Going to the "Jack"!
Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue
Our cross country journey to Lynchburg, TN begins on Sunday the 19th of October. This trip will take us
through nine states and will be about 2,500 miles (one-way). Tom will be driving along with teammates
Lynnae Oxley and Cathy Talcot. Kay will be flying out to meet us - she is the smart one. Tom spent the
past weekend cleaning the pit inside and out. The excitement is starting to build! This page will contain
notes from the road and the competition. Stay tuned for more.
Our cross country journey to Lynchburg, TN begins on Sunday the 19th of October. This trip will take us
through nine states and will be about 2,500 miles (one-way). Tom will be driving along with teammates
Lynnae Oxley and Cathy Talcot. Kay will be flying out to meet us - she is the smart one. Tom spent the
past weekend cleaning the pit inside and out. The excitement is starting to build! This page will contain
notes from the road and the competition. Stay tuned for more.
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
The journey to the “Jack” began this morning! Our teammates Lynnae and Cathy arrived at 5:38 AM (8
minutes late due to a missed turn arriving in Renton) after leaving Portland at 3:00 AM. Obviously, not
much sleep had been realized by any of us – kind of like kids going to Disneyland. After grabbing coffee
and breakfast burritos prepared by Kay, loading coolers and luggage, and finally scraping ice off the front
windshield, we pulled out of the driveway at exactly the scheduled time of 6:00 AM heading for Highway
900 that would take us to Issaquah.
After navigating the dark and often foggy highway to Issaquah (a 15 minutes trip), we merged onto
Interstate 90 that would be our highway to the “Jack” for the next two days. When we reached
Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains about 40 minutes later it was still fairly dark. This was
Cathy and Lynnae’s first time over the “Pass” and it was unfortunate that they could fully see and
appreciate the full beauty the mountain scenery. However, as we dropped down the east side of the
Cascades, past Easton and Cle Elm, the sun provided a wonderful pink sunrise that would lead to a
beautifully sunny day in Eastern Washington.
As we pulled through Ellensburg and up the hill to the Rye Grass Rest Area (our first pit stop) above
Vantage, our discussions were about the growing number of “wind turban farms” located in the area,
many of which are visible from the highway, and their importance as a source of alternative energy. As
we reached the bottom of the Columbia gorge at Vantage, crossed the river, and headed back up the
other side of the gorge toward George (Washington), our conversations shifted to the Gorge Amphitheatre
and the wonderful concerts that are held there- of which none of the three of us have ever attended. This
led into a conversation about memorable concerts (Led Zeppelin, Shawn Colvin, Jackson Browne, etc.)
that each of us had seen over the years.
We passed George (WA) after pulling out of the gorge and settled into the less interesting middle section
of Eastern Washington that is filled with long straight sections and slowly rolling hills. It would take us
through Moses Lake and Ritzville on the way to Spokane. Our conversation shifted away from the
scenery to the mutual barbeque friends and our own past barbeque successes and future competition
plans. We would follow the highway through Spokane into the Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, where we would
stop for gas and refill with drinks.
From Coeur D’Alene it was up over Fourth of July Pass and the journey through the Idaho Panhandle.
This would take us through Kellogg and Wallace before heading up and over Lookout Pass. The fall
colors in the Rockies were spectacular. The top of Lookout Pass is the boarder with Montana. We made
our first stop in Montana at the Travel Center in St. Regis, which is a gas station, casino, restaurant, large
gift shop, and bus station. Lynnae got excited when she saw the casino sign. I assured her that there
would be many more gambling opportunities in Montana, however they only allow video poker/card
games in the state – no slots.
We drove from St. Regis through Missoula and Butte and finally arrived in Bozeman at 6:00 PM. Not a
bad day’s drive! We checked into the Best Western just off the Interstate. After having dinner and drinks
in the bar, we retired to the Casino for a little fun gambling. This was short lived, as the next day would
be another early one.
The journey to the “Jack” began this morning! Our teammates Lynnae and Cathy arrived at 5:38 AM (8
minutes late due to a missed turn arriving in Renton) after leaving Portland at 3:00 AM. Obviously, not
much sleep had been realized by any of us – kind of like kids going to Disneyland. After grabbing coffee
and breakfast burritos prepared by Kay, loading coolers and luggage, and finally scraping ice off the front
windshield, we pulled out of the driveway at exactly the scheduled time of 6:00 AM heading for Highway
900 that would take us to Issaquah.
After navigating the dark and often foggy highway to Issaquah (a 15 minutes trip), we merged onto
Interstate 90 that would be our highway to the “Jack” for the next two days. When we reached
Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains about 40 minutes later it was still fairly dark. This was
Cathy and Lynnae’s first time over the “Pass” and it was unfortunate that they could fully see and
appreciate the full beauty the mountain scenery. However, as we dropped down the east side of the
Cascades, past Easton and Cle Elm, the sun provided a wonderful pink sunrise that would lead to a
beautifully sunny day in Eastern Washington.
As we pulled through Ellensburg and up the hill to the Rye Grass Rest Area (our first pit stop) above
Vantage, our discussions were about the growing number of “wind turban farms” located in the area,
many of which are visible from the highway, and their importance as a source of alternative energy. As
we reached the bottom of the Columbia gorge at Vantage, crossed the river, and headed back up the
other side of the gorge toward George (Washington), our conversations shifted to the Gorge Amphitheatre
and the wonderful concerts that are held there- of which none of the three of us have ever attended. This
led into a conversation about memorable concerts (Led Zeppelin, Shawn Colvin, Jackson Browne, etc.)
that each of us had seen over the years.
We passed George (WA) after pulling out of the gorge and settled into the less interesting middle section
of Eastern Washington that is filled with long straight sections and slowly rolling hills. It would take us
through Moses Lake and Ritzville on the way to Spokane. Our conversation shifted away from the
scenery to the mutual barbeque friends and our own past barbeque successes and future competition
plans. We would follow the highway through Spokane into the Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, where we would
stop for gas and refill with drinks.
From Coeur D’Alene it was up over Fourth of July Pass and the journey through the Idaho Panhandle.
This would take us through Kellogg and Wallace before heading up and over Lookout Pass. The fall
colors in the Rockies were spectacular. The top of Lookout Pass is the boarder with Montana. We made
our first stop in Montana at the Travel Center in St. Regis, which is a gas station, casino, restaurant, large
gift shop, and bus station. Lynnae got excited when she saw the casino sign. I assured her that there
would be many more gambling opportunities in Montana, however they only allow video poker/card
games in the state – no slots.
We drove from St. Regis through Missoula and Butte and finally arrived in Bozeman at 6:00 PM. Not a
bad day’s drive! We checked into the Best Western just off the Interstate. After having dinner and drinks
in the bar, we retired to the Casino for a little fun gambling. This was short lived, as the next day would
be another early one.
Monday, October 20, 2008
We continued our journey along I-90 today with the goal of reaching Mitchell, SD, by days end. To much
disappointment we found out that Bozeman has no Starbucks and the hotel had really lame coffee. It was
about 6:30 AM when we merged onto the highway. It was still dark and within minutes of starting the
climb up and over the hill leading to Livingstone, we entered into a thick fog, which significantly slowed
our progress. Fortunately, as we reached the bottom of the hill outside Livingstone, the fog dissipated
and progress picked up. By the time we passed by Big Timber, the sky was starting to get light. We were
happy to see this because it would be easier to see deer. There were an amazing number of dead deer
on the side of the road in this section of highway.
We pulled into Billings about 8:00 AM for gas and breakfast. Lynnae and Cathy had a hankering for
pancakes and waffles. So, it was off to Perkins located just off King Street. This happens to be Kay’s
father’s favorite breakfast place in Billings. Instead of pancakes, I went for the Eggs Benedict because
the waitress assured me it was great. It was decent but needed more sauce, which is my usual complaint.
The sky was overcast when we left Billings heading for Sheridan, WY, and we passed through
intermittent areas of light fog. Fortunately, the weather turned sunny and clear before Sheridan. This
afforded us great views of the Big Horn Mountains. Between Sheridan and Gillette the highway slowly
shifted from a mainly southerly direction to the east. This would be the primary direction though South
Dakota.
We realized that I-90 passes right past Sturgis, SD. This is the location of the world famous motorcycle
rally at the beginning of August every year. It was worth a detour off the highway to check out the town
and have a cold beer in one of the biker bars that line the main street. See the pictures below of Wilber
our traveling party pig in front of the bar along with Cathy and Lynnae. It was a fun diversion.
After the beer, it was back on the road for the long trip to Mitchell, SD. This would take us through Rapid
City, SD, and the past the Bad Lands National Park. We eventually arrived at our hotel at 8:30 PM. The
hotel was across the street from large Cabela’s sporting goods store. Most of the guests of the hotel
were there on bird hunting trips – primarily pheasant. We would continue to see many hunters for the
next several days, and more Cabela stores. Dinner was at a restaurant across the parking lot from the
hotel. After dinner, the ice chests were checked and more ice added, and then off to bed. We would be
on the road at 6:00 AM again.
We continued our journey along I-90 today with the goal of reaching Mitchell, SD, by days end. To much
disappointment we found out that Bozeman has no Starbucks and the hotel had really lame coffee. It was
about 6:30 AM when we merged onto the highway. It was still dark and within minutes of starting the
climb up and over the hill leading to Livingstone, we entered into a thick fog, which significantly slowed
our progress. Fortunately, as we reached the bottom of the hill outside Livingstone, the fog dissipated
and progress picked up. By the time we passed by Big Timber, the sky was starting to get light. We were
happy to see this because it would be easier to see deer. There were an amazing number of dead deer
on the side of the road in this section of highway.
We pulled into Billings about 8:00 AM for gas and breakfast. Lynnae and Cathy had a hankering for
pancakes and waffles. So, it was off to Perkins located just off King Street. This happens to be Kay’s
father’s favorite breakfast place in Billings. Instead of pancakes, I went for the Eggs Benedict because
the waitress assured me it was great. It was decent but needed more sauce, which is my usual complaint.
The sky was overcast when we left Billings heading for Sheridan, WY, and we passed through
intermittent areas of light fog. Fortunately, the weather turned sunny and clear before Sheridan. This
afforded us great views of the Big Horn Mountains. Between Sheridan and Gillette the highway slowly
shifted from a mainly southerly direction to the east. This would be the primary direction though South
Dakota.
We realized that I-90 passes right past Sturgis, SD. This is the location of the world famous motorcycle
rally at the beginning of August every year. It was worth a detour off the highway to check out the town
and have a cold beer in one of the biker bars that line the main street. See the pictures below of Wilber
our traveling party pig in front of the bar along with Cathy and Lynnae. It was a fun diversion.
After the beer, it was back on the road for the long trip to Mitchell, SD. This would take us through Rapid
City, SD, and the past the Bad Lands National Park. We eventually arrived at our hotel at 8:30 PM. The
hotel was across the street from large Cabela’s sporting goods store. Most of the guests of the hotel
were there on bird hunting trips – primarily pheasant. We would continue to see many hunters for the
next several days, and more Cabela stores. Dinner was at a restaurant across the parking lot from the
hotel. After dinner, the ice chests were checked and more ice added, and then off to bed. We would be
on the road at 6:00 AM again.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Once again we hit the road about 6:00 AM after confirming that there were no Starbucks in town. After
traveling for about an hour and a quarter, we left our eastward trip on I-90 at Sioux Falls and turned
south onto I-29 that would take us into Iowa past Sioux City and Omaha. The weather had been a mix of
wind, clouds, sun, and rain. Eventually we arrived in Kansas City, MO, in early afternoon.
We decided that when in Kansas City, one should at least eat BBQ for lunch. So we took a detour to one
of the Arthur Bryant’s BBQ restaurants. Although we would have loved to go to the original joint in
downtown KC, finding parking for the truck and trailer would have been problematic at that location. We
opted instead to go to one of the newer locations just off the intersections of I-70 and I-635, which is in a
new large shopping area.
Cathy and I each bought a sandwich and split them between us. The sliced port was very good. The
brisket was above average, but not great. Lynnae had the sample plate of pulled pork and brisket burnt
ends. Both were very good.
Our destination for the night was Columbia, MO, which was another 2 hours down the road. However,
after leaving KC, we decided that we needed another diversion from the road. We found out that there
was a casino named the Isle of Capri in Boonville. This was about 30 miles before Columbia. After
spending an hour in the casino, the total loss between the three of us was about $25.00 – not bad for an
hour of fun in a day otherwise filled with long hours sitting in an increasingly uncomfortable seat. As a
side comment, we were amused to see that this section of road from KC to St. Louis was occupied ever
other off-ramp by either a Fireworks Outlet and/or Adult Superstore. We wondered what that said about
the people that live in this area.
We arrived in Columbia at about 8:15 PM. After getting settled, we walked across the street to a small
college bar for drinks and appetizers.
Once again we hit the road about 6:00 AM after confirming that there were no Starbucks in town. After
traveling for about an hour and a quarter, we left our eastward trip on I-90 at Sioux Falls and turned
south onto I-29 that would take us into Iowa past Sioux City and Omaha. The weather had been a mix of
wind, clouds, sun, and rain. Eventually we arrived in Kansas City, MO, in early afternoon.
We decided that when in Kansas City, one should at least eat BBQ for lunch. So we took a detour to one
of the Arthur Bryant’s BBQ restaurants. Although we would have loved to go to the original joint in
downtown KC, finding parking for the truck and trailer would have been problematic at that location. We
opted instead to go to one of the newer locations just off the intersections of I-70 and I-635, which is in a
new large shopping area.
Cathy and I each bought a sandwich and split them between us. The sliced port was very good. The
brisket was above average, but not great. Lynnae had the sample plate of pulled pork and brisket burnt
ends. Both were very good.
Our destination for the night was Columbia, MO, which was another 2 hours down the road. However,
after leaving KC, we decided that we needed another diversion from the road. We found out that there
was a casino named the Isle of Capri in Boonville. This was about 30 miles before Columbia. After
spending an hour in the casino, the total loss between the three of us was about $25.00 – not bad for an
hour of fun in a day otherwise filled with long hours sitting in an increasingly uncomfortable seat. As a
side comment, we were amused to see that this section of road from KC to St. Louis was occupied ever
other off-ramp by either a Fireworks Outlet and/or Adult Superstore. We wondered what that said about
the people that live in this area.
We arrived in Columbia at about 8:15 PM. After getting settled, we walked across the street to a small
college bar for drinks and appetizers.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
We got a later start than scheduled. After getting gas, and other team member delays, we started the
drive to Nashville at 7:30 AM. Within 2 hours we were passing through St. Louis and entering into the
state of Illinois. At that point, we would angle southwest on I-64 toward Mt. Vernon, and then turned
south on I -57 and eventually hooked southwest into I-24. This route would cross over the border into
Kentucky near Paducah, Kentucky.
The weather was very sunny, clear, and warm. We really enjoyed seeing the rolling hills, lakes, and the
fall trees. The other Northwest teams (Smokin’ Ty’s BBQ, Ella’s BBQ, and Mad Cow) had already
arrived in Nashville as we arrived in town. They were all staying at a KOA park near the Grand Old
Opry, which is located on the north side of Nashville. We were going to stay at a hotel on the south
side of the city (Antioch) to avoid the morning rush hour traffic on our way to Lynchburg. However, we
stopped by the KOA to unite with the group and have a few beers. When we arrived, part of the gang
was there and others were just being picked up at the airport. Eventually, the group consisted of Ty &
Debbie, Stan (Ty’s friend), Brian M., Dee Dee & Kirk, Cindy H. and her mom (Anita), Derrick W.,
Theresa, Greg & Nyla, Wayne & June, along with their daughter Jessie, and of course the three of us.
Missing at that point was Mark and Janet, who would meet us later for dinner that night. Kay would fly
in the next day.
After dropping off our bags at the hotel, Lynnae, Cathy, and I hired a cab to take us into downtown
Nashville. We had dinner at a famous bbq joint on Broadway named Jack’s BBQ. Most of us had the
sampler plate with consisted of your choice of three of their eight meats. I went for the brisket, sausage,
and pork ribs. The meal also came with a choice of two side dishes. I picked the potato salad and white
beans.
I liked all three of the meats. The brisket was much better than the previous day’s brisket at Arthur
Bryant’s. The potato salad on the other hand was lame. It lacked much flavor – basically chopped
potatoes, a bland sauce, and not much else.
After dinner the group wandered up the alley to see the front of the Ryman Auditorium, which was the
original home of the Grand Old Opry. Then we hung out at a country bar called Legends and listened to
their house band. Eventually Cindy was able to talk them into letting her sing a song with them. She
choose “Satin Sheets” which worked with her limited vocal range. She was starting to catch a chest
cold. Eventually we left the bar and walked the Broadway strip checking the other bars (most offered
live music) and bought ice cream before heading back to the hotel.
We got a later start than scheduled. After getting gas, and other team member delays, we started the
drive to Nashville at 7:30 AM. Within 2 hours we were passing through St. Louis and entering into the
state of Illinois. At that point, we would angle southwest on I-64 toward Mt. Vernon, and then turned
south on I -57 and eventually hooked southwest into I-24. This route would cross over the border into
Kentucky near Paducah, Kentucky.
The weather was very sunny, clear, and warm. We really enjoyed seeing the rolling hills, lakes, and the
fall trees. The other Northwest teams (Smokin’ Ty’s BBQ, Ella’s BBQ, and Mad Cow) had already
arrived in Nashville as we arrived in town. They were all staying at a KOA park near the Grand Old
Opry, which is located on the north side of Nashville. We were going to stay at a hotel on the south
side of the city (Antioch) to avoid the morning rush hour traffic on our way to Lynchburg. However, we
stopped by the KOA to unite with the group and have a few beers. When we arrived, part of the gang
was there and others were just being picked up at the airport. Eventually, the group consisted of Ty &
Debbie, Stan (Ty’s friend), Brian M., Dee Dee & Kirk, Cindy H. and her mom (Anita), Derrick W.,
Theresa, Greg & Nyla, Wayne & June, along with their daughter Jessie, and of course the three of us.
Missing at that point was Mark and Janet, who would meet us later for dinner that night. Kay would fly
in the next day.
After dropping off our bags at the hotel, Lynnae, Cathy, and I hired a cab to take us into downtown
Nashville. We had dinner at a famous bbq joint on Broadway named Jack’s BBQ. Most of us had the
sampler plate with consisted of your choice of three of their eight meats. I went for the brisket, sausage,
and pork ribs. The meal also came with a choice of two side dishes. I picked the potato salad and white
beans.
I liked all three of the meats. The brisket was much better than the previous day’s brisket at Arthur
Bryant’s. The potato salad on the other hand was lame. It lacked much flavor – basically chopped
potatoes, a bland sauce, and not much else.
After dinner the group wandered up the alley to see the front of the Ryman Auditorium, which was the
original home of the Grand Old Opry. Then we hung out at a country bar called Legends and listened to
their house band. Eventually Cindy was able to talk them into letting her sing a song with them. She
choose “Satin Sheets” which worked with her limited vocal range. She was starting to catch a chest
cold. Eventually we left the bar and walked the Broadway strip checking the other bars (most offered
live music) and bought ice cream before heading back to the hotel.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
We finally got the opportunity to sleep in. Lynchburg would only be an hour and a half away from
Nashville. So, we gathered in the hotel lobby at 10:00 AM for the drive to Shelbyville to find our hotel,
as there are only a couple hotels in Lynchburg. We had reservations there for three nights and hoped
that we would be able to check in early. That way we could empty the Suburban enough to comfortably
make room for charcoal. Fortunately the Best Western Celebration Suites and Hotel was not busy that
night and was able to check us in early. They would be full the next night with Judges and other
competitors. The suite that I was given had a bedroom with a four poster bed that I had to climb up onto
it was so high off the ground, and a heart shaped jet tub that was deep red in color. Oh Baby! It never
got used.
After unloading luggage, we headed toward Lynchburg. We had heard a lot about this small town of
361 people over the years. It is certainly a company town. Most of the merchandise sold in the dozen
stores surrounding the town square had something to do with Jack Daniel’s.
As we pulled into the event area, a woman named Candy, who escorted us to our assigned spot,
greeted us. It was a great location. We had the end spot along the stream, tucked behind the large tent
that the barrel store had set up to sell merchandise. This was well off the main road, which would give
us a quieter spot allowing us to concentrate more on our game plan with out the distractions of the
public. Or at least we hoped!
We set up the pop-up tents, tables, banners, and chairs. The rest of the equipment and boxes would
wait until Friday morning. One of the traditions at the Jack is for teams to buy barrel tops, which they
have other teams sign. While setting up, I had Cathy and Lynnae walk to the General Store in the town
square to purchase one for me. They bought one for themselves and one for Kay and I as a gift.
Having now created room in the truck, it was time to go shopping. We drove back to the Lowes
Hardware that we had passed driving into Shelbyville. We needed about 8 of the usual 21.5 pound
bags of Kingsford Charcoal. We ended up buying the last 9 bags of the 18 pound Kingsford they had. It
would do! At the checkout stand, we talked to the checkout woman about our other need. We had
brought with us the chicken, beef brisket (including some for Wayne F.), pork spare ribs, and pork
butts. (I am a firm believer of cooking what you know – so bring your own meats.) However, the butt
package we had consisted of only 2 butts. I had three briskets, and wanted at least one more pork butt
to make a total of three.
We had passed a Kroger store, however they usually sell pork that has been enhanced. The woman at
the Lowes gave us loose directions to a small grocery that cut their own meat called Smith’s. As we
walked out into the parking lot, there was a “biker” guy that was inspecting our trailer. We asked him for
a recommendation of a butcher and he also said that we should try Smith’s, although he had different
directions on how to get there.
We eventually found Smith’s, which was on a back street and about the size of a 7-Eleven. We were
happy to purchase the last pork butt they had. Lynnae got excited about the Country Hams hanging on
hooks behind the butcher, and the jars of pickled bologna and wieners that were prepared by the
butcher for sale. She was really tempted to buy a jar. Thankfully for Cathy and I, she resisted the urge.
I am sure it would have been open as soon as we got in the truck.
After that, we went to Krogers to purchase some everyday stuff like apple juice and seafood items that
Lynnae would need for her Chef’s Choice turn-in on Saturday. Kroger’s also had Country Cured Hams.
We decided to each buy one before we left for Seattle, but did not currently have room for them. The
next important stop would be the liquor store for wine and other spirits (“Jack”).
Kay had flown from Seattle to Chicago and then to Nashville. When we were at the liquor store she
called to say that we was almost to Shelbyville in her rental car. She met up with us at the hotel. She
was also amused by the red heart shaped tub.
After getting her unloaded, the four of us drove back to Lynchburg to un-load the charcoal and put up
the sides of the tent. The weather report for that evening was “rain”. After that, it was time to
socialize. We stopped by to see the other PNWBA teams. We were somewhat spread out, but still an
easy walk. It was great to see the whole group together and safe.
We finally got the opportunity to sleep in. Lynchburg would only be an hour and a half away from
Nashville. So, we gathered in the hotel lobby at 10:00 AM for the drive to Shelbyville to find our hotel,
as there are only a couple hotels in Lynchburg. We had reservations there for three nights and hoped
that we would be able to check in early. That way we could empty the Suburban enough to comfortably
make room for charcoal. Fortunately the Best Western Celebration Suites and Hotel was not busy that
night and was able to check us in early. They would be full the next night with Judges and other
competitors. The suite that I was given had a bedroom with a four poster bed that I had to climb up onto
it was so high off the ground, and a heart shaped jet tub that was deep red in color. Oh Baby! It never
got used.
After unloading luggage, we headed toward Lynchburg. We had heard a lot about this small town of
361 people over the years. It is certainly a company town. Most of the merchandise sold in the dozen
stores surrounding the town square had something to do with Jack Daniel’s.
As we pulled into the event area, a woman named Candy, who escorted us to our assigned spot,
greeted us. It was a great location. We had the end spot along the stream, tucked behind the large tent
that the barrel store had set up to sell merchandise. This was well off the main road, which would give
us a quieter spot allowing us to concentrate more on our game plan with out the distractions of the
public. Or at least we hoped!
We set up the pop-up tents, tables, banners, and chairs. The rest of the equipment and boxes would
wait until Friday morning. One of the traditions at the Jack is for teams to buy barrel tops, which they
have other teams sign. While setting up, I had Cathy and Lynnae walk to the General Store in the town
square to purchase one for me. They bought one for themselves and one for Kay and I as a gift.
Having now created room in the truck, it was time to go shopping. We drove back to the Lowes
Hardware that we had passed driving into Shelbyville. We needed about 8 of the usual 21.5 pound
bags of Kingsford Charcoal. We ended up buying the last 9 bags of the 18 pound Kingsford they had. It
would do! At the checkout stand, we talked to the checkout woman about our other need. We had
brought with us the chicken, beef brisket (including some for Wayne F.), pork spare ribs, and pork
butts. (I am a firm believer of cooking what you know – so bring your own meats.) However, the butt
package we had consisted of only 2 butts. I had three briskets, and wanted at least one more pork butt
to make a total of three.
We had passed a Kroger store, however they usually sell pork that has been enhanced. The woman at
the Lowes gave us loose directions to a small grocery that cut their own meat called Smith’s. As we
walked out into the parking lot, there was a “biker” guy that was inspecting our trailer. We asked him for
a recommendation of a butcher and he also said that we should try Smith’s, although he had different
directions on how to get there.
We eventually found Smith’s, which was on a back street and about the size of a 7-Eleven. We were
happy to purchase the last pork butt they had. Lynnae got excited about the Country Hams hanging on
hooks behind the butcher, and the jars of pickled bologna and wieners that were prepared by the
butcher for sale. She was really tempted to buy a jar. Thankfully for Cathy and I, she resisted the urge.
I am sure it would have been open as soon as we got in the truck.
After that, we went to Krogers to purchase some everyday stuff like apple juice and seafood items that
Lynnae would need for her Chef’s Choice turn-in on Saturday. Kroger’s also had Country Cured Hams.
We decided to each buy one before we left for Seattle, but did not currently have room for them. The
next important stop would be the liquor store for wine and other spirits (“Jack”).
Kay had flown from Seattle to Chicago and then to Nashville. When we were at the liquor store she
called to say that we was almost to Shelbyville in her rental car. She met up with us at the hotel. She
was also amused by the red heart shaped tub.
After getting her unloaded, the four of us drove back to Lynchburg to un-load the charcoal and put up
the sides of the tent. The weather report for that evening was “rain”. After that, it was time to
socialize. We stopped by to see the other PNWBA teams. We were somewhat spread out, but still an
easy walk. It was great to see the whole group together and safe.