Who else thinks that life can really stink sometimes?

Admit it. We’ve all been there.

Struggling finances. Lousy relationships. And–GASP–flat beer.

But a group in northeast Iowa has found a way to celebrate “Stinky Things” and make them…Well, not so stinky.

A few years ago, Jeff Simon and his buddy Ed were sitting in a basement bragging about who could make the better deviled eggs.

And chili.

And Bloody Marys.

You know…The Stinky Stuff.

Four years later, that cellar bravado has raised nearly $6000 for the Children’s Hospital in Iowa City…all under the guise of Stinkfest, a competition featuring–you smelled it–deviled eggs, chili, and Bloody Marys.

This was the third year for the competition, so the Iowa Roadie was beyond flattered when organizer Jeff invited her to attend. Here was an event that involved drinking for charity.

Let me say…It’s so much easier to give back to the community when alcohol is involved.

However, I felt a certain obligation to provide an entry in each of the Stinkfest categories.

In hindsight, I should have just stuck to drinking for charity.

My deviled eggs were a fiasco.

I burned the hamburger.

AND…the Iowa Roadie’s husband tried to make a homemade Bloody Mary mix that involved smoked paprika.

For the record…cocktails should never include smoked paprika.

Fortunately the other Stinkfest participants prepared entries that utilized the appropriate spices. In fact, the majority of them were downright delicious.

Therefore it came as no surprise when the Iowa Roadie did not receive a prize for her entries that really DID stink.

I would like to interject a quick shout out to The Anchor Inn in Garber, Iowa & owner Boone who hosted this year’s Stinkfest. By 5 pm, The Anchor Inn had gone through 24 cases of Busch Light.

Math textbooks in Iowa could easily pose that scenario as a real-life story problem.

A final congratulations to Jeff & fellow Stinkfest organizers. This year’s event raised almost $2000 for charity.

Ah…the sweet smell of money.

Breathe it in while you can.

Because once those deviled eggs start to digest, the REAL Stinkfest begins.


The winning Bloody Mary. It’s actual art…and doesn’t contain smoked paprika.
Let the chili tasting begin!
Organizer Jeff Simon announcing the winners (which did not include the Iowa Roadie). The Harley Davidson sign in back will be sold in September with funds going to local charities through the local Back Roads & Big Hearts organization.
Bloody Mary entries
The Anchor Inn in Garber, Iowa

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