Coastals

FYI, next week's Fall Gathering is important for another reason than the Coastals 50th Anniversary. After 26 years of cooking a whole pig for the Fall Gathering, Tom will retire from his chef duties.

Further, the Board in January discussed moving the 2016 Fall Gathering away from Grove Hill in order to have the camping and Gathering in one place. Balcony area is first choice.

Be there to experience the end of an era. I will.

I'll be there also.

After more than 20 years of my efforts in the kitchen, I think it is time for a break also. This year, the meal will not have as many dutch ovens as I have done in the past because I won't have Mark able to manage the cooking for me. It will be a reduced menu from my perspective, so I'd like to see some creative dishes by everybody else this year.

This will be my final year of kitchen management.

I'll still show up for the meetings (maybe not next year, though) but I just won't be working the kitchen. I may be headed to the NRG for Bridge Day in 2016. I've never been to Bridge Day and I'd like to say that I've walked out on the bridge at least once. . . . . . . after all the many times that I have actually finished a river trip underneath the bridge.

Maybe I'll finally get a chance to float the Shenandoah in a year or two.

See you all in a week or so!

AJ

That is the end of an era TIMES TWO! I've enjoyed Tom, Andrea & Mark's good cooking for many, many years. It will certainly be missed.

I also encourage folks to come out for this special occasion (& bring a dish to share).

Soooo looking forward to pulled pork in a few days!!