Day 148
The classic Fat American Family
August 21st, 2010
I'm walking across America.
That's the idea, at least. I'm walking westward from New York City for nine months or so. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be in Oregon when the clock runs out. If nothing goes according to plan, maybe I'll end up in Peru or Mongolia or Pennsylvania. You can read all about the details of my trip if you're so inclined.
Email me at matt@imjustwalkin.com
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Here's my progress so far:
And right in front of the aquatic and rec center. Hmmmmmmm
I was just thinking the same thing……
me too! I was wondering if it was a bad joke…
The A&W root beer family. Now there’s a beer I don’t mind, root beer. Don’t know about the aquatic center there though. Did you go for a practice swim Matt and get ready for the “big swim”?
Brings back memories of the old drive-in hot dog and burger stands with the car hops. I was very little but we had a Dog-n-Suds here with the car hops and the yellow lights up underneath the awning and all. A time gone by. But seeing this A&W family reminded me of that.
Wow!!! Dog-N-Suds…that takes me back….loved that place when I was very, very, young…..MMMMMMMMM…. makes me hungry………..
I remember those drive-in places, too.
This appears to be the same one pictured here:
http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/ParksRec/ParksnTrails/AWBurgerFamily.aspx
These things are all over the place:
http://www.agilitynut.com/giants/aw.html
Loved the “saga” of this A&W family…I haven’t thought of the Mama Burgers I used to order in high school for years! Thanks to Matt for again finding some interesting history for us to explore and to you Karen Too for finding the link and providing the back story of these characters. I just love reading good news stories! This site is filled with good stories….
The original A&W is still open in Lodi, CA. (The town that John Fogerty in CCR sung about, “Stuck in Lodi again.”) They still have car hops on skates (some rollerblades) that bring your order to you. Pretty cool! (It’s only about a 40 minute drive from me, but haven’t been there in about 5 years or so.)
Imagine eating burgers THAT size (as compared to the bodies)! That goes for those huge drinks as well. Definitely those “chow hounds” will need to go in and swim it off!
There are lots of root beer choices these days…specialty brews and coke and pepsi types…but who can argue with Hires, Dads and A&W…there are other old brands too…but there is something about an A&W…the glass mug coming out of the freezer with A&W in it…do you remember that???…they would wash the mugs, dip them in water and put in the freezer…that was a wonderful “cold” way to drink root beer!!!…
Matt, you keep doing this to us…reference always reference…
Jim, since I’m assuming you are in Minnesota, you need to go out to the Minnetonka Drive In in Spring Park on Lake Minnetonka for a homemade root beer. This place used to be an original A&W. They still have the frosty mugs and the order from your car kiosks. Old fashioned and good. And try the onion rings, they are homemade as well.
Also, Thursday nights is old-fashioned car night if you’re into that sort of thing and the place is packed.
Sera…Not in Minnesota yet…that’s the road trip ahead…know the place…haven’t been there though…will try the frosty mugs of root beer in a few days…love the Lake Minnetonka area…thanks
Maybe they should get up and walk 3100 miles…let us see them then.
Yes A&W drive-ins. We had one in Maryville when i was growing up. It was on one end of town and the Dwarf Drive-In was on the other end. High schoolers would drive from one to the other to see people and show off the fancy Chevys, Fords, Mercurys, Plymouths, Dodges, GTO’s, 442’s etc. If you had a good looking car you backed it in and popped the hood so everyone could see your motor.
Those were real cars. I had a 55 Chevy 2 dr post and then a 57 Chevy 2 door hardtop. It had a 327 engine with a 4 speed and mags. I was hot I thought. My car was what was hot!
A&W served a quart of root beer in a megaphone type container and it was the best. There fries were different than any I have ever had. The teen burger had bacon on it and it was wonderful.
Reminds me of –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMxkMy9JvXI
great car songs –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1LiKpv-VfE
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=xKKP_cZuk54&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=o_FSicQWimU&feature=fvw
a couple more car songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXif3HvtpNg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mgRFSCDO8
You’re awesome, Don in Tennessee
My first job was at the local A&W Rootbeer Stand when I was 16. Loved that job, and loved the rootbeer! Unfortunately, the Stand no longer stands; was dozed down to be replaced by a sit-down restaurant.
Barb, my first job was at an A&W too.
I work about ten blocks from the A&W family. Damn, I’m bummed I missed you, Matt!
Here in my part of Ohio, we have a few drive-in burger places still around, Swenson’s. Their car-hops don’t use roller skates, but are running up to your window before you’ve even finished pulling into a space. Reading about the old A&W places makes me really, really want a Swenson’s burger right now…
Now I’m going to be singing “A and W root beer’s got that frosty root taste” for the rest of the day, great :-) A & W stands were a staple when we’d go on our family road trips each summer from So Cal to Seattle. Good times, good memories :-) Thanks Matt!!!
Ba ha ha ha! Fat american family…so sad but true! Or it could be “phat,” meaning Pretty Hot and Tempting. ;-)