Sunday Good-byes

Got an inquiry from a reader wanting to know what goes on Sunday when the cook-off ends and how many people stay over. Thought it might make a good post.

My friend checking her map before driving back to Houston

I really hate good-byes and so do the majority of the people that comprise our camps.  It is sad that I will not see most of them for another year and some I may never see again.  This year Frank did not come back as he passed away a couple of months back.  He is the gentlemen I blogged about at last year's Cook-off that I danced with till the wee hours of the night, he was in his eighties and a darn good dancer I might add.

Some people leave pretty early like the camp with the food who are usually gone by six o'clock.  The guys camp leave soon after even though they do not have far to go...they want to get home in time to watch the Dallas Cowboys game.

I guess it all depends on if you have to work on Monday and how far you have to drive to get back home.  I would strongly suggest you take Monday off whether you plan on staying an extra day or not unless you are young and resilient.  You will need it to recuperate.

Early Sunday morning the local scavengers swarm the area.  They come pick up cans, wood, and all types of stuff that the chili heads do not want to take back home.  Since I stay for a couple more days, I go pick up the wood my camp mates leave me.  Whatever water, empty beer cans or wood I have left I usually save them for Betty and Irvin.  They are a local senior citizen couple whom I have known for many years and who work pretty hard to make a living.

As you know you have to stop at the Border Patrol checkpoint when you head back to Alpine and the lines are very long.  I guess that is one reason why some people do not leave till the afternoon or wait until Monday to do so.

Sunday Frann and a friend of hers (sorry I can not remember his name) stopped by Debi's camp and we had a long visit.  You can see some vehicles in the back of the above picture, they belong to people camped in the cooks section.  When they left they told us they had left some wood for us...that was nice of them :)

When everyone leaves there is just something magical about listening to the sound of...SILENCE...you can actually hear yourself think and at least in my case it is something very soothing and peaceful.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.