MAL 2013 part 3

Eastern Standard time, you are not my friend. Getting up at 7am in DC means it's 5am for my Mountain Standard time body. But we did it so we could shower and make it to breakfast with the other International Titleholders at 8am. Nick was there, and so was Axel; Luckey and I made four. This was a fantastic time to visit and get better acquainted. In the busyness of the PR job that is titleholding, you may share an honor with several others, but not really know them. That's why this meal was important. So we started off Sunday with a couple of fantastic men, just getting to know each other and building the bonds of friendship.
Then it was naptime - these long days were catching up with me and Luckey. Robert had to leave and catch a plane when we got up, so the two of us crashed for an hour until it was my time to head back to CJ's to help out at 11. The Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather title contest started at 1,so Luckey got a longer nap than I did. We headed into the ballroom for the contest and settled in for the next few hours. The Centaur Motorcycle Club hosts the weekend, and this is the annual installation of new officers. They are a dedicated group of men, working hard to put on a large annual event. They have my thanks for all their efforts. There were only three contestants this year for the title, and I was a little surprised at the number - in the past there have been eight or more contestants. But that didn't mean the judges had an easy job. All three men had an excellent stage presence and handled themselves well. Ultimately, the title was awarded to Bryce Caine, and then it was time for lots of pictures.
The vendor mart closed at 5, and it was time to get back to work. A small team of dedicated workers disassembled the CJ's Leather booth and packed it for load-out. We were the first ones out to the loading dock. Ultimately, the truck was loaded and locked at 6:15 and we all breathed a sigh of relief. In the meantime, while we were waiting for Carlos to bring the truck from the parking lot, we pitched in and helped pack up the neighboring shop, Le Chateau Exotique, in record time as well.
8pm brought us to the DC Coast with friends. We enjoyed the evening's meal, but the richness upset Luckey's stomach a bit, so he headed back to the hotel early. We closed out the restaurant, chatting with the staff and celebrating friendships old and new. While the host hotel was emptying out, there was still a lot of cruising to be found. I found my bed and crashed with Luckey and that was a night.