Road Trip-Day Two: Albuquerque, NM-Joplin, MO

mmm-yoso!! s a food blog, with diversions.  It is a Holiday week.  Cathy is silly and blogging it.  Enjoy.

Hi.  It is me again, with another day of my life, with food.  Online.  Really.  The Mister and I are driving, taking photos, downloading and sharing another day on the road, driving across America. We stopped for fuel at a Loves Truck Stop, where we have seen (forever) "Chester's Fried Chicken" being sold and decided, for the sake of the blog, to try a three piece combination (three breast strips, three potato wedges and a roll for $3.59)...wow=excellent light breading with a nice heat spice kick. We also ordered a medium fried chicken livers($3.29) Very juicy, fresh and the breading was spiced nicely. Justg a bit of heat and salty. Really. We figured this would not be good and were glad how wrong we were.

It turns out that only 30 Loves fuel stations also offer Chester's, and I think we saw them all. The closest one to San Diego is on I-10 just after you get onto it when driving from Gila Bend to Phoenix. It is *really* good fried chicken. When The Mister and I drive through Amarillo every year, w stop at a Classic American Art Installation project,Cadillac Ranch. It changes daily, by the participation of the viewers of the art. Here is a photo when we visited two years ago...

You can see there are ten older Cadillac cars buried inthe ground, and spray painted randomly. Last night, it was after sunset. There was a half moon out. The cars are a good 1/2 mile from the road. The Mister and I walked. We left, and you know we had been there...

 

This morning- Waffle House! A staple restaurant in Mid America. Each stand alone building has 9 booths and 5 barstools at the counter. The menus are the same. Basic breakfast served 24 hours a day, served up by efficient grill cooks and pleasant waitresses who all call you "Dear" no matter your age.

 

 

The Mister ordered a bit of everything, with a waffle, eggs over easy, hash browns with cheese and sasuage. I got the cheese scrambled eggs with grits and bacon ...and, of course, raisin toast, which is served with apple jam.

 

And so, we are still driving....seeing the beauty of Mid America, and the changing seasons and weather... and the tourist traps from the freeway...

So, from somewhere in Missouri-this is Cathy-driving away....

Comments

[Kirk]

Yippeee - We're famous! he-he-he.... I really don't know how we can top the Cadillac Ranch!

[RONW]

hadn't heard someone mentioning "raisin bread" in eons.

[nhbilly]

Awesome!

[cathy]

Oh yeah, Kirk...You know I had to... :D

Oh, the raisin bread toast is so perfect, Ron...sometimes I treat myself to some at home.

Thanks, Bill More soon...

[MrBally]

>> Especially the Southeast. Many original Waffle Houses are being replaced with newer, slightly larger buildings. Especially down South. The new, northernmost locations in Toledo & Bowling Green Ohio are the slightly larger size. There are two locations at a large intersection in Birmingham, Alabama (diagonally opposite from each other). One is huge, totally unique layout. I've been to another odd one in Jeffersonville, Indiana (just North of Louisville). However, in Indiana, they are called "Waffle & Steak" for business license purposes. Same logo, same menu, same prices.

[cathy]

Whoa Nellie! You are way more expert at Waffle Houses than I ever knew, Mr. B. Very cool. I need to travel more out of my safe area of Route 66.

[MrBally]

Your Route 66 comment has made the Nelson Riddle music play constantly in the back of my head. I have visions Martin Milner & George Maharis on the teevee. Milner (Adam 12) was born in Detroit you know.

[cathy]

...and I write the food blog...
you could make it so much more interesting.

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Hehe. I love it! Are you gonna hit Carhenge in Nebraska on the way back? :P

[Cathy]

Thanks, WC. We would have to have hit the "Northern Route" on the way in to Detroit. Weather always seems to change right on Thanksgiving Day (and it did again this year) and we don't want to risk being stuck in snow in the car overnight...or having to drive a detour...But, next year...
Besides, Cadillac Ranch is the only place we can spray paint art, and it still is art when it is done...I *needed* to do this.