US National Bonsai Exhibition: Friday

So...on the road to Rochester.
All is ready. The tree has been groomed down to the last dead needle. The moss has been on for a month, and is perfect and green. The pot has taken on that wonderful patina it needed for a show. Picked up the new formal Japanese display table from Sean Smith last Saturday...hand-rubbed Carnuba was generously applied. Waxed the small bit of wood the accent sits on. The accent is putting out 2 flower stalks, and both will bloom at the show. The scroll is ready, and new shikishi inserts are packed. The tool roll, wire, water sprayer, foam tape for the bottom of the pot, a black permanent marker for the foam tape edges, and small tweezers are packed.
The directions are printed out, along with maps of critical turns, and locations of good restaurants and Starbucks (of course!)
OK...time to leave...it's 5:30AM...the local Starbucks is just open, and so is the Farmers Market, so a stop for some wonderful Amish pastries is in order...gotta have some tasty road food!
5:45 AM...off we go! N.E. Extension up to NY, then west on 17, and up thru NY to Rochester.
The bloody construction adds another 30 minutes to drive time...seems like every little hamlet is having a 200M$ facelift! But no matter...it's the US National!
OK...we're here at Monroe Community Hospital...it's 11:30AM, and the place is like a beehive. Rental trucks everywhere, with all sorts of trees being escorted by human slaves into the building.
One group from way cross country arrived with a beautiful old mountain Pine, which is probably four hundred years old, in a totally cracked pot. The tree was quickly misted and transplanted to the shade, while an expert CA'ed the pot back together. Later after it had set, the tree was repotted back into its' home.
Bill V is going crazy, He broke his foot a 4th time, so is "scootering around" the display floor like a crippled General trying to guide each troop...what a sight!
Trees were registered, and Bill immediately assigned a spot for each...which might change again in the course of the evening, perhaps 2-3 more times! Got to get it just right...
As later trees arrived the display floor filled in, and trees around ours quickly cemented our position on the floor...whew!
So...off to help Jim Doyle and Max unload and set up. Lots of eye candy in the vending area...Suthin with his marvelous shohin, Ron Lang's pots, Jim Gremel and Julian Adams...the list went on and on..
We took a dinner break around 7PM and had a marvelous Italian dinner, with a coupla cold brews..and finished off with a great latte!
Back to the show...still trees to bring into the vending area. Security was watching to be sure we didn't walk out with Doug Pauls' massive Azaleas...finally finished around 10:30PM.
Back to the hotel for a shower, and a call home..and a soft bed and wonderful sleep...zzzzzzzzzzz