2015 South Florida Gathering (5th Annual) November 13th-15th

[JckDanls 07]

Steve... that would be awesome... y'all will really enjoy yourselves ... before renting I would suggest checking on site availability... I'll go have a look and see what's available and how close to the group ...

 

[JckDanls 07]

Checked the reservations for that weekend and sites 75, and 76 are still available for that weekend.. they are right there close to where we are ... Don't know how long they will stay available tho ... Hope y'all decide to join us ...

 

[dougmays]

I think my friend Tony and I may come. Going to check on re tint an RV or pop-up ( depending on if the wives want to come).

Glad to have ya Steve!

 

[ega-q]

This will be my first time, as I just moved to the area, I may come down for a day more if my health will allow. This sure sounds like it will be a fun time.

 

[dougmays]

 
This will be my first time, as I just moved to the area, I may come down for a day more if my health will allow. This sure sounds like it will be a fun time.

That'd be awesome, even if just for the day! We've had people in the past only come on saturday. Looking forward to meeting you. Good group of guys and gals and we always have fun time!

 

[dougmays]

Howdy all! I forgot to add some to the attendee list...should be all updated now! Sorry about that!

Looking forward to seeing the new and old faces!! Shaping up to be our biggest yet!

 

[jarjarchef]

It looks like my dad and I will be there on Thursday. My wife may show on Saturday with maybe one of my daughters and my mom. So we may have a packed pop-up if they all show and the 2 little furry ones come.

Is the plan to donthe same as last year on Saturday and just hang out during the day and have family meal for dinner........

 

[dougmays]

It looks like my dad and I will be there on Thursday. My wife may show on Saturday with maybe one of my daughters and my mom. So we may have a packed pop-up if they all show and the 2 little furry ones come.

Is the plan to donthe same as last year on Saturday and just hang out during the day and have family meal for dinner........

That's a good question about saturday i was going to see what everyone's thoughts were since i'm gonna be cooking a pig i figured that would be a dinner and we can all pitch into make sides and other foods for a big family dinner.

We could do the Chicken and Rib comps (or just one of those) for Lunch time. And instead of the painstaking process of getting the general public to judge, just do a blind judging between a group of attendees. Those are my thoughts....what are everyone else's

 

[rubbin butts]

Doug, I'm ok with whatever everyone else wants to do. Just looking forward to a good weekend.

 

[dougmays]

Doug, I'm ok with whatever everyone else wants to do. Just looking forward to a good weekend.

Agreed! Personally, I'd rather not include the public in judging because its usually a headache and delays the time we as attendees get to eat as well as makes the night somewhat longer. I'd rather just do a friendly blind judging by randomly selected attendees. 

 

[rubbin butts]

Agreed

 

[jarjarchef]

I am game for what ever the group wants. I do agree on the non group judging. I almost lost my mind when they all wanted seconds of all the ribs.....

 

[tiki guy]

What ever the gang wants , but I agree the judging with other campers took a while , and yeah seconds on all thoes ribs ....."REALLY ?"

When we get closer a list of sides , or munchies along with a closer head count would be a great idea.

WE are just looking forward to seeing everyone ,and the new faces and a great week end with good food good friends 

 

[JckDanls 07]

I agree.. lets bench all the competitions this year (since Jeramy wins em all anyways) and just chill out... we can talk about revisiting them next year ...

 

[jarjarchef]

I agree.. lets bench all the competitions this year (since Jeramy wins em all anyways) and just chill out... we can talk about revisiting them next year ...

Ron won the side dish a couple years ago and Don barely got me last year on side dish.........
I'll be more than happy to hold a class on how to make my money making ribs (yes won some cash last September with them) :biggrin:
Tell ya what..... if my BBQ buddy Cassie shows up, I'll let her cook the ribs if we do a competition......... :pot:

But in all seriousness........ the comps are fun and we all seem to get into the fun banter that goes with it, but that is only a small part of what we do...... maybe only a suggestion if we still want to do a comp thing but keep it relaxed. Since it looks like we are having a whole pig. What about a sauce competition? We all make at least a quart of sauce and serve it with Dougs whole pig....... just a thought........ I think the side comp is an easy one and we still do it..... I agree on maybe somewhat of a list on what is being done, so we get a good verity of items and not 4 versions of wicked BBQ Beans..........Personally I would also do a dessert competition, so we can get some sweet stuff there too and they deserve their own place to shine........ if we do any or all of these, I suggest we do a blind ballet judging where we all vote. Yes a chance of ballet stuffing, but really who cares and it is all for fun........ maybe a way to prevent the stuffing is one ballet is given to each participant and if any others want to vote we do a $$$ for the aditional ticket and then donate the money to the Campgrounds. ....... ok I will stop, just had a bunch run through my head.....


Sorry for the randomness. ...squirrel. ..

 

[rubbin butts]

I'm with Keith, scrap the comps, relax and enjoy.

 

[pineywoods]

..................................

 

[dougmays]

I am game for what ever the group wants. I do agree on the non group judging. I almost lost my mind when they all wanted seconds of all the ribs.....

Yea the 2nd round of ribs made me want to tell them just to leave haha! 

I'm up for scrapping the comps as well and instead that gives us all time to just casually cook up various foods all day. I remember the 1st year SmokingAl just get constantly cranking food out of his smoker all day! It was an all day buffet! 

The sauce comp for the pig could be cool and could be made ahead of time or at the event. I'd be up for that. For deserts and side dishes...maybe we all sign up what we plan to make and bring. If we want to add voting to that i could goto the dollar store and pick up a big bag of fake coins or something and just put cups infront of each item.

I just wanna let yall know i've been practicing Bean Bag Tossing so you better watch out!

Oh and the cocktail competition.....i'm still game for that as well ;) I've been brainstorming :)

 

[orlandosmoking]

That sucks.

I am just going to throw is out there. I think they were keeping it a secret from you and me since we won the cooking comps last year........ just sayin...

You may be on to something there.

 
Don,

You can use the end of the gathering site. The sky dome will be there but there is plenty of room on the site for you to use.

Perfect! Thank you sir. At the end of last years gathering we talked about me renting that site and putting tents on one end. It seemed we had a bunch of wasted space but we didn't have your sky dome. I think we had just 2 or 3 small pop ups. 

 
Last ones to the table get cold beef ;) haha!

Don.. if you guys want you can put your tent on my spot or like Ron said on the gathering site. Right now its just Mine and Steve's tents on my spot. I'm sure we can fit a 3rd. 

Cold beer for me please.

"Officially" you can only put two tents per site. Wouldn't want to gamble that they may enforce it. We already have two going on the same site I had last year so for now I will plan on putting my tent on the far end of the gathering site.

There'll be plenty of room....

Yes sir. Just didn't want to have to "walk" to far at the end of the day.

 

[orlandosmoking]

Thought I'd use your quote to put in my opinion on the competitions discussion

Ron won the side dish a couple years ago and Don barely got me last year on side dish.........  But I got ya!!

I'll be more than happy to hold a class on how to make my money making ribs (yes won some cash last September with them)

  I already planned to not enter so I could "assist" your winning entry and steal all of your secrets. Then I will have a year to try to improve and finially dethrone you in 2016.
Tell ya what..... if my BBQ buddy Cassie shows up, I'll let her cook the ribs if we do a competition.........

But in all seriousness........ the comps are fun and we all seem to get into the fun banter that goes with it,  an essential part of this gathering in my opinion but that is only a small part of what we do...... maybe only a suggestion if we still want to do a comp thing but keep it relaxed. Since it looks like we are having a whole pig. What about a sauce competition? Or an abt/appetizer comp., or?? We all make at least a quart of sauce and serve it with Dougs whole pig....... just a thought........ I think the side comp is an easy one and we still do it..... One of my guests planned to enter the side dish comp this year I agree on maybe somewhat of a list on what is being done, so we get a good verity of items and not 4 versions of wicked BBQ Beans..........  You should know how this feels. Everyone trying (and failing) to beat the best.  

Personally I would also do a dessert competition, another one of my guests coming with this year was hoping for a dessert competition  so we can get some sweet stuff there too and they deserve their own place to shine........ if we do any or all of these, I suggest we do a blind ballet judging where we all vote. Yes a chance of ballet stuffing, but really who cares and it is all for fun........ maybe a way to prevent the stuffing is one ballet is given to each participant and if any others want to vote we do a $$$ for the aditional ticket and then donate the money to the Campgrounds. ....... ok I will stop, just had a bunch run through my head.....  mixed opinion on how to conduct voting, part of me likes the random camper judges but last year was tooooooo much so I'm open to change I guess. In the end, I hope we keep some sort of competition and would like to see more than the original core group participate although the newbees have been quiet on the comp discussion. We already shelved the sausage and jerky making. Shelve this too we'll have nothing to do but drink and eat and drink some more. hmmmmmm.  maybe onto something there.


Sorry for the randomness. ...squirrel. ..