Dave and FC about to chow down on the world's best chicken In the Tampa Airport, when it came time to board I kissed my Emma and Mrs. FC goodbye and rushed off through the boarding gate. The NW airlines barely glanced at the drivers license with the biker/terrorist version of FC from 2000 pictured on the front. I stepped on the shuttle to the security check in and realized I had left the camera with my girls almost at the same time the shuttle doors swooshed shut. Trapped!
At the gate, none of the security personnel spoke English well enough to understand my dilemma. Arrrrrrggggghhhhh!
Emma called, her Mom was getting a gate pass and would try to get the camera to me. Meanwhile, I was barefooting it through the security process. Here, the DL photo caught the attention of the guard, but only for a few looks and a shake of his head ... and then I was through the security checkpoint and time had run out. I stepped on the plane, the very last passenger, and they slammed the door behind me and fired up the engines.
No camera.
I'm a firm believer in not crying over spilled milk. Sometimes, things happen and can't be fixed.
So I settled down to enjoy my first flight since 1998.
When I arrived in Indianapolis, Dave met me and I shared my camera dilemma.
"No problem, we'll just share my new Canon," he said.
Problem solved.
Our first stop was the Old Brick Tavern in Penntown, Indiana, where we met his lovely wife Lightnin, for what Dave described as the "world's best fried chicken."
He was right.
The place was tiny, just a typical neighborhood pub, but the chicken was incredible and I am a fried chickenologist with a lot of birds under my belt.
Served on the side was German hot slaw, a bacony, cabbagey, vinegary treat that I had never had before. It was wunnerful, wunnerful ...
After that, Dave and I toured Cincinnati in his Solstice sports car. He works for the world's largest consumers goods corporation based in Cincinnatti. It's a much prettier city than I expected.
Anderson Ferry over the Ohio River between Ohio and Kentucky
Right now, I'm back at his house sampling a Belgian Triple Trappist style ale that he brewed himself. (We'll blame any typo's on that)
Dave's a brewer and a professional beer judge in his spare time so it's like a beer buffet here, but we are only sampling.
Tomorrow, we head for the tail of the Dragon.
Dave's bringing his tiny laptop so stay tuned for updates and be sure to check out his site (see link above) for another take on the trip.
Proctor and Gamble. Half the city works there. You've never had German Hot Slaw? There's a centuries old "Bohunk" presence in Central Florida who's ancestors produce some of the very best on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI hope that tavern doesn't put sugar in its iced tea. That's a big pitcher of iced tea on the table between you two, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt's not typos - you're actually admitting the existence of good food and beautiful scenery that's NOT in Florida?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't look like tea to me....looks like you are having fun though, but what a pain to forget your camera.
ReplyDeleteAARGH!!! If I forgot my camera, I think I would need to be sedated. Oh well, at least you are using a Canon! :) Looks like great chicken - makes me want to go to Jimmy's.
ReplyDeleteWhen I drive up towards Cincinnati, which I don't do often, what strikes me is that the architecture seems to change about there. All the structures look different from those further south. It's the southernmost edge of north-central-eastern type architecture. Maybe eastern midwestern architecture, if that extends as far east as Pittsburgh.
ReplyDeleteAny brew that has "triple" in the name has got to be potent stuff!
ReplyDeleteAll-
ReplyDeleteLightenin here---I can tell you that when I left this morning there were two little boys in grown men bodies acting like they were headed for their first ever sleep over camp! I'm sure they will have a blast!
Oh I hate it when I forget the camera. Thank goodness for good friends. What is the coating on that chicken? Looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteI have found that sometimes traveling without a camera can be freeing. Then again, I do photography for a living, so there's always a subconscious feeling that I am "working" when I am photographing - even in the yard or whatever. My approach varies very little.
ReplyDeleteDon't think that your Lawrence Welk imitation got by some of your shorter-in-the-tooth readers, by the way.
And now, Myron Floren!
I find it unsettling that we have people at airline security checkpoints that don't speak effin' English. Yeah. I feel safer already.
Have a GREAT trip, Fc.
Dragon's Tail is a most stupendous name for a car rally.
ReplyDeleteHow in the world do you stay so thin eating like that!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine you without your camera, so it's a great relief to read that you'll be sharing Dave's. So far so good, nice pic of the chicken, and two friends sharing a meal.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing blankey thankies as roger would say while I'm traveling.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for coming along and sharing these great and funny comments with me.
Be sure to zip over to Dave's site for "the rest of the story".