I head off tomorrow to compete in a BBQ contest at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. That’s Southern California’s biggest country musicpalooza featuring country music’s megastars. Makes me wish I appreciate country music a little more than I do. My team’s one of forty something competing for $30,000 in prize money.

We’re not in it for the music. We’re gold digging. Wish us luck!

There’s also a People’s Choice award at this contest, where the general public can vote for their favorite team. My team, Four Q BBQ, has a solid track record of winning People’s Choice in past contests that featured them, so we have high expectations of doing well in this category.

Here’s a bizarre little tidbit: The US State Department is sending a video crew to tape my team for a documentary for the america.gov website. Exactly why they picked us is a bit of a mystery, but they’re featuring us as a bunch of regular American folks doing typical American stuff: cooking barbecue, at a contest, drinking beers, country music blasting in the background. Doesn’t get more American than that. More details on this project when they’re available.