Last Hurrah of the Year

It's fitting that I report on the final two eating challenges I completed in the year 2011. Last Monday, a drive through Corona, Wildomar, and San Diego turned up some valuable information regarding future challenges and contests. 2012 looks bright.

The journey nearly came to a close when GPS guided me to Rudford's Restaurant in San Diego. This is a 24 hour eatery, largely reminiscent of old-time diners. I love these places. They offer a burger meal challenge between the hours of 9AM-9PM.



It's called the "Big Nick Burger Challenge." If you can take down 2 lbs of patties, 8 eggs, gravy, 1/2 lb fries, and a 24 oz milkshake, you score a free meal and a t-shirt. My finish came in a record 17 minutes. It wasn't a breakneck performance exactly, since I ate while helping the customers next to me with a crossword puzzle. The whole staff was outstanding, including my server Gina, who was thrilled to see someone take on and win the challenge. Their wall of shame is full.

Afterward, I wandered over to Fred's Burgers in El Cajon. They have a huge burger called the Goliath. Since I'd never done two big burgers back to back, this seemed like a good test. I'd also never done a big burger as a day's second challenge. So, two hours later, there we were.

The Goliath burger wasn't a patty tower, but rather a mammoth single patty. But, you know, it was really good! The meat was cooked very evenly throughout. The edges weren't burned, the flavor was balanced, and you could still enjoy it as a quality meal. The bun was on the thin side and had a hint of sweetness to it.



My finish time of 27 minutes was fair, I thought, with what I already had in my stomach. Not counting fluids I was around 9 lbs. It was a fun trip. I ended up driving to the Chula Vista location of Fred's to pick up my prize shirt and I collected some video there as well. The staff was equally friendly (and professional) at both locations.

So, 2011 is almost up! It's mesmerizing in some ways. I'll close the year with a final reflection about all of the challenges I've done this year.

The Knife's Edge

The closest finishes are the most cruel.

Matt "Sweet Tooth" Cohen nearly went the distance against the Daddy-O's Big One Combo challenge in San Diego. That's a 2 lb burger on a mammoth bun, with a large side of cheese fries, and a milkshake.

You get 45 minutes. "Sweet Tooth" plowed through the burger and lived up to his confectioner's moniker by annihilating the milkshake. About half of the fries separated him from victory.

This is still a "sweet" accomplishment. Matt has seen his capacity, endurance, and recovery time improve rapidly as of late. This 6 lb meal is no laughing matter.

As an eater, Matt is best known for his short-sprint victories. Think back to the Jose's Flautas qualifier in 2009, when he slammed 21 flautas in 4 minutes to go the finals. He's steadily transforming into a long-distance, high-capacity man.

Just a razor's edge away...