BLIZZARD WARNINGS, COYOTES BUILDING FIRES, AND NAVIGATING
THE PHILADELPHIA 2015 PACK EXPO..
6am Sunday morning, there is not a
single car or headlight to be seen, the same can be said for the roads, they
aren’t visible.
This perhaps explains why no vehicles
other than mine are out and about, and I swear I just saw 4 deer, 3 raccoon and
some coyote trying to start a fire to get warm. This then begs the question
that’s running through my mind...."what are you doing??" Oh that’s
right, I’m headed to Philly for the first trade show we have done in a couple
years. Once I cleared the tunnels in Pa. the roads cleared and the weather
improved. I was looking forward to arriving and quickly checking in. The hotel
was attached to the convention center, so I wouldn’t have to go out in the
weather, and with numerous boxes and items needed in our show booth, I was glad
we booked this hotel. Once I checked in, I quickly realized that the saying the
hotel was attached to the convention center, was like saying California is
attached to Ohio. It is, but just with a dozen states between us.....
On my third trip between the booth and
the hotel, I was asked by a Sherpa guide if I needed help...maybe not, I was a
little light headed by that point. Well four hours later, the booth was good to
go, and I had covered enough ground to qualify for the 2018 Olympics.
The show was the
first in Philly for Pack Expo, and the 5000 registered attendees was a record number.
We were not disappointed; Dave Frass and I worked the show all three days, and
returned with numerous leads and contacts to follow up with. Some are even
local to Ohio, which was a pleasant surprise.
With another show
in June, I am very pleased with what we learned in Philly, and am I looking
forward to our next. Hopefully minus the snowstorms and Sherpa guides!!
-Michael Treb
