Houston Trip

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Uncle Bubba

Executive Chef
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
2,689
Location
Boardman, Ohio
Wow!! What a trip. Special thanks on the outset to my buddies Bruce and Mark for sharing the driving and companionship on that long-assed ride...25 hours total time with a few stops for food and fuel.

We left around 12:00 Wednesday and drove straight through arriving in Houston at Klose's shop around 12:30 or so. Our route was originally going to take us through Mississippi but the bad weather in Texas forced us to stay as far north of the storm line as possible. We ran into one really strong line of storms just southeast of Dallas. What a daluge. Must have rained 4" in an hour. After that subsided we made the last haul to Houston.

We pulled into Klose's place like I said around 12:30CDT and found Monty finishing my stainless table. I inroduced myself and asked where Dave was and he directed me to the office where I found him smokin a cigar and talking to Dana. We shook hands and walked out to closely examine the pit to make sure everything was correct...which it was. We had to take a few measurements to make sure it wasn't too long for my garage...nice time to find out if it wasn't...but it wasn't...by 4". We then measure for stack height which was able to be cranked down to fit. Dana came out and showed me how the slideout works. Man what a piece of engineering that slideout is. Slickest thing on the pit. I thought the lid was bent on a bender..nope...individual pieces welded together is what forms that lid. You can hardly tell as the lines are damn near perfectly straight. These guys do some seriously great work here.The welding is perfect and everything fits so nice and snug and when you close the doors you get that distinctive soft closing of the doors you get with pefectly fitting doors. The firebox is freaking stupid big. Both my kids could fit in it. This pit is absolutely beautiful...and huge. It's size is a little overhwelming...but it is sooo cool. We walked around the factory for a guided tour and saw all the unique pits he built as well as ones that were being built and his supply of plate and steel. Pretty cool place for a BBQ enthusiast. We talked about securing the pit. After we gawked and oohed and awed for an hour or so we left to eat some BBQ.

Dave took us over to Burns BBQ..an iconic traditional Texas style BBQ place. We received a personalized tour of the smoking pit and prep area. Man was it hot and smokey in there. We all ate three-meat platters and it was damn good. Ribs, brisket, and sausage with beans and potto salad. Good BBQ.

We stayed at Dave Klose's house for the duration at his request/invitation and talked BBQ, life, philosphy, BS...you name it. Things got a little wild with the weed burner. Never give a tanked Texan a lit weed burner. We cooked some Slovacek sausage and chicken and talked late into the night.

Friday we went to NASA for a tour. Pretty cool stuff. Saturn V rocket on display was truly awesome. After that we went down to the docks for some huge(4-6ct) fresh caught gulf shrimp. Dave used some crab boil and we had a shrimp feast that night after a heart lunch at a Mexican place called Tekate's. Good Mexican food.

We killed a few more brain cells Friday night but called it an early night (11:00) as we were leaving at 7:00am the next day. We got on the road after thanking Dave for his hospitality and great time around 6:55am and shot over to Baton Rouge.

We stopped at Jb's place for a short time and picked up some groceries. What a great guy. Wish we could have spent more time there but we needed to get home. JB's got a nice house and great family. He's good people. If you ever get the chance..stop and see him.

We made the trek home from there and got back to Boardman around 12:30 to an overwhelmed wife. I'm not sure she knew exactly what I was getting, next time she'll listen to me. ;) It's a big pit. She pulled like a dream except for really shitty bumpy southern roads that bounced us like a bad day on Lake Erie at points. Smooth road she rides tremendous. Don't even know it's back there but people do. I had more people come up and stop in my blind spots checking this thing out. I got 14 miles per gallon pulling which I think is pretty good. Diesel was cheaper down there than up north. I was paying around $2.69-$2.72 per gallon most of the time.

Back it in the driveway was a little tough but I'll figure it out. Took 5 of us to move it around and get things situated properly. Just barely made it into the garage with 4" to spare lengthwise and 1/2" to spare on the threshhold. I need to modify my garage to make this a little easier or perhaps buy a power dolly to move this in and out...it's a big pit. I can see double hernia coming if I try to move this myself.

All in all a great time with a lot of laughs and fun. Thanks again to Bruce for accompanying me and sharing some of the driving. First firing is sometime this weekend...if I can get it out of the garage.

Nurse, medic, corpman.

Click here for pics
 
Bubba...turn the wheel the opposite way you want the pit to go...when you feel comfortable doing that you'll be able to back that boy up like a trucker does a 53" Dry Van! ;)
 
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
Good stuff there Bubba. Great pics. So when are you going to "FIRE IT UP" (in my best Paul Senior OCC voice) Very nice set up.

When I figure out how to get it out of my garage.
 
Uncle Bubba said:
[quote="Pigs On The Wing BBQ":14hvgdwt]Good stuff there Bubba. Great pics. So when are you going to "FIRE IT UP" (in my best Paul Senior OCC voice) Very nice set up.

When I figure out how to get it out of my garage.[/quote:14hvgdwt]
Greg has the same problem with the stuff in his attic... :D
 
Greg Rempe said:
Bubba...turn the wheel the opposite way you want the pit to go...when you feel comfortable doing that you'll be able to back that boy up like a trucker does a 53" Dry Van! ;)

The key to backing up with a trailer is put your hand on the BOTTOM of the steering wheel and KEEP it there no matter what .....and turn the wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go when backing up...it's very easy...the hard part is training yourself to keep your hand on the bottom!

Also...I know exactly how bad it is to back your truck up with a trailer on ...I have the same truck............I have absolutely NO complaints with the truck....except the steering radius!...
 
Smokey_Joe said:
[quote="Greg Rempe":kfc9hlxh]Bubba...turn the wheel the opposite way you want the pit to go...when you feel comfortable doing that you'll be able to back that boy up like a trucker does a 53" Dry Van! ;)

The key to backing up with a trailer is put your hand on the BOTTOM of the steering wheel and KEEP it there no matter what .....and turn the wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go when backing up...it's very easy...the hard part is training yourself to keep your hand on the bottom!

Also...I know exactly how bad it is to back your truck up with a trailer on ...I have the same truck............I have absolutely NO complaints with the truck....except the steering radius!...[/quote:kfc9hlxh]

Thats great advise. When we back the Tiller Ladder truck up we use the same method.
 
Bill The Grill Guy said:
[quote="Smokey_Joe":2go4hqmr][quote="Greg Rempe":2go4hqmr]Bubba...turn the wheel the opposite way you want the pit to go...when you feel comfortable doing that you'll be able to back that boy up like a trucker does a 53" Dry Van! ;)

The key to backing up with a trailer is put your hand on the BOTTOM of the steering wheel and KEEP it there no matter what .....and turn the wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go when backing up...it's very easy...the hard part is training yourself to keep your hand on the bottom!

Also...I know exactly how bad it is to back your truck up with a trailer on ...I have the same truck............I have absolutely NO complaints with the truck....except the steering radius!...[/quote:2go4hqmr]

Thats great advise. When we back the Tiller Ladder truck up we use the same method.[/quote:2go4hqmr]


Thats how I was taught to put the trailer in the barn as well. It might also help to have a bit of extra lighting in the garage as well, sometimes just the change in lighting can throw off your perspective
 
Kev that is one awesome looking pit!
Glad you and Bruce made it back ok ;)
You had mentioned a few months ago about a "break in cook".
Let me know I'll make the trip to see that one ;)
 
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