Modesto Street Scene & BBQ
Category & Overall Rankings
May 7-8th, 2004
 
(write-up & pictures below)
  

 
 
The Modesto Street Scene and BBQ Event, 7-8-May-2004

Great Administration:   
First off I would like to say the folks responsible for this event did a GREAT job!  Without them it would not have happened or been possible!!!  The following are the names and people that I am aware of and am sorry to those I missed:
- Sharon Blakely, Modesto BBQ Event Coordinator
- Jim Mehl, KCBS Representative / CBBQA President
- Hayward & Eva Harris, KCBS Representatives
- George & Donna Baroody, KCBS Representatives in Training
 
Great Trip:
I met Todd Eves (Team OTW BBQ) at the Camping World parking lot in Valencia at 05:00 Friday morning. Todd choosing not to battle the traffic between Chino Hills and Valencia came up after Friday midnight and stopped in Valencia for a 3 hour nap. I live about 15 miles from the Camping World on the 5 and Lyons avenue so it made sense for me to meet him there for our trip up to compete in the Modesto BBQ Contest. It was an easy and relaxing trip for us both. We could not pull into our assigned spots till noon Friday so we leisurely cruised up the 99 stopping to eat, relax, and fill up with gas. We finally arrived at 11:30 and found other teams already holed up in parking lots. We hooked up with Gene Goycochea at the team parking spots near the assigned spots till the streets were blocked and we could occupy our assigned locations.

Terrific Venue and Event:
Everything was planned perfectly. There were handouts with assigned spots, documentation to assist with all our needs, Sharon Blakely met us at the BBQ headquarters and answered all our questions about setup and location. At noon the police blocked the streets and we simply and easily pulled into our assigned spots. There were grey-water dump tanks, fresh water tanks and spigots, trash cans, fencing for the cook-off spots, a power generator, all the free 40lb bags of ice each team could use, ash cans, and people everywhere trying to help makes things perfect. What a GREAT event!

The Cooking Starts:
To me the most fun of any cook-off is the arrival, setup, visiting with friends, and cruising around checking out everything. When I have to start prepping the meat, preparing for the cooking process all night, and getting everything coordinated the work has begun. So, some of the fun is now over unfortunately. But, the show must go on! So, as in all contest the above described events occurred. Dean and Gina Hayes (Lakeside BBQ) came down from Northern California to visit everybody and assist OTW BBQ and BBQbyDan in the event so we did have the pleasure and fun of their company. The contest went well, we were all happy with our entries, and the results (as in all contests) could have been better or worse. I had a GREAT time overall.

Great Saturday evening Party:
Well, tooooooooo bad nobody else decided to stay Saturday evening and celebrate their victories and successes of the weekend !!??!! The team parking lot was empty after 6:00 p.m. and we (OTW BBQ and BBQbyDan) pulled our rigs over in the empty lot and set up right in the middle. Dean and Gina also stayed the evening choosing not to go home till Sunday. We ordered in Pizza, turned the music on, and began to dissect the entire event from beginning to end in a very positive light with our preferred beverages in hand. WHAT A GREAT EVENING & WEEKEND! Next time teams and attendees might plan on staying and socializing after an event. To us it is more fun than the event. If I could not stay at an event Saturday night I would not attend. Something would just be missing.

Anyway, we all got up about 07:00, had cold pizza, cold water, and said our good-by's! Dean and Gina on there 6 hour drive north to Northern California, Todd and I caravanning 6 hours south to Southern California.

I got home, pulled in, kissed the dogs (they got to me first), kissed the wife, and went straight to bed.

Dan Cannon
Team "BBQbyDan"
www.BBQDan.com
dan@bbqdan.com

<   PICTURES BELOW  >
 

Gina Hayes, assisting
"Team BBQbyDan"

Dean Hayes, assisting
"Team OTW BBQ Products"

Fusion BBQ took 1st in Ribs on this open grill!

Todd Eves, OTW BBQ Cook-Off site

BBQbyDan Cook-Off site