Hey everyone!

I was on the old forum, mainly as a lurker, and used to always pop in for recipes or when I had a question about something.    I'm happy to have stumbled in the door here after having found the old spot shuttered a bit ago.

My name is Bill, and I am in Modesto, California.   I would still consider myself an amateur, and am looking forward to learning a lot from everyone here.    I have a pretty old 075 that still works like a champ - the only issue right now is that I have a new Savannah Stoker on order.  The old one was still working until my recent move - it was an old enough version that it still had the input plugs on the from for the temp probe, and that somehow was dinged by the movers (or me) to such an extent that the circuit board snapped internally.

On the bright side, I just had my covered patio finished so I will be able to cook outside all year, regardless of the weather.   I also have a gasser out there that I am converting from LP to Nat.

I am an educator (High School Counselor), and my other hobby is that I am a cigar guy.  In fact, I am a mod on a cigar board - it is a small and tight-knit community and we have been active for over 10 years. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this - looking forward to getting to know everyone!

welcome (back)!

 A warm welcome Bill, from Canada.. Your new set-up sounds like a winner.

Welcome

Welcome from one state North...

Mudflap

Welcome from a little further south of you....

Welcome from all the way over on the right coast in NJ. 

Thanks for the welcomes, everyone!   

Howdy Bill! Do you do appliance repairs?

Howdy Bill! Do you do appliance repairs?

Nah, not too much... I can do a few basic things but that;s about it...  I worked at a Maytag store back when I was going through the teaching credential program back in the day.   The name stuck with no skills to speak of...   

Welcome from another Californian. Modesto is great. Gateway to the Western Sierra Nevada Mountains, or is it gateway to Turlock. I have trouble remembering which it is.

I am a real fan of educators. You don't get enough appreciation for what you do.

Hey, thanks I appreciate it!

Yeah Turlock... well, there is a brewery there so there's that.

I've been in Modesto a while and I like it - it is a pretty decent city in general.    Plus I grew up in Lodi and I'm close enough that visiting my mom and friends up there is easy.

Where in Cali are you?

I am down in Orange County. I have a sister-in-law in Clovis and have shot archery tournaments up in your area including at the Oristemba Range outside of Turlock, at the Fresno Field Archers range near Grants Grove, and Tulare where a couple of big Olympic style tournaments are held. That is a bit south of you. I used to run a backpacking program out of Huntington Lake. My avatar picture is of me climbing Nutcracker on Manure Pile Buttress near El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. If I lived up there I would be in the Sierras every weekend, at least I would try.

Hello and welcome from Brentwood a little north and west of you on the Delta.

@Hank - I fly down to OC a couple of time each year for meetings and such...    Next time I godown, I'll ask you for restaurant recommendations.   Usually, I try to hit Crack Shack when I'm down.

@ofelles - Thanks - I'll keep my nose on alert for any smoke coming from your way.