Good German Food & good ride to get there!

*** Update. - The restaurant is permantly closed but the town of Muenster has other great German restaurants and the roads are still good.   *** 

 

Northwest of Dallas, TX is a small German community called Muenster. There are numerous ways to get there from the DFW metromess and most of them are really good. I personally stay off of US 82 and I-35 as much as possible. There will be a later post about my favorite route to get there, but for now lets talk about food!

On the north side of 82 sets The Center Restaurant (603 East Division St.), a family owned German restaurant. They serve a variety of schnitzel (a German favorite), chicken, steak, and seafood. They also have a nice salad bar.

The Center features a one of a kind Pagel Sausage that is awesome! It is an exclusive Pagel Family recipe and is my favorite! The German potato salad and sauerkraut make the Pagel Sausage plate an incredible meal. Other riders I have been with have tried other dishes and no one has ever been disappointed.

The dessert choices are top-notch. Of course they offer a variety of strudels along with pies and a great German Chocolate cake! My favorite is the coconut cream pie.

This is a great place to stop and eat after a great ride (or not so great ride - the food will make up for it).

How would rate this place? I would ride out of my way to eat at The Center. Y0u will not be disappointed.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Eating in Pagosa Springs

On the east side of Pagosa Springs where  US 180 & US 84 intersect you will find the appropriately named Junction Restaurant.  The Junction is very biker friendly, although the parking lot is not paved.  The scenery and ride to get there is awesome, especially if you ride over Wolf Creek Pass (10,857 ft) east of town.

The Junction is both a restaurant and a gift store.  The gift store had a good selection of t-shirts and collectibles.

The Junction serves up country cooking with a little southwest flair.  Standard country food was on the menu, i.e. burgers, chili, chicken fried steak...

We were greeted with smile and quickly seated (11:30 am).  The waitress filled our drink order and answered our questions about the menu and struck back at the joking around by members of our party.  She did a great job.

I had the green chili.  This is not a normal menu choice from me, but I am glad I ordered it.  The chili was served hot and it smelled great.  It was very flavorful and had some "kick" to it, but it was not too spicy.  The ground meet was good and I did not notice any gristle.  My son and other ordered the hamburger.  The burgers looked good - nothing great, but were good and satisfying burgers.  No one in the group complained about the meal, actually everyone enjoyed it and would stop by again.

The price was very reasonable for a tourist town and we found the service good.  The facilities were clean and decorated nicely in  country/mountain decor.

If you are in Pagosa Springs stop by the Junction Restaurant for a meal.  Try the green chili, I think you will enjoy it.

Best Breakfast Place You Need To Try

Yes, I have several post about food, especially about breakfast.  Since most of us eat three meals a day I have a lot of experience with food.  I also have a general rule when traveling - eat a big breakfast, snack for lunch, and have a nice dinner.  So, in keeping with my "rule," Don and I sat down for breakfast in Urbandale, Iowa before heading to Madison County and the famous bridges during our trip to Iowa.

The Machine Shed welcome wagon

After seeing a special aired on the Travel Channel about the best places for breakfast I chose the Machine Shed to fill up our bellies before hitting the road.  Don and I found the Machine Shed one block east of I35 and north of US 6 in Urbandale.  There are a total of six Machine Sheds with the original in Davenport, IA.

Farm equipment that help feed a nation

We rode up to the barn red restaurant on a sunny July Friday morning.  The vintage farm equipment and tractors out front gave the place an old farm atmosphere.  The 8 foot tall ear of corn, well tended flowers, and small farming equipment line the building and entrance to the store.

That is a big ear of corn!

A different uses of farm equipment

Once inside the aroma of bacon, fresh bread, and country cooking filled the air.  We were quickly greeted with a friendly smile and led to our table. The server promptly took our drink order as we studied the menu.  There were plenty of options and combinations on the menu.  Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits, just to name a few of the items.

One of the more famous items on the menu is the Machine Shed Cinnamon Roll.  This thing is huge!

After tough deliberaton I chose the Hired Man's Breakfast: "Two eggs cooked just as you like them, plattered with your choice of a thick slice of smoked ham, smoked country sausage, three strips of thick cut Applewood smoked bacon or southern style sausage 

(three links or two patties)."  While Don selected the same basic breakfast except he also got some bacon and summer sausage with his eggs and hashbrowns.

The Hired Man's Breakfast

A meat lovers breakfast

The scrambled eggs were fresh and not over cooked.  The ham was thick and had a great smoked flavor.  The pancake was tasty and fluffy, not heavy or bland.  The pancake topped with real butter and maple syrup made for a nice ending to the meal. 

We also ordered a slice of the cinnamon roll (more like cinnamon log!).   The order was about a 6 inch square!  We cut off a little and tried it.  The real butter cream frosting was great!  The roll was full of cinnamon and covered with pecans.  This was one awesome cinnamon roll.  We took the rest back for my son and his friends.

I bet this tractor has plowed a few fields

If you are near a Machine Shed Restaurant stop by for truly the best breakfast around.  I can certainly see why the Travel Channel named it to the top breakfast in America.  I know the Machine Shed will be on my list of stops the next time I am riding in the Midwest.  Stop by and enjoy some great farm cooking.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Epic Road in South Dakota

Everyone knows about Sturgis and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and for good reason.  A world renown monument and the town synonymous with motorcycles, but there is a lot more to see and a lot of great roads in the  southwest region on South Dakota. (All photos taken July, 2007 except when noted)

23 miles west of Sturgis on US 14A/85 is a small community called Cheyenne Crossing and US 14A turns north through Spearfish Canyon 22 miles to the town of Spearfish.  If you ride from Sturgis you will go through Deadwood and Lead both historical, interesting, and fun towns.

The Cheyenne Crossing Store sits on the northwest corner of the intersection.  The store consist of  gas station, a general store, an upstairs lodge, and a restaurant.  The food is great!  Especially the breakfast.  During our five day stay in Lead we ate breakfast three times and lunch once at the Crossing.

The restaurant's decor is country and cozy.  The servers were always friendly and helpful.  The food arrived hot and tasty.  The sourdough pancakes are big, the bacon thick, and the Indian Tacos satisfying.  I highly recommend the pancakes for breakfast and the Buffalo burger for lunch.  No one in our group of six ever complained about the food they ordered.  (photo on right from www.cheyennecrossing.org/cafe.html)

After each meal we enjoyed looking around the general store.  They have snacks, drinks, camping supplies, small groceries, and some tourist like items including Cheyenne Crossing shirts/sweaters, etc.

Stop by the Cheyenne Crossing store - you will enjoy a great meal and a good ole country atmosphere.

After our breakfast we rode the 22 mile Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.  This is one of the best roads in the country.  It has plenty of curves, great scenery, and historic significance.  Like the name suggest the road is in a canyon and runs along side Spearfish Creek most of the way.  The byway has 13 designated "Points of Interest" including a "Dances With Wolves" film site.  The film site is about 4 miles off of the byway and about 3.7 of it is on gravel/dirt.  Once at the site you don't see much.  Members of the group went and were greatly disappointed.  (photo on the left for film site)

One point of interest site that is worth stopping can be seen from the byway, Bridal Veil Falls.  Bridal Veil Falls is located int he northern 1/3 of the byway.  There is a unpaved pullout that we used.  Be careful, it is really close to a curve.  The fall is about 50 feet and is one of three falls in the canyon, but it is the most accessible.  (photo from pullout off of the Byway)

The Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway is one of those roads that you will want to ride to one end, turn around and ride it again, and probably want to ride yet again.  Besides the twists and turns and the scenery the road is also well maintained.

If you are up in the area of the Black Hills in South Dakota you will want to ride Spearfish Canyon and grab a bite to eat at the Cheyenne Crossing Store.  You will enjoy both and you will want to go back for more.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Tasty Barbecue In Mississippi

 

 High On The Hog front door

I love finding a one-off restaurant when out traveling.  You know, the place that the locals frequent, the "hole-in-the-wall" place where everything isn't prepackage and/or frozen when it arrives in the kitchen.  A place where the waitstaff calls people by their name and knows most of the customers.  Well, I found such a place in northeast Mississippi.

From gas station to High On The Hog BBQ

High On The Hog BBQ resides on the north side of US 72 approximately 9.4 miles east of the intersection of US 72 & US 45 in Corinth, MS or about 15.8 miles west of the   and US 72 intersection in Iuka, MS.  The restaurant is a converted gas station.  The pumps have been removed but the awning is there and the space is used for parking.

A friendly smile and warm welcome awaits you

The people are friendly and welcoming.  A smile and "hi" will greet you as you enter.  The menu is simple and direct.  They want to provide great food not an abundance of choices.  You can have sandwich, a plate, family pack or buy the meat by the pound.  

Some tasty options

As I was meeting a friend I had not seen in 8 or so years I was "eye-balling" the plate options while I waited.  I figured I should try the bbq pork and as I thought about it I don't think I have ever tried bbq in Mississippi.

My friend Stan (on the right), we are ready for some bbq and conversation!

 My friend Stan arrived and we stepped up to the counter to order.  Once again the friendliness of the staff was authentic and appreciated.  We both ordered the pork plate.  I had white beans and potato salad and an iced tea.  

                                                 Plenty of seating and a little country decor

We sat down at a booth.  The place is not heavily decorated but the simple decor provides a country feel appropriate for NE Mississippi.  What it might lack in decor is overcome with service and flavor.  After a short time the server brought our Styrofoam plate full of what we ordered.  A good helping of pork whas dished out on both plates as well as a tasty side portions.  Stan had coleslaw and onion rings.  They must have been good because there were no leftovers.

Tasty looking lunch served with a smile

Two bbq sauces were on the table.  One labeled "Heat" and the other "Sweet."  I tried both.  The "Heat" was not spicy hot in my opinion (a lot of Tex-Mex may have tempered my opinion).  It was not thick at all and I could taste the vinegar base more than I prefer.  The "Sweet" was thicker but not by a lot.  It had a sweeter taste, but I would not classify it as really sweet.  It was my favorite of the two and I used it on the pork.

The pork had a light smoked flavor (not as pronounced as Texas bbq) and a good texture.  I really enjoyed it and think next time I will try it as a sandwich.  The white beans were cooked with pieces of pork and light seasonings.  A big bowl of the white beans and cornbread would be great!  The potato salad was not like any I had before.  It was mayo based with tasty potatoes.  Very different but good flavor and complimented the pork very well.

If you are out riding (or driving) around Corinth, Mississippi and it's lunch time or early dinner stop by and have some High On The Hog.  If you leave hungry it's your own fault.

Note hours are Wednesday 10:30am - 6:00pm, Thursday - Saturday 10:30am - 7:00pm and closed Sunday - Tuesday.

Check out the Motorcycles Facts, Trivia and History page

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Kick your boots off and put up your feet

There are a lot of great roads in Arkansas to ride and plenty of scenic routes.  One can take leisurely rides or drag pegs all day around the curves.  In either case you will need a good place to rest and get some "shut eye" before the next day of riding.

Recently four friends and I took off for three days of riding and two nights near Mena, AR in the Ouachita National Forest.  One in our group reserved a 3 bedroom cabin at the recently opened Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins.

The entrance to Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins is about 2.5 miles south of Mena on the east side of US 71 (across from the Fish Net Family Restaurant).  The sign for the cabins is a little difficult to see so slow down when you see the restaurant - entrance is about 50 yards farther.  If you are riding up from the south the entrance to the cabins is about 1.5 miles past the Christian Motorcyclists Association's Iron Mountain complex.

The Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins roads are paved, but the parking area in front of cabins are gravel.  The road is steep so gear down.

Our bikes in front of the big cabin.

The cabins sit on the hill side and provide great views to the west, south, and northwest.  We could see part of the famed Talimena Scenic Byway and the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge from the back porch of the "Wilderness Cabin" we had.

From the back porch we could see the valley and the Ouachita Mountains to the north.

The cabin had a front and back porch, grill, gas fireplace, kitchen with cookware, refrigerator, dishes, etc., living area with satellite TV, three bedrooms each with TV, and two bathrooms.  The two downstairs bedrooms each had a double bed.  The upstairs loft had a double and twin bed along with a bathroom and in the living area was a sleeper sofa.

Twin bed in the loft.

Living area as seen from the loft.

All of the fixtures and furniture is high quality and add to the country feel of the cabin.  There were plenty of dishes for our dinner.  We stopped by a store in Mena and bought what we needed to cook our dinner at the cabin.  The cookware, silverware, and dishes are all nice.

Kitchen and living area.

Late afternoon looking north from the cabin's porch.

The beds were comfortable (at least that is what I was told as I slept on the sleeper sofa) and the rooms nice. A good amount of space for luggage and motorcycle gear was provided in each bedroom.  Both bathrooms were roomy and completely stock with extra towels and toiletries.

We enjoyed a great day of riding in Arkansas and two restful nights.  I highly recommend taking a trip to Arkansas and staying at the Mena Mountaintop Motel/Cabins.  You will enjoy the roads and the scenic views.

 

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Please visit the following great companies:

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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

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