Gear

That's right, Tailgating Times is giving away a Johnsonville Tailgating Prize Pack to one lucky reader. 

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This kit includes a 12-pack cooler, 4 koozies, 50 brat foils, and 1 set of grilling tongs because you should never, ever use a fork on a brat. I'd rather burn my fingers than do that.  Entering is easy.  All you have to do is leave me a comment with your favorite Johnsonville recipe or a link to yourville in the official "Share Your Ville" contest.  Your comment earns you 5 entries.  (sorry, only the first comment earns you points)

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Earning additional entries is also a snap:

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• If you have a blog, blog about this contest or link to this contest on your website and earn five (5) additional entries. (Make sure to include the link to your blog post in your comment to receive credit.)
• If you have a Facebook profile, fan us at facebook.com/tailgatingtimes, share this contest with your friends and receive three (3) additional entries.
• If you use Twitter, follow @TailgatingTimes, and @JvilleSausage, then Tweet the following message and earn two (2) additional entries.

Win a Johnsonville Tailgate Kit from @TailgatingTimes – visit http://tinyurl.com/2etroqz, comment and retweet to enter.

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(Note: The two (2) additional entries for Twitter users are awarded for the first tweet. Additional tweets promoting this giveaway, although very much appreciated, can not result in additional entries.)

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Maximum number of entries one entrant can earn is 15:
Comment on TailgatingTimes.com = 5 entries
Blog post = 5 entries
FaceBook profile = 3 entries
Twitter post = 2 entries

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The winner will be selected on July 6 so you have the holiday weekend to come up with comments, posts, and tweets for the contest.

If you noticed the lapse in posts last week then first of all let me thank you for reading. I've been trying to adjust to a new schedule and last week was the annual pilgrimage to the Automotive version of the Holy Grail...the SEMA Show, where 1700+ companies and over 100K people gather to see what's new (and old) in the world of hot cars and hot booth babes.

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This was Freedom Grill's 7th trip to the big show and despite the last minute cancellation (and subsequent dethroning) of the freshly selected Miss Freedom Grill 2010 they did not dissapoint. The search for a new Miss Freedom Grill for next year continues but that is a whole different article. Fortunately Miss Playboy Club February Meghan Beck was available to fill in for the job.

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One of the hottest products in the Truck and SUV section of the show was the Freedom Grill FG-950. People were blown away by the shine from the 304 stainless, the 6 burner grill, and most of all the 2 insulated coolers, which were naturally fully stocked with beer, water, and Red Bull. Of course the gorgeous Meghan Beck drew in the crowds as well. Even Rhino from CMT's Trick My Truck stopped by. He said he wanted to meet the makers of the Freedom Grill FG-100 they used in the Ultimate Tailgating Episode when they turned an International CXT into a rolling hot tub and grill. Clearly he's the one in the red shirt.

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Of course in addition to the awesome trailer and Meghan Beck Freedom Grill was also showing the Margaritaville Tailgating Grill and the full line of Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Makers including the Explorer Portable Frozen Concoction Maker that runs off of an 18 volt battery. If only the show would allow serving drinks in the booth...that would have been a Tailgate Party. 

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As if this wasn't enough to stop traffic on the show floor, the booth also featured Tailgate Packs from Skinit.  Skinit offers three sizes of tailgate packs with licensed logos from over 100 colleges and all 32 NFL teams.  The Broncos Skins on the FG-950 got a lot of attention.  Sadly, the Freedom Grill trucks Carnivore and Canyon stayed home this time around but there were a handful of vehicles geared up for tailgating.  Those trucks and more will be featured in the SEMA Show follow up post tomorrow afternoon.

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Stay hungry my friends!

Despite living in San Diego and seriously considering tailgating the Comic Con every year just to see all of the people wandering around downtown in costume (sadly there's no place to park close enough to be interesting) that particular event really isn't my scene. I do however follow Olivia Munn on Twitter and I've watched a few of her reports from the show. Her costume changes alone make it worth checking out. You should see her Wonder Woman outfit. To see what I'm talking about check out her site at OliviaMunn.com.

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The best thing about Olivia?  She's clearly into having a good time and she would be a blast to have at one of our tailgate parties.  Check out what she has to say about the Freedom Grill FG-900 and a couple of other great tailgating products in this clip from G4's Attack of the Show.

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This really makes me wonder... What would Olivia think of the Carnivore? She can tailgate with us anytime. Stay Hungry My Friends!

You love your team, you wear team colors to work on Fridays and your favorite jersey to Tailgate. You've got flags on your car windows, a team popup tent, and even a Skinit Tailgate Pack on your car. Tailgating is your life.  You saw the Margaritaville Tailgate Grill and thought..."Man, that is awesome but the Seahawks are coming this weekend and I want to show Chargers pride."  Have no fear.  Check out how this guy took a couple cans of paint and a ProMark emblem and transformed his grill into a work of art. 

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He's done a couple other grills since this one for people that requested them.  Check these out.

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If you want to paint the grill basin and hood you need to be sure to find high temperature paint though.  High temp paint is usually either stove paint or automotive paint.  Automotive paint comes in brighter colors.  Try to get something rated for at least 800 degrees so you don't end up with any bubbling while cooking. 

You read that right. The Carnivore is on eBay at a price too low to even repeat here.  You've seen it in the Skinit commercials. You've seen the photos. Many have seen it at the SEMA Show or at Qualcomm.  Now you can own it.   Nothing turns heads like the Carnivore, except maybe Holly Weber and the Carnivore.

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Miss Freedom Grill Holly Weber signing posters on the Carnivore.

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Take up a collection or snap it up for company promotions. It's the craziest rolling sports bar and grill ever built at a price that can't be beat.

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Get your bids in today. The Auction ends October 2.  2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Carnivore Extreme Tailgating Truck - SEMA & TV Star. 

Now you don't have to go nuts and actually paint your car to show team spirit. Thanks to Skinit and their new Tailgate Packs you can transform your vehicle into a showcase for team logos from college or pro teams. They even have San Diego State decals. And of course my favorite thing about Skinit Tailgate Packs is the commercial.

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Recognize the truck? Yes, that is indeed my truck, the Carnivore. And seriously, a Skinit Tailgate Pack is not going to be enough to get these girls away from the Carnivore but it will make your ride look awesome for a lot less than it would cost to buy my truck.  These decals will also come off and leave no residue so your wife can have her car back in the off-season.

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I'm looking forward to seeing the whole stadium decked out in Chargers Tailgate Packs in 2 weeks. I'd even pop for the SDSU ones if they were playing well. To see the whole collection check out the site at http://tailgatepacks.skinit.com/.

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Get In the Game!

There are many articles online about keeping food cold and cooking it thoroughly.  You can surf over to www.foodsafety.gov for a complete list of safety guidelines with respect to food handling and preparation.  When it comes to other types of tailgating safety a lot comes down to basic common sense.  Get a designated driver or use public transportation, watch out for cars when walking through the lot, wear sunscreen, and be careful with hot grills, especially charcoal. 

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I've put together a list of things every tailgater should keep in their car just to make sure they are prepared for any emergency.  A partial list follows. For the complete list and a detailed piece on tailgating safety, make sure to subscribe to Tailgater Monthly for the digital edition and watch out for the September issue next month.

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Tailgate Safety Kit

• Heavy duty nylon bag
• Bottled water
• Paper towels
• Extra propane canister
• Roadkill recipe book
• Lysol wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Laundry wipes
• First aid kit
• Rubber gloves
• Blanket
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Disposable camera
• Pen and paper
• Tool kit
• Can opener
• Bottle opener
• Survival knife (or Leatherman)
• Matches
• Jumper cables
• Gas can

There is a lot more that should go into the safety kit and in the full article I've got suggestions for what to have in the first aid kit as well as the tool kit.  You really can't be too prepared and having an emergency plan in place means you can relax and enjoy your party knowing you're ready for anything.

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Tailgating Safety is only one of the great articles in the September Issue of Tailgater Monthly. Keep an eye out for it and watch for their Tailgate Tour 2009 along with FOX Sports, rolling into a stadium near you featuring the new Tailgating Products from Margaritaville.

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Stay Hungry and be safe my friends!

Jimmy Buffett fans are famous for their tailgate parties. People show up hours and sometimes days ahead of time to start whipping up margaritas and other frozen concoctions in the parking lot before his shows. With the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker, which I've reviewed before, parrotheads could bring the party home.

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Now Margaritaville is taking the party even further. They've introduced a cordless, 18 volt battery powered version of the Frozen Concoction Maker called the Margaritaville Explorer.  This party machine features heavy duty construction, one button automated settings for shave & blend operation and stainless steel blades to ensure you'll always get perfect frozen drinks every time. I had the opportunity to test this product out over the weekend and it works every bit as well as the original.  Slushy, frozen margaritas were pouring in no time and the battery life was terrific. I haven't had a chance yet to push it but Margaritaville says it will make up to 60 drinks on one charge. I'm going to need more tequila.

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The Margaritaville Explorer Cordless Frozen Concoction Maker is great for anytime you want to whip up some frozen drinks outside.  Of course it makes drinks other than margaritas too...daiquiris, pina coladas, mud slides, even non-alcoholic slushies. You can even use the shave only feature to crank out some snow cones. It's the perfect summer appliance. 

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Of course what really gets me excited is the Margaritaville Tailgating Grill.  This is going to look extremely familiar to any of our longtime readers. Margaritaville teamed up with Freedom Grill in an exclusive licensing deal to offer the FG-50 with Margaritaville packaging and branding.  The new product has upgraded hardware, redesigned packaging, and a new look.

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What could be better than two tailgating powerhouses coming together? Miami Stadium has been renamed Landshark stadium this year for Landshark Lager so without a doubt you'll be seeing Dolphins fans snapping up the new Margaritaville Tailgating Grill and with 20K BTU for tailgating feasts this is still the best grill on the road. Both of these products are available through Freedom Grill on their website.

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With a line of tequila, beer, chips, salsas, chicken, shrimp, clothing, and now the Margaritaville Explorer Frozen Concoction Maker and Margaritaville Tailgating Grills I can't wait to see what they cook up next. If you need me I'll be looking for my lost shaker of salt...