Dallas has always been a fine TOR but Ron Aldridge and Dave Thomas have taken it up several notches. It is clearly the best national annual show. It starts with their focus on helping people have a good time. The’ve locked in on a great facility that’s easy to fly into. Actually its an international show with a vistor from England.

Attendance reads like a who’s who in the hobby – Terry Grove, Craig Leighty, Doug Bearce, John Pleasants, Chris Jensen, Bob Hannah (great display of his 1947 WJ collection), Sam Fairchild, Herb McCoggins, Jef Heckinger, Bruce Dordick, Dave Pede, Bob Cylkowski, John Williams, Blake Keasey, Steve Austin, Tom Jones … I know I’ve slighted many just because I can’t remember them all. I’ve got to remember to take a digital camera to share some pictures. There’s more Scouting memorabilia on display at this show, and more knowledge, than there is at the BSA National Museum.

There were also many first time attendees from our mailing list that came up and thanked me for telling them about this. They never knew about it nor had been to a TOR. It was like kids in a candy shop. Wonderful!

We helped with the placement of a pair of significant historical items. We’ll see if we can get a picture posted. One was a hand written letter from Baden-Powell to James West when BP was touring the US in 1912 explaining the Scouting program. The second was Ernest Thompson Seton’s resignation letter to the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board. Very trick.

This was also an ISCA Conference. There were educational sessions throughout Saturday. Although sparsely attended, it gave collectors access to some of the most experienced enthusiasts in the hobby.

Prepare for next year – it will always be the weekend prior to Martin Luther King day.

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I made the pilgrimage to the Indianapolis TOR this past weekend. Kit McCann (the Canadian guy) came along for the road trip too. Had a good time, if you missed it you missed a good show.

I really don’t go to this TOR for patches, it’s the food. The local Scouters put on their spread of chili-mac and hotdogs again Friday night as usual. It’s a donation deal, just whatever you want to throw in the can. That kinda food takes me back to childhood in Southern Illinois. Apparently chili-mac is a midwestern thing because I’ve never seen it in any other part of the country. I’ve eaten enough of it to sink a battleship over the years. I don’t want to hear any comments about how it shows on my waistline either. They had those big pork tenderloin sandwiches again on Saturday too. I eat one every year and love it but I think it probably takes 6 months off my life every time. Let’s see, I’ve been to the Indy TOR at least 10 or 12 years in a row so that’s……….

Had a good visit with Morris Cooper who I hadn’t seen in ages. He bought some killer Illinois issues from me too. *Yay Morris!!!*

John Hoffman came all the way from PA, I was surprised to see him as I don’t think he’d ever been to this one before. I like John a lot and think he’s a great guy but I hate seeing him at my local TOR’s. He always seems to find something really good really cheap. *wink* John had the color copies of his insignia collection on dispaly and MAN has he got some great stuff!!!!

Bob Rudd was there from KY tabled up with John too. Had a frame of tough KY conclaves and other OA out for sale or trade.

Had a good lunch chat with Bruce Shelley. Damn he’s a busy guy, traveling all over the world doing promotion work for their computer game company.

I bought a ton of stuff, oddball items for eBay and specific customers, stuff for Roy’s collection, etc. Probably the most interesting was a group of Philmont contingent items from NY all dating to the late 40’s. Also picked up a Lodge #40 neckerchief I’d never seen before and some other cool OA neckerchiefs. Lots of nice camp stuff too so be on the lookout for that during the next few weeks on our auctions.

Roy has started collecting National Jamboree contingent neckerchiefs and I managed to locate 8 or 10 of them for him. Anybody that’s got one or more from any of the different Jamboree’s just let us know cause he’s picking them up.

The big Indy auction had a few items of interest on it this year too. Dennis Cydlowski, Bruce Shelley, and I sat on the front row together and did some bidding. Boyd Williams and Bob Rudd went head to head on a #230 R1 running it up to $425 (it went to Bob). The Council has had some better OA donated to them that will be appearing on eBay in the next few weeks. The best, in my opinion, is a #73 Vigil Sateen but there are several other good Wisconsin OA items in the lots too plus some camp stuff and misc.

All in all a great trip. People say TOR’s are falling off all over the country but Indy is one of them that’s stayed good. If you haven’t been there before make plans to attend next year. But if you find anything good remember who told you about the TOR and offer it to me first. Heh-Heh

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