it's a little of everything...first is the cooking and the adventure of what can go right and wrong.....different venues...different challenges. Great promoter...bad promoter....wheres the power? wheres the ice? Are they ever gonna come get the trash? Or like this week first time organizers just packed us three deep with no isles....It looked more like a disaster relief camp that a bbq contest....The worst layout ever for us....
Its the friday night dinner and depending on which friends are cooking or live nearby....the fun of creating totally meals outside
Then it's hard work that has to be coordinated to a timeline.....
Then its the fun with your team mates.....
Its the lack of sleep
Its the serious pals you get to know out there.....The kind of group where if something goes wrong of you forget something you can ask a fellow competitor and they always say yes.....The kind where everybody knows who the weasels are and the guys really do root for each other.
Then its the silence and self critique during the long wait before awards. Usually you are totally wrong with your feelings about the cook...what you think was great the judges usually dont and vice versa. This week I thought our chicken was perfect except for one big thing...expected to get killed on that Thought our ribs were prefect in texture and appearance and maybe a tad spicy but thought probably top 5...got 12th...I felt that someone would have had to cook a really reallly good butt and brisket to beat us and the judges agreed.... with two firsts. A fifth overall can be very close to a first....a fifth overall can be a gift if you stumbled through a cook and this week with two category firsts a fifth feels just ok.....actually remorseful and crummy.
BP you pretty much nailed it. Lots of challenges, friends, and good old fun where you cheer on your friends.
I get just as excited seeing your calls as I do mine!! We'll see you in a few weeks!