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Sunday, June 6, 2010

The Saddle Bar(n)


Uh Oh ..., got a digital camera. An amazing little toy..., to say the least..., and I can forget all that I remember from a semester of Photography classes long, long ago.

The Saddle Bar(n) didn't start out as such..., it was orignally The No Dogs Allowed Timberframe Whiskey Bar Saloon. So named because my most frequent customers were our "pack of dogs" as my neighbor once angerly referred to them. The theme was to be nautical in nature with a genuine chart of the Labashure Bay area..., where Julie and I spent four logging seasons dreaming of The Ranch..., of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska hanging on the wall above the big spruce slab of a bar with a map of the Inside Passage from Seattle to Skagway wood burned into the surface. The sailboat themed lighted beer signs and the Hamm's bottle and can collection attest to an Ebay obsession that pre-dates the saddle obsession that evolved.

Pictured in the foreground are just three of the George Lawrence saddle collection..., that now numbers seven. Add a couple of Ray Holes saddles, a couple better know brands (Big Horn and Simco) and a Decker pack saddle..., and well..., there you have it. The Saddle Bar(n). And the coldest beer..., Hamm's of course..., on the coast.

12/17/16  -  Update  -  My cousin Debbie (Chapman) Smith commented about the bar that I mentioned above..., here's a photo..., I really should clean it off and get a good picture of it.  The blueish tint is the Pacific Ocean..., lower left is the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula..., just north of it is Vancouver Island..., and the Canadian coast is on the right.  The southeast Alaska coast is covered by the dead computer and various other objects that can't seem to find a better place to reside.


Just can't get all the saddles in the picture...,


This old..., and I do mean OLD cowboy stopped by..., for the free drinks it seems..., as I couldn't get any work out of the old fart !!!


10 comments:

  1. This is nice work and I have not had a Hamm's in forever. The bears used to dance in the land of sky blue waters when I was very young.

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  2. Thanks Mauberly..., the one addition that I would really like to have is the old Hamm's motion sign that scrolls through the scene of the canoe, campfire, waterfall, etc..., but they go for quite a premium on Ebay. Actually..., I bid on quite a few Hamm's signs and lights and only won one clock. But I did manage to pick up three of the Special Export lighted signs that depict the old sailing ships. I figured that the beer was an import..., but was surprised to find out that it was brewed by Heilmans in the midwest..., but not available here on the west coast. So I don't even have a bottle to display !!!!

    When I was growing up in Idaho, Hamm's was considered an "eastern beer" and along with Coor's (for many, MANY, years my favorite) sold for a higher price than the "western" beers like Lucky and Oly. I don't recall just when Hamm's sold out to Oly..., but Hamm's is now one of the "discount" beers sold here in the west. I think they saved a lot of money on marketing and advertising (I haven't seen a Hamm's ad or commercial forever). Frugality won out over brand loyalty in these later years.

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  3. Hamm’s is now owned by Miller, apparently. The song that I heard appears here:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamm%27s_Brewery

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  4. Very informative link Mauberly..., thanks once again. Looks like I am once again supporting my old brand of choice..., Coors, through their merger with Miller. And yes..., I am old enough to remember the Hamm's beer commercials on TV.

    The post about the Hamm's Bear mentions the "superior cleanliness and naturality of Hamm's beer owing to its clear water and production in pristine Minnesota,..". A beer distributor once told my brother and I that Hamm's was the only beer that you could pour a glass of..., leave it over night..., and there would not be a dirty ring in the glass. My frugal nature never allowed me to waste beer to test out that theory!!!!!

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  5. My dad lives on a horse ranch and I was thinking that for his birthday, I would surprise him and send him a decker pack saddle . Growing up, my dad always would say that a rancher could never have too many saddles. I thought it might be nice to get him something that he would use and enjoy. The thing that I'm worried about the most is shipping it to him. I figured that the shipping costs have a chance of being astronomical, due to the decker pack saddle size and weight. But I'm worried about it getting damaged during transportation. Is there a way to safely transport a decker pack saddle ? Or is there some kind of insurance that I can buy that guarantees that the decker pack saddle gets there without any damage?

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    1. Hey Taylor... glad you are thinking about your Dad while he is still with us. While my Day was still around I had a George Lawrence saddle shipped to him off Ebay. I think the shipping costs were around $50..., and that saddle was much heavier than a pack saddle. And I wouldn't worry about it getting damaged in shipping..., those saddles are designed to have close to 200 lbs. strapped to them..., not to mention that a goofy horse or mule is liable to lay down..., or fall down..., and roll around on them. Have seen it happen !!!! UPS will box it up for you..., and your Dad will probably be mad when he opens the box and has to deal with all the styrofoam peanuts that they pack..., unnecessarily..., around the pack saddle. Go ahead on 'er partner..., no worries..., but I'll bet your Dad will be tickled..., mine was : )

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  6. Geez.....it's been awhile since I was in the "Saddle Bar"....was wishing the other day I could have a cold one with you there....BUT is that computer screens I see on that beautiful wood burned bar....I tell any and everyone that will listen about the impressive job you did on that bar.....I have to come over and have a beer....hugs...missing you....love you

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    1. Hey Deb..., love and miss you too !!! But we may have to skip the beer and go straight to the Hot Buttered Rums today..., down to 24 above here..., and I am betting that you got some below temps over there in Idaho..., and many hugs to you to help keep you warm !!!

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  7. I Love You!!! Yes it's a "Hot Buttered Rum" kinda day....love that bar....most impressive wood burning project I believe I've seen...wishing you, Julie and Jamie a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year....give the girls a hug for me....Love to all of you....and thank you for the updated pictures....I feel better now...LOL

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    1. Thanks again Deb..., and a very Merry Christmas to you and all the rest of the family and friends over there in Idaho.

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