An Unlikely Road Trip to the Land of Lincoln

My parents came out to visit Kate & I that spring.  They stayed in our spare room for about a week.  Originally, the plan was for them to help us out when the store finally opened- give us an extra hand to tackle the long lines we’d be facing.

Instead, we spent a lot of time in our yard, & trying to stay busy with errands & chores around the house. It was great to have them around, but without time away at work. it got to be a bit overwhelming.

"Why don't you guys ride back with us to Illinois for Brennen's reception," my mom asked. "Everybody's gonna be there & it'd be nice for you guys to get away from this whole business with the shop for a while."

"That's not a bad idea. The shop definitely won't be ready by next weekend, & we could just fly home a couple days after the party," I said. It would be nice to get out of town for longer than a one night camping trip- really recharge the batteries before our big grand opening. And it would be great to see some friends & family back home.

"How many days does it take to drive it?" Kate asked.

"Well, it's 2,000 miles. And, we don't like to drive much more than 500 miles or 8 hours a day. So, 4 days total," my mom said. "Get the atlas & you can pick where we stop."

My parents were driving their 1997 Chevy Explorer G1-1500 Van, so there was plenty of room. With a rear seat that reclined into a bed, there was enough room to read or take a nap.

We left around 8am one morning & stopped at Desert View Tower before saying goodbye to San Diego County & hello to the vast desert. We recharged at a Freddy's in Yuma on steakburgers & custard shakes as the thermometer climbed into triple digits.

After navigating some Phoenix rush hour traffic we parked the van in Mesa at my uncle Larry's rental. He lived on a golf course, so we went to eat dinner at the clubhouse for Taco Tuesday.

That night , I got a call from Chris, our architect. He had been working closely with Eric the last few days to re-submit documents for inspection.

"What's taking do long is that one of the inspectors says you have to put in a ladder in the back of the property so that there is roof access to the hood," Chris explained. "I don't know why it's really necessary, I've never had to add one before but, it's something we're gonna have to put in to pass inspection."

"Alright, I guess we have no choice then. How much is that gonna run?" I asked.

"Eric quoted it, with labor, to be around 5 grand," he said.

"Sure, why the hell not? Tell 'em to go for it. We can make that up in no time once we're open."

The next day, I took a shift driving the van. It rode pretty smooth on I-40 through Arizona & into New Mexico. We only stopped for gas, to eat & to stay in a hotel overnight.

Along the way, we visited Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, Cadillac Ranch in Texas, a Totem Pole Park in Oklahoma & the original Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri. After passing the Gateway Arch in St. Louis & stopping for corn dogs & tenderloins at the Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, Illinois.

It was my turn to drive as we approached Lincoln, about an hour from Peoria. "We might as well stop by the old college. I haven't seen it since I graduated in 2003," I said.

Driving down Keokuk Street I saw that my dorm was still standing there on the right- Carroll South. The landscaping was different, but now the red brick building was amongst a swarm of students presumably coming & going from final exams.

What a feeling to be holding a Mad Munch shirt in front my old window where people used to ring my doorbell & I'd throw down my keys so they could come up. The same window that once smelled of butter & American cheese.

The same spot where Mad Munch Inc. was founded by 3 friends who were bored & hungry, drinking Natty Lights & thinking, "There's got to be a better way to get hot food around here without using a microwave or driving to Hardees."

Sixteen years after I'd graduated from Lincoln College & we'd been kicked out of my dorm & then the Student Center. Six more years of pop-up tents & electric griddles inside of brewery tasting rooms. And now, with plenty of help from my soon to be wife, Kate, we were on the doorstep of opening Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co. in southern California, 3 blocks from the Pacific Ocean.

Like making a great grilled cheese, building a great restaurant (& a career) takes time.