Red Rocks

We got to Red Rocks before the second opener, Bauhaus, finished. I think we heard about the same amount of them as NIN. Mercifully, Bauhaus stopped and there seemed to be a rather long stage change before NIN.

It was a good show I guess. I'm not the biggest NIN fan, but some of the songs have a good beat. They can kick out the jams at times. Interesting light show and stage fog. They played no encore just ended their (seemingly short) set. Maybe that was Trent thumbing his nose at the people who decide that a concert has encores.

Motivation?

I know what I can do, and I know what I SHOULD do. So I came up with this idea to make it interesting.

Anyone who knows me is aware - very aware - that there are definitely 3 foods on my KEEP AWAY list - mushrooms, butter, and PEAS. I will not go in to how revolting, disgusting, and BLECH these foods are but suffice it to say that I cannot fathom the thought of consuming any of these foods.

In Tempe, if my intake of delicious Nathan's hot dogs and buns is less than 20 I will subtract said intake from 20 and take the whole number value of that difference. I will have to consume that many cans of peas. From the can. Open and go. So taking the total from Vegas, 12.5, subtract from 20 equals 7.5; whole number of the difference is 7. That's not a thought I wish to even entertain.

We shall see how it goes.

... OR ELSE!

Oh Boy. More later. SB

Las Vegas correction

Thanks to Doug "Cerberus" Ecks! He competed in the Las Vegas qualifier and contacted me to say he ate 10. In his words:

"Not too big of a deal, but I did kick ass at the rookie table. I was sadly distracted by the eating phenom at the center of the table."

Thank you, Doug. See you around!

Good One!

So we had a potluck at work yesterday. One of the foods there was a crock pot full of cut up hot dogs in BBQ sauce. A few of us are getting some food, and a guy says to me:

"Betcha can't eat the whole thing in 12 minutes!"

And then another guy says:

"There's more than 12.5 hot dogs in there, so I think not!" (I paraphrase)

That's classic!!

Supersizedmeals.com

We have again been featured on supersizedmeals.com! The big hot dog cake this time! Before, the big pizza had a spot. If you have not gone to supersizedmeals.com before that site is a hilarious collection of, well, supersizedmeals of all kinds. Thanks, Billy! See you again soon!

Big Cake!

What's a party without cake!


Hot dog? Now that's what I call a cake!




Look at this cake! It's yooge.


Yellow cake with lemon filling. Lemon.




It slices quite nicely!





Big big big thanks to T2! Can she BE any more thoughtful!! I love you!!!

Party Pictures & Video

Click here to view some party pictures and the Evergreen hot dog contest video!

One more Vegas tidbit..

I forgot to mention this - when I was waiting in the Las Vegas airport for the flight back, some guy came on the PA -

"Would the gentleman who left his dentures and his hearing aid in the restroom on the D concourse please come to the information desk on the D concourse to retrieve his items."

And then the guys right back on the PA and hurriedly adds -

"uh ... if you can hear me."

Hartford

Vegas

Before I begin I have to acknowledge Joey and the 50 hot dogs and buns he ate in the Las Vegas qualifier. Incredible. And Rich LeFevre put down 30.5 - a personal best that would of course win any other qualifier but this one. And I thought Ron did 20, but he's officially credited with 15. My 12.5 was next, then screenwriter Josh Heald with 11. El Toro ate 10, as did Doug "Cerberus" Ecks. Of the eight other competitors none pulled 10.

And I apologize for the photo quality. I only had the video camera with me, and the photos are all captures from video. Except for this first one that T2 took with the normal camera.


Photo of me, being dropped off at DIA.






I stayed at the Wild Wild West Gambling Hall & Hotel. Hotel?!? Maybe Hoe-tel. Well maybe the place wasn't THAT bad. Maybe a step or two up from the Panama Palms. T2 is the only one who gets that reference. But I'd call it Motel 3. Not Motel 6, but Motel 3. It's very conveniently located about half a mile west of the New York New York. Close enough that I could have walked to the Strip and back again, but I had to sample the bus system, the CAT - Citizen's Area Transit.



Very easy to get around. The day I got there, a day before the contest, I hopped on it and went to a deli to get a samwich and a quart of strawberry milk for dinner. Not too big of a meal, but I knew it would be the last food before the competition so I wanted to be full. After eating I went back to the strip.



I had to go by the Hooters hotel. T2's favorite place ever. Went back to the NYNY for some BJ action. Blackjack at my stakes, well, won't hit it big but it's a fun way to pass time. Then I head back to the Motel 3 for a solid night of sleep.

Thursday dawns beautifully. From my vantage point at the hoe-tel, it's a very nice sunrise over the strip. I get to the NYNY about 11:00. I play some slots and check out the venue.



The contest will take place outside the NYNY on a walking area before the Brooklyn Bridge. It is kind of a weird spot - no room for a big crowd to gather like big crowds do; the area is more wide than deep.



It was cool how the event was a couple hours long. At 1:00 there were hot dog contest heats for employee teams. The individual winner ate 7 hot dogs and buns. At 2:00 there was a contest for Las Vegas public employees - police, fire, that sort of thing. I do not know who won that as I was staying inside in the AC. It was hot for sure, 97 or 98, but not too hot.

As for the contest, I started just like I wanted - I finished the first plate of 5 hot dogs and buns in under 3 minutes. That's great, and as planned. But on dog 7 I got quite sloppy, the cheeks began to fill up, and it went how it went. About when the 10, 9, 8 countdown toward the end began I was at 12 but got the dog in so 12.5 was secured. I looked over once, and saw that my position on the table at the stage left didn't provide a view of Joey or Rich. That would have been something to watch - Joey had to be throwing them down in 10 seconds or so!



Here's me taking a look at my prize - the nastiest chomp on my inside lip! I've bitten it a lot lately so it's no big deal. In the photo you can see the crater-sized bump that is there - so biting it over and over is to be expected really. At one point in the contest I put part of the bun on it. It was a bleeder and it didn't stop until over an hour later. Yowza.



I check out the next morning. Head to the airport, play some slots to pass time. Actually came out ahead at the airport.



Here I am thinking about how it went. Notice my homage to Miss Holloway.



Shot of the Crocs. Crocs have made in-roads in Las Vegas but I saw none.



And I'm back. Thanks, Shamalama!

Las Vegas Update

Joey Chestnut devoured 50 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes to set a new American record in the Las Vegas qualifier of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

LeFevre 30.5
Koch 15
El Toro 15 (?)
Me 12.5
Josh Heald 11
Doug "Cerberus" Ecks 10
8 others < 10

More later.

Sweet!

That's some great hot dog weather for Thursday!!

Hey Doggies!

Want to recognize quite possibly my two biggest supporters throughout this whole thing. Or at least they are perhaps the two most interested. Maxine Lou and Honey D, thanks guys!

Next To

Yesterday was the penultimate chow down before the competition later this week. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again - these hot dogs are quite tasty! I definitely have to make sure to epicureanly enjoy some with chili, and also with the normal condiments. But not yet.

Off Topic

A bit of snow overnight. No big deal - the sun melted it away in no time, but it was good to see.









BBC

Round #1

Beau Jo's takes it. We cannot put away the 14 pound behemoth that is the Beau Jo's Challenge. It was quite delicious and a very refreshing late lunch.


We're feeling good going in. We're hungry, we're focused, we're taking this Challenge down!


Waiting for lunch. Let's go, let's go!


Ah, here it is! A lovely pie, 18 inches in diameter and 4 inches high. 1 pound of sausage, 1 pound of hamburger, 1 pound of green pepper, 1 pound of red onion, 4 pounds of real mozzarella cheese, and 6 pounds of super-thick mountain crust.


We are set to begin! 1 hour limit.


This is about the 30 minute point. Pick it up!


And here's the slices left at the end after we throw in the towel!

We started off very well. The green pepper and onion were a stunning complement to the hamburger, sausage, and pepperoni. Right away we noticed the mozzarella cheese layer - it was quite tasty (it was not shredded cheese from a bag but had to be actual mozarella slices - very good) but it was thick. Thicker than on our test pizza a few weeks back. And we would expect the real deal to be set up differently than the practice version, but this cheese layer would prove to be a very effective plug in the system. At about the 45 minute mark we started appraising the situation, eyes darting back and forth between what was left on our plates, the slices left on the paddle, and the other detritus strewn about the table. We kept going, never getting to the last two pieces on the paddle. At a pound each, and with seemingly ginormous layers of cheese on each, we quietly bowed out at the 55 minute mark. We both could have eaten more of something, just not this pizza.

Study the Dogs

After getting the boxes of dogs back, where to put them?


Honey is trapped


Here's the fridge with some room


Another fridge pic


And another


Had to put some in the freezer too


Freezer again


Here is a close-up of one broken in half


Weigh one of them

I have a cold so I just did two dogs tonight to see how the casing is. It does add something to eating them with any speed. I've heard it called "they snap". And they do. Later.