Finding food in Fargo
It was close to 9 p.m. and a sliver of moon hung in the sky like a yellowed toenail clipping when we sat down to dine al fresco in Fargo.
It wasn’t one of the restaurants recommended by the desk clerk, but it was open, so we ordered burritos at Juano’s, a Mexican eatery on 13th Street, one of the main drags in Fargo, the North Dakota town best known for its sub-zero temperatures and the Coen brothers movie of the same name.
We had checked into an AmericInn upon arriving, the first motel so far on our six-day trip to Montana. We left Ace in the room with a rawhide chew to keep him occupied, and enjoyed a leisurely meal, watching the toenail moon and listening to hot rods zip by.
Based on the movie, and its out-of-the-way location, you East Coasters may think Fargo a backwards backwoods of a place. I have not gotten a chance to experience all its pleasures, but here's a little factoid that might change your stereotypical thinking:
Fargo has five Starbucks. Yes, five.
Driving across the line from Minnesota and arriving here was, in a way, a landmark for me -- for I have now been in all 50 states. The only three I had missed were those we passed through yesterday – Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota, (Ace, meanwhile, has about 35 to go.).
It's starting to feel a little like the West, and I'm even noticing some cowboy hats.
We plan to stop tonight on the other side of North Dakota -- though our arrangements aren't finalized. Right now though, it's time to get driving after a stop at that Starbucks over there, or maybe that one six blocks down, or maybe the one ...
Comments
Great writing, John! Just tuned in to this trip. I'm reminded of my 2003 trip across the U.S. and back (9,353 miles) in a Honda with my husband, our German Shepherd, Radar, and our black Lab, Nick.
Cheryl
Hyattsville, MD
Posted by: Cheryl | August 17, 2007 9:07 PM
We've actually spent a night in Fargo as well, though it was in the carefree pre-Beagle days. Ours was an epic Baltimore-to-Banff road trip, so we headed north where you'll go straight west. There's a visitor's center at Grand Forks, and there was a sign in the ladies' room listing the Top Ten Reasons you know you're a native of North Dakota. Eight of the ten reasons dealt with the ability to cope with truly awful weather--howling blizzards, baseball-sized hail, screaming winds, roasting temperatures, that sort of thing. Watch for flower patches and borders in parks, rest areas, around parking lots, or wherever you see them. They're often alive with beautiful, tiny red hummingbirds. It must be Nature's way of compensating the citizens for all those blizzards.
Posted by: Anne | August 18, 2007 12:00 AM