 |
Carving Seminar Benzart, Basement Kahuna Tiki Diablo |
8FT Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: 1172
From: Kansas City, MO
|  Posted: 2006-04-04 9:00 pm Permalink
Aloha TC. I just got home a few hours ago. I drove a total of 2107 miles. Whew, I even drove THROUGH the night of the tornadoes in TN and KY. I had no idea it was that bad until I heard the news the next morning. Man I was very fortunate to escape the storm. It was all around me. Anyway, I wanted to check in and say that I am so very glad I decided to attend Coontiki. From the incredible Hapa Haole Hideaway at Swanky's house Thursday night until I left the mountains Sunday afternoon to return home, everything was better than I ever hoped for.
Best of all is that I now have a bunch of new friends! No longer are they just nicknames that I talk with on TC. So to everyone who was there: Thanks for being there and making the weekend an incredible experience. I know my memories of COONTIKI will be with me for the rest of my life. I have photos of a few things I will add later. So for now let me leave you with one Silverline just sent me. I think you can tell why I am Happy, Happy, Happy !!!!!!!!
_________________
I once was lost..... but now I'm found.....
|
tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2083 | Posted: 2006-04-05 07:08 am Permalink
Here's my favorite photo.
|
Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-05 12:48 pm Permalink
It was a great weekend with a happy mixed up tiki woodsy vibe. Loved every minute of it. Here's some of my pics:
The Teachers
The “Honorary” Teacher
The Day’s Spoils
The Night of the Tiki Carvers
“Nawger Nob”
Our Fearless Mascot
Sunday afternoon we had some fun doing the "Coon-Tiki Slide" on a homemade redneck toboggan down the steep grassy slope behind the Lodge. I think we invented a new sport. Video links to be posted soon.
Good times, good times...
_________________
"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso
|
MsSwanky
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Sep 02, 2005
Posts: 24
From: Knoxville, TN
| Posted: 2006-04-05 3:00 pm Permalink
I would like to say thank you to everyone that attended this event! You all made this a success! I am so glad I was able to play a part in making this happen... I had a fantastic time! Even though I wasn't able to be there for the classes I still feel like I got a tremendous amount out of this past week. You were all a pleasure to meet and spend time with. I truly enjoyed spending time running around with you guys. Watching all of you at Nawger Nob was like watching kids at a candy store.
Ben, you are so great! Thank you for all of your help and the private lesson, I can't wait to finish my first carving attempt.
Danny, you are a character and you were such a great help! It was a treat meeting you.
Dave, as always, great to see you again and I will be seeing you soon!
Al, thanks for coming all this way just to grace us with your presence - it was truly appreciated!
To everyone that attended, many thanks! I hope that this weekend was as inspiring as it was entertaining. It was amazing to me that we could bring so many people together that, for the most part, had never met before and to see you all get along so well and have so much fun. Thank you all for your patience, understanding and help - I know that we are going to do everything we can to make this happen again and now we know how to make it even better!(Like having about three dozen banana peels or a few slip n' slides) And finally, Danny, Al, and Aarron...can you say you've ever been to an event that ended with such a BANG? Literally?!?!? Hey, does that count as a Tiki bite? 
|
Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2006-04-05 4:52 pm Permalink
Is there something the rest of us all missed? "Ended with a Bang"??? C'mon, I want the facts, the WHole story, Tiki Bites? All 3 of you were last to go to the airport and MsSwanky was your TAxi Driver, so lets hear it.
Aside from that, the weekend was just plain Fantastic. You are right about everyone getting along like old friends. The whole time, everyone was so well behaved, enough to make Any Parent proud. Guys, you all did well.
I'm Still stoked from the vibes that floated around the whole time.
Big HappyHAPPY,HAPPY
_________________
FACEBOOK
|
VonTiki
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: May 05, 2004
Posts: 207
From: Ventura, Ca
| Posted: 2006-04-05 7:41 pm Permalink
It was so cool to meet all of you and to spend time having fun and learning from the masters.I went there thinking I might have a little bit of an edge,but I was surprised and quite humbled by the whole experience.There were so many talented new carvers there and the old dogs really shined with their experience and were not afraid to share any technique. I feel fortunate that I was able to attend. I had a really good time and a sincere " Thanks" to Mr. and Mrs. Swanky for being such gracious hosts.I hope to see all of you again in the near future.It's an experience I won't soon forget, and I encourage everyone to attend next year's event.
I've got some new chisels and some new found enthusiasm! Thanks again!!
--VonTiki ( Dustin)
|
MsSwanky
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Sep 02, 2005
Posts: 24
From: Knoxville, TN
| Posted: 2006-04-05 7:47 pm Permalink
Well...let's just say that my lead foot may have finally gotten the best of me...
less than one tenth of a mile from the cabin I came to a blind hill at the exact same time someone else did... we both tried to swerve and about 90% of our vehicles missed each other but the front end of my car met the back end of her car. One lane road with nowhere to go... My front driver's side fender got scraped and dented - her driver's side bumper got torn off. 'Could've been worse - it should have been head on. It would be impossible to point the finger on this one, so no cops or insurance involved, just not worth the trouble. Turns out her dad lives just past the cabin and he's a mechanic - he already fixed a dent in this car that they just bought, still had the temp. tags in the window... Oh well, it's all in the name of TIKI. We exchanged info, I'm gonna' call her and see if he can fix my dent too...that was the big BANG! The guys were very sympathetic and made me feel better about it - they said my handling was very good...we almost made it out unscathed but my car was too loaded down -full to the brim - and we slid on the gravel too. I think I felt worse about the fact that Al, Aaron and Danny were with me when it happened than I felt about the actual accident itself! Ah the sacrifices we make...So as the co-organizer of this event I reserve the right to count this as my Tiki bite! Hey, still no blood drawn on my end - I shall not complain!
|
tikigap
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Jan 19, 2006
Posts: 834
From: Arlingtron Virginia
| Posted: 2006-04-05 8:17 pm Permalink
I think the whole thing was really cool, but I especially learned a great technique for keeping the tools up to snuff, from Benzart. We learned how to have a stack of sand papers, in a clip board or whatever. So when I got home I looked thru my stash of sand papers, and found that I have some 3/10th of a micron sandpaper! Really! I also have some 8 micron sandpaper. Here's a pic! The finest is on the left, coarser on the right.
[ This Message was edited by: tikigap 2006-08-25 11:25 ]
|
Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-05 9:04 pm Permalink
After Stephanie & the other driver exchanged info we all got back in the car... BK had pulled up behind & saw the whole thing. He was talking with the other lady as we got ready to go... As the other lady drives off, BK cheerfully calls out "Drive Safe!"... What a smartass!
Sorry 'bout the car, MsSwanky. You shuttled our butts around all weekend & missed out on all the carving fun. Next time you carve & we'll drive! Hats off to the hosts, Swanky & Stephanie. Really nice event you two put together for us. Mahalo!
A-A
_________________
"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso
|
Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2006-04-06 05:58 am Permalink
Well, I think No One would be surprised to hear about an accidental meeting on that road up to the cabin. I know it was talked about on nearly every trip. "Wow, What would happen if another came around that curve the same time as we were coming the other way". The subject was wondered aloud every day. The road(road???) was a single lane, paved, (mostly)trail snaking through and around the mountains. Most of the time there was No Place to allow two cars to pass, and yet the road serviced traffic in both direstions. I guess people are very fortunate that the road is not heavily traveled, else More "Meetings" would happen. MsSwanky, I'm sorry it had to be you, but at least your driving skills helped to prevent anything worse from happening, Lucky you and congrats.
Yes the Swanks deserve high praise for hosting a great Party/Carving Seminar... Very Well done, and you carvers who missed it this time, Really missed out on a Great happening. I'm STILL Stoked.. Big Mahalos to everyone who helped make it so great. Danny, Dave and of course our very own CRAZY AL who so freely gave up his weekend to help teach and entertain us all. ANd lets not forget his "Coon/Tiki that he carved so nicely. He was Not leaving until it was finished and he spent many hours carving on it after every one else had put their tools away for the day.
I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop for now. Fantastic!!
_________________
FACEBOOK
|
SilverLine
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 02, 2004
Posts: 608
From: Kansas City
| Posted: 2006-04-06 07:11 am Permalink
Quote:
|
On 2006-04-06 05:58, Benzart wrote:
Well, I think No One would be surprised to hear about an accidental meeting on that road up to the cabin. I know it was talked about on nearly every trip. "Wow, What would happen if another came around that curve the same time as we were coming the other way". The subject was wondered aloud every day. |
|
Ever scarier (and creepier) at night! Here's a WIDE spot in the road just down from the cabin. I don't know, wasn't it about a half-mile up to the cabin with only one official passing spot? There really isn't room to widen that road either.
_________________
Classic Silver Line Boats
|
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2006-04-06 07:25 am Permalink
Quote:
|
I don't know, wasn't it about a half-mile up to the cabin with only one official passing spot? |
|
About a mile and half actually. As long as the goats can get through there, it's fine.
_________________
Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
|
Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2006-04-06 08:00 am Permalink
Yeah, but the goats can't carry very much, UNLESS you were hiding the BIG Goats from us??
_________________
FACEBOOK
|
Johnny Dollar
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 01, 2003
Posts: 2916
From: Baltimore, Maryland, PNG
| Posted: 2006-04-06 08:09 am Permalink
you all realize that this would be the perfect setting for a TIKI HORROR MOVIE...
[ This Message was edited by: Johnny Dollar 2006-04-06 08:27 ]
|
pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2006-04-06 08:20 am Permalink
are those real hillbilly hats? i thought they only existed in cartoons.
|
