Newbie to Forum

RLA

JUst received my mail order shipment of one brand new large BGE!!!
That was on Saturday....and it has remained untouched since..it arrived without the autolocks..:-( Should receive them today, if all goes well. Cant wait to learn how to use this baby. I look forward to listening and learning from all of the Pro's on this Forum. BUt I do have one comment and a question......it would appear that the vast majority of the Forum participants are on the East Coast, or in the vicinity thereof, is there a West Coast contingent? Will any meetings/get-togethers ever come to the West Coast? I see from the past annual meetings that they are all back east, and you all are having so much fun!!!
Im only wondering if there are enough participants out west to someday plan a regional meeting in this direction?

sprinter

RLA,[p]There was a collective gasp from the forum members when you said the the egg arrived on Saturday and has not been touched since. I think most of us would have already cooked a couple of briskets and a good steak or two.[p]Seriously, congrats on the purchase, you are in for some real good food. Feel free to holler to the group for any questions at all. Great group of people and all more than willing to help others get started.[p]There are eggers all over the country, I happen to be from IL so I kinda split the middle. The egg get togeter is not sponsored by BGE at all. (someone PLEASE correct me if I;m wrong here) There are local dealers around the area of the get together that participate but its planned and put on totally by the BGE owners. They pick a spot and call in the troops and have a great time. If you want one in CA, there are a lot of eggers there who would be happy to attend andhelp with the planning.[p]Good luck with the egg, don't wait too long to cook something on it, you'll be sorry you did when youtake the first bite of egged food. Welcome.[p]Troy

Nature Boy

RLA,
There are quite a few eggers out west. The upcoming eggfest in Maryland all started with the interest from people like you. Start the bowl rolling, keep mentioning it, and you can drum up the excitement to make it happen. Maybe a local distributor will step in, as did Seasonal Distributors, and it can become a reality. You could even do a smaller/informal gathering, as I would have planned if it didn't evolve like it did.
Welcome to the forum. Get ready for a new kind of eating![p]NB

RLA

sprinter, I can hear the "collective gasp", but I assure you that I would have tried the EGG, but without autolocks, no way to fasten the dome top!!! Hmm..interesting thought..."Would a real, true-blue egger have bbqued without the ability to fasten the dome to the body and no handles???? Did I fail the test?...lol

Dr. Chicken

RLA,
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Yep, like the other respondants said, there are a lot of Egg'ers out on the west coast. One of the "Eggsperts" is Elder-Ward. He's about wrote the book on long, slow pulled pork cooks! He may of not invented it, he just took the time to explain it!
I would be chompin-at-the-bit waiting to get started cooking. I brought our first one home on a Saturday night, and noon Sunday, it had the first steaks going! You're gona love the thing I guarantee it! Kinda like that Cajun cook ya see on TV. Ya can't understand him, ya can't follow him, but ya know he's gotta be good to have a weekly show on PBS![p]Good luck and Welcome again![p]Dr. Chicken

Char-Woody

RLA,
A big welcome to the group, and somebody really goofed on your order. I apologize for that as this is a first (to me) When you recieve your new bands align the dome so the thermometer hole is to the front (ash pit door opening). Check to see that both pin holes in the upper casting and the dome are centered vertically. Slip the bands in place and put a bolt in the lower band and finger tighten in place making sure that the dimples in the band matches the recess's in the dome edges. Front and back. Then repeat that process with the dome in seating the dimples and the recesse's. After finger tightening the bolts, tighten them to the point where you reach maximum resistance. Your dome and lower unit should now be equal and sealing will be tight.[p]Raise the dome and you should hear a audible click. When releasing the dome, lift slightly, reach back and pull the lever down as you lower the dome.[p]CAUTION----> Make sure that anyone who operates the unit is fully versed on the proper latch and unlatch proceedure. If someone tries to force the dome down while latched, you will permanently damage the bands and have to replace them.[p]Let us know if we can help you in any other way, and again, welcome to the group...
C~W

sprinter

RLA,[p]Lets see, the dome probably weighs about 40 pounds give or take, and the outer ceramic will be relatively cool if you're doing a low and slow cook. Now as i see it, you could have done a bear hug on the dome with a pair of cotton gloves to remove the lid and cooked with it that way even without the bands. Remember, use your legs, not the back to lift heavy objects, bend at the knees. [p]No tests here 'cept what comes off the barby. Good luck.[p]Troy

RLA

sprinter, hehehehe....love a guy with a "sense of humor"!!

sprinter

RLA,[p]Who said I was kidding? hehehehe[p]Troy

RLA

sprinter, Move the family business to Silicon Valley (near me), then we can spend our afternoons bbqing..with me bearhuggin the Egg while we both enjoy your burgers and home brew....that would become the west coast regional meeting...
Bob

sprinter

RLA,[p]Now you're really tuggin' at my heart strings.[p]Troy

Tim M

RLA,[p]We Easterners tried for years to keep the BGE word from reaching the west coast - the word is out I guess and now they'll all want one. [p]Kidding of course - glad to have even west-westerners in here and using the Egg. Welcome to you and glad to have you on the forum.
Tim M

Dr. Chicken

sprinter,
Would you mind explainin' that again and.....and a little better description![p]
Please! :^))[p]
Dr. Chicken

RLA

Char-Woody,I want to thankyou for your instructions. I will be utilizing them tonite, as the bands were supposed to have arrived in today's mail..(hope-hope)

Char-Woody

RLA, Your welcome..anytime you need assistance. E.mail or post..Your on your way to cooking heaven...:-)
C~W[p]

Elder Ward

RLA,[p]Well I'm here in sunny California. I been hoping someone would put together a shindig that would make what them boys are doing back East look sick. Aint happened yet! It takes a special sort of person to be able to organize such doings.
That is not me. [p]Glad you got your new toy. The fun is just begining. If you got the where withall to pull a big event together in Southern California, count me in. [p]Elder Ward

RLA

Elder Ward,I am in CA, just not in southern CA..Im in the San Francisco area. And if I were to even attempt a regional shindig...I sure would need a lot of help!!
Glad to know that, at least, there is someone "close by".
Bob

Cat

RLA,[p]BGE wants to encourage more regional Eggfests - best bet would be to contact a distributor in your area to see if they're interested in putting one together. BGE HQ in Atlanta (800-939-3447) can probably suggest someone for you to call.[p]Nice to have you with us -[p]Cathy

Elder Ward

RLA,[p]Well now, we could redivide this state: North, Santa Rosa and above, South, Orange and below and MidState Los Angeles to Frisco (where everything happens anyway). [p]For the rest of you out there we invented the phrase "Freeway close". You know, any exit off the same Freeway! [p]It kills me to go home because no body wants to drive to a central location to see you "it is to far" (said with a whine)15-80 miles away. Hell the 7-11 stores out here are 45 minutes away.[p]Here is a little more cutural difference on the coast. Bob says he is in the San Fransico area. That is like all the Georgia Crakers back home saying they live 145 miles South West of Atlanta (pick a direction and a distance everybody live somewhere in relationship to Atlanta). Out here we have counties that could cover several states on the East coast. So from Bob's statement we can generally interpriate that he lives within Thermo-nuclear distance of San Fransico in a community you would not know if you drove through it. ;-)[p]By the by I live in Camarillo Which is about 65 mile north west of L A and if it weren't for the Freeway signs you would never know. So I'm not picking on Bob. He may at this point be laying on the floor in total hysteria because all I have said here is true. [p]Clueless in Camarillo,[p]Elder Ward[p]

Gfw

<p />Elder, you live just a bit too far north - one of my favorite places is Southern CA, south of Los Angeles. I was out there about 2 weeks ago and it was great. Here is part of a post I left with SD...[p]"Mexican in SD - I didn't make it to Tio Leos (spelling) but we did enjoy La Fajita in the Gaslight section, lunch (at a restaurant who's name I can't remember) the next day in Old Town and on Saturday we stopped for lunch at my personal favorite, Garcia's in Carlsbad. Garcia’s is a family run business that we stop at each time we are in the SD area. I also decided that I like “Pacifico Beer” (think that’s what is called) which is a Mexican import (through Chicago)."[p]While the picture has nothing to do with BBQ, it is one of my favorite places - the beach at La Jolla![p][p]

Elder Ward

Gfw,[p]There are not many bad spots in California, La Jolla is great if your budget allows. [p]Having been a sailor that served most of his career stationed out of 32nd Street and North Island my lack of love for the area stems from the less than congeniel (spelling)reception that most of the fleet recieves from the community there. There are a lot of great places to eat and vacation and all will be treated well. Sailors on the other hand get treated differently. You know "Dogs and Sailors keep off the grass" type attitude. It is the same when a mainlander tries to live in Hawaii and is not independently wealth. Not only are you not welcome your a damned bother.[p]Elder Ward

RLA

Elder Ward, After having picked myself off the floor...laughing hysterically, I will tell you that I am in Walnut Creek (East Bay)..just a tad east of Berkeley on the map..unless Berkeley has protested about being on maps and now refuses to be mapped....and that is about 25 min driving time from downtown S.F.
Soooo, I figure that a middle point to have our "regional" would be somewhere near San Luis Obispo??? (and that is also wine country!!)
Glad to make your acquaintance Elder
Bob

Gfw

Elder Ward, point made - I guess I still dream of being independantly wealthy. I couldn't afford La Jolla, but the dream sure is fun! Have a great evening.

Dr. Chicken

Gfw,
You are showing my home stomping grounds! It is and was when I was a kid one of the prettiest places in the world! A couple of miles each way up & down the coast gives you an experience you'll remember for a life time![p]"You can take the kid out of the country, but you can't take all of the country out of the kid!"[p]Thanks Gordon, I appreciate it![p]Dr. Chicken

Elder Ward

RLA,[p]Sounds Good to me.[p]Elder Ward

sprinter

Elder Ward,[p]For those in the south eastern states EW, Camarillo is about 2560 miles ENE of Atlanta.[p]Troy

sprinter

sprinter,[p]Whoops, make that WNW of atlanta. I hate screwing up jokes.[p]Troy

Dr. Chicken

sprinter,
Once its done, its done! Throw a wet blankie on that one!

Elder Ward

sprinter,[p]Thanks I was feeling kind of lost here to night.[p]$^)[p]Elder Ward

Elder Ward

sprinter,[p]Well there goes the Europing vacation.[p]Elder Ward