Good to meet ya in Dubuque

[monty3777]

This is just a quick note to all of you I met in DBQ. Wow, I'm still recovering from that comp. I had no idea how tired (and broke!) I'd be. I hope to see you all again!

[Pork Barrel Project]

And it was good to meet you as well.

If we told every first-timer how tired and sore and wrung out (and broke) they'd be after their first contest, they'd either not believe us and press on regardless or take the warnings to heart and schedule tee times (or root canal surgey without pain killers) during the contests instead.

I know you had hopes for placing higher (we all do) but I have to pat you on the back. You did everything right for a first-time contestant.

First of all, and most importantly, you rolled up your sleeves, got dirty, and joined the fray as a contestant. A lot of people don't have the nerve to take that step.

It's easy for a person to sit on his or her duff at home, read a forum or two, and claim to make great barbecue.

But, it's a much different matter to put your entry fee and time and efforts and pride on the line and actually take part in a competition. Appealing to 24 anonymous judges is much tougher than satisfying family and friends.

Making great food is much tougher when variables like the weather, a lack of the usual creature comforts of home, the long hours, cooking in a portable kitchen in a temporary location, and the hard deadlines for submitting your entries are factored in.

You also turned in all your entries on time, did not commit any rules violations, kept smiling and had a positive outlook the whole time, and mabye you even had a little fun along the way.

All those are accomplishments to be rightly proud of.

Keep practicing with getting that new pit tuned and dialed in and I look forward to catching up with you at another contest soon.

Ken

[Ron_L]

Nicely put, Ken! Did we have a chance to meet?

Nate, it was nice to meet you as well. Want to hear some good news? Now that you've been through it all once, it really does get easier When AMy and I made it home on Sunday night we took the perishables into the house and locked up the trailer. On Monday we emptied the trailer, gave it a good cleaning, restocked everything and we were done in about an hour. We both commented on how much faster it all went this time compared to our first competition. You'll develop a system and improve it everytime you venture out.

[ModelMaker]

It was good to meat all the new faces also. That's why I got into this is to meet some new people and I must say that every new group I stop and introduce myself to seem to want to make new freinds also.
Nice bunch of folks
Thanks.
ModelMaker