One of the things that makes travel most enjoyable are all the different types of food that you'll encounter along the highways and byways. Though it's pretty well-known that I prefer the Southern California comfort-food offerings of a good Mexican restaurant, it's also the regional delicacies that I enjoy discovering, and devouring, while traveling on tour.

For some reason, in Indiana, the subject was brought to the breaded pork sandwich, a farmer's meal of a pounded pork loin that's breaded, fried and served on a bun. In some cases, this ridiculously large meal has become a novelty of sorts, like a 96-ounce steak or "two pounds of fries", in that an establishment will often serve up what appears to be an entire pork loin on a bun that looks like a too-small bowler hat in comparison. While at the 45th Annual Indiana Fiddlers Convention, I was encouraged to try this beastly concoction and walked down to the Eye Opener Cafe in Battle Ground in order to seek it out.

"Don't eat till you're full. Eat till you're tired."

"Beastly" doesn't even begin to describe this gargantuan sandwich, which I timidly began to cut with a knife and fork around the edges, until a server mentioned that I was eating it the "proper way." Apparently, many people just fold the loin in on itself so that it fits on the bun, which also is typically garnished with mustard and pickle. I also found out, after I had polished off every last bit of it, that most people ask for a to-go box.

Well, it served as lunch and dinner, so I'll justify the culinary exploration.

Now, I'm in Pennsylvania and on the lookout for Dutch pot pie and bologna. It's tough to be as active as you need to be when snarfing down this kind of stuff, especially when you're sitting a lot while driving, teaching or playing. But I've kept my portions down and am exercising when I can, getting the occasional kayaking excursion in as well. I've actually lost a little weight on this tour so far, but not before gaining a whole bunch right after I left Orlando. I figured it out - it was the Not Your Father's Root Beer; goes down way too easy and often. Plus it's loaded with sugar. It's all good now.

More to come - I believe there's some Irish food in the near future...

The State of Food