The Tucson trip is all of this and more. There is always this feeling that I will "miss something" if I don't go. Even though what I get to experience is one tiny corner of the whole.

Yes! Seeing "bead buddies" that one doesn't see at any other time or place, resulting in contacts made here on BCN, for example, is a huge part of this. Most of us don't get to interact in person with other bead folk much in day to day life.