Head NORTH, OVS!

Back when we were in the throes of planning for this season, we kept looking at Memorial Day weekend and saying how much we wished there was a competition that weekend on Saturday and Sunday.  Might as well, right?

Kim found the Roc City Rib Fest in her hometown of Rochester, NY.  7 HOURS.  We decided to keep an eye on it.

Then, we went to the MABA meeting and one of the entries that they raffled off was for that event!    I couldn’t find the guy that won it, so I emailed the head of MABA and Pitmaster for Aporkalypse Now.  He told me who won it, and then quickly told me that he had bought it.  So we knew we would have one friend there.

We sent in our entry form and started planning.  Leigh Anne couldn’t go, but we figured it would be fun for just Kim and I to give it a shot. Kim’s mom drove up from WV, we packed up and hit the road.  

In typical OVS fashion, we had perfect weather until we hit New York.  Buckets of rain.  We get to the Genessee Valley Park and get in line.  Apparently the park is a mud hole.  After an hour we get near the front of the line, where we first meet our new awesome organizer, J.  He tells me that the county inspector is going to look at my truck and trailer and make a determination as to whether I get thumbs up or thumbs down to go on the grass.

Me:  what does thumbs down mean?
J:  means you have to park in this gravel lot.
Me:  then thumbs down me right now!  Can I pay for thumbs down?

We get to second in line…J looks at me…I point towards a swath of nice gravel, coincidentally right across from Aporkalypse….

J starts walking over….

“Make it happen.”

Now, I’m not exactly skilled at this trailer business yet…but I slammed that thing into its spot, dropped the gate…unhooked and then left for dinner.

We got back around 8:30 and sent Kim to her Aunt’s to sleep.  I started setting up…and then wandered over to the Buckner Brothers party.

Whoa.  These guys can get after it.

I held my own, eventually made it back, and went night night time.

Kim got there early, and wasn’t pleased.  Nothing had been done!

A quick set up…then time for ribs for the Roc City Rib Cook Off.  They came out great…and we finished a surprising 12 out of 120.

Yet not the highlight of the day.  Spending time with Kim’s Aunt Debbie, Uncle Mike, Bean and Pam was a ton of fun!  And to put the cherry on top…as I returned from turn in, one of my best friends Danks and his wife Abby jumped out of the trailer!  It’s always better when friends and family are there.

Kim and I ham-n-egged it through the night.  Had to get some gas at 5 am for the generator (thank you Uncle Dave) which caused a small quarrel, but was very necessary due to the impending 2 hour power outage….

Then we cooked.  We stayed focused and finished 5th overall, with a 4th in chicken and ribs.  A great time!

Big thanks to Mike, Hilary and Don of Aporkalypse Now, the people of Roc City, and all our new friends up north.  We will see you next year!