I Went Solo Camping With My Sj and a 26r

[argentflame]

I Went Solo Camping With My Sj and a 26r
Only a grillfella would do such a thing.
November 7th I planned a tent camping trip by myself. Booked a 2 night reservation. Took the 3.5 hour drive at beautiful  Lopez Lake Recreation at Arroyo Grande.My first stop was at @dazzo house. Picked up a Gasser genesis and some flavorizers.


This trip started by delivering the Genesis Gasser and flavorizers to @Vwbuggin64 for his troops at Vandenberg U.S. Air Force. John please feel free to correct and add to my story. His Major
Assigned him the task to provide a BBQ grill to cook for
200 women and men.
When he opened the storage door the first thing John saw was a brand new Char Broil in a box.
Of course he decided the troops deserve better than the new Char Broil instead he wanted a tried and true work horse the ever reliable Weber Genesis 1000. John bought a green Genesis but it was for natural gas. John posted in our club and asked if we have any members with extra parts for converting his NG to propane.

Anyone Have One?
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/member-sales-trades/anyone-have-one/msg136545/#msg136545
Calling All Gassers!!!!

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/member-sales-trades/calling-all-gassers!!/
@dazzo and I volunteered to donate brand new flavorizers. Rick also had an extra Genesis and a new cross burner and he donated those as well.
So Friday afternoon I got at the lake and checked in. My first mistake at night was not putting the dew/rain cover protector outside my tent. Water was dripping inside my tent to my head and the sleeping bag got wet.


It also got very cold after 3am. So I went out and fired up my Coleman Sportcat Catalytic heater and brought it inside the tent.

My saving grace was the brief relief. An old fart like me always get up at 4am to take a leak. What this brief relief help me was not to walk 200 yards to the restroom in the cold at 4am. I know TMI.





Saturday I met with John in a city called Nipomo. I learned a lot about John on how he loves fixing Classic Volkwagen bugs and the history of the car. His daily driver hence his handle vwbuggin64. He also has a great job as an Orbital Protection Tech. A very important job protecting the whole world in warning and preventing satellite collisions.
As we are having conversation at Von's Supermarket parking lot John had conversation with a couple of military retirees. He was even able to ask Angel to take a picture of us.


So I asked John the week before my camping trip that there was a 26r gold for  $45 that is not too far from John. I asked him if he wanted it. John said he has enough kettles. So I asked John to pick it up for me and he gladly did. Thank you John. 
Wheels install wrong way, the legs are dented AD code. Can't beat the price. It's in great shape.


After we said our good byes what a better way to cook for lunch and dinner. Buy a 2.15lb tritip and a piece of yam.
Since this is where tritip was originated in Santa Maria and John is
From Santa Maria. John also recommend Aj Spurs and Jocko's Santa Maria style grill restaurants. This was my very first time ever cooking a tritip and also in an Sj and no thermometer. Also bought a bag of red oak wood chunk for the tritip. There is no seasoning on this tritip but natural taste of the meat was savory.



Had to cut up the yam for a quick cook. Getting very hungry.



@Vwbuggin64 it was a pleasure meeting you. We had a great conversation and we never ran out of things to talk about. I have to give credit were credit is due. Duke informed me about the 26r which is a very long drive for us. To me a 3.5 hour drive is short. I'm used to driving 6 to 8 hr drive in Southern California twice a month when my in laws lived in Anaheim and Riverside.
When I came back at the campsite Saturday I immediately setup the 26r in front of the sj.
The same guy who saw me with an sj Friday jokingly told me you brought big daddy along. Lol. Also I got a complement on my cot/tent. This old bones can't take rocks and bumps sleeping on the ground.

  After eating lunch I decided to have a relaxing day and went fishing I met a few fisherman with their family and had some nice conversation. Here is the first thing I saw when I walked in at the bait shop/store/restaurant. A cute Santa Maria Grill the bottom is from a dryer.



On the way home I fixed a sandwich from the tritip left over.  The tritip tasted better, more tender and the the red oak taste was pronounced.


I also stopped at a flea market/swap meet. I bought this Comal. Would be interetestimg to use this 23" cooker. I would love to get some suggestions what to cook with it.



Again John mention donations grills. Our members volunteered money but not allowed to accept cash.
This was a great experience for me. I had a fun relaxing 3 day weekend and had a blast with my buddy John. What else can I ask for. A salute to our USAF.

In reference to this link:

Weber Club To The Rescue

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/weber-club-to-the-rescue!/

[Craig]

Looks like a great time and what a great deal on that 26"! I like the older style welded lid handles (pre heat shield)

[GregS]

Great deal on that 26, congrats and that food looks amazing. 

[Winz]

Alvin, you are a Saint.  So nice of you to deliver this grill, I am sure the troops will enjoy it.  Thanks for sharing your road trip story and congrats on yet another fantastic score!

Winz

[1911Ron]

Thank you for delivering the grill and parts. I think the wheels look cool that way! Lol

[Uncle JJ]

Great story!  You guys are awesome for providing that grill.  I know the troops will love it.

[salad]

You found a 26" for $45?  See there, folks, that's instant karma.   
You never cooked a tri tip before and then you did one on an SJ...and it came out perfect?  Skills! 

[1buckie]

That's a bunch all on one trip man......a 26", a great looking tri-tip & roastie.....some sight-seeing, a special delivery, some camping out in the rain, lotsa fun !!!!


You're like the Lewis & Clark of kettles man............

[wyd]

Man that was some camping and grilling adventure.  I would love to do that sometime.

[JDD]

What a good story, very cool.

[mrbill]

love the selflessness here.

[Heyjude]

Damn Alvin... That's awesome.. Glad  you got some R&R while helping a worthy cause..
AJ

[WilliamInColorado]

What a fun time! You got to help a lot of troops out and have a great grill adventure. The 26''er looks really good too.

[SixZeroFour]

Excellent post start to finish Alvin. You making the trip to drop off that grill and parts is just awesome. Thanks for doing that and props for being a solid human being!

No wonder this guy finds everything!

[GregS]

10/10 great thread.  thank you for helping the boys out alvin!