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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for April 20 - 24, 2009
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| No longer in Texas |
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It took 19 days to cross Texas. A full 1/3 of this whole bike ride across the United States.
I write to you from Mississippi. We'll be here for two nights. Tomorrow we got to Alabama. For two nights. And then we'll be in Florida. We were in Louisiana for six days. And we'll be in Florida for ten. And then I'll be coming home.
Whewf!
It's time to try to begin to put it all into some sort of order, some sort of perspective. I am only beginning. And I'm also still very much in it. We've still got some big mileage. We've still got some weather (they keep saying it's coming) and we certainly still have challenges.
It's not time to review quite yet. Almost. But not quite.
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If it's Saturday it must be Argentina! |
Hey everybody - it's this week - the special Argentinian wine dinner. Here's the lowdown. Give us a call to save your spots. Trust me, if I wasn't riding across the United States right now I'd be there. I'll make sure to be at the next one. In the meantime here are the details:
The date is Saturday, April 25. The time is 7pm. The place is our Garden Room.
For starters, we'll be making Empanadas (potato and spring pea, fish, spicy
pork) We'll have Gambas a la Plancha too (Shrimp, grilled with garlic, that
is).
Then we'll let you try "Locro," an Argentinian Corn Stew.
And then, Grilled Flank Steak and assorted Grilled Sausages with Chimichurri
Sauce We'll have grilled Spring Vegetables and plenty of crusty bread to sop
up all the juices too.
Dessert is a layered Dulce de Leche cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream.
Devon Price, from The Country Vinter, will be joining us and will be pouring
wines to accompany each course. He's been to Argentina and will guide you
through the dinner. Don't worry though, he's informal and so are we. Part of
this will be a buffet, part will be seated. Invite some friends and
celebrate the beginning of Spring with them and us.
The price will be 50.00 per person (+ tax). Call us to save your spots!
252-1500.
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| Uneedus Humor |
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We're now in the land of Katrina. We see signs of it everywhere. Ruined houses, remains of trailers, downed trees.
The town of Uneedus (also famous for a gigantic wildlife park - home to giraffes and elands and reindeer and camels) have their version of the New Orleans Superdome. This one, we were told, is now almost as famous. |
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Dinners to go for this week |
| Dinners come with a freshly-made green salad, salad dressing of the day, and made-right here bread of the day. We take reservations until noon or so. Please order by phone (252-1500), by fax (252-0200) or stop in to speak to one of us in person.
Dinners are ready to pick up between 4:30 and 6:00.
Monday April 20 Baked & Fried Chicken w/Braised Greens 10.50
Tuesday April 21 Spinach Mushroom Crepes w/Caesar Salad 9.95
Wednesday April 22 Braised Pork Roast & Apple Chutney 10.75
Thursday April 23 Chicken Marsala 10.50
Friday April 24 Shrimp & Mango Quesadillas 12.75
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Our website |
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| Special casserole of the week |
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We make a special casserole each Wednesday.
Give us a call on Tuesday before we close and we'll fix you up.
Order a half if you have around 4 folks, or, if you have a bigger group,
Or just like leftovers, order a full sized one.
Then come pick up between 4:30 and 6:00 on Wednesday.
This week's special casserole is for April 22
Portabella, Sage & Local Sausage Lasagna
Full 39.00/Half 19.50
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Lunch in St. Francisville |
We get a day off every week or so. Much needed time to catch up with laundry, postcard writing, bicycle cleaning and repair, and - EATING!
This lunch was one of the best I have had on this trip. Crawfish at the Exxon station. They have one table. And they have a very limited menu. But BOY were they good. Sometimes I wish I could give you tastes of these things. If I could, I certainly would. But I can't. Know that this lunch was fabulous. Crawfish at the Exxon. Remarkable.
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| Snack time |
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We are followed every day by a little white Subaru station wagon. The driver carries water, sun screen, spare bicycle tire tubes, simple tools and SNACKS! It's amazing how hungry a person gets. Every 20 miles or so the little white car appears and unfolds its bounty.
Doritos, Cheetos, Fig Newtons, Gatorade, Bananas. And, occasionally, treats sent from home - like these "biker bars." YUM!!! (I think I can get the recipe so you can try them too. They are REALLY great.) |
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Teal toes |
I met a woman who gave me some teal nail polish. She's a 3 year ovarian cancer survivor and she asked me to paint my toes teal for her. Sigh. I'm not a big toenail painter but I did it. Dipped my teal toes in the Pacific and plan to dip them into the Atlantic pretty soon.
Here I am with my teal toes and my new teal Mardi Gras beads given to me by Ann, one of the other riders. She's big on "road finds" and this one seemed a perfect match for my toes. (Teal, by the way, is the official ovarian cancer color.)
Snazzy, don't you think? |
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| A Note from Laurey |
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Oh me oh my. I've been writing a lot about this trip. The daily blog is a constant for me and I have a facebook group, not to mention postcards and e-mails to friends. I love being so in touch with my life there and my friends and the world. And I also love getting on my bike every day and riding, riding, riding and thinking.
I'm pretty strong by now. My legs are tight, my arms are firm, my belly hard(er). Parts of me are very tan (forearms, the tops of the front of my legs - below my short line). My hair, cropped REALLY short before the ride, is now long enough to stick way out of the holes in my helmet.
I've figured out how to eat enough, how to keep hydrated, how to sleep. I've figured out what to wear and when (and how) to take it off. I've gotten very comfortable on these roads, secure in my place with my small group of riders. I'm familiar with the cue sheets, trusting of my equipment and my sense of direction. I know how to clean and repair my bicycle.
It's quite something.
And I have learned a lot. We meet people every day, people who think we're amazing. We meet people who are so amazed they go way out of their way to thank us, listen to us, hug us, bless us. (I've gotten many blessings on this ride.)
I have also met a lot of people who have ovarian cancer in their lives. The other day I met someone whose mother has it, someone whose friend just died of it and someone who is in remission. All in a single day.
Talking about ovarian cancer, though not my favorite thing, continues to be a good thing. Me talking about it makes it easier for others to do so too. Or for them to talk to me about other kinds of cancer. I listen, they feel better, we hug, they bless me, and I get back on my bike and ride some more.
It's almost time to come home. Everyone I talk to has heard about Asheville so it's nice to know that I am not the only one who thinks its a great place. And I get to live there! Lucky me!!
Thanks for sticking with me as I finish up this ride. I'll be home pretty soon. I plan to ride my bicycle from my house to Jubilee on May 3rd and then, after the celebration, I'll be coming to have brunch at the shop. It'll take me a bit of time to readjust, but I'll certainly look forward to seeing you.
I guess I will write one more newsletter from the road. And then I'll be home. Unbelievable. Will somebody volunteer to bring me some snacks and some gatorade every once in a while - just for old time's sake? |
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Laurey Bikes - the blog |
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The Mississippi River |
We rode and rode and rode one day and then, all of a sudden we came around a curve and went up on top of the levee and there was THE MISSISSIPPI River!!!
We hopped on a little ferry and crossed it. I love Mark Twain and I loved reading his Life on the Mississippi and there I was. Just like that. On the other side of the river we landed in St. Francisville and we had a day off. Bliss!
Time off from riding, even though it is really fun, is really good.
And this time was particularly so. Slow Southern time. Delicious |
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