Houston Rodeo Cook-off/Heidelberg Reunion.

I cannot do my whirlwind tour of the Houston Rodeo Cook-off/Heidelberg Reunion justice this blog post, but I going to give it try.

Back in fall small group of Heidelberg High Schoolers met in Mansfield and Chip Whitley hatched this grand plan. I have to admit I was skeptical and it if it was not for one last minute prodding from Chip, I probably would have passed on the whole event.

Chip and Lisa

I know now that would have been a huge mistake. If you ever getting invited to a party that Chip and Lisa Whitley are coordinating/hosting, go. Don’t question yourself, clear your schedule and go. They know how to throw a party and know how to make it easy on everyone that attends.



Nick, Me, Fran

 My trip to back to High School began by knocking on the hotel room of Francisco Hamm and Nick Sands. Nick reacted like everyone else that has not seen me since high school. “Holy $#!#, who is the big guy?” Besides my girth, I am about 8 inches taller than I was when I walked across the stage at graduation in 1984.

We did a lot of catching up before we headed up to meet Lisa and Chip in the hospitality suite. Again I cannot stress how organized Chip was as he was handing us our passes and T-shirts for the cook-off. I must admit of having admiration for Chip’s cleverness of combining something he is going to do anyway with a chance to see old friends.

Back in the fall Chip tried to explain the vastness of what I was going to expect when I got into the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. I did not grasp it. You cannot scale it. After a very confusing cab ride, Chip led us to his booth. I use the term booth because I do not really have another word. But the crew of Whitley Construction Services built a building that housed a full kitchen, bar, storage area, stage for the band, dance floor and of course plenty of seating. I apparently kept over using the word amazing all night long.

The following morning was spent reorienting myself to the real world. Francisco and I hunted down breakfast at the local Taco Cabana. (Nick had to go teach a class) We had a wonderful visit about life, family, relationships, work, etc. I actually got sunburn on my legs in February because we spent the morning outside on the patio.

Chip,Melinda, Mellisa, Chris, Fran, Leanne, Cathy, me

About lunch time the next wave of Heidlebergers came into town. A wonderful time was spent in the hospitality suite getting reconnected and making new friends with a common background. I had committed only one day to this event and was regretting that I did. It took a lot of self discipline not go get on the bus back to the cook-off when I said good bye. All the reports from the Heidielbergers I got from the rest of the weekend also over used the word amazing.

Chip says he is doing this again next year. I am clearing my schedule to make it the whole weekend.