Bravo Co. Makes the Dutch Oven Run

 

As 2009 closed 2010 opened  we found something new to to in our own back yard. Dutch Oven cookouts at the State Park. I have heard of them and know a little on how they cook with the Dutch Ovens but have not been in the right place to actually see one done so let's check that off our list of things to do and remember to do it again. The weather was preventing us to go on one of our regular 300 - 400 mile Saturday runs, so the powers that be decided we would go to the State Park Dutch Oven weekend. They do it the 1st Saturday of every month. Everyone is welcome and it requires a donation if you can spare it. Let me set this up: the forecast was to hover around 50 degrees with a light wind; we all met up at 10:30am and everyone is in good spirits. Present are four Devildogs  Larry, Danny, Jim and Gunny along with four other Devildog friendly bikers with wives and/or girlfriends in tow. We arrive at the State Park in Tyler and proceed to check in and go to the location of this Dutch Oven cookout. 

Boy did they get a surprise when 8 leather-clad Harley riders with face masks crashed this family oriented activity,,,,  One of the cooks thought a tank platoon was coming up the hill. We park and strip down to the 1st layer of leather and proceed to the center of camp. We were welcomed. You can say all you want about bikers but when you are escorted by Devildogs it is sort of like being a Dallas Cowboy. You like them or maybe not, but they are still America's team, same holds true to Marines. 

As we all were breaking the ice and making new friends we learn from them as they do from us I watched a program a year or so ago about the Start Park and Dutch Oven cooking.  I learned that  when you hold your hand over your cooking area and do the one thousand 1, 2 and three and you have to remove your hand that equates to 350 degrees. If you make it to 2 or 4 it is either too hot or too cold. I also learned that if your lookin' your not cooking so I was able to strike up on a conversation with a little knowledge of what they are doing. I did learn something today each briquette equates to 25 degrees so,,,,,, 4  equate to 100 degrees.  It is all time and temperature from there on out. 

Everyone was visiting (see Pictures) and just being friendly and we ate right at 12:30. This is a open event and they cannot eat  everything they cook so they encourage visitors to come as you are,  sort of like Mary and Joseph's story. We ate like kings (again see photos) and visited a little more. 

We then struck out to the the Pirates Club. See our links for Devildog friendly places to go. We were again welcomed as returning Kings. We stayed and had a drink and around 3:30pm headed back south towards Tyler. Arrived home around 5pm 80 or so miles not Long  ride but a great way to start the new year with friends and meeting new ones that welcomed us with open arms, 

We also took inventory on what big trips we were able to do this year. Hill Country run to Fredericksburg the end of April, Sturgis and a few other places on the list. We all look forward to exploring new roads in 2010 and we have no baggage from 2009 no fights no issues no nothin' just a few Devildogs with their friends picking em' up and putting em' down. I am not sure who gets more out of it us Devildogs with friends or adult leadership for the Devildogs it just works out well for this group. 

 

 

 

When you go the extra mile not much traffic there. While the destination is just a place to turn around and go home.

 

Gunny