We’ve been planning this trip for months. A getaway to a warmer climate for a few weeks. A place to ride our horses out of the cold and snow.
So in howling winds and subzero temperatures, we packed our live-in trailer, loaded the horses and headed south. Warm days ahead!
We expected chilly weather the first day. So we sipped happily on hot coffee spiked with a low-sugar protein drink and nibbled on the best choices we could find when we stopped for fuel: nuts, popcorn and cheese, mostly.
Come dusk, we stopped in Oakley, Kansas, where the temperature hadn’t budged. We got the horses settled and made our way to a cozy room above the barn. I tuned in to the weather channel and got this message about our area: “17 degrees, real feel minus 12 degrees. A poor time for outdoor fitness activities.” Not funny.
Only one thing to do: We jumped in the truck and headed down the road to the local Mexican restaurant and cantina. I devoured my chile relleno, enchilada and bean plate. Green chile and beans are excellent vegetable choices on such occasions, by the way.
Day two, we loaded up and headed further south. Cold winds followed us all the way to Canadian, Texas. When the horses were fed and watered, our cheery host brought a plate of pulled pork to our warm guest cabin.
“If you had been here earlier, you could have eaten with us!” she said in a friendly accent. God bless Texas!
Day 3 we headed to Abilene. Wait, what’s this we hear about a massive ice storm hitting this part of the country? Let’s just say when we unloaded the horses and filled their water buckets, they promptly refroze.
By this time, we were starting to get a little grumpy. We needed food … and a beer.
So we dragged our bodies to the Texas Roadhouse. I was proud of my husband for ordering a salad and fresh veggies with his steak. And my chicken salad never tasted so good.
Day 4. Forget breakfast. We loaded the horses at dawn to get ahead of the ice storm that was chasing us down. Three hours later, famished, we waited expectantly for a breakfast sandwich and hot coffee to grab and go.
We finally skidded into a fast food restaurant, where the attendant said, “I’m sorry, we stopped serving breakfast 10 minutes ago.” Sigh. We settled for hot coffee and a fish sandwich.
Good news: We made it safe and sound to our destination. Bad news: We’re still in the midst of the ice storm. Good news: It’s supposed to move out of here in a day or so. And there’s a great Mexican restaurant just down the road.
Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating.” Email her at [email protected].
