Sunday, June 26, 2011
Hot as Hell
The heat today is nuts. It's so much hotter here than it was in Florida. The crosswind today made this ride brutal. The heat is one thing, but today was like riding with a fan attached to my side blowing hot air for three hours.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Trouble in Paradise
******Disclaimer - Any of my readers with a foot fetish need not continue******
In 37 years I had never broken a bone, then I had my accident in January. It was a big setback, but I made it through. I've spent countless hours training since late March and my progress has been amazing. I feel the strongest physically I have felt in over a decade. With only five weeks left until Leadville, I'm very confident in both my physical and mental fitness.
I have been here in Florida with the family for five days and my training is going great. I have not missed a workout. I'm feeling stronger with each ride and the numbers from my computer are confirming my feelings. But I have just been hit with a possible set back...
I had just finished a great two hour training yesterday and come back to the house. The kids were outside playing with the water hose. I put on my swim suit and went outside to join them. Asher had control of the hose and was spraying anyone in site. Being the 37 year old stealth ninja that I am, I went for a sneak attack. At the last minute he saw me, I ran through the lounge chairs and it happened. My little toe kicked the metal frame of the chair. You know the feeling. I continued running because I didn't want the direct spray of water to the face added to the pain of my foot. The pain lasted a few minutes, I figured maybe I had just jammed it pretty good. We continued playing.
A few hours later I was getting dressed for dinner. When I went to slide on my shoe I knew I had a problem. The pain was immense. I hobbled to dinner with thoughts of numbing my pain with a few glasses of red wine. I definitely had the wine, but the pain was still present. Could this really be happening?
When I woke this morning it was not a pretty scene. My toe looked like I had gotten frost bite on Mt. Everest. Dr. Kimberly got online to give me a diagnosis. All the typical stuff...Keep it elevated, no strenuous exercise, stay off your feet, all great things for someone in my current position. The one statement that really stuck out was "6 weeks to heal". I could tell be her face she was hesitant to even read that one. I don't have six weeks...
When I texted a friend to give him the news, his response was priceless..."You better tape it up, you've got a training ride today". That was it, simple but firm. So that's what I did. I somehow squeezed my swollen left foot into my shoe and hobbled outside. I mounted the saddle and took off down the road. I was supposed to do 1:30, but I shut it down at 50 minutes, thats all I could take. I actually rode that final 1/4 mile with only my right foot.
I can't believe this happened and I'm really not sure what impact it will have on my training the next few weeks. It's crunch time and I don't have any down time available. I've got another 1:30 ride tomorrow and I'm hoping it goes better.
I said in my CA aritcle that I would not comment on my finish at Leadville only that Leadville would get 100% effort. That is still my mindset and I will not allow a broken toe stop that effort.
I did speak to a Dr. back in Memphis who is aware of my training and he told me If worse came to worse, he could just cut it off. I'm not dismissing that as a possibility.
In 37 years I had never broken a bone, then I had my accident in January. It was a big setback, but I made it through. I've spent countless hours training since late March and my progress has been amazing. I feel the strongest physically I have felt in over a decade. With only five weeks left until Leadville, I'm very confident in both my physical and mental fitness.
I have been here in Florida with the family for five days and my training is going great. I have not missed a workout. I'm feeling stronger with each ride and the numbers from my computer are confirming my feelings. But I have just been hit with a possible set back...
I had just finished a great two hour training yesterday and come back to the house. The kids were outside playing with the water hose. I put on my swim suit and went outside to join them. Asher had control of the hose and was spraying anyone in site. Being the 37 year old stealth ninja that I am, I went for a sneak attack. At the last minute he saw me, I ran through the lounge chairs and it happened. My little toe kicked the metal frame of the chair. You know the feeling. I continued running because I didn't want the direct spray of water to the face added to the pain of my foot. The pain lasted a few minutes, I figured maybe I had just jammed it pretty good. We continued playing.
A few hours later I was getting dressed for dinner. When I went to slide on my shoe I knew I had a problem. The pain was immense. I hobbled to dinner with thoughts of numbing my pain with a few glasses of red wine. I definitely had the wine, but the pain was still present. Could this really be happening?
When I woke this morning it was not a pretty scene. My toe looked like I had gotten frost bite on Mt. Everest. Dr. Kimberly got online to give me a diagnosis. All the typical stuff...Keep it elevated, no strenuous exercise, stay off your feet, all great things for someone in my current position. The one statement that really stuck out was "6 weeks to heal". I could tell be her face she was hesitant to even read that one. I don't have six weeks...
When I texted a friend to give him the news, his response was priceless..."You better tape it up, you've got a training ride today". That was it, simple but firm. So that's what I did. I somehow squeezed my swollen left foot into my shoe and hobbled outside. I mounted the saddle and took off down the road. I was supposed to do 1:30, but I shut it down at 50 minutes, thats all I could take. I actually rode that final 1/4 mile with only my right foot.
I can't believe this happened and I'm really not sure what impact it will have on my training the next few weeks. It's crunch time and I don't have any down time available. I've got another 1:30 ride tomorrow and I'm hoping it goes better.
I said in my CA aritcle that I would not comment on my finish at Leadville only that Leadville would get 100% effort. That is still my mindset and I will not allow a broken toe stop that effort.
I did speak to a Dr. back in Memphis who is aware of my training and he told me If worse came to worse, he could just cut it off. I'm not dismissing that as a possibility.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Holiday Rooaaaood!
SPECS
2 Adults
3 Kids (7, 3 & 21 months)
1 Dog
1 Bike
Cooler
Snack Bag
Movies
491 Miles.....
God Help Us!!
We made it to Tupelo before we heard our first "Are we there yet?", which I thought was pretty good. It was also in Tupelo that I discovered that the car's headphones were broken, which meant I had to listen to every Looney Tunes & Tom & Jerry that the kids were watching. The fifteen minutes that Kimberly and I tried to listen to our music turned into a full mutiny from the back of the car, so we caved. The kids got settled into their show and the ride was going remarkably well, until....
As were were about to turn onto 65 South in Birmingham it happened. "Mooommy" was all I heard, I turned my head at the exact moment the projectile vomit occurred. The car turned into complete panic, actually just Kimberly and I, as Asher was too busy with "Swamp Brothers" on the Ipad and Julia, well, she's just Julia. We immediately pulled into the first parking lot we could. I slammed on the brakes and jumped out. It was bad, really bad. Kimberly handled Turner while I ran into the restaurant to get paper towels. I forgot to mention that the parking lot we pulled into was a Popeye's chicken. Remember that scene in Lampoon's Vacation when they ask for directions in East St. Louis? It was like that. The restaurant had no paper towels in either bathroom, so we ended up cleaning the car and Turner with paper napkins. With clean clothes and a semi-clean car seat we were on our way, without "Honkey Lips" painted on the side of the family truckster. Success.
For the next 2 to 3 hours, everyone was great. We stopped for lunch, filled up with gas and continued down the road. There was one growing problem, Julia was not taking a nap. Kimberly and I both knew this was not good, and she was going to turn on us at some point. The change occurred when we reached Highway 331- Julia had been replaced by the pea soup spitting girl from the Exorcist. We spent the next 30 minutes trying to maintain sanity while she screamed bloody murder. When we hit the beautiful resort town of Florala, she fell asleep. I figured it was smooth sailing from here out, but there was one more bump in the road...
With Julia finally asleep and only 40 miles left, Asher decided he had to pee. Kimberly firmly announced to him "this car is not stopping, if you want to pee, here's a bottle". He sat quietly for a moment, then caved. He unzipped and let it fly, it was classic. I kept thinking of that scene in Dumb & Dumber. We all got a big laugh out of it, and Turner found it so funny he had to give it a whirl. Classic road trip memory.
We pulled into the beach house at 5:20, nine and a half hours after we left. The ride had its ups and downs, but I would definitely call it a success. There is still the trip home, but that will be for a later post.
With the car unpacked, it was beverage time and thankfully, the family that stayed the week before had left a six pack of Stella in the fridge. I felt like I had won the lottery. By 6:30 we were on the porch enjoying the view.
It was an early night, but we were all glad to be settled in and ready for a great week.
My vacation has not put my training on the back burner. I had arranged an off day for Saturday, but Sunday morning I was back at it. I really love riding down here in Florida, the scenery is fantastic and Highway 98 is great to ride on, nice bike lanes and minimal stop light. I suited up and hit the road for my first ride.
My schedule only called for an 1:30 minute ride, so it was a nice way to start the week.
I can't think of a better view to end a training ride.
Monday was an off day. We spent the morning down at the beach playing. Asher loves the water, Turner...not so much. Julia loves just sitting in the sand and playing with her water buckets. After beach time, Kimberly and I packed up the kids and did some shopping and had lunch.
That night, the whole family drove down to Seaside for dinner. I've been very good lately about my nutrition, but it was an off day and I just couldn't resist.
This morning was another beautiful day. I passed on the donuts from Charlie's donut truck in Alys Beach and ate my wheat bread with Justin's Hazelnut Butter. By 9:00 am I was on the road for another ride.
So far...So good.
Now for a Post Script...
Checking the blog stats today, I noticed I have surpassed 3,000 page views. So to thank all of you for reading, here is a gift in return. Blue Suede Shoes- courtesy of Big Daddy. Enjoy...
2 Adults
3 Kids (7, 3 & 21 months)
1 Dog
1 Bike
Cooler
Snack Bag
Movies
491 Miles.....
God Help Us!!
We made it to Tupelo before we heard our first "Are we there yet?", which I thought was pretty good. It was also in Tupelo that I discovered that the car's headphones were broken, which meant I had to listen to every Looney Tunes & Tom & Jerry that the kids were watching. The fifteen minutes that Kimberly and I tried to listen to our music turned into a full mutiny from the back of the car, so we caved. The kids got settled into their show and the ride was going remarkably well, until....
As were were about to turn onto 65 South in Birmingham it happened. "Mooommy" was all I heard, I turned my head at the exact moment the projectile vomit occurred. The car turned into complete panic, actually just Kimberly and I, as Asher was too busy with "Swamp Brothers" on the Ipad and Julia, well, she's just Julia. We immediately pulled into the first parking lot we could. I slammed on the brakes and jumped out. It was bad, really bad. Kimberly handled Turner while I ran into the restaurant to get paper towels. I forgot to mention that the parking lot we pulled into was a Popeye's chicken. Remember that scene in Lampoon's Vacation when they ask for directions in East St. Louis? It was like that. The restaurant had no paper towels in either bathroom, so we ended up cleaning the car and Turner with paper napkins. With clean clothes and a semi-clean car seat we were on our way, without "Honkey Lips" painted on the side of the family truckster. Success.
For the next 2 to 3 hours, everyone was great. We stopped for lunch, filled up with gas and continued down the road. There was one growing problem, Julia was not taking a nap. Kimberly and I both knew this was not good, and she was going to turn on us at some point. The change occurred when we reached Highway 331- Julia had been replaced by the pea soup spitting girl from the Exorcist. We spent the next 30 minutes trying to maintain sanity while she screamed bloody murder. When we hit the beautiful resort town of Florala, she fell asleep. I figured it was smooth sailing from here out, but there was one more bump in the road...
With Julia finally asleep and only 40 miles left, Asher decided he had to pee. Kimberly firmly announced to him "this car is not stopping, if you want to pee, here's a bottle". He sat quietly for a moment, then caved. He unzipped and let it fly, it was classic. I kept thinking of that scene in Dumb & Dumber. We all got a big laugh out of it, and Turner found it so funny he had to give it a whirl. Classic road trip memory.
We pulled into the beach house at 5:20, nine and a half hours after we left. The ride had its ups and downs, but I would definitely call it a success. There is still the trip home, but that will be for a later post.
With the car unpacked, it was beverage time and thankfully, the family that stayed the week before had left a six pack of Stella in the fridge. I felt like I had won the lottery. By 6:30 we were on the porch enjoying the view.
It was an early night, but we were all glad to be settled in and ready for a great week.
My vacation has not put my training on the back burner. I had arranged an off day for Saturday, but Sunday morning I was back at it. I really love riding down here in Florida, the scenery is fantastic and Highway 98 is great to ride on, nice bike lanes and minimal stop light. I suited up and hit the road for my first ride.
My schedule only called for an 1:30 minute ride, so it was a nice way to start the week.
I can't think of a better view to end a training ride.
Monday was an off day. We spent the morning down at the beach playing. Asher loves the water, Turner...not so much. Julia loves just sitting in the sand and playing with her water buckets. After beach time, Kimberly and I packed up the kids and did some shopping and had lunch.
That night, the whole family drove down to Seaside for dinner. I've been very good lately about my nutrition, but it was an off day and I just couldn't resist.
This morning was another beautiful day. I passed on the donuts from Charlie's donut truck in Alys Beach and ate my wheat bread with Justin's Hazelnut Butter. By 9:00 am I was on the road for another ride.
So far...So good.
Now for a Post Script...
Checking the blog stats today, I noticed I have surpassed 3,000 page views. So to thank all of you for reading, here is a gift in return. Blue Suede Shoes- courtesy of Big Daddy. Enjoy...
Untitled from Larkin Grisanti on Vimeo.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
What The??????
5 Stages of Dying....Ever heard of it? Good, neither had I. The reason I bring it up is because I was recently told by a two-time finisher of the Leadville 100 that I would be experiencing these 5 stages at least three times during my ride. Pain...sure, Exhaustion...obviously, Lack of air...no question, but 5 stages of dying??? I rushed right home to read exactly what the hell these 5 items were.
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
I sat quietly staring at the monitor, reading each one over and over. It made sense, I could put an example with each one. It didn't scare me, it just reminded me what I was in for on August 13th. It also reminded me of the level of mental toughness that will be required. Will I want to quit?...yes, Will I suffer?...yes, Will I unclip from my bike and have an emotional episode?...absolutely, but I know these things going in, I'm not approaching this ride blind. My mind will be tested as much as my fitness and I'm preparing everyday for that.
Denial
This one makes perfect sense. The same person who told me about the 5 stages also told me I would not be getting a buckle this year, and to focus on next year. What??? Don't want to believe it, I have to have a chance....right?
Anger
This one could come in all shapes and sizes. I could have a mechanical issue, I might have to get off and walk earlier than I would like or I could get 25 miles in and realize my legs aren't having a pleasant day.
Bargaining
This is where crazy starts to take over. You're all alone at 11,500 feet elevation and you're talking to yourself- pleading, making deals with your own body. We've all been there, asking for just one more mile or 30 more minutes.
Depression
This one scares me the most. This is your game changer. Can you fight through the mental breakdown and clear your head? I see only two ways out of this one, quit or kick your mind's ass.
Acceptance
When this stage kicks in, an outcome will be known. No matter what that outcome is, I believe this stage will provide a sense of peace, because to get to stage 5, you have had to battle 1-4, and that is an accomplishment in itself...
Round 1 over...2 two go.
It's been a little while since I posted, training has really ramped up. But I'm back now and I look forward to sharing the trials and tribulations of the next 59 days.
My fitness is the best it has been since I wore tightie whities and as of this morning I was 200lbs. I haven't seen that number in 10 years. I also crossed the '1000 miles ridden' mark since recovering from my surgery. I feel good, physically and mentally.
I want to say thanks to "Dirty Bird" for all your help, it means a lot and I appreciate it immensely.
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
I sat quietly staring at the monitor, reading each one over and over. It made sense, I could put an example with each one. It didn't scare me, it just reminded me what I was in for on August 13th. It also reminded me of the level of mental toughness that will be required. Will I want to quit?...yes, Will I suffer?...yes, Will I unclip from my bike and have an emotional episode?...absolutely, but I know these things going in, I'm not approaching this ride blind. My mind will be tested as much as my fitness and I'm preparing everyday for that.
Denial
This one makes perfect sense. The same person who told me about the 5 stages also told me I would not be getting a buckle this year, and to focus on next year. What??? Don't want to believe it, I have to have a chance....right?
Anger
This one could come in all shapes and sizes. I could have a mechanical issue, I might have to get off and walk earlier than I would like or I could get 25 miles in and realize my legs aren't having a pleasant day.
Bargaining
This is where crazy starts to take over. You're all alone at 11,500 feet elevation and you're talking to yourself- pleading, making deals with your own body. We've all been there, asking for just one more mile or 30 more minutes.
Depression
This one scares me the most. This is your game changer. Can you fight through the mental breakdown and clear your head? I see only two ways out of this one, quit or kick your mind's ass.
Acceptance
When this stage kicks in, an outcome will be known. No matter what that outcome is, I believe this stage will provide a sense of peace, because to get to stage 5, you have had to battle 1-4, and that is an accomplishment in itself...
Round 1 over...2 two go.
It's been a little while since I posted, training has really ramped up. But I'm back now and I look forward to sharing the trials and tribulations of the next 59 days.
My fitness is the best it has been since I wore tightie whities and as of this morning I was 200lbs. I haven't seen that number in 10 years. I also crossed the '1000 miles ridden' mark since recovering from my surgery. I feel good, physically and mentally.
I want to say thanks to "Dirty Bird" for all your help, it means a lot and I appreciate it immensely.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Past Two Days
Good riding the past two days. The ride yesterday was a solo ride. This morning's ride was with the Friday group from the Peddler ride. Douche and I did it on our mountain bikes, it was one hell of a workout.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Achilles Heel
I love to cook on the grill, and I must admit that I'm damn good at it. You want the best NY Strip or Bone in Rib Eye you have ever tasted in your life, bring over a REALLY good bottle of red wine and come sit on my patio. Hell, I won't even charge you for the side dishes. I have it down, from seasoning, to cook temperature, to the resting of the meat. It's perfect. My brother in law thinks that he is the grill master, but he marinates. GAME OVER. If the grates of your grill are ever kissed with the likes of pineapple juice, mixed with soy sauce and Cavenders, save your breath. My grill skills do extend beyond steak, I do corn, roasted vegetables, shrimp, they are all great. But there is one item that has escaped me for more than a decade.....
RIBS
Now, I don't blame my poor rib cooking on lack of skills. You see, I'm rib cursed...let me explain. One weekend back when I attended the University of Arkansas, my brother in law and I, we lived together, decided to have a big party and cook ribs. It was gonna be a blowout. We were from Memphis, we knew how to cook BBQ. We gathered all of our essential the day before and went home to prep. The problem was, our prep work was sidetracked by a lot of beer. From what I remember, we may have removed the ribs from their plastic casing???? Who knows. All I remember was waking up the next morning and all hell braking loose. We had done nothing and we had 60-75 people coming over in 6-7 hours. We hauled ass and got everything set up, and by everything I mean the 40's and Boone's Farm....they had to be cold. With 5 hours left we started the ribs, I thought we were perfect, so I started drinking and drinking and drinking. Next thing I know, I wake up and it's 11:30 at night and my face is completely painted with marker. I missed the whole damn party. I wander out into the den to find my brother in law, still pissed. I ask him about the ribs and I got one response...RAW! We disrespected the rib, we took her for granted and she is still paying my back.
I could have quit then, but I didn't. Every year I give her a go and she kicks my ass. I've tried everything, from Baby Back to St. Louis style, dry vs. wet, apple wood vs. cherry, but they all stink. But I don't give up, I tell myself it will happen one day. This past Monday was Memorial Day or Annual Rib Day in my house. This was my one shot in 2011 to get it right. I spent the day prior doing all my research and I was ready....but was the curse ready to release her death grip?
I went with my own homemade dry rub this year. After yeas of research, I discovered they are all pretty similar, but I did throw a little chef into it this year.
Salt / Pepper / Garlic Powder / Chili Powder / Cayenne / Onion Powder + My 2 chef extras...Ginger & All Spice
I dusted the ribs evenly all over with the seasoning, but I did something different this time I had read about. I put the brown sugar on after I seasoned the ribs and let the moisture almost melt it into a sauce. I really liked this idea..
I let the seasoned ribs sit for 30-40 minutes, they were looking great. While I was letting them rest I started my fire and soaked my wood. (Save the jokes) I went with apple this year. I also took the time to prepare my cooking area. Once my coals were nice and ashed over, I poured them into a nice pile in the back of my grill. I also placed an aluminum pan filled with water into my grill, for moisture.
Now it was a waiting game, I had to let them cool down until they reached my desired temperature...250 degrees. This is a pretty boring time. So I decided to entertain myself.
About an hour later...Jackpot!
It was time. I was nervous. I placed my two perfectly trimmed racks into their grill holder and shut the lid. I told myself that I had prepared the best I could. I just needed to maintain my 250 degree temperature and all would be fine. I went inside to prepare my mop. I used apple juice and butter. I would give them their first mop after one hour of cooking. I lifted the lid after one hour and this is what I saw.
I was pleased. Things were looking good. I moped the ribs, added a few more pieces of apple wood and shut the lid for another hour. This time between hour one and two has always been my biggest problem. My temperature would always drop and I would spend precious cooking time trying to get it back, but this time my temperature held well.
Hour 2
I couldn't hold back my excitement. The ribs looked great. I applied another mop and rotated the ribs in the holding rack. I added another batch of apple wood and closed the lid. Could the curse be over?
Hour 3
Do I even have to say anything? I gave them one last mop and threw on my corn. I would let them cook another 30-45 minutes.
When my timer went off I removed them from their holder and applied the BBQ Sauce. I closed the lid and let them go for 15 minutes. When I lifted the lid it was like a saw an angel...
It's okay to drool. I took the ribs inside and let them cool before cutting.
It was time to eat. I pulled my chef knife from the drawer, grabbed the first slab and made my incision...
The first thing I noticed, no smoke ring. Just grey ass meat. I was pissed, but I continued cutting. We made our plates and sat down. It was the moment of truth. I watched my wife take the first bite, but it was not a bite, it was like a gnaw. Failure. The meat didn't easily pull from the bone, it had to be winched! What the hell? I had just spent 6 hours doing everything possible to cook a good slab, but it was all for nothing. Another year, another crappy set of ribs. I will say however, that my dry rub was good. But there is always next year.
Who am I kidding, I'm eating steak.
RIBS
Now, I don't blame my poor rib cooking on lack of skills. You see, I'm rib cursed...let me explain. One weekend back when I attended the University of Arkansas, my brother in law and I, we lived together, decided to have a big party and cook ribs. It was gonna be a blowout. We were from Memphis, we knew how to cook BBQ. We gathered all of our essential the day before and went home to prep. The problem was, our prep work was sidetracked by a lot of beer. From what I remember, we may have removed the ribs from their plastic casing???? Who knows. All I remember was waking up the next morning and all hell braking loose. We had done nothing and we had 60-75 people coming over in 6-7 hours. We hauled ass and got everything set up, and by everything I mean the 40's and Boone's Farm....they had to be cold. With 5 hours left we started the ribs, I thought we were perfect, so I started drinking and drinking and drinking. Next thing I know, I wake up and it's 11:30 at night and my face is completely painted with marker. I missed the whole damn party. I wander out into the den to find my brother in law, still pissed. I ask him about the ribs and I got one response...RAW! We disrespected the rib, we took her for granted and she is still paying my back.
I could have quit then, but I didn't. Every year I give her a go and she kicks my ass. I've tried everything, from Baby Back to St. Louis style, dry vs. wet, apple wood vs. cherry, but they all stink. But I don't give up, I tell myself it will happen one day. This past Monday was Memorial Day or Annual Rib Day in my house. This was my one shot in 2011 to get it right. I spent the day prior doing all my research and I was ready....but was the curse ready to release her death grip?
I went with my own homemade dry rub this year. After yeas of research, I discovered they are all pretty similar, but I did throw a little chef into it this year.
Salt / Pepper / Garlic Powder / Chili Powder / Cayenne / Onion Powder + My 2 chef extras...Ginger & All Spice
I dusted the ribs evenly all over with the seasoning, but I did something different this time I had read about. I put the brown sugar on after I seasoned the ribs and let the moisture almost melt it into a sauce. I really liked this idea..
I let the seasoned ribs sit for 30-40 minutes, they were looking great. While I was letting them rest I started my fire and soaked my wood. (Save the jokes) I went with apple this year. I also took the time to prepare my cooking area. Once my coals were nice and ashed over, I poured them into a nice pile in the back of my grill. I also placed an aluminum pan filled with water into my grill, for moisture.
Now it was a waiting game, I had to let them cool down until they reached my desired temperature...250 degrees. This is a pretty boring time. So I decided to entertain myself.
About an hour later...Jackpot!
It was time. I was nervous. I placed my two perfectly trimmed racks into their grill holder and shut the lid. I told myself that I had prepared the best I could. I just needed to maintain my 250 degree temperature and all would be fine. I went inside to prepare my mop. I used apple juice and butter. I would give them their first mop after one hour of cooking. I lifted the lid after one hour and this is what I saw.
I was pleased. Things were looking good. I moped the ribs, added a few more pieces of apple wood and shut the lid for another hour. This time between hour one and two has always been my biggest problem. My temperature would always drop and I would spend precious cooking time trying to get it back, but this time my temperature held well.
Hour 2
I couldn't hold back my excitement. The ribs looked great. I applied another mop and rotated the ribs in the holding rack. I added another batch of apple wood and closed the lid. Could the curse be over?
Hour 3
Do I even have to say anything? I gave them one last mop and threw on my corn. I would let them cook another 30-45 minutes.
When my timer went off I removed them from their holder and applied the BBQ Sauce. I closed the lid and let them go for 15 minutes. When I lifted the lid it was like a saw an angel...
It's okay to drool. I took the ribs inside and let them cool before cutting.
It was time to eat. I pulled my chef knife from the drawer, grabbed the first slab and made my incision...
The first thing I noticed, no smoke ring. Just grey ass meat. I was pissed, but I continued cutting. We made our plates and sat down. It was the moment of truth. I watched my wife take the first bite, but it was not a bite, it was like a gnaw. Failure. The meat didn't easily pull from the bone, it had to be winched! What the hell? I had just spent 6 hours doing everything possible to cook a good slab, but it was all for nothing. Another year, another crappy set of ribs. I will say however, that my dry rub was good. But there is always next year.
Who am I kidding, I'm eating steak.
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