Kansas City, Here I Come

Around a month before my daughter Davia was born in 2006, I took a road trip to a guy's weekend in Phoenix for spring training. At some point during the weekend, I decided I needed to own a Waffle House coffee mug. They were not for sale. I owned that mug until it mysteriously disappeared the day we moved into our current house in 2014. I was drinking coffee out of it, and then it was gone. It has never reappeared. I am pleased to report that I have replaced it. They are still not for sale.

Really? A semi with one car on
it?

At some point shortly after heading out, I was sitting in the passenger seat and noticed this Toyota FJ40. I like FJ40's, and I'm glad someone is probably going to save this pretty rough example, but that's a horrifyingly inefficient way to transport one.

Despite the sign, I didn't find this
guy very welcoming

Heading west on I-70 from Cleveland, Jon and I noticed a sign for a winery. We had time, and couldn't resist. We had a good time tasting at the Castle Finn Winery and chatting with our  friendly host Sonya. They make a variety of wine from hybrid grapes and fruit. Turns out the richest guy in the town the winery is in Jerry Forsythe, of Forsythe Racing fame. He was the team owner that Paul Tracy, one my favorite drivers back in the Champ Car days, drove for. Jon covered him back when he was on the motorsports beat. He also owns a winery in Paso Robles, but not this one near his house. We bought a couple bottles, took a few pictures, and decided that we'd check out US 40 instead of going back to the interstate.

US 40 was the busiest transcontinental route in the pre-interstate days, and ran from Atlantic City to San Francisco. I'm pretty sure that Henry's, where we had dinner last night, was on 40. The scenery was more interesting and at a bathroom stop I discovered this candy bar that I had never heard of. It had coconut. I don't think I'll ever have another one, and that's okay.

We meandered past farms and towns, saw cows and covered bridges, and made okay time until the "Road Ends - No Through Traffic" sign. That's the problem with these old highways. In a lot of places, they've just disappeared. Back to the interstate. We were going to stop at the world's largest catsup bottle, but realized that the route Google suggested was going to take us away from it, and we really didn't have the time, because we had wasted a half hour at the Blue Springs Café. According to any number of sources, they have great pie. As demonstrated last night, I love pie and will go out of my way for it. I had two bites of my banana cream and pushed it away. It was gross. For some reason, the plate was covered in some kind of sogginess and the crust had all but dissolved into it. The waiter saw I wasn't eating and took it off the bill, but what a disappointment. Jon ordered the same thing and somehow managed to eat his slice. There was a puddle on the plate when he was done. I have no idea how he did it.

Somewhere after getting back in the truck, I got a call from a number I didn't recognize in upstate NY. I picked it up and had roughly the following conversation:

????: Hi this is ???? from Alfred University. I was just calling to see if you enjoyed your time at Alfred.
Me: It was (pause) interesting.
????: Well, are you familiar with the Alfred Fund?
Me: I'm familiar with the concept. My wife fund raises for a college.
????: Okay, great.
Me: But I'm not sure I'm really a great candidate for you. I only spent one year there, and they made it pretty clear that they were less than enthusiastic about me returning. I'm sure I was just on a list you were handed, but you might want to tell your manager to take me off.
????: Umm, okay. Have a nice day.
Me: You too.


I called Elissa since she does this for a living. She confirmed that it was insane, and suggested that it was actually Jon's elaborate prank. He didn't entirely deny it. There's really no other explanation for the fact that they have my cell phone number.

I was determined to have one decent meal today, so we quit meandering and made a beeline for Arthur Bryant's. I've eaten there a number of times over the years, and it never disappoints. Some have called it the best barbecue in the country. Who am I to disagree? (At some point recently the health department apparently disagreed, but they've resolved those issues.) Seriously, the brisket just melts in your mouth. I was so eager to get started that took 2 bites before remembering to take a picture for you all. I ate a brisket sandwich, and then decided since I had only eaten a candy bar, a banana, and two bites of pie since breakfast, I would get a plate of burnt ends. I may be on the verge of The Simpsons' infamous Beef Poisoning. I am happy. Also, I ate a banana today, which qualifies it as the healthiest day of the trip.


Total mileage today is unknown at the moment, but somewhere around 540.