South Florida Gathering--Picture Thread.

[SmokinAl]

Judy & I had a great time yesterday. Got to meet a lot of really fine new friends, even though I feel like I knew them already. The food was fantastic & very plentiful. I didn't have a chance to take many photo's, but the cameras were flashing, so I'm sure when they all get back home you will get to see a bunch. Here's just a couple we took.

This was my spot, talk about perfect, and the weather was beautiful. Didn't have to unload the whole truck, just kinda took out what I needed, when I needed it.

Here's me sitting down talking to Craig (fpnmf). Boy did he make a fantastic blueberry cobbler in his dutch oven. He also brought some awesome sausage & bacon.

Here's Doug (dougmays) on the left watching his Gators kick ass. Keith (JckDanls07) brought a satellite dish so they hooked up a TV in the screen room we were using.

Also, I would like to add a thank-you to Doug for getting this together for us. I'm sure we will all be back next year & hopefully a few more of you will be able to make it too. If you look out the screen room you can see Ron (Rubbin Butts) rig. This thing is beautiful . It's got a rotisserie inside & these awesome dual exhaust stacks. Photo's do not do it justice. It's huge, the top has to be 7 or 8 feet high and the top 2 feet are a warming compartment, then the chrome exhaust stacks are another 3 or 4 feet long. 

Here I'm cutting up some smoked cheese & smoked pepperoni I brought for a snack. See the nice TBS rolling out of the WSM.

That's Keith (JckDanls07) & I playing cornhole. I never played it before (don't get out much). What a blast.

Notice how I can control the bean bag while it's in the air by distorting my body.

Sorry guys that's all I have, but like I said I'm sure there will be a bunch posted in the next couple of days. 

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the great pics Al !!!

Cutting the cheese again, huh??

BTW: That's called "Body English". We use it in quoits, horse shoes, and pool too!!

Bear

 

[smokey mo]

BTW: That's called "Body English". We use it in quoits, horse shoes, and pool too!!

Body English...that's funny.

Looks like a great time. Glad you guys all had a great time.

 

[tom c]

Great to see the pic can't wait for the rest.

 

[dougmays]

Hey all! Just got home a little while ago and what can i say about this weekend but I HAD A BLAST!!!

it was great to finally put faces to names and meet everyone this weekend. 

More pics coming very soon and a summary of the weekend!

stay tuned

 

[dougmays]

Awesome weekend!  i got there around 630pm and drove around the campground for about 30 mins looking for group site 2.  finally after seeing the screen room and a few RV's i stopped at the closest one to confirm that i was at group site 2 and there i met the first smoking meat member, keith (JckDanls07).  I introduce myself as doug and keith replies "man, i figured you'd be a little older"...haha

got my tent set up and a few things unpacked and walked back over to keith's RV and met Turnip (Turnip), Ron (Rubbin'Butts), Craig (fpnmf), and james (master of my meat).  Keith was bringing out his Maple Bourbon Smoked ham and we all dove into that.  it was great!  A few of us drank and shot the $%& till around midnight when we all decided to hit the sack.

Next morning we all got up and started up some breakfast.  Ron the his waffle irons heating, i prepped some eggs for scrambled eggs, craig and keith brought sausage, bacon and ham...and i'm sure there was some other food there i forgot about...i was in a food haze all weekend LOL

the rest of saturday was cooking, bean bag toss, drinking, more cooking, eating, cooking, eating, cooking, eating...haha

Chicken competition turn in was 1pm where we proceeded to eat lunch.  SmokinAl made several attempts to keep us full through out the day...and the succeeded! LOL

Rib competition and Something Special was at 7pm.  We recruited outside judges from the campgrounds it's amazing how easy it is to make friends when you start with "will you judge our rib competition" :)

sunday morning (this morning) we got up....we all moved a little slower today...and craig greeted us with his Mountain Man Breakfast which was crazy good!

We cleaned up and slowly trickled out.  My only complaint...it went way to fast!  haha.  Looking forward to next year!

Here they are...pictures!! (jeff we need a bulk upload tool on the forum)....sorry not in order for some reason the editor kind of places them wherevever

Crazy fires south of South Bay while heading home

Craig's (fpnmf) Mountain Man Breakfast

Keith's dinner friday night...maple bourbon smoke ham

Our Winners...

Chicken - James (Master of my Meat)

Ribs - SmokinAl

Something Special - Judy

Our esteemed judges!

This guy in the red and white hat was hilarious. he said that being a judge in a bbq competition was on his bucket list and we made his weekend!

SmokinAl hard at work

Bill Apple (friend of keith's and soon to be a new member of the forum)

My setup...Bill and i were put in seclusion ;)

My Ribs on the smoker

Al and Judy dancing

 

[dougmays]

and more...

Judging the chickens

We used Cups to allow judges to put there vote ticket in

Ron's Rig! this thing was amazing!

Next year we will not allow James to handle a hatchet;) getting patched up

Get them ants Al!

 

[bmudd14474]

Looks great guys. Im glad it was a success.

 

[ddsmoker1]

looks llike you had some fun there what you guys cookin in that smoker????   come chek out the rabbit I just posted!!!!

 

[ddsmoker1]

well i guess i should have looked at the whole post that is some mighty fine lookin food wish i was in florida!!!

 

[solaryellow]

Looks like a fun time! Food looks great too!

 

[mballi3011]

Well it sure looks like you folks had a great time. Maybe I'll make next years gathering.

 

[rubbin butts]

Looks great guys. Im glad it was a success.

Success is putting it mildly. The weekend was fantastic, the people we met were great and the food was out of this world.

It was one great outing. We started eating at 8AM and didn't stop all day, I'll have to refrain from eating for a couple days to get back in shape.

Thanks Doug for putting it together!!!!

Remember, that was the First Annual, meaning more to follow.

 

[Bearcarver]

Awesome pics!!!!!

Looks like a lot of fun was had by ALL!!!!

Hey Al---That's not the same pump-up sprayer you used to spritz those Ribs is it???

LOL---Just kidding, Buddy!!

Bear

 

[dougmays]

Awesome pics!!!!!

Looks like a lot of fun was had by ALL!!!!

Hey Al---That's not the same pump-up sprayer you used to spritz those Ribs is it???

LOL---Just kidding, Buddy!!

Bear

He immediately went and flipped his ribs with those hands right after he was done spraying ;) 

 

[TulsaJeff]

Looks great guys.. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the pictures of you guys having a blast. Looking forward to more pictures!

 

[Bearcarver]

He immediately went and flipped his ribs with those hands right after he was done spraying ;) 

LOL---Probably the same marinade anyway!!

He must have thought I was stopping in for some ribs!!!  

Bear

 

[roller]

Looks like ya`ll had a great turnout and a great place to have it....Thanks for the pic`s....

 

[pineywoods]

Looks like a great time thanks for posting pics for us

 

[JckDanls 07]

Let me start by giving a BIG THANKS to Jeff (TulsaJeff) for creating this Excellent Forum. Otherwise our "1st Annual" S. FL. Gathering would never have come to fruitation. "Thanks Jeff"

2nd Thanks go out to Doug (Dougmays) for putting the Gathering all together. Without all the tireless effort he put into this project, I'm very confident we would never of had our "1st Annual S. FL. Gathering". "Here's To You Doug" \_/ \_/

3rd Thanks go out to the whole staff at Fisheating Creek Outpost , Patty and Al, (Managers), Ruthie (reservations and check in), Billy (grounds crew). "Thanks You Guys"

4th Thanks go out to Al (SmokinAl) for doing the leg work in finding "The Best Place Possible" to hold our little Gathering. If It weren't for him It's "Very Likely" we could of ended up in the swamp somewhere fighting off GIGANTIC PYTHONS... HA HAA "Thanks Al"


I started out as a Lurker on these forums looking for mods to my smoker. When the thread come out about the S. FL. Gathering thats when I signed up so I could "maybe" participate In something that sounded like would be fun for the wife and I to do. OMG was that one of the best things I've done in a long time, "WE HAD A BLAST". To anybody that hesitated on making the commitment to attend becuase they weren't sure about how it would turn out, Let me just say that you lost out on a "FANTASTIC" time and some of the best food I've ever ate (way to much).

Next year the fine folks at Fisheating Creek want to join in on the festivities and do something special for our Gathering so keep an eye out in the future for details. Let me also say that Fisheating Creek took plenty of pictures and are going to put them on their web site and facebook page so make sure you stop in and look at their pictures and "like them" on facebook.

How many times has any of us gone camping and out of nowhere a complete stranger walks up and asks If you would like to be a "Judge" for a chicken and rib compitition ? Can you imagine the stories they will be telling to family, freinds, and co-workers.

I had about 7 people say they were gonna home and look up these forums and join in on the fun.

So lets get started with some more pictures. (bulk loader would be nice).

Saturday morning breakfast.

Sharing some laughs (left to right) James (masterofmymeat), Al (SmokinAl), Doug (Dougmays), Ron (Rubbin Butts), and Turnip ( Turnip Mockley)





Doug (Dougmays) cooking up some eggs


Evrybody enjoying Ron's (Rubbin Butts) waffles, and all the other goodies


And now onto lunch and the Chicken Compitition

My Charcoal Chimney stand


Ron loading up his chickens into one heluva rotisserie smoker


Sharing some more laughs


Al's freind Willie playing Corn Hole


My Beer Can Chicken with Southwestern Style Rub


Al's Thigh Roll Ups


Ron's Spatchcocked birds


All set and ready to judge, in order starting from left, James (masterofmymeat), Keith (JckDanls07), Al (SmokinAl), and Ron (Rubbin Butts)


The Lucky Judges




True Professionals they were


And THE WINNER IS

James (MasterOfmy Meat)


More to come on next post