Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Barnstormin-Braving-the-Maine-Elements-for-Diner-Food-and-Cool-Cars.html

[Barry Donovan]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

not many enjoy the winter route, as much as the summer.

last night hit -15F officially...into March already.
I ignore land marks, probably drive by a hundred thousand times. Glad there is good word of mouth..as a 24 year local, I know jack squat. :

[willys1]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

excellent pictures brian, i also live just south of boston (dartmouth, ma) and lived in maine for 2 years. never get tired of seeing pictures. thanks. kevin

[oldrustycars]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

You actually drink Moxie? Yuk.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Yeah, I'm the guy. :D

I know the stuff is better used as an industrial strength solvent, but I dig it. NOTHING else in the world tastes like it. Most people see that as a bad thing.

Brian

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

get me a diablo sandwich and a dr pepper

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

moxie is the inspiration for jaegermeister

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Shit man, you may be right! I never even thought of how close they both taste. That is a riot!

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

I FIND JAEGERMEISTER GOES DOWN TOO DAMNED EASY FOR MY LIVER TO ACCEPT

[carguy455]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Thank you for portraying Maine in a positve light. As a life long resident of The Pine Tree State its nice to see some "positive press" for once, especially in the gear head department ! Next time your "up" I'll buy you a Moxie !

[Blazerteam]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

I really enjoyed the story and pics.Also refreshing to see photos from other states than Cali and Florida.

[67pete300]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Great stuff, thanks Brian! I have to hit those two diners later this year!

[Hemi Joel]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Nothing better than a road trip, even if it is in the winter! You had a cool destination in mind, and some fun stops. I like the wifes drawing of you, that's funny! You have inspired me to take the time to look thru my pics from the last year and see if any are worthy of posting online.
Joel

[Ermott]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Speaking as a long distance trucker, let me leave a few bits of sage advice regarding road food and Diners. There are a few Myths that need to be dispelled.

Myth 1: Truckers know where all the good food stops are. You should eat where truckers eat.
Truckers eat where they can find parking. Some of the worst food available on the road is at the truck stop.

Myth 2: Truckers can find good food values on the road, they eat where it's cheapest.
See Myth 1.

Myth 3: Large truckstop chains offer excellent meals at reasonable prices, especially the buffet!
See Myth 1, and let me add that the most expensive crap I've ever ordered came from a large truckstop chain restaurant. it's all pre-processed garbage for the most part, especially at the "all you can stuff down your neck buffet".

Advice then? Seek out the smaller mom and pop places. Eat in the middle of a town bypassed by the freeway. That's what we try to do, and it works. Oh and Waffle House, Huddle House chains are better than truck stop places, but it's often hit and miss with regard to quality. If the cook isn't on the ball, the whole place suffers.

Personal favorites? The family run Cafe on I-15 Dubois Idaho. Los Pinos on Grapevine Hill, opposite the Flying J near Lebec I-5 California, Pine cone restaurant in Oregon I-5 near Albany Or. Huddle House restaurant in Cuba Missouri. Mi-Cassa, downtown Hollister California. Rothsay Tessoro truckstop, I-94 Minnesota. They have good fried chicken at the Kwik trip in Black River Falls Wisconsin. And finally, the taco truck that parks at the junction of I-15 and Highway 93 just north of Las Vegas. (We generally turn the corner onto the 93 there enroute to Calgary via Twinfalls Idaho and Sweetgrass Montana.) I might add, that while I've been made horribly sick at quite a few restaurants now, in 8 years behind the wheel, I've NEVER gotten sick from eating at a taco truck, or roach coach as they are sometimes called.

The least favorite places? Flying J, T/A, Petro, and God help us all, the waffle house in East St Louis where the cook was standing almost shoe-top deep in some sort of grayish liquid as she worked.

[Two Lane]

Re: Barnstormin': Braving the Maine Elements for Diner Food and Cool Cars

Thank you for portraying Maine in a positve light.

As a life long resident of The Pine Tree State its nice to see some "positive press"

Maine's a neat place!

As one story goes, the legendary WWII General George S. Patton visited Maine to camp & hunt while a student @ West Point.

Asleep in his cabin deep in the woods, a booming voice commanded him "STAND AT ATTENTION!!"

Patton reflexively jumped up and stood ram-rod straight, just as if back @ West Point.

The towering figure commanding him was so familiar, his features so sculpted, so familiar...it was the ghost of General George Washington!!! :o

"I HAVE SOMETHING SUPREMELY IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU, CADET PATTON...SEE THAT YOU FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS!!"

And with that, Patton awoke, his heart flying, as it dawned upon him what had seemed so real was after all only a dream.

But what a dream it was...unnerved, Patton began preparing to leave...and there it was...a map on the table...drawn by quill

pen...perfect coordinates to scale...an intricately detailed battle map...but where...when? Beneath the map was an envelope,

with a wax-drop seal....inside a note... "YOUNG GEORGE PATTON, COMMIT THIS MAP & ALL ITS INFORMATION TO PERFECT

AND LASTING MEMORY...USE IT CORRECTLY, YOU WILL GO TO INCREDIBLE GLORY. MY DESTINY BEGAN AT VALLEY FORGE,

YOURS WILL BEGIN AT EL ALAMEIN. THERE YOU WILL MEET A POSER CALLED ROMMEL. WHOM YOU WILL BEAT LIKE ALI'S

SPEED BAG, AND THIS RICH JUSTICE WILL GIVE GEN. FORREST & I MUCH GLEE. (signed) Geo. Washington"



With its beginning in a Maine cabin, Patton went on to fulfill his magnificent destiny in WWII, including breaking ROMMEL & hisTank Corps like a Harbor Freight wrench.