ROAD TRIP TO BUFFALO: 4F AND MAWNY

This April we packed the car with magic and drove from Arizona to Buffalo, New York, for two conventions back to back: Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic (4F), the original close-up magic convention, and the MAWNY Magic Convention. It’s about 2,275 miles each way, and we made it interesting.

Burrito Power

Sam and Adam running a dirt road through New Mexico grassland

Our first stop out of Arizona was for carne asada burritos. Somewhere in that burrito-fueled haze, Sam had an idea: run 10 miles in every state we drove through. Adam made a more sensible suggestion, using the internationally recognized unit of measurement, and the challenge became 10 kilometers in every state. It started in New Mexico.

Card Tricks and a Giant Tarantula

We stopped with family near Amarillo, Texas. Sam did some card tricks that blew Adam’s family’s minds! Later that night, Adam’s niece overheard part of a conversation she thought she understood and blurted out, “You could get your nipples pierced,” which of course was completely unrelated to anything we were talking about, and the whole room died laughing. A few hours later we were up early to run 6.59 miles on a local Strava segment shaped like a giant tarantula.

Runner in an orange shirt on a dirt trail through tall dry grass near Amarillo, Texas Strava Morning Run map with a route shaped like a giant tarantula
Buc-ee’s storefront in Amarillo, Texas, with the beaver logo

Then it was breakfast at the new Buc-ee’s in Amarillo, our first time ever. It would not be our last. The brisket is absurdly good.

A Blur of Miles

After that, it’s mostly a blur. We got our Oklahoma 10K by running loops around the monument where Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma meet, three states in one very small circle.

Survey plaque marking where Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma meet, remonumented in October 2004 Runner passing the graffiti-covered stone tri-state monument Strava Afternoon Run map of 6.28 miles of tight loops around the tri-state corner

In Indiana, our run turned into a race. We heard the horn first. Then the crossing signals started flashing up ahead, and two tired runners with a few hundred miles still to drive decided they could beat a freight train to the tracks. Legs burning, lungs on fire, we sprinted for the crossing. We’ll let you decide who won.

Sam and Adam running a wooded road in Indiana Tree-lined country road leading to a railroad crossing in Indiana

There wasn’t much sleep. We stopped at exactly one motel the whole way. Another night we spent a few hours at a rest stop near Ohio. It was cold, and the seats wouldn’t recline because the back of the car was packed full of products.

Sam and Adam running loops around a granite obelisk on the Pennsylvania–Ohio state line

Somewhere in Ohio, late at night, the car died, and we sat on the side of the road for a while. Then it started right back up. Our best guess is we were low on fuel, and a long downhill starved the fuel pump. On the Pennsylvania–Ohio state line we found an obelisk marking the border, so of course we ran loops around that too, getting in our 10K for New York.

4F: The Close-Up Convention

Sly Designs dealer table at 4F with Infinity Chalices, card polyhedra and decks on display

At 4F, Sam ran the Sly Designs table in the dealer room, showing the Infinity Chalice, Infinity Link and more to magicians from around the world. 4F is members only, and Adam isn’t a member (and his engineering experience earned him no credibility), so special thanks to Craig Dickson for letting him help set up before things started. After that, Adam had strict instructions not to come in until it was over. This allowed Sam to get some extra rest after the long drive, which was really needed.

Smiling attendee in the 4F dealer room, with the Sly Designs table and a Meir Yedid banner behind FFFF Original Close-Up Magic Convention banner and Tom Gagnon 2026 Guest of Honor posters above a seated audience Infinity Link playing card with a ring linked through it at the 4F dealer table
Laptop on a table by the hotel’s indoor pool, captioned “working”

Highlights included Tom Gagnon as the 2026 Guest of Honor and a moving performance by our friend Joel Gallegos about his love for his children. After Saturday’s wrap-up, Sam spent hours talking magic with his friend and mentor, Meir Yedid. Meanwhile, Adam was “working” too, from the hotel pool, on HTML edits and blog posts.

Fastest Mile

The hotel was next to a running track, so Sam and Adam got in a few runs there. One day, while Sam was catching up on sleep, Adam decided to push the needle and squeezed out a 5:54 mile. Not bad for a middle-aged dad who had stayed up until 2 a.m. watching some of the best close-up magic around in the hotel bar. Sam, we’re all waiting for you to beat that.

MAWNY, on Fumes

MAWNY started the next morning. After nine straight days of almost no sleep, we were running on fumes, and we barely remember the day. It was still worth it.

The Drive Home

A storm chased us from Indiana through Missouri, and in St. Louis a large chunk of an overpass fell onto the highway just ahead of us. After that, the last 1,400 miles felt easy, and we made it home to our mountain workshop.

A huge thank you to the organizers of 4F and MAWNY, and to everyone who stopped by the table. Where should we go next? Tell us your favorite conventions and road-trip stops. The car is ready.