Getting Ready For The Season

Sorry I have been MIA for a while. Been taking a little break from writing and getting recharged for the season.

We are really excited to get the year started. We had originally planned to start our official Q season in Rhode Island on May 19th and 20th. However, that event was postponed or cancelled, so that one is out. We had hoped to do Lime Rock, but have decided that it is not the right event for us this year. I hope it goes well for the sake of those competing there.

So, our first event will be the New Hampshire Rock-n-Ribfest on June 22nd and 23rd. We won grand champions there in our second ever event, so that eventually led to the decision to go back this year. That's even with a BBQ event being held in East Hartford the same weekend. East Hartford is only a half-hour from our house, too, which made the decision even more difficult. But New Hampshire won out. I'm sure there will be a full slate of teams, and my buddy Mike Boisvert from Lakeside Smokers will be there, too.

After New Hampshire, we are returning to Lake Placid June 29th through July 1st for the I Love BBQ Festival. For those who have never been to Lake Placid, it is really a magical place. It's a neat little town, Mirror Lake is stunning, and the people are great.

If anyone wants to write a blueprint on how to run a cooker friendly event, they should come to Lake Placid. Low entry fees. Large prizes. Great location. Free ice. Free breakfast. Organizers who go way beyond the call to make sure the teams have everything they need. I cannot recommend this event enough.

A sign that this event is turning into something special: CancerSucksChicago, the team that won the 2006 Jack Daniel's World Invitational BBQ, is driving half way across the country to cook at Lake Placid.

Funny story from last year; I was sleeping under our EZ-Up tent on an air mattress when I heard "oohhh an air mattress!" and before I knew it, an attractive young, and clearly drunk girl who was riding in the rodeo taking place nearby had jumped into the airbed with me. Was interesting to say the least.

After Lake Placid, I will likely cook a BBQ Brethren event July 21st and 22nd. Then, it's our main event of the season, the Harpoon New England Championships in Windsor, Vermont. I'll talk more about Harpoon as it gets closer, but this is the event we have wanted to get into for the last two years, and we're in.

Now that our season is starting to get going, I'll be posting a lot more. Check back once in a while! And don't forget to visit our team web site www.qhavenbbq.com for pictures and other team stuff.