The cost of getting started

Hey all - I have a coupla comments here...hopefully they will help.

COOKERS - I have seen teams win with just one or maybe two cookers, and they aren't very big. We have a Backwoods Party (relatively small) which fits everything nicely depending on what we cook (all 4 KCBS) and a 22 Weber kettle. Also, I have seen teams win with a couple of WSM's.

HAULING - we fit everything, including teammates or our two kids, into our F150. This is a giant puzzle, but once you do a few it gets so that you remember where things fit the best. Definitely cuts down on trailer rental fees, we only rent a trailer for the long LONG hauls.

WASH BINS - recently an EXPERIENCED buddy of mine said to get a tub that will fit the shortest side of your largest cutting board. This was wise advice. Nothing is worse than trying to wash a nasty greasy board with not a lot of it in the soap.

HOT WATER - we use a 30 cup coffee pot, you can usually get them at your local Salvation Army, or spend all the money and buy a new one from Wal-Mart. The tap (?) can be opened, and stays open, which a lot of BoH dudes are looking for lately.

SLEEPING - WHO SLEEPS? just kidding -when we are packing as lightly as possible, we put our air mattress under our EZ-UP. Sometimes we don't even put the sides on it....I like to let everyone listen to us snoring, and then they get to come by and see who is doing all the snoring. That way y'all will have something to do while staying up all night watching your offsets....heheh. Plus, no one is going to come near your stuff if you are right there.

BINS - I wrote (with a Sharpie) on each Rubbermaid bin what was in it, 'paper and storage', 'trash bags and cooking utensils', 'FIRST AID and cleaning supplies', etc. That way, so I thought, everyone would know where everything was, instead of asking me all the time. Funny...it just started to work and we are in our fourth year. Now we make sure that when we are loading up, everything goes into the correct bins. It makes unloading at the house, and restocking for the next one, that much easier.

I guess that is it....just wanted to help with some ideas that have helped us.

Best of Luck out there! I hope I see ya!

lunchlady
 
Doorbusters said:
p.s. aint my Bandera trailer cute?????
Click to expand...

Actually I have a 'logistics' question about that as I have contemplated similar notions. Those wheels can't be bigger than 12", and they may in fact be as small as 8" - I need to look closer. Do you tow that on the highway to competitions, or just locally around town? (Your 17" truck wheels traveling at 75mph would translate to a real high wheel speed for those little ones. How are they holding up?)
 
Quite well

I just put new wheels and rims on her in January. They are indeed 12", and I make that thing as heavy as I can get it. Charcoal in the box, wood etc, and coolers behind. Holds 2 coolers perfect. I have hauled it to one comp. 320 miles each way. Does great at 75 mph. I did however put in new bearings, and grease before hand. I bought it while living in Virginia for $25, title and all. $30 for the expanded metal floor, (scraps from the steel plant) and $18 for the "fence". Another $19 for the lights, and $20 for the Bulldog.
I love it..




G$ said:
Actually I have a 'logistics' question about that as I have contemplated similar notions. Those wheels can't be bigger than 12", and they may in fact be as small as 8" - I need to look closer. Do you tow that on the highway to competitions, or just locally around town? (Your 17" truck wheels traveling at 75mph would translate to a real high wheel speed for those little ones. How are they holding up?)
Click to expand...
 
Jorge said:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16326&highlight=trailer
Click to expand...


Thanks Jorge,

I must have missed that thread. It gives me some ideas for our trailer. It will be ready in mid September.


trailer.jpg
 
voodoobbqIL said:
Jeff, believe me I understand and there still are things I bring to make me comfortable, but I treat it like I do any other event I travel for. I bring my Craftsmen tool bag and my Ipod for the long night but other than that it is all BBQ stuff. As for the clothes I bring a change of threads but I triple up on socks, and underwear. And the thing that I never leave home without (not my AMEX) but the Gold Bond powder...
Click to expand...

Yes sir love the gold bond, this is a life saver. gotta have it.
 
I guess I'm lucky because I have a four person team and lots of friends.

I borrow tables from the church. They don't mind as long as I have them back for Sunday.

Everybody on the team will bring a cooler.

One of my buddies let's me use his 12x12 EZ-UP and my MIL has a screen side tent that we use.

Everybody brings their own chairs.

This contest we will use my barrel smoker, a WSM and a kettle.

One member already has wash tubs

Each of us has thermometers and utensils

We have tubs, cutting boards and containers for seasoning meat.

So our real expenses are fees, meat, seasonings, food/drinks and gas.

You don't HAVE to go big to have fun!
 
Jeff_in_KC said:
Guy, how you planing to set that big 'ol Spicewine down outta there?
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I have a ramp door and I will cook ala Smokin Cracker. I have jucks to level out the ramp door and provide support. All I will have to do is roll that bad boy our on the ramp. Our trailer will be a true mobile kitcher with 8' prep, frig, 3 tub sink with drainboards and hot and cold water 75 gallon gray water storage.
 
lunchlady said:
HOT WATER - we use a 30 cup coffee pot, you can usually get them at your local Salvation Army, or spend all the money and buy a new one from Wal-Mart. The tap (?) can be opened, and stays open, which a lot of BoH dudes are looking for lately.
Click to expand...

I like this idea. Gonna stop by the salvation army real soon!
 
no kidding, look at ol jeff in kc ... just getting stared, brings a tear to the eye.
 
I remember my first contest. I remember begging the wife to let me buy some stuff.

If you ever think about it, how much do you have invested in materials alone. I am talking the utensils and cookers. It has a mazed me. I told my wife that I thoguht I was going to retire from bbq and she said - NO WAY - we have too much invested.

I gues my ROI would be at 10 years with a 10% return?
 
It would probably be better for new teams to talk about the minimum amount of stuff needed to get started. Most of this thread seems to be about becoming a farily high end team...though it is interesting to see that in a matter of 2 years it has gone from lots of folks sleeping in vans(down by the river) to many more RVs and toy haulers.

I drug my stuff outta the back yard to cook dillard as our first contest and managed a couple of calls. 1 WSM, 1 Kettle, and 1 Silver Smoker. We slept in tents and had 1 EZ up. We have upgraded a little but not much.

Certainly if you already are smoking food at your house you could probably add 1-2 items and be ready to cook a comp. Everything that I have purchased as been in an effort to make it easier and more consistent. Like adding another WSM or a second EZ up. Next on the list is a larger cooker to be able to cook everything on the same cooker to just make it one less thing to worry about.
 
Great thread, thanks for the bump...and all the info-I just need to make sure the empress doesn't see this. She'd put the kabosh on it faster than a pair of brittney spears underwear flying off!
 
I suppose I can chime in about what was needed for our first comp, overall we went pretty basic. I think the only thing I brought that we didn't use was a salad spinner and fire extinguisher (thankfully), the greens wound up getting pat down with paper towels as to not damage them.

I wound up renting a utility van to haul everything, but I plan on purchasing a Rav 4 pretty soon, I think with some care I can pack everything in there.

For the most part this is what we brought:

3 tables (could have used more)
ez-up
2 wsms
1 kettle
1 SJP
4 coolers (could have used more)
3 bus tubs , 1 bucket for hand wash
paper goods...
food for both us and comp
cutting boards, therms, knives, etc.
spices, rubs, sauce
aluminum pans
fuel, wood, etc

I bought a plastic storage container with a tight locking lid to store most of this for transport. I'm going to need a second one of those.

I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out but that's mot of the bigger stuff that was needed. I was pretty satisfied with what was brought, little needed to be purchased afterwards, some more latex gloves and a couple of desk lights for night time.

Next time around I'm going to bring in addition to everything already on the "list" another table and probably another cooler, snack table, and pillow.
 
don't forget your electric blanket! well worth the investment!
 
If Jeremiah can fit all that in a Rav-4, I'm selling my CRV!
Now is the time to start scouring craigslist, E-bay or your local BBQ Assn. website for "stuff" to use next season. This was my learning season, and other than a Caravan canopy from Costco and a folding table, I was fortunate enough to have or find locally everything I needed. In fact I have too much crap! I built 3 UDS's and had a WSM to compete with and at my first comp I didn't even fire the WSM up! Next season will be different, most likely all WSM's. Someone mentioned the timing, and that is something I'm working on, took a couple classes and did a dry run and noticed how much excess crap I lugged around and never used. Found a cooking partner to share responsibilities that is as excited as I am for the upcoming season. I'm chomping at the bit!!
 
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