LATE NOVEMBER FOUND US on the road, first heading west 285 miles to Fargo, North Dakota, then back home to Faribault, and 1 ½ days later driving east 261 miles to Madison, Wisconsin. That’s a lot of windshield time for Randy and me in the span of one week.
But we did it and delighted in every aspect of our travel, except for the hour when I grew extremely hangry. More on that in a moment.
We began our Fargo trip on back state highways and county roads, opting for a leisurely pace that would take us through small towns rather than zipping past everything on the interstate. We stopped whenever we wanted as we drove toward Morris, our day’s end destination and an overnight stay with Randy’s sister Vivian and husband, Jerry. The next day we would head to Fargo.
Along the way to Morris, we did, indeed, stop. In Henderson, Glencoe, Cosmos, Willmar and Benson. The Willmar stop was solely to eat fast food. Not by choice, but out of necessity. Our plan to enjoy lunch at a small town cafe never materialized. I envisioned ordering a Beef Commercial (roast beef and mashed potatoes on white bread smothered with homemade gravy) while dining with locals in a cozy restaurant overlooking Main Street. That, it seems, is the stuff mostly of nostalgia. The small towns we drove through either did not have eateries or, if they did, were closed.
Most communities appear only shells of their former selves with abandoned buildings and few businesses. This is reality in many parts of rural Minnesota.
Not even The Dive Bar & Grill in Cosmos was open over noon-time. It’s probably a fine place to eat, even given the unappealing name, but I’ll never know. I hopped out of our van to take numerous photos of space stuff in Cosmos, including the water tower, while Randy searched on his phone for places to eat. He knows I do not do well if I don’t eat on schedule. And I was not doing well, meaning I was irritable and grumpy. Extremely hangry.
As we left Cosmos heading for Willmar, I realized we’d passed a gas station and convenience store. Why, oh, why didn’t we stop for a snack, a slice of pizza, something I could eat? Finally, in Willmar, I ate, wolfing down fries and a pot roast sandwich.
That evening, at my sister-in-law and brother-in-law’s Morris home, we enjoyed a delicious meal of ribs, cheesy potatoes, green beans and more with a grasshopper for dessert. Grasshopper being the minty green after dinner ice cream drink once served at supper clubs. What a treat. But even more so was the great conversation with much-loved family.
Saturday found us on the road to Fargo for the wedding of Hannah and Bryton. Hannah is the daughter of friends, a young woman I mentored in poetry as a teen. To attend her wedding, to see Hannah giddy in love, to watch her and her dad bustin’ dance moves in the father-daughter dance, to embrace Tammy and Jesse on their daughter’s wedding day filled me with absolute joy. Life on that day in Fargo, except for the cold and the snow already pushed into piles in parking lots, doesn’t get any better.
Sunday morning we arose early and hit the interstate, this time with the goal to simply get home. My brother-in-law had wisely handed me two granola bars, which I tucked inside my purse. Just in case I got hangry. I didn’t. But somewhere along I-94, either by Fergus Falls or Alexandria, I spotted a billboard for a restaurant with this singular message: “Hangry?” It was absolute validation for me that feeling irritable when hungry is a real thing. Next long road trip, I will be sure to pack snacks.
NOTE: I’ll share more about my travels in upcoming posts. If you have time, take the road less traveled. And always carry snacks.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
What a fun trip. The old towns are still there but disappearing fast. Thank u for the road trip!!
lov Kathyg
You’re right, Kathy, that these small towns are disappearing quickly. I’ll take you back to the ones I mention here, eventually featuring each of them in separate posts.
oh my goodness—- that water tower is fabulous! Best picture of the day!
It’s by far the most artistic water tower I’ve seen. More photos of Cosmos will be forthcoming at some point.
It is surprising how fast things change. We often looked for old fashioned restaurants on our travels, but it was rare to find one. So, we learned to always pack snack bags (and since I have to eat gluten free, that makes dining out even more complicated.). We used to live in Fargo/Moorhead when we were first married, 30 years ago. It seemed like a huge, loud, busy place to us 2 kids that grew up in northern farmland and pine tree country. Every visit back shows us how much it’s grown and changed. And it’s hard to find the same old places we used to know.
We typically pack a lunch when we travel. But this time we decided to treat ourselves and eat at a small town care, which, of course, never happened.
Yes, Fargo-Moorhead would seem large to anyone coming from a rural area.
Reminds me of William Macy in Fargo. Loved old convertible Caddie in lot with other abandoned cars.
GREAT PHOTOS
Thanks, David. Glad you enjoyed my small town pix.
Your reference to William Macy in “Fargo” certainly fits.
Hangry?
You missed it!
https://www.charliescafemn.com/
Many years ago there was a famous eatery in the Twin Cities called – CHARLIES CAFE EXCEPTIONAL – and when it closed
the highway billboards were bought by a man in Freeport, Mn. I have not been there for many years now but the man is a
great one to talk to. When I asked if he would take an out of town check he said “Heck yeah, the only ones that write bad
checks here are local!”
The food is still EXCEPTIONAL !
Russ, I’m familiar with Charlie’s in Freeport, although I have not been to the cafe. According to the website, a young couple purchased the restaurant in 2021. Looks like a place I would enjoy. When we headed west to Fargo, we didn’t take the interstate, only on the way home. and then I wasn’t hungry.
I love that “check” story.
Oh – I was up in Minneapolis for a Stevne (Norwegian meeting?) and I took my wife and sister over to Fargo and then one year we stayed in Alexandria (another Stevne), Both Alexandria and Moorhead have one thing in common – both have Viking ships. The sign you placed is seared into my memory banks. Audrey, food wise, you and I would get along, as a hot Roast Beef open faced sandwich with mash potatoes smothered in gravy is one of my all time favs! That part (downtown by the river) is seared so far into my memory – that I have to write about it and make it part of my personal history. My grandfather took me drinking. Year, 1946, and I was about 1 year old. Couldn’t drink, But OK. My Grandpa made me mad (but I didn’t cry) as he forgot I was with him and he left me sitting on the bar. FYI, I was born in Fargo. Portland, Wales, Mayville, Pembina (SP?) and many others are part of my family’s history. Wales in last census has 10 residents. Wow! Talk about a small town!
Oh, Gunny, you always make me laugh with your stories. Thank you! Now I know you were born in Fargo and that you like Beef Commercials. We would get along splendidly.
thanks for taking us along on this road trip and by the way, I get hangry too! I have to eat something throughout the day or it happens, and I feel lousy, impatient, dizzy, and bossy. once when traveling with one of my grown daughters, as we were writing notes in our travel journal after our first night, she wrote, ‘now I know mom is telling the truth and needs to eat more than a granola bar in the morning without anything else for long time.’ I had snapped while driving around the town and made her stop at a grocery store and ran in and bought a block of cheese, muttering I need protein, stat!
p.s. I love hot roast beef or turkey open sandwiches gravy~
It’s good to hear that others experience this immediate need to eat also or else. I know it’s a physical thing, something to do with blood sugar levels. A block of cheese would work for me.
You, Gunny (see the comments) and I should all get together and eat Beef Commercials. What’s half way between Minnesota, Michigan and Texas?
ooh, let’s do it! and that name for it was new to me -. yes, one of my fav comfort foods
Maybe the name is just a Minnesota thing. When we were traveling to Boston for our son’s college graduation in 2016, we stopped at a cafe in Baldwinsville, New York, and ordered a menu item that was a Beef Commercial by our Minnesota name, but not called such. I need to research this. There’s a story here.
interesting, I’d to know. I’m sure there is a story there
See my reply to Gunny, It relates to traveling salesman as far as I can determine.
ah, thank you!
The guy who played Maverick – Beef! Its whats for Dinner.” (works for me!) Halfway pint in the norther border of Oklahoma and Nebraska or the southwest corner of Missouri bordering Texas (Texaarkana?) All close enough for Government work!
Now, you have me stumped. Commercial? I think I recall something to what you are saying but I am not sure that is the right name or word but it does ring a bell. Much like teh moniker Chilli Siieze (= Chilli Burger) Down her i San Antonio, one can find them under either name. Let me think on that “commercial” thing.
This seems mostly a Minnesota thing, primarily southwestern MN where I grew up. I did a little digging and apparently the name “beef commercial” traces to traveling salesman looking for an affordable meal at a restaurant. Or something like that.
Thanks Audrey for checking. I never heard that term growing up but often looked for it on the menu.
I give Randy the credit for researching this for me and then sharing the results for me to pass along.
Hi Audrey, you write such excellent stories, I love reading them. As for a beef commercial, McCormick’s Restaurant on the south side of Hutchinson has them, but I’m guessing you bypassed Hutch on your way to Cosmos. My partner is a native of Cosmos, back in the day when she was growing up there was a heck of a lot more going on than there is now. As you say, the small towns are fading away. The Dive Bar and Grill in Cosmos, from what I’ve been told, has a new owner who doesn’t open up the place until 3 pm. Doesn’t make a lot of sense, but there you have it. Thank you for your great writing.
Sarah
Sarah, thanks for the tip on McCormick’s in Hutch as a source for a Beef Commercial. We skirted more the north edge of town.
As for Cosmos, I will have more pix of that community at some point. Right now I’m concentrating on holiday photos I’ve been taking. But, eventually. Yeah, it doesn’t make sense to me that the bar & grill doesn’t open until 3. But I’m sure they have their reasons.
Thank you also for appreciating my work. I value reader feedback.
I had to laugh. My husband told me just last weekend that I needed to take time for a real breakfast before we left so I didn’t end up hangry. Apparently he’s met that side of me before. 🤪 I don’t even want to be around me when I’m hangry.
I’m laughing at your last sentence. I don’t want to be around me either.