North Carolina peeps-- can you help me out? -- UPDATES.

[mike.stavlund]

I'm presenting a session on Weber grilling at Wild Goose Fest in Hot Springs, NC on Friday, July 10.  We will be cooking in the morning for a 1pm session.  Since I'm traveling in the family truckster with my whole family, I won't have much space for grills.  So I'd be really happy if I could borrow a few kettles (we were told to expect 200), but it'd be even better if someone(s) were interested in cooking with me and another Grillfella! 

I don't have any good idea of how many WKCers are in that part of the state, so please tag (@username) folks below who might be able to help out. 

THANKS!!

[mike.stavlund]

@WNC  do you know anyone who might be able to help me out?

[MartyG]

Wish I could join you Mike, but if you want to strap a certain 26er to the roof of your truckster we can make that happen.

[WNC]

@mike.stavlund
I'm twenty minutes from hot springs, and have nothing to do on Friday. PM me the details, I've got two 22's and a 22 wsm.
Super excited!

[mike.stavlund]

@WNC you just made my day, my week, and my next week!  THANK YOU.

I will PM you tomorrow. 

[mike.stavlund]

HEY!  Just wanted to say that @WNC is ten feet tall!!  The nicest guy in the world, and the most generous too.  He loaned me his 22WSM for an overnight smoke of 4 butts, and didn't even complain when I made him wait for the handoff (I was still buying all the food for the next day's cook).  Then the next morning he brought his two sweet 80s-era red OTSs, and cooked for a solid 4 hours in the sunny heat.  We had 11 Webers in total, and cranked out pulled pork sliders (with slaw, natch), pork loin, smoked/seared chix leg/lollipops, a smoked eggplant and chickpea salad, asparagus, and pineapple.  Folks *loved* the food, and we had a ton of fun.  I was so busy that I didn't take many photos, though.  And I never even got a bite of the beautiful chicken legs that @WNC prepared. 

One highlight for me came the day before, as I was coordinating with WNC about our plans for food.  "We're going to do 4 or 5 butts," I said, "do you have a cooler I can borrow to stash them in while they rest?". 
Not missing a beat, he responded, "Yeah, but you need to let me know if you're cooking 5, or 4 butts.  Because I have one cooler that's perfect for 4, and another that's much better for 5." 
And sure enough, when I tucked the fourth butt into the four-butt cooler, the lid sealed up like Fort Friggen' Knox.  Perfect.


My view all morning.  That's a 2015 Crimson on its maiden voyage on the left, and @WNC's sweet reds on the right.  His smoker is right there in the middle putting some flavor on about 40 chicken legs.


The (fat-stained) battle plan.


All hands on deck to remove an entire pork loin from the grill. 


Wearing the WKC colors, yo. 

The WeberFest was such a success that the event organizers have already asked us to do it again next summer.  So I'll be sure to give much more notice of dates and etc. next winter and spring so folks can prepare.  It was a really great time, and we all learned a lot cooking together.  Best of all, we blew some minds and put some serious smiles on a whole bunch of faces. 



Sent from my iPhone using my fingers

[pbe gummi bear]

Great show, Mike! Kudos to @WNC for the assists.

[WNC]

@mike.stavlund gives me too much credit. He had the plan, the food, and well, most of the grills. Including a sweet red jumbo joe with locking top. He handled the prep, including an over nighter with the pork butts, and lollipoping somewhere around 40 or 50 drumsticks.

Seriously, it was great to finally meet someone from the club, and Mike couldn't have been any nicer. It was great to get to cook with him and his friends, I learned so much, and got to meet some great people!

What he also didn't mention is that he let me walk away with a sweet new OTG! (You can see me standing next to it in the first picture) I told him if I didn't keep it I would gift to a deserving friend, but now it's growing on me as one of those grills in your collection that carry a lot of great memories. It might be impossible to let go of now.

Again Mike, great to meet you and your family. You couldn't be a better steward of the club, and the ideals of community and friendship that come along with standing around the grill and sharing a meal!

Let me know next time you're heading out this way! Justin 

[Jason]

@mike.stavlund Looks like you were very successfull, with an awesome assist from @WNC !!!

Congrats on a job well done!

[MrHoss]

That is so cool. Good on ya for lending a hand WNC - looks like it was a awesome time.

[Peaspurple]

Mike. That's amazing. Looks like an awesome turnout and good time making new friends.