I TRIED to post this to the Brethren yesterday on my iPhone from the airport but it screwed up and it takes forever to type much more than a sentence or two on that thing so I'll try again now that I'm home...
I have many people to whom I owe a HUGE thank you for making it possible for me to be at the Wild West Showdown! Neil (Mista) for loaning me his Spicewine to cook on, along with a couple of tables. Steph (BBS) for loaning me various equipment that I could not get to California by other means (coffee pot, bus tubs, tables, cooler, chair, etc) and making sure I had sauces, cutting boards and pecan. Dennis (4 Smokin Butts) who had his driver stop in Missouri and pick up a bunch of my stuff and carry it on out to California with Dennis's rig AND for letting me use an extra canopy, a table and various tools I needed! AND for transporting all my stuff and trophies back to Missouri! Dave and Lori Lopp (Ribs Are Rockin BBQ Team and KCBS reps) who brought me a tent, air mattress, sleeping bag and a space heater). Then all of you who offered to help and who stopped by to introduce yourselves and see if I was doing alright or needed anything! You all made me feel very welcomed in California! Finally, and maybe most importantly... had it been necessary to pay $800 round trip on Southwest Airlines (which is what it showed after we won Demopolis and decided to go to CA), the plan would have been dead in the water right there... but my buddy Stan came to the rescue and gave up not one but TWO of his free credits on Southwest so that I could fly in and it only cost like $57 for the round trip! Thanks Stan!!
I'm so very grateful for all of you folks! Ultimately, we only held our TOY ground and came out no worse (except for chicken but that's another story) but at least I was able to be there and give it my best shot, thanks to all of you! Many thanks and our sincere appreciation!