Surprises at every turn

There's vacationing, there's traveling, and finally there is roaming.

Years ago when we had the time and money we vacationed.  You know how it goes ... you get a week or two off, pack the bags, the kids, and the car and then off in a rush.  Two long days of driving, staving off those 'are we there yet' zingers from the back seat, eating at the 'golden arches', staying at those motels whose rooms are not too well lit for a reason, then finally arriving only to find the few days you planned to relax have evaporated and you get to pack the bags, pack the kids................. and so on .

Next came traveling.  Those wonderful days when just the two of you could pack the bags and pack the car then head off in a rush.  Two long days of driving, stopping at every rest stop because 'somebody has got to go', then finally arriving only to find the few days you planned to relax have evaporated and you get to pack the bags, pack the car.................. and so on.

Finally we have roaming.  We roam now.  No bags to pack, no agenda, we have our own bathroom and kitchen, and we're sleeping on our own sheets each night.  We still stop occasionally for the same reasons but we seldom have to worry about getting anyplace because we do indeed like to 'stop and smell' the roses along the way.

For instance ....  here's what smelling the roses is all about.

We got word of a hot dog restaurant in Hendersonville that was pretty good.  Let me tell you folks we know our hot dogs, especially since we hail from the birthplace of Angelo's and Leo's Coney Island restaurants back home.  Pretty famous dog shops by most standards.  So with that background, it was going to be a very tall order to find some place to match our back home haunts.

We get into the old TrailBlazer and drive a few miles and the GPS indicates that it's nearby but all we saw was a mostly vacant strip mall with a small, but bright and perky little establishment at the very end.  I think we're almost there.

As luck would have it they were closing within 15 minutes but we ventured in anyway.  Handwritten menus on two big blackboards on the wall, floors and walls as clean as a hospital, and after a long day, two people behind the counter that had the enthusiasm and friendliness of someone who had just won the lottery.  Smiling and helpful caught me off guard.  Most times folks at closing time, and after a long day don't usually exhibit those traits.  I could see by their menu a great many other items were available but we were sticking to our guns and ordered chili dogs and fries.  As we're standing at the counter waiting for our order we begin chatting with the folks behind the counter and discover this is really more than a hot dog stand and the owner has been in food service for around thirty years.  This is no rookie.

In about ten minutes I declared we have discovered Nirvana.  The Great American Dog in Hendersonville NC.  Owner Tom and sidekick Lisa have created a little culinary gem.  As good a chili dog as I have ever had, hand-cut fries cooked the way I wanted them (dark and crispy), but listen to this ... shrimp, scallops, cod, clams and a host of other goodies.  Now you say... so what!  Anybody can offer seafood.  But here's where Tom steps in.  You see Tom and Lisa are from Maine and Tom had a big seafood restaurant there for many years. So when he decided to move south, he brought his old habits with him.  Fresh seafood, not frozen would be the order of business to accompany his new hot dog business.  Seems like a strange mix but once the hotdogs get you in the door, the thought of fresh seafood make your eating decisions very tough.

Ya' gotta get here

So here's the couple that pour their hearts and souls into the business.  Customer is king here.  It may not be the fanciest place in town, and it may not be gourmet but it's everything else you may want in a restaurant.  Great food, clean as a pin (even the restrooms) and folks behind the counter that are happy to see you.

Lisa and Owner Tom at
The Great American Dog
808 Greenville Highway
Hendersonville, NC

Just to make sure our first visit was no fluke, we stopped in there today for an early dinner.  We'd been thinking about that fresh shrimp all day so we took an unusual step and visited a restaurant twice in the same town on the same trip.  We walked through the door and we were treated like an ultra rich uncle they hadn't seen in years.  We felt at home because they made us feel at home.  We both ordered the shrimp and it was as good as any gulf shrimp we've had in Alabama. Very fresh, very large, all with a light batter.  Too bad all of you are not here with us as I would have bought your dinner too.  Whoops ... too late now.

So this is what roaming is all about to us.  Stopping to find out the good and interesting in a community.

After we left the restaurant we stopped several blocks down and pulled alongside an old beat up pickup truck.  A leathery old man looking 80, but probably mid 60's, was standing at the open tailgate selling fresh strawberries.  It appears that strawberries are usually sold in one gallon buckets around here and he had only two buckets left.  They were heaped high like my grandfather Tony used to sell his raspberries at his roadside stand.  You couldn't have balanced another berry on that pile.  These strawberries were some of the largest and sweetest berries I have tasted in some time.  Far better than this winters Plant City Florida crop, I handed over the money and rushed home to sample some more.

Almost wish we were staying a little longer but we're pressing on to Berea Kentucky tomorrow.  It's pretty close to the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail so maybe we'll discovery some new things to sample.

Still livin' the dream

Phil