I had the day off today, so I decided to explore and see what the day would bring. I really enjoy getting in the car in another part of the country, and just seeing where the road takes me. Today turned out to be pretty spectacular.
I decided to head to a town I heard about called Peducah, in Kentucky. On the way, I saw a sign for the largest Superman statue in the world, in the little burg of Metropolis, IL. I couldn't resist stopping by to see something kitschy like that, so I veered off the beaten path, into the heart of the Metropolis.
The statue was clearly a gimmick of the city fathers years ago, and it seems to work. That statue pulls scores of people off the road into a village they would probably not visit (except for the casino just down the road). I have to say, however, that I believe they should have included something in the city ordinance that stated clearly that if any other larger-than-life statues were ever to be built in Metropolis, they couldn't be taller than the man of steel. He needs to be like St. Mark's Cathedral in Florence, or the Washington Monument in D.C., the pinnacle of height in Metropolis. At least that's what I think, but it's clear the city fathers in Metropolis weren't thinking ahead.
It seems that the Big John grocery store chain wanted to get in the act, so they commissioned a statue of Big John the Grocery Man. You see Big John on the way to see Superman, and I have to tell you that Big John sets the bar pretty high. He's a bigger dude, all the way around, than Clark Kent ever hoped to be. Bottom line: I think Big John could kick Superman's heiny. in the super hero vein, I tried to imagine what Big John's schtick would be. After he broke open a villain like a scrambled egg, he'd slap a bar code on the guy's rear end, shine the laser scanner in the dude's eyes, and when he was done, he'd holler over his shoulder, "Clean up on aisle ten!"
I think though that the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Water, MN would kick both of their butts.
On the way out of town, I saw a little shack selling chopped pork BBQ. I couldn't resist, so I grabbed a sandwich, with some terrific beans and tasty potato salad. I talked with the grizzly owner at length about his techniques. What loosened him up was my admitting right from the start that Yankees don't know squat about BBQ. That got the juices flowing, and he proceeded to expound upon BBQ across America. He's clearly under the impression that his is the best, and I admire that. He had reasons to brag.
I headed down to Peducah, a town on the shores of the Ohio River. It's OK, but nothing really worth going out of your way to see. Unless you're a fan of quilts, which I'm not. America's Quilt Museum happens to be located in Peducah, KY. I must admit that I stopped at the museum, only to capture the following photo, which I think perfectly sums up the art of compromise that needs to be employed in a good marriage.
On the way out of town, I decided to try some more BBQ, this time ribs. They were very tender, but the flavor was only so-so, and the beans and hashbrown casserole weren't fit for human consumption. I'll be sampling lot's more BBQ while I'm down here. I view it as field research.
After dinner, I looked at the map, hoping to find something that I could squeeze in on my way back home. I saw a flier for a place called the "Garden of the Gods," a collection of stunning outcroppings of rock in a state park in Illinois. I decided to go for it, and turned my car in that direction.
It's absolutely beautiful there, and instead of trying to describe it, I'll post a few pictures.
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