When I was in Ecuador with Caedmon’s Call in 2004…
…brief aside: the online journal I wrote up for my trip to Ecuador with Caedmon’s got lost among the shuffle on the interwebs, but I plan on reposting those short entries here some point soon…
…anyway, when I was in Ecuador with CC in 2004 I had a great time. We saw lots of amazing things, and I came home with great stories and better friendships. I also came home with lots of random memories that will pop into my head now and again for no reason.
I thought of one of them yesterday when I got a package in the mail. The package was a gift from a friend in upstate NY. I had recently helped him out with a contest he was in, and in return he bought me a new Red Sox hat, which was mighty nice of him – Thanks Dan!
So last night I did what I always do with new baseball caps. I took a shower with it on.
I remember hanging out at one of the photo shoots in Ecuador and Cliff asked to see my hat (also a Red Sox hat). He checked out the curve on the brim, the perfect form on the crown, and remarked “this is a nice hat”. Coming from Cliff – a serial hat wearer – it was a nice compliment. But I already knew it was a nice hat, and I told him that. I take great pride in my baseball caps; I always have. Every new hat I’ve bought (or received) over the past 10 years has undergone the same indoctrination into my collection. Every hat gets worn in the shower, and then i keep a towel on my head for a good hour or so to help the crown form to my head while it dries. Another part of this tradition is that Erica looks at me and laughs at what an idiot I am.
Whether or not this actually does anything for the hat, I can’t say. But it’s a rite of passage for my hats, so I do it anyway. And so yesterday I welcomed a new cap into my life. A faded navy red sox fitted cap with a silver ‘B’ on the front and a silver sox logo on the back. A hat that, without question, would earn the approval of Mr. Cliff Young.
Thanks again for the hat Dan, it’s a keeper!
Posted by Bryan AllainTags: Baseball Caps, Red Sox
You’re weird, but I think this just might be a good way to get a good curve on the brim.
Do you try to get the edge of the brim busted like I do?
Yeah, i’m definitely weird. the curve on the brim can definitely benefit from this, but in most hats these days the curve is already in there. some hats just have too much material in the crown and unless you can get it to form in a nice tight dome on your skull, it won’t keep a good shape. i’ve never purposely busted my brim, but i’ve had some that have frayed and i definitely liked it.
and don’t get me started on the hats with the support lining in the two front panels. every cheap replica hat i’ve ever had for my softball team has this, and it MUST be cut out. it’s a tough process because the thick white material is glued to the inside of the hat. but with a good pair of scissors and some patience,you can get it all out.
Interesting idea. I wear only official hats. None of those crazy variations for me, thanks. I’ve found that I really like the batting practice hats. They fit my big head pretty well, and you don’t see them every day, so they stand out a little. Plus, they’re a bit cooler than the official game hats.
I’ll have to try this next time i get one of the wool hats. The curve on the bill for the batting practice hats is just about right for me, but I’ve always struggled to break in the official hats.
Yeah, not sure why I dig the unofficial hats so much. I guess I just like the variety. I’m not a fan of the BP hats though, because of that piping on the side of the hat. And I don’t know if I’ve ever tried the shower technique with a wool hat. i need a fabric expert to chime in on that one. Wouldnt want you to ruin a nice Yankees hat. Wait, yes I would.
Yeah, the crown is what always angers me about hats—and I have a big dome. I like the BP hats, too, although I don’t love the piping.
And Ron, how about you take a dump in that Yankees hat … that’ll make it perfect.
I guess right fitting lids is an Allain family fettish.However,i’ve never worn one in the the shower to break it in.My M.O.is to thoroughly soak the hat,and then i jam a towel into it so that its nice and round(like my dome)with no creases.Then i place an elastic across the bill to put the perfect curve into it(a.k.a. gur not sure where i picked that one up ?)and then i place it outside to dry in the sun.They say that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree !!!
PEACE
hey Bry:
just a little piece of minutia for you.The white lining that you cut out of the two front panels of your lids is called “buckram”.they also use this material in book binding.You learn something new every day if you pay attention !
PEACE
wow, nice info dad. no idea that was called the buckram. i guess that’s where i get my appreciation for a perfect fitting hat from. like father, like son.
Glad you like the hat Bryan…Erica actually did the picking (she said if she likes it, you would too).
Yeah, very happy with the hat. She picked a good one, and I’m thankful for the gift.