A pilot flies 3 sailors half way around the wold to see an artist, an engineer, a fine person from Portofino and another Pilot

Hi All,

I managed to catch up with DZUL (and his lovely wife Mrs D) in Austin yesterday for a great IWC GTG.

I am in Austin for a conference and managed to tee up a visit and have to say a big thank you to DZUL for a great day! He really did lay on the hospitality, starting off the day with him picking me up in his new(ish) vehicle ( I forget what he referred to it as but I will call it the BFT...) -

He then proceeded to drive me a long way out of Austin to what he had hyped up as one of the best BBQ places in the US - I had been pre-warned so I had no eaten all day so was hoping for something special - which DZUL managed to deliver on by taking me to a place in his home town called Louie Mueller

After queuing for what seemed like an age being teased by a sensational smell of BBQ meat and people walking past with trays of food, we finally got to the start of the line and proceeded to order some of the tastiest meat I have had in a long time, and by no means was it a small portion. DZUL ordered a single rib that I swear must have been cut off a brontosaurus, it was the biggest piece of rib meat I have seen -

After eating what felt like an entire bull we managed to waddle out of there and back to DZUL's lovely house around the corner.

After being amazed by a long trip out of town and a great feed I thought it would be pretty sedate from here on but DZUL managed to surprise on a level that is usually reserved for the Boutique visits - he started going through the house looking in little nooks and crannies and came up with some surplus IWC items that he insisted I take home with me -

!!!!!

After the usual IWC talk, we spent a couple of hours chatting away about travel, politics, law and lots of other things - these IWC GTG's are great kick starters for great friendships!

Of course, DZUL got his collection out for show -

And I even managed to get some brief wrist time with his great, 1 of 19 CF II's ( I had to trade some wrist time with my PPC) -

I had my 3 Portuguese and TG Pilot along for the ride -

Which all look good with my new kit :) -

and fit nicely into their new travel home -

Of course all good things come to and end so on the way out we got a quick shot on the balcony -

All in all it was a great afternoon - catching up with DZUL and MRs D has been a pleasure both times and they have really gone out of their way to be accommodating for an out of towner with at start nothing more that a couple of IWC's in common.

Once again, a big thanks for a great day DZUL and if you ever make it down under I would love to return the favour!

Cheers,

Ben

You're in good hands with Jim. Looks like a fun time.

An good report. I need to find an excuse to go to Austin.

IWC GTG, grilled ribs, fun time... What a great day!

great story, great how the forum brings people together!

Bob

This is so cool! Thanks for sharing!! Tasty BBQ with those lovely watches - delicious combination!!

Sumit

It was a pleasure to spend the day with Ben. The friendships afforded by my membership in this forum have been a high point over the past few years. Dorothy and I are always happy to GTG with our forum friends...deep in the heart of Texas! I got to wear my grail watch for a time...Ben's beautiful ardoise dial PPC!
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Sorry that I was unable to join your GTG. I would love to have some of that BBQ and do our GTG stuff.

Excellent GTG - as we know and have come to expect from Jim, pure Southern hospitality and a great forumer.

2 men, 8 watches, one fantastic lady and a load of Beef...what more could one ask for?

Thanks for sharing Ben.

Nices pics, looks like a fun time, especially all that meat!! Ben, check my reply in the VC AT thread if you can. You will be back in Sydney when I am there.

Cheers,

Jarrod

This is great and you have a most unique topic name for the post.

The new travel home looks like it was born exactly for your watches. Perfect fit.

Ruckdee

Fantastic. Thanks for sharing the details of what looks like a fine visit, and a remarkable host! Great watches, What hospitality! That was a BFT!

Great GTG and perfect gifts (I'm jealous)
But BEWARE of the IWC travelcase!!!!!!
I always put my watches reversed inside.
The buttons scratch the watches surface.
But the solution os simple see picture.
BEWARE of the IWC travelcase...

Sounds as if elastic waisted trousers were needed with the BBQ. Strikes me Jim lays on a good spread. Well done that man!
I did wonder whether this was a legit thread though as the title made me wonder whether it was spam that had escaped the filters.

What a lovely looking get together. Great guys and great watches. Nothing missing.

Wonderful. That is what makes this forum so special (in addition to the great watches). It brings people together who would have never got together. It enables to have great time spent together and creates friendship!