and there will be children there. Luckily there are two cigarette smokers in the group, so I won't be the only pariah but tobaccos with a good room note will still probably be helpful. The house has both a front and back porch, I'm guessing one will be the smoking porch so no one smokes near kids.

[Requiem]

Take your favorite pipe (for that top smoke at a top moment) and 2 cobs. That should be enough for 5-7 bowls a day, if needed. If you´re going to smoke only outdoors, don't mind about the roomnote, just enjoy your favorite tobacco's.

Have fun!

[Lord Wigglybottom]

I second Requiem's post, plus a spare cob to have in reserve should the unthinkable happen.

I will also say you'll definitely want to take your favorite pipe and your favorite blend for that particularly awesome day that you know is going to happen during your vacation. There's always at least one truly fantastic day per vacation trip, so what better way to wrap it up than with your favorite pipe and favorite blend, watching the sunset (or stars) over Lake Ontario?

[brianwalden]

Hmm... I haven't discovered a favorite pipe or blend yet - I'll have to get to work on that. Actually maybe a good way to go might be to work out a sampler trade in the other forum so I can try out a bunch of stuff while on vacation. I have a four pipe travel pouch - I could do something like two briars, one for Latakia blends and one for Virginias, and two cobs for everything else (burleys, aromatics, orientals without Latakia, etc).

On the other hand, I've taken a pipe to a couple of bachelor parties where we were camping for the weekend. My experience was always that I was very distracted while smoking by whatever we were doing - even simple things like playing cards or just talking. And I didn't clean my pipe as well as I normally would in between smokes. I worry I'd be wasting all those samples by not giving them my full attention.

Maybe the way to go is to sample a bunch of stuff now and find a favorite smoke and an all-day smoke. Then on vacation I can smoke the all-day smoke in the cobs and my favorite smoke in the pipe it smokes best in when I have time to dedicate to it.

[Vrbas]

If i ever "vacation" i'm biased towards aromatics... i like other people to enjoy what i'm doing too and it never gets old to hear "Man that smells great!" Then again, i'm a 21 year old college student so image is still somewhat important to me, that's my excuse

[Dedalus]

I'd put that new pipe pouch to work. Take whatever you can fit so if you have a craving while on vacation you'll have a few bowls worth there.

[brianwalden]

Hmm.... vacation might also be a good time to smoke a few cigars which have been going unused since I got on this pipe kick in March. I've mostly just been using them to keep my humidor full to help the humidity stay constant. Come to think of it, I usually prefer a cigar with other people and a pipe by myself. Maybe I should find space to pack the humidor too, it's only a small 25-er.

Decisions, decisions... Two months from now I'll probably have a much better idea of what I like and don't like. Right now, I like everything the same. I mean I taste the difference between an English and a Virginia, for example, but I can't say I really like one more than the other yet. I think I just like the experience of smoking a pipe.

Oh by the way a couple of weeks ago I made my vacation hat:

I'm a little over-excited for a vacation that's two months away. All my old friends are still in NY so I usually only get to see them for a weekend when there's a wedding or holiday or something. Now I get a whole week with them plus it's a week of doing nothing. Awesome.

[sounds7]

Originally Posted by brianwalden

Hmm.... vacation might also be a good time to smoke a few cigars which have been going unused since I got on this pipe kick in March. I've mostly just been using them to keep my humidor full to help the humidity stay constant. Come to think of it, I usually prefer a cigar with other people and a pipe by myself. Maybe I should find space to pack the humidor too, it's only a small 25-er.

Decisions, decisions... Two months from now I'll probably have a much better idea of what I like and don't like. Right now, I like everything the same. I mean I taste the difference between an English and a Virginia, for example, but I can't say I really like one more than the other yet. I think I just like the experience of smoking a pipe.

Oh by the way a couple of weeks ago I made my vacation hat:

I'm a little over-excited for a vacation that's two months away. All my old friends are still in NY so I usually only get to see them for a weekend when there's a wedding or holiday or something. Now I get a whole week with them plus it's a week of doing nothing. Awesome.

Its O.K. to like both. Doesn't have to be either or. As for vacation and tobacco/pipe. It is O.K. to travel with one of your pipes but I would take the stem out if you pack it just incase. You would hate for it to break off. You might even go so far as to bubble wrap them. If your Buds smoke take a cob if you are trying a new tobacco. You might take some baccy your buds want to try too. enjoy the trip.

[Dgar]

Take more than you think you'll need. Tobacco and pipes are pretty hardy they dont dry out or break to easily unless abused.... so take more than you'll need, that way you'll have what you want when the time comes to smoke.

And Cigars, dont forget those stogies..... I find cigars much easier to smoke if I'm busy with something, you mentioned doing a lot of things while smoking. Also cigars are great for passing out to the wanna be smokers and Kids.

Enjoy your vacation, and friends!!

[brianwalden]

Originally Posted by sounds7

If your Buds smoke take a cob if you are trying a new tobacco. You might take some baccy your buds want to try too. enjoy the trip.

When we get together to make our final arrangement for food and all that stuff, I'm going to offer to bring a free beginner's pipe kit for anyone who wants one.