FAT DADDY'S SPORTS
  • HOME
    • BIO
    • Reach Me
  • CARD SHOWS
    • Gonzaga >
      • Photos
    • MY SHOW! >
      • Smith & Gordon Show Photos 2014
      • 2015 Photos
      • 2016 Photos
  • STORE
    • eBay
  • PHOTOS
    • Card Show Photos >
      • 2012 Card Show Photos
      • 2013 Card Show Photos
    • Recent Pick-Ups >
      • Page 2
  • BLOG
  • LINKS
    • YouTube
  • STUFF
    • ARTICLES
    • BOOK REVIEWS
  • FAQ
  • BUYING

An Unperfect Storm Wrecks Weekend

5/23/2022

8 Comments

 
Saturday, May 21, 2022, KI Convention Center, Green Bay, WI & Sunday, May 22, Root River, Franklin, WI

Man, was I looking forward to the Green Bay show. It has been years since I last set up in Green Bay. I had planned to bring all of my baseball and football binders. I really wanted to head up to Green Bay Friday after work but I was just too tired.

So, I woke up at 4 a.m. Saturday morning, showered, loaded the car and was on the road by 5 a.m. Then around 6 a.m. all the dashboard lights came on in my car and the engine shut down. I rolled off the highway at the Elm Road exit in Oak Creek.

I figured maybe I just needed a jump and I could be back on the road to Green Bay fairly quickly. I called AAA. I had just renewed my membership in March. I told the lady at AAA where I was located and that I needed a jump. She sent me a link to the technician stating time off arrival -- 8:12 a.m. Ugh! Well, Green Bay was out of the question, I was still a good two hours away.

I messaged Matt, the promoter, to let him know my situation then laid back in my car and tried to fall asleep. I was so disappointed and was unable to relax. I really wanted to do the Green Bay show. I was in my car, filled with cards, ready!

I thought maybe my engine needed some oil, which I keep a bottle  in the car. I put some oil in. The car almost started, it just wouldn't kick in. The battery seemed okay so I called AAA again to let them know that I no longer needed a jump, I needed to be towed to a mechanic. The AAA lady said she put an order in with a tow company nearby and they would tow my car to their shop.

I hoped that I could get to the shop soon and they could fix my car so I could drive home. A little while later the technician, who AAA first contacted at 6 a.m., called me. I told him what had happened to my car. He said I needed a tow. I told him I agreed and already put the request in. He advised that I call AAA and make the request again.

I did not take his advice, figuring a tow was on its way. At 8 a.m., after two hours sitting in my car on the exit ramp, I figured no tow was on its way. I googled the tow company and saw that they were closed on Saturday. I now knew that the tow was not coming. I called AAA. The lady told me my tow request was cancelled. I responded that I never cancelled the request and I am still stuck on the side of the highway on the exit ramp. I also told her the tow company was closed and asked that she find me a tow that was actually open.

She found another tow company and put in the request. The link showed that this tow was not coming until 9 a.m. I kept checking on the link showing the time of arrival and realized the AAA lady ordered the tow company to take me to that mechanic that was closed. I googled nearby mechanics and saw that a Meineke was open and figured I could ask the tow guy to take me to Meineke.

At hour three on the side of the highway, seemed like the second tow guy was not coming. Then a county sheriff came by to check on me. The sheriff gave me a printout of tow companies. She told me AAA is bad and I should call one of the tow companies on the list.

I called the first tow company on the list and they wanted $180 to tow my car to Meineke, about 5 miles away. I said thanks but no thanks. I freakin' paid for AAA, they are supposed to show up and help!! I was not paying a $180 for a tow. I figured I would owe a few grand in repair costs.

I called back AAA. The AAA lady said the tow was on its way. I explained that I had been waiting three hours. She asked if I wanted to talk with her manager. I said only if that would guarantee that the tow would arrive. She did not have a response. I hung up.

At hour four along the side of the highway, the tow guy called and said he was on his way. He showed up around 11 a.m. and towed me to Meineke which turned out to be closed. Ugh! My wife showed up to take me home and we just dropped my key in the Meineke mail slot and left.  

I was starving and we stopped for some food then gas, because gas is 60-cents cheaper in Oak Creek than by my house in Illinois. I got home around 1 p.m. and wondered what I missed in Green Bay.

Can someone who attended the Green Bay show let me know how it was? Is Matt going to do another show up there? I promise to make the next one!

So, Monday morning rolled around and I called Meineke. They said they checked out my car and it is $%^& up. Ugh! They said they could put in a new engine at an astronomical figure but advised that I junk the car. They gave me the name of a local salvage company. So now I gotta track down the title, junk the car and buy a new one. Ugh!

What really gets me is that I just spent $3K in repairs only a month or two ago. I got hustled by that mechanic -- About Automotive, Inc., in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Avoid this company at all costs!

Oh well. Such is life. Time to look for a new car. In the meantime, I'll be driving my wife's car so I should not have any issues making it out to any upcoming shows.

I used her car to get to Root River on Sunday. Not much to report on Root River because the show was like all of my shows so far in May, attendance was way down. This was actually my worst show of the year. When it rains, it pours!

Something is up. I don't understand why attendance is down at every show. Attendance was fine in April. Is it the weather? Is the great COVID Card Boom finally over? Maybe there are just too many shows right now. There seems to be multiple shows on every Saturday and Sunday. It looks like the hobby cannot support all of these shows.

Another thought is that maybe we are heading back to pre-COVID times in the hobby. Prior to COVID, I always saw a slow down in June but not May. Maybe the pre-COVID June slow-down has come a month earlier. 

Next Root River show is July 17. I plan on setting up at that one and hope attendance picks up. I brought out a lot of good stuff out this past Sunday. Where were you guys?

Now I am a little concerned. I am setting up this weekend in Madison on Saturday and the new show in Janesville on Sunday. I hope I have a much better weekend! I may rent a car this week because my wife's car is gas-guzzler and I don't want to leave her without a car all weekend. Maybe my good buddy Dave McDonald can come pick me up Saturday morning? Come on Dave!
8 Comments
Andy (Orlando)
5/24/2022 04:31:53 am

Tony, just an FYI, card show attendance was comparatively slow this weekend in Orlando also. However, there was a big 'comicon' type event that was packed.

Reply
Tony
5/24/2022 05:59:50 am

What are you doing Saturday? Wanna pick me up?

Reply
JASON GALLESKE
5/24/2022 06:14:37 pm

Hey Tony, so sorry about what happened. That sucks! As the sponsor of trade night and helping Matt with the show, this show was incredible. People raved about it and most of the dealers were very happy with the attendance and sales. People were buying, selling and trading galore! We really strive to do things right and it worked out! The next show is September 17 with Trade Night on September 16 Sponsored by Sportscard Machines!

Reply
Tony
5/25/2022 09:17:09 am

Wow! Sounds awesome!! Hopefully I can make that September 17 show!!

Reply
Josh Brothers
5/24/2022 10:17:18 pm

I thought the show was really good. My sales were pretty good, especially with it being the first show and selling only Pokemon. Usually takes a few shows for me to get a good turnout at my tables. Venue was great as well. Sorry about the car. See you Saturday!

Reply
Tony
5/25/2022 09:18:34 am

Looks like I missed a great show! I should have a new car by September and plan on attending the Sept. 17 show. Hopefully, we have a good show Saturday!

Reply
Paul
5/27/2022 07:18:25 am

Get ready to spend. Word of advice you better put down a good down payment. Dealers are adding Market adjustment value into the price of the car. So if you see a car that has an MSRP of 27,000 you better figure another $6k into the price.

Paul
5/27/2022 07:16:27 am

Gasoline prices. Not as much disposable income. As a family we're watching what we spend.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Tony Gordon

    Vintage Sports Cards Addict

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.