Local News - June 2002

Bikers, chefs celebrate Happenin’

By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer

June 3, 2002 - The Hog Happenin’ cooks don’t take their job lightly.

South Carolinian Charles Fretwell packed his bus-turned-camper with all the accessories. He hitched up the trailer and traveled to Lincolnton Friday to compete in the second annual downtown event. It’s one of at least eight competitions he’ll enter this summer.

Fretwell is not alone in his culinary obsession. Sixteen other teams converged on the courtsquare Friday night to set up make shift kitchens.

Fretwell began competing in 1996 after attending a cook-off as a spectator. After buying barbecue, he left convinced his own tasted better. Full of confidence, Fretwell found a competition and entered.

“I realized I could do better than that,” he said.

The rookie’s attitude changed abruptly when he placed last. Fretwell soon realized the barbecue that he had eaten earlier and judged better than his own, had been cooked by a vendor, not a competitor. The loss didn’t deter him. Fretwell had a plan – barbecue contest judging school. There, he found out what the judges looked for and started cooking to suit their standards.

Timing is crucial to meet the taste, tenderness and appearance criteria, he discovered. To make sure the meat cooks at the correct temperature, Fretwell inserts thermometers wired to digital temperatures displays sitting outside the cavernous cooker.

The apparatus may look high tech though he argues that compared to other cooks who use automatic fans and thermostats on their cookers, his is a simple method but does the job. The cooks have plenty of time to learn about each others methods. Fretwell describes the events as being like a “redneck picnic.”

“You get to know all these people,” he said.

Some of those others included Mike Bolt and Robert Greene, the Flaming Pig team from Shelby. The cousins-in-law compete in four to six events each summer.

Their chicken and brisket took top honors in those categories.

According to Greene, competition cooking is the “only thing your wife will let you do without fussing.”

Bolt estimates there are 30 teams in Cleveland County who regularly make the competition circuit. When pressed for why the activity is so popular there, he has no real answer but credits the male ego.

“It’s a pride thing. You know how men are, we’ll make a game out of spitting,” he said.

The duo hauls their mobile kitchen to at least four competitions each season. They sleep in an enclosed trailer with running water, air conditioning, television and VCR. Painted on the side of the trailer, a pig with flames shooting from its mouth dances in front of a fire. The license plate reads “Flamnpig.”

B.S. Pitmeisters took the overall win.

It wasn’t cooking that brought Richard Abernathy of Lincolnton out in the 90 degree heat Saturday. His mission was to spread the word about Ambassadors for Christ, the local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association. He and other members registered bikes for the show and handed out free water, Bibles and other literature.

Even a few “superheroes” got in on the bike show’s cruiser category. Webs were painted on the red and blue Spiderman motorcycle and the hero was airbrushed on the gas tank. A red “S” covered the tank on the Superman-themed bike.

Though no caped crusaders adorned his bike, Boyce Varner of Lincolnton entered his 2001 Fat Boy Harley Davidson in the competition. The white bike does boasts its share of chrome.

But it’s the sound, not the good looks, that he likes most.

“That Harley Davidson sound. There ain’t nothing like it. They all try to copy it,” he said.

Though not an official bike judge, Todd Dellinger of Lincolnton picked a personal favorite – Robbie Randall’s custom Harley. Dellinger was not the only person who liked Randall’s bike. It took the People’s Choice Award.

Randall, who owns Fastway Cycles in Cherryville, painted a copperhead pattern on the orange bike. Bright bolts of green, purple and yellow cross the design.

According to Dellinger, the event was almost perfect. All that was missing was a cold beer to go with the barbecue. Dellinger said he wished the beverage was for sale.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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