Monday, January 13, 2014

St. Paul Sport Show Recap

 Rice Park located next to the RiverCentre

Oh boy, what an interesting week.   I should start out by talking about the weather in Alaska and Minnesota. During the entire show the Kenai Peninsula temperatures were in the 30's.  Not bad.   Over three thousand miles south in Minnesota, temperatures were -30 to -40 and the windchills ranged from -45 to -60.   It would seem that this kind of weather would keep people indoors and away from attending a sport show.   Wrong.   Everyday the attendance was good.  The "polar vortex" did break and by the weekend the temperatures rebounded to the 20's and 30's.   It felt downright balmy.  

Vendors eagerly awaiting the start of the show.
It was a great show for Jane and I.   Lot's of visits from old friends, and lot's of new people interested in visiting Alaska in 2014.

One of the the things that I really look forward to at sport shows are new products or new services.   This year there was a booth that offered guided bowfishing trips in Minnesota.  As a kid I use to use my small 25lb fiberglass bow to shoot fish.   I loved it.

Needless to say, this sport has evolved into something I would have never imagined.   This boat has two tiers for bowhunters.   All around the perimeter it is rigged with spot lights.   Looks like the making of another reality show on the Discovery Channel.
On Saturday my good friend John called and said he was in town and he had an extra ticket to watch the Minnesota Wild play the Colorado Avalanche (the arena is adjacent to the sport show venue).   With the blessing of Jane I was able to attend.   Little did I know that our seats were right on the glass.   Definitely not the Bob Uecker section.   The added bonus to this evening is one of the players on the Avalanche, Brad Malone, rented a house from my mother this summer.   I texted her this photo of her "adopted son."  Definitely made her night.



Jane and I enjoyed our time in St. Paul.   And, for all the people who requested additional information about Alaska,  you'll have it within the day.

  

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