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Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: alaskabowhunter on April 08, 2011, 01:56:00 AM

Title: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: alaskabowhunter on April 08, 2011, 01:56:00 AM
Hi Guys,
Some of you may remember me from a couple years ago, I was pretty active on this site. I took a break from bow collecting and the internet for various reasons. Real life sometimes gets in the way of your passions on many levels. I am somewhat getting my enthusiasm back for bow collecting and archery in general. I have continued to bowhunt moose and bear up here with limited success as time and money have allowed. What brought me back to archery was actually a very sad moment for me. A couple months ago a buddy of mine from Tennessee called me out of the blue. I actually met him through this website when he was stranded in Anchorage after a bit of bad luck with lost luggage,bad weather and cancelled flights. We spent a couple days together fishing salmon, shooting at my clubs outdoor range and enjoying Alaska's beauty and bounty. Anyways we have remained friends and stay in touch a couple times a year. It was during this last phone conversation that he mentioned to me the passing of Glenn StCharles last Sept. Here it was 4 months later and I did not know. I was that much out of the loop. I was saddened to hear of this as Glenn was a man I deeply respected and had met several times over the years. I was there when Glenn cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Pope&Young/StCharles museum and got to spend some time just chatting with him that day one on one. We talked about everything from Alaska to orthopedic shoes... he was sharp as a tack. I was honored to have met him bless his soul. After realizing I was missing out on so much I decided to get back into traditional archery/collecting and the people that share my interests. In my humble opinion it is the people you meet, the friends you make is where the real joy is found. I sat around with thousands of dollars worth of bows at my finger tips and hardly gave them a glance for many, many months. I realized I had many more bows then friends. If you have one bow or one hundred it doesn't matter. What matters is what is in the inside, in your heart. All the bows in the world are not worth the value of one true friend.... My time in Alaska is coming to an end, I am leaving soon. It is my hopes and desires to continue bowhunting and collecting on a limited basis, but I hope to renew old friendships and start up some new ones in the near future.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: Firstarrow on April 08, 2011, 05:54:00 AM
Very well said!  Life does get in the way.

Some times we let (for me it has been work 70 - 110 he's per week) it choke out the really important things life is supposed to be about. My family has been tolerant,  my friends never see me, I hardly shoot my bows, and my spiritual life has been lacking.

Kudos to you for getting life back into balance. Very few people actually achieve and maintain it very well.

Cheers to all who do
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: 4runr on April 08, 2011, 06:23:00 AM
Welcome back.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: Chuck_Delsandro on April 08, 2011, 06:48:00 AM
Welcome back Chuck.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: d. ward on April 08, 2011, 06:49:00 AM
good to hear from you Chuck and the loss of Glenn was well beyonds words for me.Its nice to see you back and thinking about those old bows again.I know what you mean too about the bumps in the road of life bd
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: Earl E. Nov...mber on April 08, 2011, 07:00:00 AM
Sometimes when we think we are all alone, we realize we aren't.. Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: damascusdave on April 08, 2011, 09:09:00 AM
Omg, now I gotta be bidding against you too, Chuck.

Welcome back.

We have missed you.

DDave   :notworthy:
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: kurtbel5 on April 08, 2011, 10:17:00 AM
That display of your 59(?) behind glass is one of the best I have seen.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: vintage-bears on April 08, 2011, 10:26:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by alaskabowhunter:
Hi Guys,
Some of you may remember me from a couple years ago, I was pretty active on this site. I took a break from bow collecting and the internet for various reasons. Real life sometimes gets in the way of your passions on many levels. I am somewhat getting my enthusiasm back for bow collecting and archery in general. I have continued to bowhunt moose and bear up here with limited success as time and money have allowed. What brought me back to archery was actually a very sad moment for me. A couple months ago a buddy of mine from Tennessee called me out of the blue. I actually met him through this website when he was stranded in Anchorage after a bit of bad luck with lost luggage,bad weather and cancelled flights. We spent a couple days together fishing salmon, shooting at my clubs outdoor range and enjoying Alaska's beauty and bounty. Anyways we have remained friends and stay in touch a couple times a year. It was during this last phone conversation that he mentioned to me the passing of Glenn StCharles last Sept. Here it was 4 months later and I did not know. I was that much out of the loop. I was saddened to hear of this as Glenn was a man I deeply respected and had met several times over the years. I was there when Glenn cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Pope&Young/StCharles museum and got to spend some time just chatting with him that day one on one. We talked about everything from Alaska to orthopedic shoes... he was sharp as a tack. I was honored to have met him bless his soul. After realizing I was missing out on so much I decided to get back into traditional archery/collecting and the people that share my interests. In my humble opinion it is the people you meet, the friends you make is where the real joy is found. I sat around with thousands of dollars worth of bows at my finger tips and hardly gave them a glance for many, many months. I realized I had many more bows then friends. If you have one bow or one hundred it doesn't matter. What matters is what is in the inside, in your heart. All the bows in the world are not worth the value of one true friend.... My time in Alaska is coming to an end, I am leaving soon. It is my hopes and desires to continue bowhunting and collecting on a limited basis, but I hope to renew old friendships and start up some new ones in the near future.
I hear you loud and clear. I too took a long break from collecting. Not by choice really. Life gets in the way sometimes.My priorities were my family and archery had to take a back seat.
I also wondered if any collectors remebered me too as I was CRAZY active with vintage-bear collecting couple years back. I was pleasantly surprised and happy to hear from many an old friend. Thanks guy's!
I stopped collecting, sold pretty much my entire collection (kept a few T/Ds and Kodiaks)to a friend and moved on. Interestingly, when I sold my collection to this friend he said to me, Phil, if you ever want them back...Their yours! Anyway, I visited Denton Hill last year (the wife pushed me to go) and I instantly and I mean instantly knew that I'm addicted again. The sounds,smells and people of traditional archery completely consumed me.The old friends that I had not seen in years and the new friendships made. And the bows, those Magnificent,Beautiful and functional vintage-bears, I sure did miss them!

Anyway, after that trip I asked my friend if he meant it when he said I could have them back. I was'nt sure what he would say. At first he was on the fence and then......
He said........There yours Philip!
I cannot thank him enough and forever grateful. Thanks John!!!
Enough about me, WELCOME BACK...........Enjoy!
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: Chuck_Delsandro on April 08, 2011, 01:33:00 PM
That is one he#$ of a friend Phil. Your lucky to have him.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: seboomook on April 08, 2011, 04:10:00 PM
welcome back Chuck, missed your expertise and freindship here. Agree the archery flame isnt always blazing, but it never goes out.
Now post up some eye candy pics for us!
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: JavelinaHink on April 08, 2011, 05:38:00 PM
Chuck......it was nice to talk with you on the phone the last couple of days and to hear the bow I sent made it back home safe & sound .

Glad your back in the mix.......Hink
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: yellow bow on April 08, 2011, 07:07:00 PM
Welcome home Chuck,glad your back.  :wavey:
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: alaskabowhunter on April 09, 2011, 01:41:00 AM
thanks for the kind words guys, it's good to be back online. I hope I can add a little something here and there when I can. I've been dusting off the old kodiaks and even managed to string a couple up..... a quick question about the arrows... the pointy end goes away from you right? It's all starting to come back to me...
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: Warberg on April 09, 2011, 12:18:00 PM
Welcome home, and best wishes.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: damascusdave on April 09, 2011, 03:05:00 PM
Just a lil something I learned yesterday Chuck.

When you jump in your truck so that you can hear on the cel phone wearing a hip quiver, do not, and I repeat do not, close the door.

Do not mind breaking arrows shooting them at things, but I hate breaking them due to stupidity.

DDave
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: alaskabowhunter on April 15, 2011, 06:17:00 PM
Dave, I learned a long time ago not to get too emotionally involved with my arrows as they have tendency to go missing or meet disaster in other forms. (i.e. slammed in a truck door) Don't give them cute names or special treatment... don't latch on to a "Favorite"... in the end they will break your heart or you will break theirs in one form or another, which ever comes first.
Title: Re: for the love of bows and arrows....
Post by: alaskabowhunter on April 15, 2011, 06:36:00 PM
a recent purchase on the auction site, love those "buy it now" opportunities   :jumper:   .... very cool bow...

 (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/009.jpg)

 (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/005.jpg)

 (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/011-1.jpg)

 (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/012.jpg)

 (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/010.jpg)