61st ANNUAL MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES BARBEQUE

[smokeasaurus]

Smoke,are you moving up the mtn?I know some places to eat if you arent familiar with Crestline/Lake Arrowhead area..

You will be at 5 points,where five roads meet at toptown.The cafe there,Crestline Cafe gets the #1 rating for food up here,especially the breakfasts and chili.Large portions and reasonable prices too.

Chef Cindy's Cafe in VOE has very good breakfasts' too.Maybe a mile from you?Rate #2.

The stockade in town has BBQ,but Ive never had it,some say its good.

A real kick is the A across from McDonalds,run by an old German lady.Ever seen the soup Nazi on Seinfeld,she is his mother.Told a guy one day....NO double cheeseburger for you,Youre too fat!!You get single. Another time told a guy....A large shake,I dont think so.You dont need that,you get a regular!! Just a junk food type place with an honest burger menu,beats McD by a mile.She is open.....oh.....when she feels like it.

Some people like Toni's Mexican,Right across street from the Market,Goodwins,which BTW makes a killer large combo meat sub with all the goodies.

For pizza,its up the main road,HWY 18 about 6 miles from lake Gregory is LouEddies Pizza,hands down the most authentic pizza on the hill,last time there they were working on the microbrewery,dont  know if that flew or not,but hey,they even make their own sausage for the artisan pizza.Plus it was an old mining camp,old buildings,awesome outdoor patio/courtyard to eat on,this is a killer winner of a food stop.

Fine dining,Look up the Mission Inn in Riverside,awesome old buildings and very beautiful,Sunday brunch is killer good,and meals are sooooo good.Moderate priced.It is indeed just like being in one of the Missions,historic landmark and all.You can also spend a few hours walking the street there,lots of cool museums.Old Town Riverside.

Muebe,you could make this.

We ate at the Bear Family restaurant the other day and they have some seriously good Chix Fried Steak. We have been hitting Goodwins for their dry aged rib-eyes to grill in the evenings 

I saw the A frame hamburger joint yesterday morning and we will hit that next weekend for lunch. They got a retro looking bowling alley over there as well.......

[spuds]

My neighbor was talking about the 40 dollar steak dinner he made for his GF from them,and said its really something you have to try.Goodwins is a real trip for sure.

Spuds-the man who gets his meat at Staters,LOL.

Yeah,actually not a bad bowling alley.

Is your wife from up here,weve been here since late 90's I guess.Sure is a lot different from down the hill,I drive down there and understand what causes heart attacks.I like 50 mph is HARD to do up here,so much more relaxed.

[smokeasaurus]

Wendy was born in Iowa, and recently lived in Lake Elsinore. We have both always wanted "Main Street USA" and we found it in our own backyard and we can afford it. We put an offer on a house over in Cedar Pines Park at 140,000 and in 2007 before the crash it was over 400,000.......

[spuds]

I belong to a Jeepster club,got a friend in CPP.Yes,real deals in housing here,we just have a small house,but works for us.No money worries because of it.Thats been so nice,crash didnt freak us out like so many had happen.

I like people are so much better at live and let live,not all freaked out like the homeowners association types that want to micromanage your existence.I pretty much do as we want and appreciate having good neighbors,both true in my hood here.Nobody cares if you have chickens,or your neighbor puts up a gazebo or whatever.

Add in the fine summers,very little summer smog and have blue skies,yet close enough to urban centers for good jobs....and tolerate driving when its snowing,its my version of the good life

[smokeasaurus]

I agree. Mountain living is the way to go. If we walk north down our street we can look out and see Silverwood Lake. We will be at the NW tip of Crestline if all goes well. Some of the locals never even chain in the winter.

[spuds]

my 1997 dodge truck 4x4 diesel with BFG TA radials Ive never chained it yet,been thru heavy snow up and down the desert side.The BFG's are great ice grippers too,look around,see em on a lot of vehicles here.Probably other great tires too,just the BFGs I know personally,they wont disappoint,high miles,smooth and quiet year round too.

[smokeasaurus]

Good to know about the tires. Don't wanna chain if I don't have to

[TwoPockets]

Wendy was born in Iowa, and recently lived in Lake Elsinore. We have both always wanted "Main Street USA" and we found it in our own backyard and we can afford it. We put an offer on a house over in Cedar Pines Park at 140,000 and in 2007 before the crash it was over 400,000.......

We would loved to have you and Wendy down here in Alabama, but glad you found what you were looking for out there.

[spuds]

Just drove by on way back from range,looks like a fine turnout.We will be there about 230-3 or so,hope to meet Scott and Wendy!

[Keymaster]

Somebody take some pictures already, Sounds like fun

[spuds]

Somebody take some pictures already, Sounds like fun

Good idea,will do,we are off to go now,later!

[spuds]

We made it....



Thats Barb and Ray,our DJ's



The pit





Nice folks who took our tickets



Nice folks who served us



Oops,take pic before eating.Pulled pork/beef,beans were great,so was coleslaw.The sauce was super but it took away the great flavor of the meat,next year,sauce separate.



Nice steady crowd,thats me at the table 





Then we met Rocky with his 2 pets he brought with him,Wendy and Scott.Rocky was very careful keeping Scott on his leash.



Actual selfie of spuds,bet you didnt know Im really a portly shadow person...really.

[MountainScot]

Spuds, glad you could make it to our little event! I would have liked to have met you! Glad you enjoyed the meat. I thought it came out excellent this year.

[spuds]

Sure did come out good,ya'll sure did a fine job all around,we will be there next year for sure,only a work engagement could stop us.

A VERY nice event,Mrs had such a good time,we thank you very much!!She has remarked several times now how much she enjoyed it,cant ask for better response from a crowd than that.

Say,curious,is it a fund raiser,or just a community event because the Lodge just does it for all? Whatever,folks sure did the mtn proud,such NICE people everywhere!

Also Mrs wanted to buy some sauce,maybe next year,hint hint,it really was that good!

LOL,Mrs found Rocky right off the bat,thats how we were able to find Scott and Wendy so easily.We have gone to the dog parks so many times,I know more of the dogs than the peoples.(Need to get out more,LOL )

[MountainScot]

Sure did come out good,ya'll sure did a fine job all around,we will be there next year for sure,only a work engagement could stop us.

A VERY nice event,Mrs had such a good time,we thank you very much!!She has remarked several times now how much she enjoyed it,cant ask for better response from a crowd than that.

Say,curious,is it a fund raiser,or just a community event because the Lodge just does it for all? Whatever,folks sure did the mtn proud,such NICE people everywhere!

Also Mrs wanted to buy some sauce,maybe next year,hint hint,it really was that good!

LOL,Mrs found Rocky right off the bat,thats how we were able to find Scott and Wendy so easily.We have gone to the dog parks so many times,I know more of the dogs than the peoples.(Need to get out more,LOL )

Spuds thanks for coming and I'm very happy you enjoyed it!

The funds we a raise there go to several things. They enable us to do the annual Thanksgiving Feast where we feed some 400 people free Thanksgiving dinners. We also do Christmas food baskets for people who need them. Also, every year we donate to the Raising a Reader Foundation, the Shriner's Hospitals, and the William and Beverly Rainbolt Language Learning Center down in San Bernardino where they do some amazing work with language and reading disabilities for kids. So your contribution goes to some pretty good causes!