The 2007 SASS Convention in Las Vegas

Part 1

After you've read all of this you may go to Part 2

December 7, 2007

Friday

SASS Convention, Day 3

Taught 2 classes today, one at 0900, one in the afternoon. At 0845 my continental breakfast hadn't shown up. Had to run and leave The Redhead with the alleged food. No problems with the A/V, and a good crowd in the men's costuming class. Good questions. No knockdown, drag out battle over the position of the buckles on spur straps. One guy was hurt about the Gus hat comments. (For those who weren't there, I found one possible Gus crease in 1896. Bob Boze Bell found one in a crowd scene in a 1965 photo. It was, at best a rare style. Also you shouldn't wear one with a Frock suit.)

Bob Boze Bell followed on Myths of the Old West. I was apprehensive, fearing he would contradict something I had said. No, he reinforced it, especially the Gus crease part.

Yes, I do have a microphone growing out of my nose

Photos taken when the crowds were light (early or late. It was a VERY successful convention):

Action Targets was selling Evil Roy targets, normally $125 + shipping for $80, and buy 3, get the fourth free. I bought 4. I believe they sold all they brought.

Coon Creek had their usual display of enough fancy uniforms for a regiment.

Coon Creek was busy all of the time. I kept coming back trying to order something complicated. It took 3 days.

Lots of original, unusual, and well-done uniforms abounded. This was a Tombstone Fire Department uniform. He shoots in it. Max originality points.

No Comment. It was still there at Sunday's closing

The SASS Booth. I was planning on getting some more SASS sweatshirts and T-shirts, but they had only one kind on hand. They lost a lot of sales

Taylors & Company won the best new product award at the Woolie Awards for the Smoke Wagon. They're sending me one to test

Texas Jacks, as usual, was crowded all week

This lovely dress was accompanied by a photo of the original with the designer's name. I don't believe it sold. A shame.

However, it was perfect for some soiled doves and madams. The story goes that the town fathers decided that those ladies couldn't go out of their house and mingle with "decent" people without wearing something yellow to show their profession. The madam became furious and acquired some expensive European fabrics and commissioned exquisite gowns for her ladies. The "decent" women of the town were stunned and quite jealous. I believe this occurred in Del Rio, but I'm sure someone will correct me.

Attended the Hall of Fame induction. Tequila, Claudia Feather and CS Fly, among others, were inducted.

Taught the Black Powder for Dummies class 2:30-4. It went well. Big class. No more assassination attempts by Soot Lords upset over the increased competition in black powder because of my classes and articles. Voice was pretty painful by the end of talking for 3 hours.

That Evening had the curator of the NRA Museum talking with the Judge about a new traveling display on "The New West" that'll have some famous SASS guns and equipment, like Judge Roy Bean's Custom Colts serial numbers SASS1 and 1SASS.

Then The Dooley Gang did karaoke. REALLY good karaoke. Unfortunately, with only part of a continental breakfast all day, we were too hungry and exhausted to stay. Had steaks at Kristofers. Really good.

You have now qualified to read Part 2 of The 2007 SASS Convention

December 6, 2007

Thursday

SASS Convention, Day 2

Tex and the Judge taught a class on the history of SASS

Gave the first seminar, on black powder for dummies, 1100. It went well. The first day's class always makes me think the attendees all just had a big turkey breakfast, but no one snored, and no one mooned me and left during the middle.

Rick Lee at Brims & Trims Hand Made Custom Hats was very nice to reshape the brim of my SASS Stetson. It's been a shape I didn't like since a visit to Rand's Custom Hats.

SASS used to sell 3 Stetsons with special SASS linings and your alias on the sweatband.

I noticed a Pine Ridge Sombrero in their collection. The 1897 Sears Catalog featured one. It was the biggest hat in the catalog.

It costs a bit more now. They can make this Montana Peak style in any crown height and brim width within reason. Nice folks. Good hats. If I wasn't already out of space to store them I'd have gotten one from them. Sunday Rick also reshaped my 30X Resistol Cattleman into something more SASS like. I love it.

THE Dress

The Redhead was on a mission. I had told her that what I wanted for Christmas was for her to get a ball gown she liked. She was tired of the old one and complained about it a lot. But she hates to shop and hates to dress up. Until we started doing this full time, she didn't care for dressing up at SASS parties. But now we're retired, and all of her friends dress up.

She went through the ladies clothing displays without showing much interest in anything until she got to Civil War Lady. She pulled out several dresses and asked my opinion, which is as useful as my asking her opinion on guns. Joy, the Civil War Lady, was very helpful. She has a changing room in her space (Other vendors, note that this is a good idea.) The Redhead went inside one to change and told me she'd call me when it was time to come back.

When I came back she looked like this:

This looked pretty spectacular. It should. It cost more than a Cimarron Evil Roy. But she kept looking at THE dress on display. Joy said, "I think it's in your size."

Again I was told to go entertain myself. She would call. I wandered around. At Pioneer Gun Works I tried one of their '73s with the ultra short stroke action job. It was very impressive, very light and smooth, and very short. The nice man behind the counter handed me a price list and said they sold completed guns. The price was right. I was about to say, "I'll take--"

My phone rang. The Redhead summoned me to look at the results. I noticed there was a bright light over in the direction of Civil War Lady, and everyone around me was frozen and staring in that direction. She looked like this:

This was the premier dress in the collection. She was having trouble deciding which one to get. If the other dress cost an Evil Roy, this one cost a new Colt SAA with real ivory stocks.

The difference between the two? You guessed it, a '73 Short Rifle by Pioneer Gun Works.

But I couldn't lie. When she asked, I had to say, "If you buy the other one, you'll always wish you bought this one."

There was nothing to do but to buy it:

Then, aside from the smoking Amex card, I was confronted with the fact I would have to lace her into the dress. Yes, women in the Victorian era were laced into their dresses. I presume this was a chastity device. Perhaps this is why Victorian men carried small scissors in their pockets on dates.

There were a LOT of instructions with this dress.

But that wasn't important. People were coming over and asking, "Did you buy THE dress?" and congratulating her.

That night was the Life Members cocktail party followed by the Classic Cowboy dance. I was a judge in the costume contest. I won it in '05 with the John King Fisher outfit. I was sandwiched between two lovely ladies. One of them had a neckline that went to her navel, but I didn't stare. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

It's good to be the Captain.

Catawba Kate, Captain Baylor, and Fannie Kickinshoot

Fannie Kickinshoot was judging the Classic Cowboy/Cowgirl, B-Western Cowboy/Cowgirl. She picked up my little camera and shot pictures of the contestants. Major Photography was behind us, along with their lights

Colonel Buffalo Bill Cody, in the flesh

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Colonel Cody brought his star, Annie Oakley

Darnit Darr, now a SASS Hall of Fame member

It's good to be the Captain. Allie Mo, queen of the SASS Wire and hard worker at both costume contests.

This pretty much defines "Classic Cowboy" (except for the cuffs, no proof cuffs existed as cowboy clothing items

before the 20th century)

A close up of part of Betty Boop's costume

Fannie Kickinshoot, one of the costume contest judges. I have no idea what Laylow Curly is looking at

December 5, 2007

Wednesday

SASS Convention, Day 1

We started seeing more and more SASS hats. What's a SASS hat? Well, the rodeo crowd wears black cattleman style hats like a uniform. Ranchers wear straw cattleman style hats.

If it's anything else, he's probably a SASS shooter. There are exceptions. We saw a couple of guys wearing Gus-crease hats who were rodeo types. The Redhead asked how I could tell. "They're young, skinny, and they're picking up young women."

Registration started at 1300. The Redhead wanted to play poker tournaments, so I did other things until 1300 and got our packets and badges. (At the SASS Convention we DO need stinkin' bodges.) Met several people. Lots of women hugged me. This is starting well.

The vendors were just setting up. Late that afternoon some of them were set up enough to at least look at their wares. Coon Creek was busy already. They had one, and only 1 size 42 Confederate cavalry greatcoat. It fit. I bought it. The bag tore up. I was carrying a lot of bulky stuff with no place to put them. Last year I would have put everything in the room.

Met the Dooley Gang and went with them to The Peppermill, a restaurant known for BIG portions of good food. Had a long visit with Rattler John, my hero. (7 Purple Hearts).