65 Miles to Pork Palace

In Marshalltown, IA there are ribbons of freshly combed concrete with beans and corn on each side.   A divided four lane secondary road with slight rises and turns…  95 mile an hour turns.  Wide open both sides.  At 80 Ursula wanted to leap forward lunging into the next rise.     At 80 Ursula's note was a burble, not a growl,  not a flutter something more guttural something quietly angry.

Dense haze came down from 20,000 feet to meet the horizon.   95 degree heat and the dewpoint there about.   Every once and a while a few drops would squeeze out of the air.  Thick dense heat buffeting my collar rattling my chin strap.   Windshield up windshield down still just hot.   At home we have trees on the roads.  At home we have streams of cool water.   No trees in sight 65 miles to Pork Palace.  

My brother Tyler named this restaurant Pork Palace.   It’s real name is Hickory Park.    Located on Duff avenue in Ames IA a place I lived for a few years in the late 90’s.   When ever I told Ty we were going to Pork Palace he would get this smile from ear to ear and start rubbing his belly up and down with both hands.  

Upon arrival the ribs were exactly as good as they were in 1999.  One meaty twist and the bone released.   Heavy smoke gentle bark,  dark golden brown faded to black at the tip of the bone.  The bark reaches across 4 or 5 bones.  Breaking at the bacon of this rack.   Pink and crispy dark and smoky delicious.   Yes it is true  I diverted across 3 states to eat ribs,  not just any ribs the ribs of Pork Palace.    Ride to eat.   E.