Upon arriving back home to Chicagoland after the Washington Court House, Ohio show this fall, I totaled up the number of miles traveled since the first week of May attending various hobby-related events. I had driven over 14,000 miles! As far east as Washington, DC and Corning, New York and Boise, Idaho and Phoenix, Arizona to the west. 

Husband John had flown to the west coast to hike the Sierras and attend two shows in Oregon. Not only was the minivan in line for its 3,000 mile oil change AGAIN, it was due for some new tires before the winter snows arrive in the upper mid-west.

You'd think we would be slowing down at this time in our lives, but THIS is not the time to slow down...especially, with the hobby at an every increasing popularity. So, counting the miles is one way to look at it, but I'd rather count the memories of collectors and shows than the number of Super 8 motels, McDonald's bathrooms and gasoline stations stops made!

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Albuquerque was "on the way" to at least one of the destinations this fall, so I planned my trip to coincide with the terrific show in the Land of Enchantment. The success and growth of this show is in large part due to the hard work of the Enchantment Insulator Club and, in particular, the leadership and spirit of Tom and Lynda Katonak. The show was fantastic, with a combination of bottles and insulators on over 50 tables -- the insulator tables exceeded the other collectibles that are part of this event. 

There were six displays that utilized rarity and color that would have to make the most unseasoned observer become aggressive in collecting the "jewels" of the wire. Those who bring their collections from far away places like Texas, Montana, Kansas, Tennessee, Arizona and California to join the local New Mexicans, must be commended for the opportunity they provide the hobby to see some of their truly rare pieces. 

And, I was most impressed by the participation of junior collectors. Three juniors displayed at the show. Hats off to Will Havener who traveled with his uncle Raleigh Sanford all the way from Rosemark, Tennessee to share his collection of Thomas Edison - G.E. insulators and go-withs. It was evident that Will had done a lot of research on each of the pieces he had in his display.

Judith Bentley of Datil, New Mexico, had a interesting grouping of porcelain which included a beautiful yellow elephant with the Knox Porcelain company marking. It will be fun to watch this "Insulator-Princess" (daughter of Rick "Insulator-King" Bentley) grow in her enthusiasm for the hobby. 

Most clever and displaying an amazing assortment of colorful porcelain was the display by David Kelly from Tempe, Arizona. He entitled his display, "Playing in the Mud." He had made a very clever table top of clay and had drawn the company logos of a half dozen of the more prolific porcelain manufacturers. Lining the top of the display were 14 different "mud" pieces in aquamarine, baby blue, cobalt, Army green, white and gray glazes. And, to think, all that color and variety of shape never cost David more than $10 an insulator. A smart "mud man", indeed. 

This year marked the thirteenth show that the Enchantment Insulator Club has hosted along with the New Mexico Historical Bottle Society. I know that there were some fantastic displays by the bottle "arm" of the event, but I do not have photos to share with you. A stunning display of all brass whistles, meters, nozzles from garden and firefighters' hoses, bells, etc. was a most impressive display, one I had never seen at any shows I have attended.

The six insulator displays were assembled by collectors from five different states.

Steve Kelly, Tempe, Arizona, (NIA ribbon) has walked many a mile in search of the CD 126 blobtops along the Apache Trail. His display was not only colorful, but very educational. And this has been a three generation event for the Kelly family, for Steve's dad and his son, David, have accompanied him on many of his excursions for historical glass. 

Ross Baird and Jack Roach have probably put as many miles on their car traveling to shows as the McDougalds did this summer/fall. Was I following you two, or were you two following me? 

Jack Roach did make a stop at home long enough to pick up a display of some of his favorite American Insulator Company pieces. His banner reads "UGLY AMERICANS". However, someone crossed out the word "ugly" and wrote PRETTY instead. And, that they were, a great color range of base-embossed beehives. 

Photos of specialty collections of hobbyists nationwide highlighted the background of Eloise Haltman's display. Just boxing up the priceless jewels in this collection and taking them from the safety of their home in Cathedral City, California, makes my palms sweat and stomach do flip-flops. Some of the hobby's most colorful and rare glass were installed on the crossarms and spelled out the word C-O-L-O-R! (Winner of Best of Show and People's Choice.)

And, just as demanding a task of removing insulators from their safe haven, the man with nerves of steel and owning the most impressive, power-filled, colorful collection in the hobby, Ron Yuhas of Helena, Montana displayed 30 of his power collection. Outstanding!

I can't say enough nice things about this display of CD 151's belonging to Duane Davenport (EIC second place) of Cedar Crest, New Mexico. I am going to wait and do that will a full color spread on his collection later this year. Watch out!

Brian Riecker from Manhattan, Kansas, had an educational display on Hemingray CD 162 signals. Brian assembled this display at the national show in Bloomington, Minnesota last summer, but space limitations were such that it was not included in the color layout of the show report. He had entered the display as non-competitive at the show, and your editor just plain ran out of room.

What a pleasure to have an opportunity to award Brian the Crown Jewels of the Wire banner for his marvelous display at a show where he entered the display into the competition. 

The follow up to the the show is the annual Sunday morning brunch at Casa Katonak! Their mini ranch and hacienda has all the downhome charm that these original mid-westerners could transport to the southwest. The orchards and gardens of their home bring forth the freshest of the fresh when it comes to good eating! Some spread was enjoyed by many of the attendees at the show.

Keith Roloson had wanted to take this opportunity to do a head count on the Zicme population of insulators from Colombia that were residing in Tom's collection. Unfortunately, Keith packed his insulators to compare in a Priority Mail box which he checked as luggage on the plane. Unfortunately, the airlines thought it was U.S.MAIL...and sent it to Keith at his Georgia address (which was on the box) instead of having it for him at the terminal in Albuquerque with his other luggage. The best laid plans... 

Microbubbles in Zicmes

Even though Keith's cache wasn't there for comparison, everyone joined in the fun pasttime of "name that Zicme color" in Tom Katonak's collection.

Thank you EIC and Katonaks for your hospitality on my way through town.

Now, on to .... the cornfields of the Hawkeye State. . .

Two years ago, I attended the first Prairie Signals Insulator Club show in Oklahoma. Their third show was being held the next weekend in Oklahoma City, which was "on my way" towards Chicago. There was also a brand new show in outside of Lincoln, Nebraska in the town of Waverly. NOW, I had to choose! 

This year I chose Waverly and the show hosted by Ben Tucker for the Missouri Valley Insulator Club. The Prairie Signals show was a huge success without me (see November CJ 2000 for show report), and the MVIC show would have survived nicely without my attendance, but Lincoln was a little closer to Chicago and after two weeks on the road I was ready to get home... I had run out of underwear! 

CLEAR AND COLD, AND HOT, HOT INSULATORS! Ross "I'm following Carol's Car" Baird brought some nice glass from Texas, and Dan Wagner was selling a lot of purples from his collection while Ken Stobbe had a nice assortment of Denver items. MVIC members having tables were Dennis and Jeanne Weber, Boone and Tom Jeffers, Steve Konon, Tony Aksamit, Carol Ickes, Larry Whitlock, Stan Klein, Bill and Linda Connell, Tom Murphy and a great group of new and very enthusiastic collectors from the Lincoln area that Ben Tucker has inspired with this hobby. Long time collector Larry Carpenter also made the trip. It was a super first show...and I think that the local shows/swaps/tailgaiters are the VERY best. When and where next year, Ben?

No shortage of insulators or participation. 
Show host Ben Tucker (far right) was well pleased.

Dan Wagner contemplates the large 
and small --- A Surge insulator rests on 
top of the large Pyrex power.

Bill Connell and Larry Carpenter 
swapping tales.