Belgian visiting Texas and Wisconsin

Esteemed AH friends,

In June of this year this Belgian bumpkin is visiting the lone-star state and the cheese state!

I'll be flying over on Monday 1st of June to Houston, arriving in the early afternoon and will be there till Friday on business, close to Memorial Park. Friday evening I'll take a direct flight into Minneapolis and after a short drive, get to visit with our esteemed @rookhawk, who is raving about his prowess in American BBQ.
Finally, flying back to the EU capital on Monday evening the 8th of June.

I cannot yet say for 100% sure how the evening plans will go during my week in Houston (I suspect the teams there will be organizing some things for my entertainment as well), but if anyone is in the neighborhood and would enjoy sharing some hunting stories over a glass of beer, I would be very thrilled to meet some of my AH friends in real life in Houston. Especially the Monday evening of my arrival there and Thursday the 4th could be good candidates for a meetup.

Next to potentially meeting with each other, if anyone has any suggestions on things I absolutely should visit or do while in Houston, I'd be very interested to hear about your suggestions.

Also, as I plan on packing my bags full of US goodies when I travel back home, if some of you have suggestions on stuff I should purchase while there (or order beforehand in time so I can take it with me), don't hesitate. I've been thinking about reloading equipment (no brass or bullets though), archery equipment and some optics (Trijicon etc.)

Reach out to me in PM or here in the thread, maybe we can organize something fun while I'm there!

Cheers,

V.

Sorry @rookhawk but he will need to try some of the best BBQ found in Houston!! Not up in the great white north.

Houston is full of great restaurants. Home to some of the newly top rated craft BBQ spots.

They are always worth the wait. I think you will enjoy your short time in Texas

Friends. When @VertigoBE visits in early June, I'd like to host a dinner party for him. It would be the Saturday evening (I think that's June 6th?). I'm 45 mins east of the Twin Cities. Please RSVP and let me know if there will be a +1.

Local AHers FYI: @franzfmdavis @375er @Kurt Swanson @John the Electrician @Jagerrand

If there are other members that would like to come, please let me know.

If you finish up early, you might want to head to the sportsmen's toy store- Gordy & Son's. If you ask nicely, they will let you into the "gun vault" and you can handle some firearms.

rookhawk said:

Friends. When @VertigoBE visits in early June, I'd like to host a dinner party for him. It would be the Saturday evening (I think that's June 6th?). I'm 45 mins east of the Twin Cities. Please RSVP and let me know if there will be a +1.

Local AHers FYI: @franzfmdavis @375er @Kurt Swanson @John the Electrician @Jagerrand

If there are other members that would like to come, please let me know.

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Wow that is super generous of you @rookhawk, to open your house for such a get together! I'm thrilled to meet all of you there!

Thank you so much! AH truly is the best online community I have ever been part of!

Can't wait to get on the plane

@dlmac +1 has RSVP'd

Just one week earlier or one week later, and I would have gladly driven down from DFW for the opportunity to link up and say “hi”… unfortunately I’ll be traveling to Montana that week and won’t be around…

I’ll second the recommendation to swing by Gordy & Sons… great shop, nice people, and typically some simply stellar firearms in inventory / on display…

And… if you haven’t seen enough guns by the time you’re done with Gordy & Sons, it’s only about a 20 minute drive from there to Briley… while their inventory isn’t usually on par with Gordy & Sons, they almost always have a fine double or two and dozens of outstanding shotguns (competition, hunting, and more) on display…

Mrs. Electrician says we are free that weekend. Looking forward to it!

John

Leaving Houston, TEXAS to go to Wisconsin to eat BBQ?!? And what the devil is "American" BBQ? Even if Troy is making it, there is something sinful about that whole vision. On the other hand, getting together at his place sounds like a grand idea. Wish I could make it.

Red Leg said:

Leaving Houston, TEXAS to go to Wisconsin to eat BBQ?!? And what the devil is "American" BBQ? Even if Troy is making it, there is something sinful about that whole vision. On the other hand, getting together at his place sounds like a grand idea. Wish I could make it.

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I’m going to guess Wisconsin BBQ involves the back end of a pig…. Smothered in cheese

Someone please introduce Vertigo to the TX beef version of BBQ while he is sweating his hind end off in June Houston weather…

mdwest said:

I’m going to guess Wisconsin BBQ involves the back end of a pig…. Smothered in cheese

Someone please introduce Vertigo to the TX beef version of BBQ while he is sweating his hind end off in June Houston weather…

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“truth bbq”

Too 3 brisket I have ever had…

And I have visited several of Texas monthly’s top 10 over the years…

Sounds like good fun will be had happy planning guys.
I have a spent a few days here in Africa and Belgium with Vertigo he is not that bad you will get by.

I have recently been to the US (Wyoming and Colarado) for the first time since I was 10. In short, I was amazed how quiet, thoughtful, polite and friendly everyone was.

In terms of what to bring back, I had planned for this badly and ended up being back about a dozen pairs of Wrangler jeans (25% of UK price), a pair of western boots, chicken ropes and toy bucking bulls for my children, a scotch cap, because it is far better than anything available here and a pressure canner at a third of the UK price (my wife wanted one...).

Whilst I think most things, particularly food are a similar price to the UK / Europe or often more expensive, the things I noticed that were dramatically less expensive were:

Wrangler Jeans

Cowboy Boots when on offer - I got a pair for $23 in a thrift store. Ariat boots actually cheaper new in the UK.

Food preserving equipment

Coolers (Rtic / Yeti etc.)

A lot of outdoor clothing

Fishing tackle, particularly rods and lures.

Bespoke hats

Gas/Petrol - you obviously can't bring it back with you but it was a quarter of the price we pay at home

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and my only other advice is to go and see a rodeo if at all possible. It is like no spectator sport I have ever seen. Absolutely amazing.

My other advice, particularly to a Belgian is don't try Busch Beer, the refreshing looking mountains on the can are deeply misleading! I apologise to any fans on here, but it tastes like it is brewed from old socks. Also, don't let Americans make you a cup of tea unsupervised - I saw a professional caterer drop a tea bag in to a cup of very milky water and microwave it breifly! The iced tea (surprisingly good) or the excellent coffee is a much safer option.

Btw, does anyone have any insights on what US customs would say to me bringing some bottled Belgian beer to the US, in my checked luggage? And chocolate as well for that matter?
I remember the rules for bringing in foodstuff are quite strict.

VertigoBE said:

Btw, does anyone have any insights on what US customs would say to me bringing some bottled Belgian beer to the US, in my checked luggage? And chocolate as well for that matter?
I remember the rules for bringing in foodstuff are quite strict.

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A well stocked H-E-B (Texas’s largest grocery chain) will have two or three Belgian options and half a dozen German choices. Stella Artois is everywhere, and on tap in most bars.

Red Leg said:

Leaving Houston, TEXAS to go to Wisconsin to eat BBQ?!? And what the devil is "American" BBQ? Even if Troy is making it, there is something sinful about that whole vision. On the other hand, getting together at his place sounds like a grand idea. Wish I could make it.

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American BBQ is smoked meat, as opposed to grilled of course.

-competition brisket
-st Louis pork steak with a thin tomato sauxe
-Kansas City spare ribs with a molasses forward sauce
-spatchcocked chickens with white bbq sauce would be ‘bama style

We do a lot of regional bbq, although wisco bbq would be only whole hog which we don’t do.

(And yes, central Texas brisket is tops)

Red Leg said:

A well stocked H-E-B (Texas’s largest grocery chain) will have two or three Belgian options and half a dozen German choices. Stella Artois is everywhere, and on tap in most bars.

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What I intend to bring beer wise, I guess there are not 100 bottles of in the entire US

Borderer said:

don't try Busch Beer,

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Your whole post was great until the above. I only drink bad beer. I hate good beer. If I can’t drink 60 beers and then operate heavy equipment, it’s too strong.

With the recent craft beer trend it has become difficult to find white trash beer. I have stacks of it on my garage as they are now coveted collectibles: genesee, old style, Miller high life, PBR, pointe, special export, hamm’s, etc.

You Brit’s like whiskey and beef gravy, but why mix them and call it beer?

VertigoBE said:

What I intend to bring beer wise, I guess there are not 100 bottles of in the entire US

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I’m tracking. That high alcohol content brew would likely kill the average American.

rookhawk said:

Your whole post was great until the above. I only drink bad beer. I hate good beer. If I can’t drink 60 beers and then operate heavy equipment, it’s too strong.

With the recent craft beer trend it has become difficult to find white trash beer. I have stacks of it on my garage as they are now coveted collectibles: genesee, old style, Miller high life, PBR, pointe, special export, hamm’s, etc.

You Brit’s like whiskey and beef gravy, but why mix them and call it beer?

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I tried Miller High Life, that was good, as was Coors Banquet and light. Busch was just very different