NRAAM - Louisville Day 1

[NoBanStan]

Holy mother of security Batman. I think they had the entire police force here. Spotter teams on the roof, helicopters in flight... it looked like we were crossing a military checkpoint! Don't read that like I mind, I'm totally ok with LE being there, it was just surprising to see so many after Nashville being so light on security. There were even some uniformed military.

Big K and I rolled in around 11am and as we pulled into one of the gates there was a massive wreck behind us. An LEO guy standing by two National Guardsmen jumped into his cruiser and while the Guardsmen jumped in with him, the LEO promptly ran over the foot of one.

The show was pretty good, alot of the same from last year with the exception of pitful schwag. Last year I had a backpack full in about 2 hours. Not much to be snagged this year. But, we got there late. Perhaps tomorrow when we arrive before opening. We'll see.

[btq96r]

7 minutes ago, NoBanStan said:

...it was just surprising to see so many after Nashville being so light on security. There were even some uniformed military

Trump was speaking at the leadership forum there today.  Probably explains all the security. 

[Oh Shoot]

14 minutes ago, btq96r said:

Trump was speaking at the leadership forum there today.  Probably explains all the security. 

And not just Trump. Trey Gowdy, Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Sessions, etc.

- OS

[Trekbike]

2 hours ago, NoBanStan said:

Holy mother of security Batman. I think they had the entire police force here. Spotter teams on the roof, helicopters in flight... it looked like we were crossing a military checkpoint! Don't read that like I mind, I'm totally ok with LE being there, it was just surprising to see so many after Nashville being so light on security. There were even some uniformed military.

Big K and I rolled in around 11am and as we pulled into one of the gates there was a massive wreck behind us. An LEO guy standing by two National Guardsmen jumped into his cruiser and while the Guardsmen jumped in with him, the LEO promptly ran over the foot of one.

The show was pretty good, alot of the same from last year with the exception of pitful schwag. Last year I had a backpack full in about 2 hours. Not much to be snagged this year. But, we got there late. Perhaps tomorrow when we arrive before opening. We'll see.

Did you carry?   If so, did you have any issues?

[BigK]

21 minutes ago, Trekbike said:

Did you carry?   If so, did you have any issues?

 

Absolutely no issues carrying. No searches, not even a second look.

[DWARREN123]

Going to try tomorrow, hope it goes well!

[NoBanStan]

46 minutes ago, Trekbike said:

Did you carry?   If so, did you have any issues?

Like BigK said, no issues at all. Not even backpack checks.

[NoBanStan]

23 minutes ago, DWARREN123 said:

Going to try tomorrow, hope it goes well!

Get there early early. Seems most of the vendors ran through their day 1 schwag supply before lunch. We were told a few times to "come back tomorrow right at opening".

[Mindless-Focus]

I saw silhouettes on all the roofs. It was crazy. 

Getting around downtown sucks. Lots of one ways and construction.

Anyone going to the Firearm Radio Network Meet Up or Ultimate Gun Guy Q&A/Meet Up? I was because both were advertised as "walking distance." Walking distance my booty

[Sidecarist]

10 hours ago, BigK said:

Absolutely no issues carrying. No searches, not even a second look.

Interesting example of the good guys aren't the problem so they weren't worried about them. Sounds like it might have been the hardest civilian target in the USA.

I doubt anyone will report that thousands of legal pistol carrying citizens show up hung out for the day and that no one got shot...

[BigK]

18 hours ago, Mindless-Focus said:

...I was because both were advertised as "walking distance." Walking distance my booty

 

Speaking of walking distance...our hotel is in some kind of weird space-time warp...it's about 3/4 of a mile to walk to the convention, but feels more like 5 miles back.

[NoBanStan]

If you're still around, we just ate at a place called Burger Boy, excellent burger and fries. The staff was pretty cool despite the Bernie stickers, etc.

Big K noticed that they quietly pointed out my AR-15 shirt. Pretty funny.

[Mindless-Focus]

We were talking about that but went to a place called Gordon Biersch. It's a pub/grill and very highly recommended. Get the Golden Export Beer too. Recommended. 

[monkeylizard]

We bailed early. We planned to stay all weekend, but I've been home since about 4:30 today. As was said above, mostly the same stuff as last year. 2 days was enough...Well, a day and a half with all that %$#*&^$$#$#%$#^^)#!@ Traffic!

Overall, I was thoroughly unimpressed.

1. While it's large enough, the KEC is not particularly nice, at least not the South Wing where the exhibit hall was held. Especially when compared to the Music City Center. The main concourses made me feel like I should be trying to get tickets to a RATT concert, circa 1988.
2. Whichever retarded monkey humper thought that a two-lane street is enough to funnel traffic off of a 6-lane Interstate into a facility that can handle north of 100,000 people and co-located with a theme park should be forced to have Caster slam his nuts in a car door....repeatedly.....until Caster decides he'd rather go to Atlanta....which could be a while.
3. Parking at KEC is NOT capable of handling an event that large. I was forced to park in the grass on Friday, but was fortunate enough to get out (4:30'ish) just before the mass exodus began and the grass turned into a mud hole. Tow truck drivers were busy for many hours getting people out.
4. There's NOTHING nearby the KEC. Even the neighboring hotels aren't particularly walkable.
5. Finally, Louisville as a city is kind of boring. There's not a lot downtown, and areas like Bardstown Rd. with good restaurants and bars are so spread out that you have to drive from place to place....where you can't find parking.

Several folks at our hotel and more than a few vendors said many of the same things. Nashville was exceedingly better than this one.

I hope this is the last one in Louisville. I can promise you it was mine.

 

 

[NoBanStan]

40 minutes ago, monkeylizard said:

We bailed early. We planned to stay all weekend, but I've been home since about 4:30 today. As was said above, mostly the same stuff as last year. 2 days was enough...Well, a day and a half with all that %$#*&^$$#$#%$#^^)#!@ Traffic!

Overall, I was thoroughly unimpressed.

1. While it's large enough, the KEC is not particularly nice, at least not the South Wing where the exhibit hall was held. Especially when compared to the Music City Center. The main concourses made me feel like I should be trying to get tickets to a RATT concert, circa 1988.
2. Whichever retarded monkey humper thought that a two-lane street is enough to funnel traffic off of a 6-lane Interstate into a facility that can handle north of 100,000 people and co-located with a theme park should be forced to have Caster slam his nuts in a car door....repeatedly.....until Caster decides he'd rather go to Atlanta....which could be a while.
3. Parking at KEC is NOT capable of handling an event that large. I was forced to park in the grass on Friday, but was fortunate enough to get out (4:30'ish) just before the mass exodus began and the grass turned into a mud hole. Tow truck drivers were busy for many hours getting people out.
4. There's NOTHING nearby the KEC. Even the neighboring hotels aren't particularly walkable.
5. Finally, Louisville as a city is kind of boring. There's not a lot downtown, and areas like Bardstown Rd. with good restaurants and bars are so spread out that you have to drive from place to place....where you can't find parking.

Several folks at our hotel and more than a few vendors said many of the same things. Nashville was exceedingly better than this one.

I hope this is the last one in Louisville. I can promise you it was mine.

 

 

I agree.

I would also like to add that there were a TON of choices for food and places to sit in Nashville. We had a huge outdoor area! We were lucky to even get a seat to eat the overpriced slop.

We're close enough walk but decided to take a cab in today since it was raining. Damn cabby asked if he could run to the bathroom and left the meter running! Then when we called him on it he commented "oh, you want me to reset it?" We were at almost $5 and hadn't moved.

[BigK]

6 hours ago, NoBanStan said:

I agree.

I would also like to add that there were a TON of choices for food and places to sit in Nashville. We had a huge outdoor area! We were lucky to even get a seat to eat the overpriced slop.

We're close enough walk but decided to take a cab in today since it was raining. Damn cabby asked if he could run to the bathroom and left the meter running! Then when we called him on it he commented "oh, you want me to reset it?" We were at almost $5 and hadn't moved.

2

Yeah, that was hilarious...he actually expected us to pay him to go drop a deuce. Then we got stopped in a long line of cabs making their way to the taxi stand, so we asked to just pay him and walk the rest of the way. He insinuated that we shouldn't get out yet, so we rode the remaining 1000 feet. With the congestion near the building, that  cost a little over a dollar more on the meter, which naturally came out of his tip.

[hlb14]

We had a good time, but agreed with everything monkeylizard said. Traffic and parking sucked. Hopefully atlanta will be better. 

[TGO David]

I am not super-excited about Atlanta next year and may skip the NRAAM in 2017 in exchange for going to SHOT.  Having the NRAAM in Nashville last year spoiled me, to be honest.  I think we have a far superior venue to the Kentucky Center in Louisville and our traffic isn't near as terrible, nor our downtown residents near as ghetto, as Atlanta.  Yet.

 

[Mindless-Focus]

Tactical Raptor was Tacticool. 

 

 

[hlb14]

^ when we passed their booth on Friday more people were taking selfies with the dino than were in line to get Larry vickers autograph 

[monkeylizard]

5 hours ago, TGO David said:

I am not super-excited about Atlanta next year and may skip the NRAAM in 2017

Ditto. My fellow travelers have already cancelled their Atlanta hotels. I'll keep mine for now, but will probably cancel it as well. Skipping 2017 and 2018 (Dallas) may make me want to go to 2019 in Indianapolis.

[Mindless-Focus]

I'm hitting 2018, but should have a  4 month old by 2017's show. Plus, being ATL, I'll skip for that alone. 

[bud]

.

Edited June 18, 2016 by bud

[Mindless-Focus]

I concur

[TGO David]

^ when we passed their booth on Friday more people were taking selfies with the dino than were in line to get Larry vickers autograph 

As it should be. I'm not dismissing LAV's service or expertise but I am dismissing his disciples and nut-swingers.

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