This year in Daytona was fun!!! It was so nice to hang with so many friends and spend time looking at all the snakes and pits first and foremost!!
Now, one thing that separates this year from others is the amount, or lack of, pits this year. This year was the lowest amount of pits I have ever seen in Daytona. With that being said, I still saw lots of great pits but honestly, I have seen so much more before. I still came home with a new addition but the amount of pits just seemed to lack from years before. Still, it didn't matter. I still saw many awesome pits and hung out with many awesome people.
Since me and my wife had unfortunately suffered a tragic loss in our family shortly before Daytona, I considered just not going. Dealing with grief for me usually means I withdraw. Fortunately, I had some good friends encourage me to go anyways, as they thought it would do my wife and I some good in going and getting away from the craziness back at home.
I am glad I listened and I thank those friends that did encourage me! ( you know who you are! )
What was different this year also was getting to our hotel at 2:50 a.m. Sat. morning, 7 hours and 10 min. before the show!! Due to work schedules, we had to take a later-than-wanted-to-flight. Then, to top it off, I didn't fall asleep till freaking 04:25 a.m.. When that alarm clock went off at 9 a.m., I felt so sick from lack of sleep, I considered not going till much later. Fortunately, my wife knew the importance of being there on time, right at 10:00 a.m, and she got me out of bed. Coffee, it was time to do your magic.
My first stop was at John Meltzer's table, a good friend and lover of locality specific pituophis. He had a nice array of a snow pacific gopher, anery pacific gophers, and also, some nice outcrossed Hypo X Iowa bullsnakes and one outcrossed MN X Albino TX . bullsnake. There were two deppei deppei he had that were the most colorful I have seen in a while, as hatchlings. Creamy yellow, brown, and black, as they came from stark black and yellow parents. For those who know, Deppei Deppei can vary so very much. Also, he had a lot of MN bulls and the only locality specific northern pinesnakes I saw at the show. There was one in particular that had huge blotches that had speckled-like patterns in them. I said out loud as I handled it, " AAHHHHHH NO!! ", as I have bought many of his before and this one was so very unique. I didn't buy it though, but it was purchased shortly after I left his table and came back to look at it again. Meltzer laughed at me of course, and did speak of how he also wished he would have kept that one particular northern.
Next, we visited Suncoast Herps table/John Schmitt. He had the only adult ruthveni I saw there, which was mind blowing to look at, and also, he had a vast array of hypo bulls ( Sherman line, I believe, like my 05 female ), and one hybino bull in particular that had colors that made it look not even real but something you would see in a cartoon, the colors were so vivid. Also, he had a few killer northerns, very detailed jani, and also had very nice albino hognoses and he had a vast array of hypo deppei ( yearlings at least, maybe older ) to gaze upon. These animals must be seen to be believed. Seeing pics doesn't do it. These must be seen in person. I can't wait for mine to get bigger!!! These animals are such a trip to look at!! So unique and different, and something that every pit freak should own. I really liked looking at these in particular, as it takes a few seconds for the subtle beauty to set in as you gaze at them. Very cool and different!
Don Shores had some nice deppei deppei that were poss. het hypos. Already, they were showing colors and were not just brown and black animals that deppei deppei appear to be right out of the egg so many times. Also, he had some nice albino bulls, the only ones I saw in Daytona this year.
Nokturnel Tom's table was a Sonoran gopher freak's dream. He had some killer ghost sonorans, on top of hypos, and also, a rusty that made me stop and think. Very different animal with killer genetics. Also, there were some awesome yellow bulls and Ft. Collins bulls to look at.
Randy Whittington had some killer jani as well, on top of a gorgeous pair of Stillwater hypo bulls that didn't last long on his table. Those were unfreaking-believable!! It was good to talk to him, as he is a cool guy to hang with. Randy, you said you lost your glasses in the ocean, on another forum? Care to share that story??? he he....
Howie Sherman/Striker's Herps, didnt' have any pits this year but he has a fountain of knowledge in regards to northern pines, as he used to visit the Jersey pine barrens when he was younger and his field experience is so neat to listen to. Such a great guy to chat with!!! Also, his locality Okeetee corns are the best I have ever seen, I really believe it!!! He also has very nice locality Eastern Kings.
Like I said before, I hardly saw the amount of pits this year like I have seen in years past. I saw one group of black pines, one group of Crumbly Reds, some San Diegos here and there, and a few Stillwater hypo bull outcrosses that were very pretty. Hopefully, more real Stillwater hypo bulls will be seen there for sale in the coming years. Also, aside from Schmitt and Meltzer, I saw one other breeder with a full clutch of northerns, but other than that, not many more northerns were to be seen. Remember, I am going by what I was able to see. Also, to say there were boas and ball pythons there would be an understatement! Never have I seen so many!!!!
I did pick up one killer male northern pine from John Scmitt this year on Sunday. I kept going by his table, looking at it, then leaving for a while, then going back, held it once, then left for a while. I had him in my mind all day. Finally, after I really took a good look at it towards the end of my day there on Sunday, I was floored and decided to make this little guy number 7 in my collection of black and white northern pines. He looks different than all my others in his reduced-black blotches, and clean head. I will post pics when I get a chance to get some taken. My female 05 northern pine from Schmitt has grown into a knockout, so I have no doubts that this little guy will be nice to see grow up as well. He is also related to her as well.
There is one person I haven't seen in Daytona for a few years now that is MIA: Tom James......where are you??
Again, another great year in Daytona, and a much needed trip at that. I am already looking forward to next year!!!!!
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Genesis 1:1
