Garbage Can Turkey

Well we didn't make it to the last 2 Missions.  Wednesday turned out to be cool, 50ish, and rain showers in the forecast so we stuck around the RV park.  Thursday was American Thanksgiving and we joined other park residents for a pot luck Thanksgiving feast.  There were about 65 people attending the dinner and I am sure there was enough food for 200.  The treat was watching some of the men attending to the Garbage Can Turkey.  I had never seen anything quite like this before but they harvested 6 huge turkeys from the cans.  No one was hurt in the process and no turkeys were dropped in the coals.  

Following the dinner we headed over to the local Cinema to see "Widows".  Its a recently released movie whose previews and online reviews promised a movie worthy of Oscar nomination.  For some reason I never quite got fully engaged in the story and doubt it has Oscar in its future.  Although I said the same thing about "Shape of Water" last year and it did pretty well on Oscar night.  

Friday turned out to be the nicest day since we arrived in Texas almost 4 weeks ago and wouldn't you know it, it's a travel day.  Sunny, a slight breeze and mid-70's temps and we enjoyed it all from the comfort of the air-conditioned cab of our truck.  We arrived at Fort Stockton RV Park at about 4:30.  Will spend one night here before heading to Carlsbad, NM for 2 nights.  Our time in Texas has come to an end and, frankly, we are all anxiously awaiting the dependable Arizona weather.  Although if we have learned anything from watching the weather reports on the nightly news there is no longer such a thing as dependable weather.  

Garbage Can Turkey, perhaps a new American Tradition in the making. 

A 2x2 stake stuck in the ground, the stake wrapped in foil.
The turkey, wrapped in cheese cloth, dropped on the stake.
The cheese cloth keeps the bird together when its cooked.
They found that when done, the bird would fall apart into the coals below.
Drop a garbage can on top, surround with coals, add some on top.
Instant convection oven.

Heavy heat resistant gloves, long pants and heavy long sleeved shirt/jacket
are required attire for the guy retrieving the bird.
Heavy soled work boots also a requirement as retrieving the centre bird
necessitates standing in the pit amongst the coals.
Working fast is a must. 

Reach in, grab the bird and place in the foil pan.
Don't lose your balance when reaching for the bird and don't miss the foil pan.  

Next station was the carvers

Lots of selection with many of the dishes new to me.
The sweet potato dish with cinnamon and brown sugar sauce was delicious. 

One table lined up with deserts.
Pumpkin, Pecan, Apple, Rhubarb, Chocolate Silk pies and a Carrot Cake
Plus a few others I can't remember.  

Everybody gathering with a healthy appetite.
Lots and lots of left overs despite everyones best efforts.
Needed a table of teenage boys to finish off the food. 

As we were setting up in Fort Stockton a couple, out for a walk, stopped by to chat.  Turns out the husband is from Winnipeg and he noticed our Manitoba plates when we drove in.  They moved from the Peg about 20 years ago and settled in Austin, Tx.  They are now retired and tour around in their Mobile Suites 5er, pulled by a Volvo Highway Tractor with 2 motorbikes mounted behind the cab.  A pretty nice setup.   Interestingly they are headed to Carlsbad, White Sands, Tucson and Phoenix.  Perhaps we will run into them again.

Thats it for now.  Next up, Carlsbad Caverns.