Our March Pod meeting will be on the 23rd at El Senor Sol (Zang's Restaurant) 23rd Street and I-25 at 6: pm.

 

COMMENTS FROM THE GREAT PEPPER

February 2005

Once again our January meeting was very eventful and productive – we also had some “good eats”. Steve Lee showed us some of the designs he has come up with for our poster, ad and entry form for this year’s Colorado State Championship Cookoff. You will be seeing the final results in the Terlinqua Trails soon as well as many other places around town here and in Grand Lake if you happen to get up there. A copy of his “suggested” new Pod logo is in the adjoining column. Since there isn’t much happening around here this time of year - most of the meeting we just spent socializing and relaxing.

For those of you who didn’t make it to the cookoff in Mitchell – You really did miss a good time. I would recommend that you put it on your calendar for next year. Several members of the pod met at the IHOP in Loveland for breakfast and then we caravanned, more or less, up to Cheyenne, Wyoming and then across to Nebraska. The drive was actually very easy with good roads all the way there.
It was a great venue for the winter months - INDOORS! While the weather was nice outside, it still was a bit on the brisk side. We were cozy indoors, once the chili fires got lit. The Colorado Chili Pod was well represented with 7 cooks. And “Staying with the Tradition” - we took away the following - Steve Lee 7th Place - Christi Batie 5th Place - John Montgomery 4th Place and Robert Batie 1st Place. In addition, our newest Pod member, Kyle Haberman from Scottsbluff also finished in the top 10! Way to go, everyone! We also took home other awards - Steve Lee picked up 2nd Place in both Show and in the Open Chili division. All in all it was a good trip for the Colorado Pod!

And the Nebraska folks do a good job keeping all of the chili cooks fed (free lunch and “garlic sausage, rye bread and cheese”). Our thanks go out wholeheartedly to all the Nebraska folks involved in this event.

The Bailey cookoff (May 14th) may be happening again this year. I am sure that those that attended last year remember what a great site we had.. More info should be available next month. Rocky Kimball has offered to help us this year with this event.

Mike Parker and the Trinidad Chamber of Commerce are considering holding the Santa Fe Trail Days Chili Cookoff again this year. The planned date is June 11th and should the event happen it will return to the downtown area. This cookoff has always been a lot of fun and I am sure Mike will do another fantastic job with it this year. If they decide to “for sure” go ahead with this event, we will have more information on it in the next month’s newsletter.

As you may have heard, the Chugwater Chili Cookoff is returning to the Diamond Guest Ranch (a huge ranch west of Chugwater) for this year’s event – the 20th Anniversary. This event will be June 18th. If you plan to go or are considering going, you should make a reservation at the Diamond Guest Ranch for a camping spot or one of their guest rooms. Don’t wait or you will be disappointed. As stated above, this is their 20th anniversary so as we all know – 20th year anniversaries of chili cookoffs are very special so try not to miss this one! Hopefully, they will have a flyer for us for next month’s newsletter. The rumor is that they are going to have some very special entertainment!

And please do not forget Grand Lake….. the event is June 25th. As always, it’s a fun event and it is our 22nd Annual State Championship. Make sure you put this on your calendar and make your reservation for lodging now so that you won’t have to sleep in the park or on the beach! Sign-up and pay early so that you get one of the giveaways AND PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING AN ITEM OR TWO FOR THE SILENT AUCTION!

Last year we had great help from Sandy Sanders – she donated “her chili basement” for the silent auction. This year she may not have as many items (since so much was given away last year) so we will need everyone to bring something. As always, your help is truly appreciated in this effort. And remember, we are really helping the Grand Lake Fire Department and their various charities. Grand Lake is a very special community – so let’s do what we can to make our event be one of the real special events on the calendar in Grand Lake this year!

Unfortunately, it does not look like there will be a Laramie cookoff this year. Seems that there is a bit of “confusion” or something related to the organizers and the site location. Maybe they will get it together some time in the future as we all know it was truly a fun event in an interesting venue.

We are sure glad to hear that our best junior cook, Stephanie Lee, is feeling better. Some of you may not have heard but she got quite sick and had to spend a couple of scary days (at least for her family) in the hospital. I am not sure if they ever figured out what was wrong with her, but she is now back home and recovering much to the relief of everyone. The doctors knew it was time to send her home when she requested a “chili cheese omelet” at the hospital one morning.

I am sure everyone read about Kristi Tanaka and Brent Leonard in last month’s newsletter. It seems that there is a baby “on the way”. But how about Christi and Robert Batie??? The stork is stopping by to see them, as well! Congrats to both couples – we will soon have two more “chili children”!

And for any of you that have not paid your dues – you will know since your mailing label is high-lighted in yellow…. Please consider paying them at this point. We need your membership and your participation (no matter what level it is).

Our next meeting will be held on March 22nd at 6 pm. We will have it at El Senor Sol (Zang’s Restaurant) at 23rd Street and I-25 unless someone comes up with a better or at least different idea.

Until then, Chili Out!
Lyman