Monday, June 18, 2007

Golf Clubs At A Gun Fight



The park-filled town of Boulder City loves to host festivals, parades, and parties. When my friend Charlie told us he was entering a cook-off in Boulder City over Memorial Day weekend, we naturally agreed to show up. Who can turn down free ribs?

Who knew that cookout in Boulder City was such a serious affair? Charlie discovered that the barbequers who entered this event were hauling around BBQ rigs so big they needed separate trailers for them. These metal beasts were big enough to cook a whole pig. Several of the entrants were professional caterers – or professional BBQ contest entrants (it was hard to tell which). Charlie discovered what big guns he was up against after he got up at 3:00 a.m. and drove out to Boulder City, only to find that the professional Q-ers, along with their impressive equipment, had camped in the park overnight. (Can we blame him for taking a little bit of malicious enjoyment letting his noisy diesel truck engine idle as he unloaded his humble Weber? ) The pros got up and cooked a delicious breakfast, Charlie said, which they generously invited him to. Unfortunately, when the cooking swung into gear, Charlie and his partner had a Rib Malfunction, and they had to bow out of the competition. We heard the sad story when we showed up to eat the ribs. Chewy meat, they told me. (I also heard grumblings about the use of marinade at other booths.) Everything they gave me to eat was great, but rules are rules (they had to have an entry in each category), and they had no ribs. Charlie's partner summed it all up: "We brought golf clubs to a gun fight." Ouch.

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