Rich Decker
Senior Cook
I received my application last weekend and Fed-Ex'ed it on Monday. Harpoon has to be the toughest contest to get into. Repeating teams get a week head start then applications go out to the other teams. Harpoon is the most cooker friendly and has to have the funnest Friday night on the circuit.
As a contestant they give each team a new banner with their name on it, free ice delivered to your site, 4 cases of Harpoon Beer and enough beer tokens for the beer tent to last the weekend ( I still have a few hundred in my cooking box). IQ cooks a great dinner on Friday night then they open the beer taps for the teams. The big sites are on the Connecticut river for swimming and have water and power to each site. Saturday they encourage each team to vend their BBQ to the public, some teams put a lot of effort into this and make a bunch of money. After the turn-in's there is a strongman competition then the anticipated bag pipe band marches down the road to the stage to start the awards. Sunday is a more relaxing day with a grilling contest and more vending.
After 2003 ( I had a really good year there in 2003) I really struggle to score at this contest but it is my team's favorite. My teams is splitting up this year but we will always cook together at Harpoon.
Here are a few pictures from last year in the pouring rain. It didn't stop the public or the strong men. http://www.lostnationvt.com/harpoon06.htm
As a contestant they give each team a new banner with their name on it, free ice delivered to your site, 4 cases of Harpoon Beer and enough beer tokens for the beer tent to last the weekend ( I still have a few hundred in my cooking box). IQ cooks a great dinner on Friday night then they open the beer taps for the teams. The big sites are on the Connecticut river for swimming and have water and power to each site. Saturday they encourage each team to vend their BBQ to the public, some teams put a lot of effort into this and make a bunch of money. After the turn-in's there is a strongman competition then the anticipated bag pipe band marches down the road to the stage to start the awards. Sunday is a more relaxing day with a grilling contest and more vending.
After 2003 ( I had a really good year there in 2003) I really struggle to score at this contest but it is my team's favorite. My teams is splitting up this year but we will always cook together at Harpoon.
Here are a few pictures from last year in the pouring rain. It didn't stop the public or the strong men. http://www.lostnationvt.com/harpoon06.htm
