The Complete Story
The complete story of my 76-bar road trip is now available on its own web site:
Page 1 of 1
August 27, 2006
August 26, 2006
Pt. 5 of 5 of Spirits of '76 - Barhopping 76 Bars - Day 5
Part 5 of 5 in the series. On Wednesday, August 8, 2006, my friend Brandon and I headed north and started barhopping on a journey that would end up taking us to 76 bars over 5 days. Over the next several days we will recount our story. What you are about to read was accomplished by trained experts in boozology who took utmost care in terms of safe and legal behavior. Do not try this at home. So sit back, relax, and read on as we do the drinking for you. On with Part 5...
Day 5 - Coming Home
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Where a delicicous burger and two bonus bars on the way home brought a nice ending to our journey...
On Sunday after we packed up we returned to Matt's Bar for a Jucy Lucy. The Jucy Lucy is two patties sealed together with a slice of American cheese inside. And those of you who know me know that I cannot stand American cheese, but I wasn't about to let that stop me from this opportunity.
The burger was served with instructions from the waitress: "Wait 2 to 3 minutes for it to cool, then tip it perpendicular to the table and take small bites from the leading edge down, being careful not to squeeze." This was a damn fine greaseburger and well worth the stop.
Next stop was the Mall of America, which was absolutely packed so we just did one token lap around level 3 and then hit the road.
Somehow we missed our exit and so it took us what seemed like forever to get re-connected to I-35 and get out of the city. We began heading south on a rather rainy day.
Millersburg, MN
3:20pm
#75 Boonie's Beef and Brew [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
We were flying down 35 when Brandon's eye caught a tiny highway sign for a place called Boonie's so veered off at the exit to check it out. The town was about a mile down the road and then we found our place. It was a pretty nice place. In addition to the bar and restaurant they apparently had meat for sale was a saw a rather nice large cut sitting next to the register when we walked in. Bingo was being played. Our server talked us into trying some sirloin beef tips (called "Bull Bites") and we're glad she did because they were really, really good.
Clear Lake, IA
Further down the road we returned to Clear Lake, IA in hopes of returning to the Surf Ballroom to get something from its gift shop, but it was closed. We headed back down Main Street hoping to find something else open to buy souvenirs but no luck. But there were a few places open, so we decided to stop for a bite to eat.
Azzolini's Hole In The Wall
This was a tiny little pizza place that we had checked out back on Thursday but didn't go in. We wanted individuals slices and luckily they had two left. Brandon asked for pepperoni, I asked for sausage. We took a seat. Several minutes our slices were brought out to us. "This one is sausage," she said as she handed me my slice, "and this one is pepperoni" she said as she handed Brandon his. She must have been trying to implant hypnotic suggestions and failed, because neither of us ever found any meat whatsoever on our slices.
Mason City, IA
After we ate our Pizza we returned to Mason City to see what the downtown area looks like in daylight and also to see this bank hat was robbed by Dillinger:
...and this hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (currently undergoing restoration):
Various pictures from downtown and from a park in the square with war memorials going pratically back to the Peloponnesian War...
We hit the highway again, until eventually we had to pull off and use a rest area. The rest area was at the same exit as the exit for a town called Dows, which had originally been on our list only because it had a bar there called Scooter's. But we later learned it had closed so scratched it off the list. But now, since we were at the exit anyway, we decided to go take a look.
Dows, IA
The road leading into town was lined with Burma Shave style signs hyping the town's information center. The signs went on and on and on. Finally we found the town, a railroad town that was quiet to the point of being creepy. The much hyped information center was inside a restored train depot and was closed. But we did find one thing that was open...
7:05pm
#76 The River Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This was another unexpectedly nice place. One thing we had noticed throughout the trip was that we never came across anyplace with karaoke. But they had it here, in a back room. We debated joining in but it was already after 7:00 and we hadn't even hit Des Moines yet. So we finished our final beer and then hit the road.
As we neared Des Moines the clouds parted long enough for us to see the sunset of our journey. A couple hours later we were back in Missouri dodging lightning bolts from a nasty storm. We arrived in KC right around midnight, with plenty of memories -- and missing memories -- of a great time.
We've already started brainstorming ideas for our next bar run. :)
Beer Tally:
Brandon
---------
Bud: 9
Bud Light: 20
Busch: 1
Busch Light: 2
Coors: 1
Coors Light: 4
Grain Belt Premium: 1
Hickory Prima: 1
Icehouse: 1
Iron Range Amber Lager: 1
Michelob Light: 1
Miller Golden Light: 2 (technically 3.5 due to pitcher)
Miller High Life: 2
Miller Lite: 25
Oberon Ale (Bell's): 1
PBR: 5
Scott
-------
Bud: 7
Bud Light: 15
Busch: 1
Busch Light: 2
Coors: 1
Coors Light: 4
Grain Belt Premium: 2
Guinness: 2
Icehouse: 1
Iron Range Amber Lager: 1
Killian's: 2
Michelob Golden Light: 1
Michelob Light: 1
Miller Golden Light: 2 (technically 3.5 due to pitcher)
Miller High Life: 2
Miller Lite: 22
Newcastle: 1
PBR: 4
Sierra Nevada Summerfest: 1
Simmut Porter: 2
Tsiantao: 1
Two Hearted Ale (Bell's): 1
Pt. 4 of Spirits of '76 - Barhopping 76 Bars - Day 4
Part 4 in the series. On Wednesday, August 9, 2006, my friend Brandon and I headed north and started barhopping on a journey that would end up taking us to 76 bars over 5 days. Over the next several days we will recount our story. What you are about to read was accomplished by trained experts in boozology who took utmost care in terms of safe and legal behavior. Do not try this at home. So sit back, relax, and read on as we do the drinking for you. On with Part 4...
Day 4 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Where we were bought a drink, offered drugs, and on the verge of getting our asses kicked...
The next day we were reeling from the high prices for beer in the Warehouse District we set out for the cheap beer rumored to exist in the Northeast neighborhood. After several wrong turns we finally got off in the right direction and as we were heading for our first target bar (Psycho Suzi's) we found an unexpected small cluster of bars.
The first place we tried, Johnny A's, was not open yet. But the rest of the bars here were.
11:25am
#59 Irv's Bar [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Bud
This place has taps but they never use them -- bottles only. The crowd was surprisingly good-looking for this time of day, we later learned from an overheard phone call that several had been out drinking until the bars closed, then gone to an all-night diner, then come here for the 8am-10am 3-for-1 early bird drink special. This was a square shaped bar and behind us was a small dining area and an enclosed outdoor patio. The kitchen offered a limited menu of inexpensive bar food including 3 burgers for a buck, but the kitchen didn't open until noon and we didn't have time to wait that long. The men's room sported the classic ice-filled urinal trough.
11:45am
#60 Stand-Up Frank's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This was a classic old building with a great age-worn bar that ran the length of the building. It featured a dark, ornate ceiling, antique cash registers, and the first coin-operated bumper pool table we'd ever seen. Brandon wanted to get a picture of the pool table but two people were using it as a table to read the paper. So Brandon went over to ask them if he could get a shot, and that's how we met Gary and Laura. They were incredibly nice and told us about the neighborhood we were in and places we should check out later, including the stop were we would get lunch that we would have completely missed if not for them. They explained that these bars open early to serve third-shift blue-collar workers, and that by evening it would be an entirely different kind of crowd here. Gary bought us a shot of chilled Vodka that was really good but we could not finish -- but apparently when you buy a shot here it comes with a refill.
12:30pm
#61 Halek's Bar [map]
Brandon: Michelob Light
Scott: Michelob Light
A double-bar. Our beer tasted a little off. The bartender was chatting it up with some of the regulars and not behind the bar very much. A woman came in holding a dollar and Brandon noticed her glance at a hanging display of snack chips. He made a "standard amount" wager that she wanted Funyuns but I noticed some Gardetto's snack mix just before Brandon did and went for that. But the bartender was not paying attention and the woman got frustrated and started to leave. So Brandon called to the bartender, and another patron caught on to what was up and called to him too. The bartender returned and the woman picked the snack mix. Score! We left and while we were outside taking a picture the woman came outside and said "I heard the big guy won a buck off me." She then unlocked the building next door and told us not to let anyone in while she went back into Halek's to get something.
We passed the Grain Belt brewery and arrived at the place Gary and Laura told us we should go to for lunch...
1:04pm
#62 Dusty's Bar [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Grain Belt Premium
The bar was pretty busy so we sat at a table and the smell of Dago Burgers was mouthwatering. The Dago Burger is made from Italian Sausage and topped with Mozzarella. As an ATM was noisily installed nearby we played pull tabs (and lost) while waiting for our food. And it was well worth the wait. Dago Burgers are INCREDIBLE! Thank you Gary and Laura!
1:50pm
#63 Psycho Suzi's [map]
Brandon: PBR
Scott: Newcastle
We arrived just as 200+ scooters started pulling in for a scooter party. We dashed inside to get our drinks before the bar would be overwhelmed. As we stepped inside we heard the bartender tell a server "Remember, they are not mopeds, they are scooters." The bartender gave us the strictest ID check we had ever experienced, and Scott's KS ID was extremely scrutinized. Only 1 drink at a time would be served per ID. The decor was very tikki - an island theme with bamboo and lots of Polynesian style sculptures and statues. The floor was covered with wood floor print carpeting.
2:27pm
#64 Tony Jaro's River Garden [map]
Brandon: Iron Range Amber Lager
Scott: Iron Range Amber Lager
This was a rectangular bar with a sticky floor. We selected this beer because we liked the anvil on the tap. The bartender seemed unusually grateful for our tip. The restroom had an even tinier trough than the small one we had seen yesterday and sported a sign on the soap dispenser that read "All Employees Must Wash Genitals". Just before we left one of the customers wanted to watch ESPN but nobody knew what channel ESPN was on. "This must be a gay bar," quipped Brandon.
2:55pm
#65 Sully's [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Icehouse
We had planned well in advance to come here after our early research had identified this as the crappiest bar in Minneapolis. It really wasn't that bad. The bar was rectangular and the room had a faint funky smell that should normally be masked by smoke but Minneapolis is smoke-free. We played Silver Strike bowling and after Brandon accidently selected a woman as his character he made sure I played as a woman too. I lost the first game but then Brandon revealed the secret to picking up spares and went down in defeat for the next two games. While we were playing a drunk guy was trying to use the juke box next to us and asked Brandon for help. Brandon helped him make various selections, such as "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions. But before long he became tired of Brandon's help and shoved his arm aside.
As we left a pair of drug dealers tried to give us a really good deal on some Vicodin so I took their picture.
3:55pm
Exploring the neighborhood we stepped into a pool hall called Fat Boy Billiards only to find that it was a dry establishment.
4:00pm
#66 N.E. Palace [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
I forgot to write down the beer we drank so am going off my memory of the flavor. This place used to be called "First Chance, Last Chance" because it was the first chance for a drink if you were coming in to town and the last chance for a drink while leaving town. We were left alone for half an hour while the bartender stayed out on the patio (which featured a waterfall). We played several games of shuffleboard and attempted to play some pool but in our semi-stupor we could not get any balls to sink, so we gave that up. A drunk woman tried to dance with us and then later when we went to see the patio a guy out there told us a few choice things about that woman. Clearly they had been fighting. :)
5:08pm
#67 Stasiu's [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Michelob Golden Light
Home of the Duzy Sandwich. We did not get a Duzy Sandwich. We did use a very cool looking antique urinal. After spending a few minutes at the bar we adjourned to the game room to play some foosball.
We then decided to return to the same neighborhood where our day began, in order to see how much the character of the neighborhood changed throughout the day as Gary and Laura mentioned it would.
6:02pm
#68 Johnny A's [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
They were definitely right. In the morning Gary was almost the only black person we saw in this neighborhood Now we were the only white people anywhere in sight. As we approached the rear entrance of Johnny A's a guy tossed a crumpled napkin out of his car window. As we walked by Brandon pointed to the "No Littering" sign in front of him and said "Hey! The sign says 'No Littering'!" "What the f%@$ did you say?" said the stunned driver. "I'm just messin' with ya, man," said Brandon and the two exchanged a laugh.
Johnny A's was packed but we managed to get a couple of seats at the bar. Just like outside, we were the only whites in the place. Our bartender was pretty cool but we didn't catch his name. After a while we walked over to watch some people play Silver Strike Bowling.
6:21pm
We walked across the street to B.J.'s, a bar featuring strippers. We walked up to the bar but after a minute without service we realized we were out of cash. They had an ATM on site but the fees would have been outrageous so we decided to forgo it. So this bar didn't count.
As we were sitting in front of Johnny A's taking pictures I heard a woman say "Excuse me!". I turned to look to find 7 angry people next to us. "Why did you just take a picture of my license plate?!?" Uhhh... uh.... "I didn't," I said, "We were taking a pictures of B.J.'s and Irv's". "No, I saw you, and you BOTH had cameras, you had them pointed straight ahead. "Only to see what we had taken pictures of. I swear, we were not taking pictures of license plates." "Come on," they said, "what in the world would you be taking pictures of bars for?" "We're on a road trip," I said, "and taking pictures of every bar we go to." They apparently accepted this answer because they walked away. Brandon was pretty ticked about being singled out and scrutinized but I pointed out that they probably experience that every day.
6:40pm
#69 The 1029 Bar [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Bud
(I forgot to write down the beers so am guessing.) Originally a sports bar, local police started hanging out so the theme switched to a police bar. Now police from all over come here. Police memorabilia adorns the place, including the door of a police car donated by New Orleans police as a gift in thanks for help during Katrina. But that's not the only kind of decor. The ceiling is covered with bras hanging from nails. For whatever reason, the bartender did not know why, women seem to like taking their bras off here so they hang up all the bras that women donate.
7:15pm
#70 N.E. Yacht Club [map]
Brandon: Busch
Scott: Busch
Based on the name I assumed this would be some sort of high brow place but it turned out to be a classic style dive with cheap beer.
8:23pm
#71 Elsie's [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Miller Lite
Elsie's is either a bowling alley with a separate bar and restaurant, or it's a restaurant/bar with a bowling alley in the back. In either case this was a pretty nice place and we were surprised that no one was bowling when we first arrived. (By the time we left quite a few people were bowling.) This place was also the start of my downfall. My Miller Lite came in a bottle and was very, very skunky. I didn't want to say anything, though, and was trying to force my way through it. But by the time Brandon was nearly done with this draw I was only a third through my bottle at best. I got up to use the restroom and due to some weird acoustics I was able to hear Brandon mention my skunky beer to the bartender in perfect clarity. When I returned I had a fresh Miller Lite draw waiting for me. But the skunky taste of the bottle still weighed heavily on me so even though this beer was fresh and delicious, I was not quite able to finish it before we left.
8:23pm
#72 Nye's Bar [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
This was a multi-room place -- originally had been one small bar but the owner had gradually bought the adjacent buildings and tacked them on. This was a polka bar and the band was setting up when we arrived. Unfortunately this bar continued our downfall, as for some reason and we do not know what, Brandon and the bartender got off on the wrong foot. The exchange began something like this:
Bartender: "What can I do for you?"
Brandon: "Two Bud Lights, please."
Bartender: (in a snappy tone) "Well then you had better have some ID on you."
The relationship deteriorated from there despite several attempts to patch it up. Several times the bartender came and stood right next to us watching us drink, making us rather uncomfortable. Then finally he started telling us about the building and we thought maybe he was finally warming up to us, until he encouraged us to take our drinks to the piano bar in the back. Just trying to get rid of us. We still have no idea what we did.
9:15pm
#73 Legends [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This place was big, really big, and featured a patio at one end. Brandon did some exploring and found a game room downstairs, so we took our beers down there and played some darts. We went back upstairs to the bar and after I finished my beer I went to the restroom. When I returned I spotted Brandon at the far end of the place talking to someone at another smaller bar. He waved me over and we went out on the patio where we talked to two people about our trip. We were hungry for pizza and asked them for suggestions, and the place they most recommended was Broadway Pizza. They were trying to give directions but we weren't even 100% sure where we were, but then they mentioned the caboose. I had seen it earlier in the day and knew exactly where it was. So off we went.
10:05pm
#74 Broadway Pizza [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
With the big caboose out front and the model train running inside, this place definitely had a train theme going. The pizza was delicious and exactly what we needed. However I was still reeling from the taste of that skunky beer back at Elsie's and had some difficulty finishing mine.
Around 11:15pm we returned to our hotel intent on taking a short recuperative break and then setting back out. We arrived to find the parking lot overflowing and dozens of people milling about. We went inside and noticed that many were going downstairs so we decided to follow. We found a big party going on in the ballroom, the attendees nearly all African-American and dressed in white. Brandon asked a guy at the front table what was going on. "This is our annual White Party," he said. Brandon glanced around and quipped, "That's funny, it's called a 'white party' yet no one here is white." The guy laughed and said that everyone wears white. We asked what the party was for. "To celebrate our black gay pride," he said. We were given some packages of mints and we chatted a little longer before returning to the room.
After we got upstairs Brandon realized he had forgotten his phone so went back downstairs to get it. After he had been gone 20 minutes I gave him a call -- figuring maybe he was having trouble finding it and that if it rang it might help. Instead he answered, he had been coerced into returning to the party and in the middle of a debate over whether drinking brings out his inner bisexuality.
Shortly after Brandon returned I finally was getting my second wind but then he seemed beat. We debated for several minutes what to do and eventually decided to call it a night.
I had just managed to drift off when the downstairs party apparently came to an end because the parking lot was suddenly very noisy for almost an hour. Since we had had to park the car illegally earlier in the day and would have to move it once the party was over we had set an alarm for 2am. When it went off Brandon did not stir, so I got up and used the bathroom. I came back around the corner and he was still sleeping, so I decided to move the car myself. I got dressed and then started looking for the keys but could not find them. I tried to wake Brandon but he would not stir. I called his name, nothing. Turned on the lights, nothing. Finally I walked over to shake him and when I put my hand on his back it was cold and clammy. Yeah, that gave me a scare. I shook him... nothing. shook him saying his name... nothing. Gave him a really big shake and shouted his name.
"Huh? Wha?" he stirred.
What a relief. :)
Of course, right as he woke up, I saw a glimmer of metal sticking out from under a pile of laundry on the floor. So now I had waken him for no reason.
I moved the car and as I returned to the lobby I saw several groups of drunken frat-type guys returning from the Warehouse District. I returned to bed and within half an hour the frat guys were roaming the halls singing and shouting and arguing, yelling in their rooms, banging on things, and being completely obnoxious. This god awful noise continued unabated until about 4:30am when it was finally, FINALLY semi-quiet.
But only for about an hour, then guests started waking up and taking showers. Ugh.
Stay tuned for Day 5, the last day, coming soon!
August 24, 2006
Pt. 3 of Spirits of '76 - Barhopping 76 Bars - Day 3
Part 3 in the series. On Wednesday, August 9, 2006, my friend Brandon and I headed north and started barhopping on a journey that would end up taking us to 76 bars over 5 days. Over the next several days we will recount our story. What you are about to read was accomplished by trained experts in boozology who took utmost care in terms of safe and legal behavior. Do not try this at home. So sit back, relax, and read on as we do the drinking for you. On with Part 3...
Day 3 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Friday, August 12, 2006
Where frustration mounted and beer became more and more expensive...
We got up Friday morning feeling a little funky. Not hung over, but our digestive systems wwere having difficulty adpating to a diet of mostly beer. With some necessary stops made along the way, we arrived in Minneapolis right at lunchtime.
Minneapolis, MN
12:15pm
#40 Matt's Bar [map]
Brandon: Grain Belt Premium
Scott: Initially Killian's, but it was flat so switched to Grain Belt Premium
Home of the famous "Jucy Lucy" burger, this place was absolutely packed with a lunchtime crowd. Due to crowd we decided to skip the burger for now but vowed to return on Sunday.
1:05pm
#41 Roundup Beer Hall [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Miller Genuine Draft
We found this on a corner next to a highway in one of the most diverse neighborhoods we have ever seen anywhere. We had to stop because ever since Munich you just don't see places called "Beer Hall" that often anymore. The bartender was rather suspicious of us at first, asking Brandon "Do you really live in Missouri?" She warmed up to us after a little while, though.
1:27pm
#42 Champions Sports Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This sports bar was a little bit of an anomaly in what seemed to be a predominantly Somalian neighborhood. The interior revealed a large space divided into two major rooms, with a huge bar in the center that wrapped and twisted around into both areas. This meant that there were areas that the bartender could not see without moving around -- indeed, we were here for a bit before we were spotted and served. This was the first bar we had seen with a cellphone ban. It was also the first time we saw pull-tabs sold in a booth by an attendant -- something we'd soon learn was common here.
We walked across the street to a White Castle (which we no longer have in KC) where Brandon had 3 sliders and 7 tabasco chicken rings and Scott had 2 chicken sandwiches and 8 tabasco chicken rings. Mmmmmmm... chicken rings!
The one-way streets and heavy traffic in this neighborhood started to get on Brandon's nerves and we circled around a few times before finally getting out of this area and finding our next destination. But the next neighborhood would not calm him, as one way streets, heavy traffic and lack of parking drove him to the verge of madness. We've never seen so many people on bicycles anywhere. Can't blame them -- trying to drive here is borderline crazy.
2:36pm
#43 CC Club [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Killian's
I'm surprised we even stopped considering how hard it was to get here. We had to keeep circling around because we couldn't make the turn at first and then couldn't find a place to park.
We then headed on over to the Uptown neighborhood and decided to just take the first parking meter we saw. Anxious to get downtown, we put in only an hour's worth of change and headed off to try to find a drink.
3:15pm
#44 The Independent [map]
Brandon: Oberon Ale
Scott: Two Hearted Ale
Heading inside a double door and then up a few flights of enclosed metal stairs we weren't sure if we were heading to a bar or a strip club. But at the top we found ourselves outside a large modern bar in what we later learned to be a shopping mall. The bar was square shaped and offered up a selection of unusual and upscale beers. Flat-panel internet kiosks were available, and the restroom was a little unnerving at first because it was a 4-stall unisex restroom.
3:45pm
#45 Uptown Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This was a nice spacious semi-dive. Our beers were a rather unusual price -- $2.85 each.
Realizing we were about up on our parking meter, we finished our beers quickly and dashed back to the car. We then proceeded north towards downtown.
4:17pm
#46 Liquor Lyle's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite x2
Scott: Summit Porter x2
Yep, it was happy hour, so we had no choice but drink two beers. This place had a cool, funky, almost "shagadelic" interior. The men's room had a high quality trough. "Minnesota - Land of 10,000 Troughs".
Driving to our hotel...
We checked into our hotel (the downtown Ramada, [map]) and then walked across the highway into a slightly seedy area. We passed a couple of homeless guys and while we're well used to dealing with them back home, one of theme caught me with a line that due to all the stuff I was carrying was entirely plausible, "Excuse me, you dropped something." I still managed to shake him without paying a dime thanks to my usual "Only if you accept Visa" response, but not without me first noticing that his eyes were brownish-yellow from hepatitis.
Here's the pictures I took just before that incident. The beige building in the lower left of the first picture is our hotel.
5:52pm
#47 Lee's Liquor Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller High Life
Scott: Miller High Life
This was a good quality dive, the kind we love. Another place with a rectangular bar. Brandon spotted a Spuds Mackenzie lamp and snapped a photo of it. This would be our last cheap beer of the day.
We re-crossed the highway and began exploring Minneapolis's Warehouse District.
6:28pm
#48 Mackenzie [map]
Brandon: Hickory Prima
Scott: Sierra Nevada Summerfest
Located in the Orpheum Theater building, this bar boasted two levels plus a patio out back. Our bartender was Gary and he was assisted by Hillary.
6:52pm
#49 The Saloon [map - note real address is 830 Hennepin]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
"Um... uh-oh...", Brandon said, coming to a stop after we stepped inside. Oh well, it was too late to turn back now, so we settled in on some empty stools at the rectangular bar. Facing several artistic wall photos of nude men, we glanced around the room and noticed that this placed sold its own private-label bottled water. (We would return later to get some as souvenirs.) This was one of the first bars we had been in where no one talked to us, and Brandon wondered if his wedding band was causing people to believe we were a couple. Finding the restroom here was an task, it was way in the back through a dark area and around a smaller bar that was a little more, um, "adventuresome".
We walked around outside a bit exploring the area...
Then we found ourselves at...
7:35pm
#50 O'Donovan's Irish Pub [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Guinness
This was a pretty upscale place but not snobbily so, and was one of our most expensive beer tabs of the night.
8:08pm
#51 Champp's Sports Bar [map]
Brandon: Coors Light
Scott: Coors Light
This was a cool stop -- a long outdoor bar in an alley. Mary was our bartender. We then found, while trying to locate the restroom, that this alley bar was actually part of a much larger indoor bar. (And yes, I spelled the name correctly.)
8:33pm
#52 The Loon Cafe [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
These were the most expensive draws of the night, $11 for 2 beers. I can't even imaginee what it would have beeen for imported beer.
9:18pm
#53 Brother's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
Downstairs bar, next to "Refuge". Square shaped bar. As we were chatting and getting rather lit, two young Asian people came in with a large camera. We didn't pay much attention at first until there was a tap on my shoulder.
Them: "Excuse me, do you guys like White Castle?"
Us: "Yeah, in fact we had it today."
Them: "Have you tried chicken rings?"
Us: "Yes, today, for the first time, and we loved them!"
Them: "Great! Here are some coupons for some free rings and sliders."
Us: "Thanks! We're from Kansas City and they closed all of our White Castles so we're glad you have them here."
Them: "In that case, here's a whole pile of coupons, get as many as you can before you go home."
Us: "Wow, thanks!"
Them: "Mind if we take your picture for our promotional materials?"
They then snapped our picture and had us sign releases.
10:02pm
#54 Pizza Luce [map]
Brandon: Miller Golden Light
Scott: Miller Golden Light
People ordering whole pizzas were directed to the left, people ordering by the slice were directed to the right. The guy in front of us in line had an open box of Skillet Helper with him. We each grabbed a big, tasty slice and had a beer.
10:34pm
#55 Sawatdee [map]
Brandon: PBR
Scott: PBR
It's funny... we remember this place for it's funky name, but that's all we remember. We didn't even remember to take a picture but I found this one online...
11:16pm
#56 New City [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
This place had several pool tables and we played a game or two.
Midnight
#57 The Brass Rail [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
We had noticed a large group in a fenced area in front of The Gay 90s, a place we had assumed was a gay bar both from the name and the techno beat coming from inside. Brandon asked the bouncer at the place next door about that fenced-in crowd and he said it was a smoking area. Brandon then asked him where a good place was to get a beer and the bouncer said "right on inside here". We stepped in and found this to be a gay bar with a stage and poles.
Nothing more will be said about this place.
We forgot to get a picture but I found one online on the blog of a man who is my new personal hero...
Our walk back to the hotel was somewhat entertaining as we were nicely buzzed, didn't really know for sure where we were, and got confused by the numeric grid system used in this city. Like the previous night we took off in the wrong direction, but were lucky in 3 regards. (1) We figured it out before getting clear to the other side of the city, (2) We stumbled across one more bar that we had on our list of must-visit places, and (3) We found that last bar just before our bladders were about to explode.
12:58am
#58 Kieran's Irish Pub [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Guinness
This was our last stop of the night, as the beers in this area were too large and too pricey and Brandon was starting to get beered out. But I can't knock him for it, because tomorrow it would be my turn.
We finally made our way back to the hotel -- this time relying on Brandon's navigation skills rather than my own. After a brief and unsuccessful attempt to get online to make a post, we quickly passed out to recharge for what would turn out to be an exciting 4th day.
Stay tuned for Day 4, coming soon!
August 22, 2006
Pt. 2 of Spirits of '76 - Barhopping 76 Bars - Day 2
Part 2 in the series. On Wednesday, August 9, 2006, my friend Brandon and I headed north and started barhopping on a journey that would end up taking us to 76 bars over 5 days. Over the next several days we will recount our story. What you are about to read was accomplished by trained experts in boozology who took utmost care in terms of safe and legal behavior. Do not try this at home. So sit back, relax, and read on as we do the drinking for you. On with Part 2...
Day 2 - Clear Lake and Mason City, Iowa
Thurdsday, August 10, 2006
Where the music died, we rode the saddle, and we got lost wandering around the city at 1:30am...
We woke up Thursday morning and had a quick McDonald's breakfast before heading north on I-35, past Des Moines and its Iowa State Fair, to the lakefront resort town of...
Clear Lake, IA
We intended to begin the day at Players Sports Bar but when we arrived we found it to be closed. So we headed downtown and found the same story over and over until we found...
12:20pm
#22 Rookie's Sports Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This was a 2-sided bar on Main Street right downtown. We noticed that the lower level side of the bar was all men while the upper level side was mostly women.
We found out that most of the bars in town don't open until 2:00 so we walked around a little bit taking some pictures...
...then we drove north to a farm field outside of down where on February 3, 1959, a plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valenz, and The Big Bopper crashed killing all on board.
When we arrived at the crash site[map] there was an older couple from Colorado already there. The crash site was a half mile hike along the edge of a cornfield.
Having killed enough time, we headed back into town to find some more bars.
1:55pm
#23 The Other Place [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
This bar is a small chain with most of their locations clustered in north-central Iowa, but for some reason it also has an Overland Park and an Olathe location. It was a pretty big place and not very busy. We asked the girl behind the bar about places to go drinking over in Mason City (she was from there) but she said that she didn't know because she wasn¹t old enough to drink yet.
2:22pm
#24 Half Moon Lounge [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
This place was more of a restaurant but had a small bar towards the back. Its advertising spoke of its fine food, but the kitchen was closed.
Right across the street from there we found...
2:44pm
#25 Retlaw's [map]
Brandon: Miller Golden Light
Scott: Miller Golden Light
We had a choice between draws for $4.50 total or a pitcher for $5.00. It was a tough call, but we opted for the pitcher. We looked for a trivia box to kill some time but none was to be found.
After we finished up here we went for a drive up Lake Front Road and saw this cool house....
Clear Lake...
Then we went to the Surf Ballroom [map], where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valenz, and The Big Bopper gave their last concert. The place was being set up for a visit by Senator John Edwards, but they let us wander around freely and explore the place.
We then went back downtown...
4:15pm
#26 Ingy's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Bud
At the moment I don't remember a whole lot about this place, hopefully it will come back to me later.
4:36pm
#27 Elly's Lake Front Tap [map]
Brandon: Bud (can)
Scott: Bud (can)
This was an interesting place -- the bar was located in the basement of what we presume to be Elly's house. (The basement had a separate entrance from the main part of the house.) The bar was U-shaped and had a few people sitting around it. Around the basement was a good deal of memorabilia from Clear Lake's history, including a brick from the original Surf Ballroom that burned. An old man gave us warning after warning about construction between Clear Lake and Mason City, rambling about lane closures and flooded out shoulders.
5:20pm
#28 Player's Sports Bar [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
Back to the place we had tried to start the day. I remember that we had to use the restroom both when we arrived and when we left.
Then it was a quick drive down the road the guy at Elly's had warned us about (it was a piece of cake) to...
Mason City, IA
6:13pm
#29 Willow Run Lounge [map]
Brandon: PBR
Scott: PBR
We asked for a good place to eat. "Right here," said the bartender. Well, we didn't really want tacos, though, so she recommended a steak place at the north end of town.
We headed on to the steak place and stepped inside to find a 1 hour wait. On a Thursday night. Might have been worth it, but we can get steaks at home and there were bars to visit.
7:04pm
#30 Mugshotz / Route 65 [map]
Brandon: Coors Light
Scott: Coors Light
Our quest for some nasty ol' bar food began here, but we didn't eat here... or at the next several places either. This places is called Mugshotz if you go by the newer sign on the side or Route 65 if you go by the sign on the front.
7:22pm
#31 Kozy Korner Bar [map]
Brandon: PBR
Scott: PBR
This was diagonally opposite from Mugshotz, and that's all I can remember. :)
7:48pm
#32 Burke's Bar & Grill [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Bud
Food was still weighing heavily on our minds and that picture of a burger on the front helped pull us in. Once inside however something about the place made us decide to keep waiting.
8:15pm
#33 Champions Sports Bar [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
I remember this being a nice little place not far from the downtown square but that's about all I remember.
8:55pm
#34 Rhythm and Brews [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
(Formerly Cousin's Sports Bar) This place had a nice bar and eating area. We got a medium all-meat pizza here that was really good -- very meaty and flavorful.
9:57pm
#35 Wok 'n' Roll [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Tsiangtao
The Chinese bar/restaurant with a funny name. A fairly elegant place but a pleasant spot for a drink. The bartender was a young guy who chatted it up a bit with us and the other two customers.
We checked into our motel, the Best Value Inn [map]just south of the downtown square and next to a Kum-and-Go. After a brief rest we set back out, first heading south.
11:12pm
#36 The Saddle Company [map]
Brandon: Busch Light
Scott: Busch Light
This was a fun little dive. As we talked to the bartender a nearby customer asked what brought us up from Kansas City. When we explained our quest and that this was the 36th bar we had been to, he insisted we get up on the saddle in the back of our place and get our pictures taken.
As we left I overheard him telling other customers "Did you hear what they are doing? This is their 36th bar!"
11:36pm
#37 South Federal Reserve [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
Formerly Sallee's, this had the smallest tap of anyplace we'd ever seen. We inquired about a bar on our list called Metalcraft located near the mall but no one had heard of it. Later I would learn it came up on our bar search because they make bar code dies. :)
We then walked back past our motel and back into the downtown area.
12:22am
#38 The Candy Bar [map]
Brandon: Coors Light
Scott: Coors Light
Formerly The Poodle.
[I did not get any pictures of this place and don't remember much about it other than approximately where it was. CORRECTION: The picture is out of sequence: 20060811_DCFC0057.jpg]
12:46am
#39 Sportsman's [map]
Brandon: Icehouse
Scott: Killian's
This was the first time I had tried a Killian's, and I liked it. The bartender was a tall blond-haired guy who talked about Mason City in its night-life heyday (complete with strip clubs) and went off on the conservative voters who keep tightening up the laws and getting things shut down. He warned us to bee careful walking back to the motel, as the police love to pick people up for public intoxication. "Would they rather us drive?" Scott asked. "That's exactly what I tell them!" the bartender said.
When we stepped outside I turned the wrong direction and against Brandon's better judgment he followed. We walked towards what we thought was out motel and were wondering why it was taking so long. Finally we got to the Kum-n-Go but could not find our motel. We stopped in for a few snacks and Brandon figured out it must be a different Kum-n-Go. So we paid for our snacks and kept going. A moment later we found ourselves back at Mugshotz and realized we were now at the wrong end of town. As we got out bearings and turned to go the right direction, several police cars nearby started driving by slowly. We made sure to walk straightly and quietly and eventually found our way back to the motel. Total round trip detour: about 3 miles.
At 2:23am we finally were back in out motel room and flipped on the TV to find the end of "The Buddy Holly Story" on TBS. Very odd that we caught this at the end of the same day we saw the place where he died.
Stay tuned for Day 3, coming soon!
August 20, 2006
Spirits of '76 - Barhopping 76 Bars - Day 1
On Wednesday, August 9, 2006, my friend Brandon and I headed north and started barhopping on a journey that would end up taking us to 76 bars over 5 days. Over the next several days we will recount our story. What you are about to read was accomplished by trained experts in boozology who took utmost care in terms of safe and legal behavior. Do not try this at home. So sit back, relax, and read on as we do the drinking for you.
Day 1 - Rural South Central Iowa
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Where we visit some of the smallest towns we have ever seen and meet some colorful characters including a rather entertaining drunk...
We departed Kansas City around 8:30 in the morning and headed north on I-35. Our first stop was Brandon's old college town.
Lamoni, IA
10:45am
#1 The Raging Buffalo (restaurant side) / Characters Sports Bar (bar side) [map]
Brandon: Busch Light
Scott: Busch Light
Located right in the heart of downtown. A big place with lots of TVs and memorabilia. Officially the bar proper is only open on weekends. The rest of the time, while you can still order alcohol, a huge red curtain hides the bar so that the extremely conservative locals won't have to be offended by seeing it while they are eating.
After the bar we had a pretty decent pizza at The Pizza Shack while Brandon read off trivia cards. We also drove around to see the Graceland University campus and the houses Brandon used to live in.
Davis City, IA
Monie's Place was closed. We took a picture of its former location; the new location was in another old building a block away. Brandon had called ahead the week before and learned they typically open at 4pm sdo we figured we'd probably miss this one. But the owner also mentioned that she'd open whenever she feels like it if she knows there would be customers. We decided not to try to track her down though for just one beer.
Leon, IA
12:10pm
#2 Bear's Den Pub [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Bud
This place had a roulette-like game that used the ceiling fan as the spinner.
Kort House Lounge
A couple of people were stepping out of the Bredeaux Pizza across the street as we were taking a picture. We walked up to the door and found it locked. Just then the older man who had seen us take the picture asked if he could help us. It turned out he was the owner! A former county judge, he had opened the bar after retiring and mentioned that his mail used to wind up at the courthouse and vice versa. However 2 years ago after having coronary bypass surgery he had to make the bar smoke-free for his own health, and business dwindled off too much to keep the bar open. It is now a liquor store.
The logo was the scales of justice with a beer on one side and a martini on the other. "We Serve Just Us"
Decautur City, IA
12:42pm
#3 Poor Boy's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
Lots of dead animals on display, and showers in the restrooms, leading Brandon to believe this used to be a hunting lodge.
Kellerton, IA
1:15pm
#4 K-Town Legends [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Miller Lite
We drove onto the main strip in this quiet little town, lined with several run-down buildings, some empty, but many being rather architecturally interesting buildings. This was probably a pretty little town back in its day. As for the bar, it had no signage anywhere outside or inside that told us what the name was so we had to ask the bartender. We noticed some bowling trophies on a shelf above us, and a back room behind a curtain that we didn't go check out.
Mt. Ayr, IA
1:48pm
#5 Smith's Sports & Spirits [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Bud Light
This place was a lot more of a restaurant but the kitchen was already closed, not reopening again until supper. We sat at the bar towards the back of the dining room to enjoy our drinks and get some info from the bartender about other places in town.
2:04pm
#6 The Office [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Miller Lite
When we stepped inside we found the bartender sitting in a chair behind the far end of the counter watching soap operas on a little TV she had set up on a stand. After serving our drinks she returned to our soaps and we don't think she ever said another word. As she watched her show, Brandon scanned the room and spotted a piece of bar decor on a shelf fashioned to look like a bucket of Miller High Lifes.
We next tried to go to a place called Lefty's but found it to be closed.
We then embarked on a long, winding route until we reached a town known for its printing museum...
Diagonal, IA
2:48pm
#7 G&L Bar & Grill [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
From the outside this was probably the most run-down looking of any place we visited but once we stepped in we found that it wasn't too bad. While I was using the restroom the bartender swiped Brandon's driver's license through a device that verified his age. We were surprised that of all places, this was the first we ever saw such technology. The bartender seemed a little bit nervous about us at first but she warmed up to us a little after a while.
Once we were done here it took us a little bit to figure out how to get to our next highway -- in part because out here highways look like any other narrow barely-paved road.
Our next town to visit was Tingley, a place we had been anticipating all day because we liked saying the name. When we arrived, however, we could not find the bar that was supposed to be there. We stopped at a general store and I went in and asked how to get to the local bar.
"We used to have a bar, but the crazy people of this town went and voted to make this a dry town. So now the closest bar is over in Ellston."
Now, Ellston wasn't on our planned route and as we had driven around Tingley we noticed that the highway leading towards Ellston was closed.
"Oh, it's not really closed," one of the customers said. "Just go around the barricades and drive on through. No one is working today."
So we did - and set out navigating a stretch of dirt "highways" that looked like they had been hit by mortar fire. Most of these roads carried multiple routes, so there were some pretty complicated guideposts.
Finally we arrived in Ellston, population "Oh about 40" according to one of the locals.
Ellston, IA
3:38pm
#8 Darlene's Place [map]
Brandon: Miller High Life
Scott: Miller High Life
"We're damn lucky to have this place," said one of the two locals having a few drinks inside. "I don't know how much longer we'll have it, though, the owner's getting up in years," he added. I really wanted to get a picture of these guys, they were the classic extremely-rural older farmers. We sat at the short-end of this L-shaped bar in this well-lit space and enjoyed the presence of a stuffed and mounted goat head on the wall smoking a cigarette.
Arispe, IA
We assumed the bar would be in the town proper so we turned right to go down the main strip. We did not find a bar but did find both City Hall and the Library.
We returned to the highway on another road and found that the bar was right by the highway after all.
4:11pm
#9 Long Branch Lounge [map]
Brandon: Coors Light
Scott: Coors Light
This place had a pretty big dance floor. When Brandon explained to the bartender that we had come up through Lamoni, she told us all about her sons going to school at Graceland University on a football scholarship and how they are required to eat at least 2 meals on campus each day.
Afton, IA
The original County Seat of Union County
4:28pm
#10 Bert's Pub & Grub [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Miller Lite
This was a really cool looking building and looked like a place you'd expect to find in one of the older downtown areas in KC. It had an awesome wood floor, very high ceiling, and a bar wrapped in leather. Our bottles were served up in beer cozies. We noticed what looked like an old fashioned elevator in the back and asked the bartender about it. She told us that the building used to be a Gamble's department store and that the elevator was hand-operated -- you simply pulled on a rope and an elaborate system of pulleys would lower and raise the platform with ease. It had been used to bring goods upstairs in the past, now they use it to take out their trash. She got on and gave us a demonstration of how it worked. Later she showed us old pictures of the building as a department store, then took us to the back room that to our surprise was set up for pole dancing and cage dancing. We ended up tripling our tip.
5:12pm
#11 TJ's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
After Bert's Place having a beer in what was essentially a Butler building wasn't quite as enchanting but this was still a fairly nice little place. At least we got to see a guy driving a lawnmower as we entered.
As we left we saw several people in a park across the street playing basketball fully clothed, including jeans "Who plays basketball in jeans when it's 100 degrees?" Brandon asked.
Creston, IA
Creston, the County Seat of Union County, had been planned to be our stopping point for the night.
5:58pm
#12 Elms Club [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
Unfortunately I don't really remember this place.
6:28pm
#13 Goodtime Charley's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
This was a fairly large place with a long bar, font and rear entrances, that was split lengthwise with the bar and some dining tables on the south side and a separate overflow dining room on the north side, a split-level a few steps down. I had to use the restroom but when I went to check it out found that the one-hole men's room was clogged. "Out of order," I said to Brandon as I returned to the bar. "I'll bet there's one downstairs," Brandon said. I went downstairs and sure enough found one... with the lid down and encrusted with smears of dried fecal. Grabbing a paper towel I gingerly lifted the lid. Upon returning I said "In case you need to use the restroom I left the lid up, you'll understand why and thank me for it."
We exited through the rear and proceeded to...
7:02pm
#14 Montgomery Street Pub [map]
Brandon: PBR
Scott: PBR
A fairly small place with an L-shaped bar and a slightly rowdy crowd. One guy was particularly drunk and tossed out a few bucks to buy a shot for a newlywed couple at the other end of the bar.
7:35pm
#15 American Legion - Post 70 [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
I was starting to feel a bit of intoxication here. We munched from styrofoam cups of snack mix and I found that the restroom had the smallest trough-style urinal I had ever seen.
8:14pm
#16 Eagles Lodge - Post 1398 [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
The bar area was quite large and located on the upper level. We think this may have been a members-only place because we were supposed to sign in up front, but no one was looking so Brandon suggested we just stroll in "like we know what we're doing". This place had a big, rectangular bar. As we drank our beers we didn't really notice that the drunken guy from the Montgomery Street Pub was also there.
When we left, that same guy had left seconds ahead of us, and he began to stumble down the stairs. Brandon grabbed him to steady him and he thanked us. He then went into a spiel about how his wife and son had beaten him earlier that night so the police took him to the bars to get him away from then. He pulled up his pants legs to reveal several scrapes and bruises to support his claim. He said that they do it to him all the time. Eventually the topic of where we were from came up and when we said "Kansas City" he got really excited. "No shit?" he began, "my daughter's a Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader!"
We didn't believe him, but he insisted. "Come on, they have the posters and she's on the calendar. I'll prove it."
He led us back to the Montgomery Street Pub, where as soon as we stepped in the bartender looked him on the eye and said "No, no more tonight." "I'm just here to show them the calendar," replied our new friend. "Oh," said the bartender, "we don't have that anymore, it was for last month." "So is it true?" we asked, "Is his daughter really a Chiefs cheerleader?"
"Yes, she is," vouched the bartender and several patrons.
After we managed to lose the drunken dude, who now wanted us to go with him to his shop to see the poster he had there, we were going to head on out of town. But then my eagle-eye spotted...
9:02pm
#17 Twilight Zone [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
Everything about this place screamed dance club from the outside and we were a bit hesitant, but once inside we saw no prominent signs of a dance floor. Brandon noted that the different font of the letter "W" was likely the only thing making this bar's logo not be a trademark violation. Both Miller and Bud had sponsored their signage.
When we first arrived in town we noticed a building on the opposite side of the tracks that looked like it had bar potential. Now as we were about to leave we noticed it did indeed have some neon signage in the windows. We went to check it out and sure enough, it was a bar.
9:45pm
#18 Sidetracked Again [map]
Brandon: Bud
Scott: Bud
Due to the extreme darkness a good picture could not be obtained either outside or inside. But this bar's most prominent feature was a large Hamm's bear inside the front window. We asked the bartender why it was called "Sidetracked Again". "'Sidetracked' comes from being next to the railroad tracks. We used to be on the other side, but the city closed us down because they said they needed to build a store there. So then we moved over here and now we're 'Sidetracked Again'."
By the time we left here a really eerie fog had set in. It was still too early to stop so decided to head east. We gassed up at a cricket-infested service station (note the discarded cigarette next to the fuel pumps) and started heading east.
The road was dark and empty, with fog in the valleys and a nearly-full moon in the sky. We knew of two small towns ahead that we were going to check for bars in, but never spotted them. Halfway to Osceola, our backup stopping-for-the-night town, we had to pull over to the side of the road to release some bio-processed beer into the wild. As we headed back down the road the fog kept sticking to Brandon's windows and was starting to piss him off
Osceola, IA
Home of the Terrible's casino. We got ourselves a room at the Blue Haven Motel near the center of town (can't beat the price!) and headed back out into the foggy night...
11:17pm
#19 West Side Tavern [map]
Brandon: Bud Light
Scott: Bud Light
Young crowd, bolted leather seats, country music, 5 ceiling fans with none of them on. I got a phone call and was yakking on the phone for about 5 minutes, irritating Brandon. Baby food jars with holes poked in the lids served as salt shakers.
11:49pm
#20 Plain Jane's [map]
Brandon: Miller Lite
Scott: Miller Lite
The guy behind the bar confirmed that there were only 3 "real" bars in town.
12:02am
#21 Rookies [map]
Brandon: Coors
Scott: Coors
Last stop for the night. Good sized bar. There were 2 girls and a guy chain-smoking next to Brandon.
We stopped off at another cricket-packed gas station (with fogged up windows) to get some snacks. Fiery habanero Doritos, Pizza crackers, beef sticks, candy bars, and a gallon jug of water. I also learned not to use an ATM while drunk. We returned to the motel and snacked away. By morning we had polished off half the jug of water.
Stay tuned, Day 2's adventure is coming soon!