I live in mobile Alabama. Been smoking meats for a few years. I started out with each cut of pork trying to figure out to cook each correctly and then went on to chicken and beef. I was doing all this on a Walmart special and putting everything offset from the fire with a water pan above the fire. Using oak and mesquite most of the time. Seeing as these cheap grills temperature holds were very very quick to change I was always tending the grill which I think got me pretty good and understanding what was supposed to be happening to get a good cook. Well......after 3 years the Walmart special died....which I was sad about until my bros surprised me on my 30'th birthday with an old country over under smoker. Now im back in business doing what I love for friends and family and coworkers.