Kelly Says

In our ongoing efforts to promote the Lone Star Barbecue Society, as well as Texas Barbecue in general, Harvey, Jean, Kim and I took a little trip recently.

We figured that the best way to promote LSBS was to be around other cooks and another very successful sanctioning body. We decided that we should attend their championship event. So off we went to Terlingua for CASI’s (Chili Appreciation Society International) TICC (Terlingua International Chili Championship).

Kim and I met Harvey and Jean in Alpine. After some last minute shopping, we set out for Terlingua. It’s about 80 miles of 2 lane road, thru the Davis Mountains, to Study Butte – a small village with very expensive fuel. At that point, we headed west on the last leg of our trip – 7 miles to the cookoff site. It was at this point that Harvey, Jean and Kim all thought I had lost my mind. I have been to TICC before, but none of them have. When we drove past the World Chili Championship, they were all sure that I was lost.

I should mention at this point that there are 2 major chili cookoffs on the same weekend just a few miles apart. I can’t answer why, I just know that we were going to the second one.

Just when everybody was ready to give up, we came to the top of a hill that afforded us a view of PART of the cookoff site. We saw approximately 63,000 motorhomes, travel trailers, tents, teepees and various other accommodations. When I say approximately 63,000, I may be a little on the high side – but there were a bunch of them – and it was just Wednesday!

We paid our fee at the gate, pulled to the side of the road and decided to walk around to look for a good place to park. Just as we got out of our rigs, a friend from San Angelo caught us and told us to FOLLOW HER! For those of you who know Sammie Plant, I’m sure you can hear her yelling that.

 We followed Sammie down the hill, then up the hill, then around the bend, then to the San Angelo Cookers Association’s compound. Many thanks go to Rueben, Kim, Sammie, Bruce and all the other SACA folks who helped us get set up and let us stay in their camp all week.

After getting everything set up, Harvey and I went to check the place out. We were sure that there were people there that needed our guidance and wisdom. We soon discovered that the first thing you need to do before going to Terlingua is to secure some sort of weekend transportation. It is a huge site

 and we were a looooong way from the pavilion. Thanks again to Rueben and Sammie, we soon found ourselves in a golf cart to patrol in. Not a lot went on Wednesday night, but we were able to get our bearings, and we met some good folks, as well as reacquainting ourselves with some old friends.

Thursday morning rolled around, and so did breakfast. The SACA Pod was cooking for charter members of Krazy Flats and they were kind enough to invite us as well. Harvey couldn’t just stand around and watch, so he jumped in to help cook.

Bloody Mary’s and breakfast – that’s how we were introduced to Krazy Flats. The saloon

was within stumbling distance of our camp, and it made a great reference point for people to find us.

Krazy Flats is the area along the edge of the cookoff site where no parent should ever allow a child to go.

There is a constant parade, starting Wednesday or Thursday, of jeeps, golf carts, 4 wheelers, lawn tractors and modes of transportation most of us would never dream of.

 Harvey and I made every effort to put a stop to all the debauchery, but we were unsuccessful. We only took pictures to preserve the evidence for a later date.

Kim and I did attempt to register for the bean competition, but we had to go back to register on Friday – all the traffic put us behind schedule.

We started cooking beans early Friday – lots of people told us it was nearly impossible to cook pintos at that altitude. We both had ours cooked early, and didn’t have any trouble getting them soft. We turned in at noon, along with 181 others. We didn’t place with either entry, but we had a bunch of tough competition. Right after turn-in, we went to an ice cream social put on by the members of the Black Gold Chili Pod. They serve homemade ice cream and deserts to all the other cookers who want to drop by, as well as any other visitors. Kim cooked a great apple something. (we are Black Gold members), and we all had a nice visit.

Harvey, Jean, Kim and I all went to the old Ghost Town and explored the Terlingua area that afternoon. Harvey says he’s going to buy some land down there, and he may need a partner on the deal – Jean said she didn’t want in on it!

Later Friday evening, after a fine steak meal cooked on the Weber, Harvey and I again went to attempt to break up the party. Fortunately, we had no luck. We finally threw beads at all the girls so they would let us go home.

Saturday is the big day at TICC. Around 9:00 the air starts to fill with the smells of chili cooking. We went to the cooking area to look around, and it is different than any cookoff experience that I’ve ever had. All the cooks are given a 10’x10’ spot to cook in, with the showmanship teams set up around the area. There were 332 chili’s turned in, and a carnival-like atmosphere in the show area. Chili samples are available everywhere, and the public is encouraged to watch and participate in the showmanship. This part of the cookoff is very family-friendly and a lot of fun.

Harvey signed up to be a chili judge. We were prepared to revive him when it was over, but he seemed to be O.K. I have to remember that these are all good chili cooks to get invited to cook here.

As the chili judging was going on, something strange was going on behind our camp; or, as Kim would put it, right outside our back door. (it was at least 20 feet away).

Several people were behind our camper setting up some kind of stage. I’m not familiar with what was happening, but somebody mentioned wet t-shirts. I was a cotton farmer in a past life, and most t-shirts are made of cotton, so I had an interest in this event. It’s hard to describe my disappointment when I found that there were no t-shirts at this event, and VERY LITTLE wet clothing of any kind. For any interested parties, Harvey was able to snap a picture or two, and I have a small amount (45 minutes) of video (as reference material only). I’m not sure who I need to talk to about the false advertising issue.

 XXX

We gave up on putting an end to the wet t-shirt contest. We tried for well over an hour to get the group to break up. When it was all over, there was a great deal of applause for Harvey and me, though.

We decided that traveling around the site was pointless – we would wait for them to come to us. We drew up our lawn chairs and waited. Before long they started to come by our camp. Once again our guidance was ignored by the young, beautiful women – and we had to throw their attention away from us by tossing plastic beads at them.

We started loading some of our things late Saturday night, and Kim and I did the un-heard-of on Sunday morning – we were loaded and on the road before Harvey and Jean. WE NEVER LEAVE BEFORE THEM! (We had to move before they could get their motorhome out).

It was a good trip as far as I’m concerned. We did learn a few things too.

          1- Sometimes Kelly knows what he’s talking about

2-Chili cooks are good people, just like barbecue cooks

3- Nearly everybody can benefit from guidance from Harvey and Kelly

4-If you go to Terlingua, take beads with you. They are expensive to buy once you get there, and you need them to protect yourself.

The opinions listed here are those of Kelly Draper, and may not reflect the opinions of any other LSBS officers or members.