Last time I gave you five things to do at the Great American Outdoor Show. It was a great time and while one day was fun and exhausting enough, I discovered that it wasn’t “actually” enough. I spent a second day there. With 650,000 square feet of show space, “enough” is not really a thing. So here are five MORE things to do at GAOS (that you can’t do in Vegas). Yes, I had fun and you should too!
1. See a 3D target archery competition.
I’m not sure what the criteria were to sign up for this, but it looked like fun! It was set up in the horse barn area (I think?) so there was plenty of room. They had 3-D targets representing just about any game animal you could think of, set up both near and far. Some of the targets were even for sale. I loved the sound of the “thwack” as the arrows struck their targets. Afterwards, I checked out the archery product section, which was huge, and I also discovered that my own Ten Point Crossbow model has been discontinued. Does that mean that I need to go shopping for an upgrade? We shall see.
2. Buy spices from a guy wearing fluorescent deer antlers.
This was definitely a double-take moment. The hat alone warranted a stop at his booth. The spice array from this family owned company was mind-boggling. Only partly to reward his attention-getting hat, I purchased some “Chesapeake Bay” seasoning since Lent is coming up and I will surely be making crab cakes. Give his link a look if you are into interesting spice mixes. Major Flavor Seasonings.
3. Watch lumberjacks chopping wood.
The GAOS was the site of the Pennsylvania Lumberjack Championships and though none of the guys looked like Paul Bunyan and I didn’t see a blue ox, I got to watch some real hard-hitters at work. I don’t think there is much wood cutting in Vegas, although I hear that axe throwing can be a thing.
4. Buy beef brisket jerky and bacon brittle from a young Amish/Mennonite guy.
Yes, bacon brittle – candy that has bacon in it! What’s not to love? I am not a fan of super hot stuff myself, but he offered an incentive for brave souls. If you could eat an entire (2.5 oz) package of their “Armageddon” hot jerky in five minutes without taking anything to drink, you’d get 25% off your purchase. The fellow told me that a few tried and succeeded, but a few also bitterly regretted their decision. I stuck with the original flavor, myself. This was a friendly, energetic fellow, and a good salesman! Their business ships to anywhere in the U.S. so give them a try! Gourmet Meat Express.
5. Sit in a rocking chair under the cows.
To avoid some of the crowds, the Farm Show Complex offered a “short-cut” up through the second floor, which I availed myself of a few times. But not many people used it. That meant it was quieter, cooler, and nobody was using the rocking chairs in the atrium. Ahhhh, so I rested my tired dawgs under the cow mural. Putting ten miles of concrete show floor under my feet in two days made this a blissful experience. You should try it. I’ve never seen a rocking chair in Vegas, but they sure could use some in the press room!
So that completes my list of the best things I did at the Great American Outdoor Show. My overall impression of the GAOS? Two thumbs up, would definitely go again.
