Preparations for the 13^th annual MASHOUT began well before the event. Repairs to the driveway leading to the site were completed in May (see Mini-MASHOUT report in the June BURP News). Event planning began in earnest with the first meeting of the MASHOUT planning committee. Tasks were assigned, flyers and e-mails sent out, and preparations begun for the biggest event on the BURP calendar.

Information was sent to all homebrew clubs in the mid-Atlantic area, and this year, participation from other groups and individual homebrewers really began to take off. Clubs from as far away as Lynchburg, VA and individuals from as far away as New Hampshire (not to mention BURP expatriates Anne Marie Reidy and Damian Audley from Japan) registered for the event. It was shaping up to be a gala affair once again.

MASHOUT week began with a veggie picking party at the U of MD farms in Greenbelt on Wednesday afternoon. Caretaker and BURPer Alan Hew kindly arranged for us to pick potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and whatever else we could grab for transport to the MASHOUT site. A fine time was had by all.

On Thursday, the first BURPers began to arrive on Popenoe Mountain. The canopies for the eating area were already on site along with the spiffy new wash sink constructed by Bob Verdon. The sink was a real work of art, and it will remain a permanent fixture for all future MASHOUTs.

Thursday night was a gorgeous prelude to what was to come. The sky was clear, the moon high, and the beer and camaraderie flowed freely.

Friday morning dawned fair, and work began setting up the site. Kathy Koch and her crew of volunteers manned the check-in table. Canopies were erected, and sports equipment was set up. Kegs began arriving in "Keg Row", including some great contributions from commercial sponsors. We received great beers this year (along with brewery reps) from Capitol City Brewing Co (Washington, DC), Deep Creek Brewing Co (Deep Creek, MD), Du Claw Brewing Co (Bel Air, MD), Ellicott Mills Brewing Co (Ellicott City, MD) and Victory Brewing Co (Downingtown, PA). Many thanks go to the kind brewers who made these contributions.
Mid-morning, another MASHOUT tradition began when BURPer Gordon Goeke became the first person ever to arrive at the site by bicycle. Gordon had begun pedaling two days earlier from DC and looked to be in need of a cold beer. He was soon refreshed and busily setting up his campsite.

Around the same time, Bob Warriner appeared over the site in his ultralight aircraft, snapping photos and waving to the crowd. Bob put on a great show, buzzing the field several times to loud applause. As if on queue, as soon as Bob disappeared over the mountain, two Navy A-10 jets on maneuvers flew over the site at low altitude. It almost seemed as if the whole thing had been pre-arranged. (Special thanks to Bob and to the Navy!).

Bill Prewitt and his famous telescope "Leanne" arrived at mid-day. Although there was hope that good viewing would be available this year, the combination of full moon and clouds precluded most astronomical observations. Even the famous Perseid meteor shower was virtually wiped out by the moonlight. Bill still set up on Friday evening for some great views of the craters on the edge of the moon.

Around the campfire, musicians entertained as people (and more beer!) arrived through the evening. Rick Garvin and Christine Lewis set up the "luge", the famous slotted block of ice down which Goldschlager liqueur (or other potable of one’s choice) was poured (This reporter opted for single malt Scotch). To finish "riding" the luge, one must "lick the crack" to obtain that last drop. The "luge Olympics", always highly entertaining, attracted a large crowd of applauding spectators.

By Saturday morning, the campground was nearly full, and folks headed out for various recreational activities. Some went bicycling (on both local roads and the C&O Canal), some went into Cumberland to sightsee and ride the famous Western MD steam train, and many headed for the lake at Rocky Gap State Park to swim and enjoy a hot shower. BURP Cultural Coordinator Bruce Bennett organized and conducted the annual homebrew competition, this year featuring Kolsch, Alt, and Witbier. A volleyball game was started, and T.R. James Barbecue Catering (BURPers Jim & Linda Rorick and Jim Tyndall) put the finishing touches on a magnificent meal of barbecued pork and beef brisket (which had been cooking since the previous day). Fresh corn on the cob went into the pot, and people began bringing side dishes for the traditional MASHOUT Saturday supper. Dave Saba of Deep Creek Brewing Co arrived right on time with a van and two fresh kegs of beer just as the meal was served. A brief rain shower failed to dampen spirits, and everyone ate their fill in preparation for the evening’s celebration.

Prizes were awarded for the homebrew competition (Congrats to BURPers Dave & Becky Pyle for their 1^st place wit!), and people began heading to the barn for the live entertainment provided by the band Kiwi from Downingtown, PA. Kiwi put on a great show, keeping the crowd dancing with a nice mix of original material and covers (including their version of "Yakety Sax" played on kazoos!). There were numerous "ein prosits" thrown in, and BURPers Al Lowry and Tim Artz wailed on harmonica and vocals (respectively) during a nice blues segment.

The evening closed with everyone gathered around the campfire in a mellow mood, enjoying some acoustic picking and the ever-flowing kegs on "keg row".

Sunday morning began with the traditional pancake breakfast organized by BURPer Wendy Aaronson. The Roricks served up some great corn cakes while other skillets fried bacon and pancakes. Close to 200 cups of coffee were consumed before the morning was over. Many hands helped take down the site, and goodbyes were said all around. In early afternoon, continuing the tradition started by Gordon Goeke, BURPers Craig Somers and Bill Ridgely headed off for the long ride back to DC on bicycles (The ride was completed 3 ½ days and 200 miles later).

Many thanks go out to all of the people who served on the MASHOUT Planning Committee as well as everyone who contributed their time and labor during the event (helping with setup and takedown, working the check-in table, cooking and cleaning, handling kegs and equipment). Let’s all get together and do it all again next year!