The Zone

[Carlos]

Yeah, you guys been smoking awhile know what I am talking about. When that combination of pipe, tobacco and the moment all come together and you have a superb smoke. One you wish never stops.

I have been hitting that a lot lately. Currently with my Castello 215 Natural Virgen loaded with Hermit Antique Pressed Syrian Cake. Really exceptional tonight.

I cannot understand why someone would have let this pipe go. But lately, I could just as well been smoking my new Crosby, a recent Ruthenberg, an old Wally Frank, and all would have probably hit the Zone. Others too. Must be doing something right. ipe:

 

[Puff Daddy]

I've been fighting to get back into the zone Carlos, and I think it has a lot of external dependancies. For instance, high stress, poor health, bad sleep patterns, eating habits, etc etc. When I hit the zone with pipe and tobacco the P&T components are critical, but these other things can keep it from happening. I've recently been puzzled as to why I can't replicate that zone with guaranteed P&T combos and realized that this, as with all things in life, is cyclical and dependent on other variables in life.

 

[thomas james]

For me, it just happens. Must have something to do with the stars.

It does seem to be unpredictable and not something you can "wire." All you can "do" is regiment good technique.

I recently finished a three year old Stratford that just sang in every pipe,,,,,,,,,bowl after bowl,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,top of the tin to the bottom.

It can, and does, happen with different tobacco types. Several weeks before the Stratford high, it was a tin of aged Blackpoint.

I will say, for me, smoking enjoyment seems cyclical. When I'm "on," everything works; when I'm "off," nothing works. THEN there's the "zone."

Appreciate it when it happens,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don't force it.

 

[Justpipes]

I believe that it has a lot to do with the environment that you are in when you are smoking. Are you able to pay close attention to the pipe and tobacco. Is the environment condusive to giving the experience your undivided attention?

 

[Natch]

I agree with the general thoughts here, that "external" factors; the alignment of the stars, how we're feeling at that moment, have we had our daily constitution, and other such factors may be of eminent importance. I believe that a poor smoking pipe or more importantly a tobacco we don't like would probably never give us a memorable smoke. And we've all probably had the experience of our #1 pipe and our #1 tobacco not producing the #1 smoke we expected.

To me, it's as much what's inside me and going on around me as it is the pipe and tobacco (although a good pipe and good tobacco are a core requirement for those really memorable, wish they would never end, smokes). I remember a similar thread on an old pipe board I used to post on, and the question was "what was the best smoke you've had recently". I stumbled on to it early, and when I checked back a couple of day later I was surprised that several dozen stokers had described the pipe and the tobacco and how good it tasted at that moment, and I described having just come through a very shallow shoal that every other canoe on the river got hung up on and how my old beater ebay special Kirsten with Frog Morton tasted like gold. It was more the place and the moment than the pipe or tobacco.

Just my ramblings.

Natch

 

[Stormcrow]

It happens most often for me when I can just relax after a tough day.