Jun 03, 2010
State road 67 brought us through several small towns along the Mississippi, including Clinton (lots of factories, chain restaurants, etc), Princeton, and others. We were told that Le Claire was the place to stop,** and we listened. Very small town, with one main drag and a few stores/restaurants. Following a sign to a bakery off the central street (“small donuts, special of the day: ham salad”) we walked up a short hill to a place that seated maybe 6 people. Rather than eat lunch [Ed. note: Because it appeared that ham salad was THE sandwich option], we bought some sweets and headed back down to the main strip.
Settled on Sneaky Pete’s and were rewarded for our choice. Solid food for next to nothing (salad bar access for both; grilled cheese for LVL; pork chop sandwich for me***); friendly waitress, liberal with names like “Honey Bunch,” “My Love” “Sweet Pea”; hard-working dishwasher, Kyle; two crazy/drunk-seeming neighbors; lots of regulars, one of whom orders either a “Budder” or a “Blue Mooner;” and old-westy saloon feel, despite lots of clipped ties hanging from the ceiling and yellowed business cards stapled to the walls; bathroom stalls labeled Squaw and Brave. Oh yeah.
Sadly, we had neither time nor energy for the Buffalo Bill Museum (actually, not really sure it was open). Also probably won’t have time for the “American Pickers Festival,” happening in Le Claire this weekend. Based around the popular History Channel show, the fest will have music, food, etc. and feature the show’s stars, who are from the area. According to our waitress, Pickers Fest threatens to be bigger and crazier than “Tug Fest.”
A breezy drive along the water has us in the Quad Cities in time for dinner with Laura’s parents, Ron and Mary, and her Aunt Sandy (older sis to Mary).
** Sharon: “A few years ago they fixed up Le Claire and it looks great. I’ve been saying forever that we should do that here, but no one is bright enough to listen.”
*** It has pointed out to me recently that if I really want to cure myself of the stomach stuff I ought to stop ordering things like sausage plates, “whale-sized”**** pork tenderloin, and pork chop sandwiches served on buttery T. toast.
****Lloyd, Christopher, “Snarky note to Laura, sister” The Facebook, May 29, 2010.
One of my road trip indulgences is diet Rock Star, but it's been strangely difficult to find on this trip. My brand allegiance has now been broken.
Passing through Camanche. Apparently, it's pronounced cuh-manch, not cuh-man-chee, as one might expect.
Gold dome and factory seen on our drive from Le Claire to the Quad Cities.
We never made it to Poopy's (see yesterday's Sabula post), but apparently she has.
Not Kachur's Princeton
Taking the river road to LeClaire. So is there a space between Le and Claire or not?!
Our fifth or so restaurant attempt of the stop. Sneaky Pete's it is!
My grilled cheese (with salad bar) cost less than $2. With a beer it was still less than $5. I'm stunned by this.
Our view from Sneaky Pete's of the Buffalo Bill Museum and the Mississippi.
Salad tastes a little bit better when it comes served in a bathtub
Red Cross, pork chop sandwich, and a mayo spill
The snipped neckties took me back to my days at the Traildust Steakhouse.
Josh had never seen a place where they cut off your tie. No tie cutting while we were there, but there was an illustration to show us how it works.
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