The Manic American - Road Stories. From America and Beyond.

How Philly Became the Best Sandwich City in America: A Pandemic Bike Tourism Exploration

On: 01/31/2021

America is a land of awful sandwiches, of industrially produced, sugary bread; of rubbery, microwaved half-meats; of watery, shredded lettuce. The one city that doesn’t tolerate mediocrity is Philly. Philly’s urban density means there is a never-ending appetite for classic comfort as well as hoagie experimentation, and that density gave me the idea to do a Philly sandwich tour by bike.

Breaking Through the Tors of Perception: 700 Years of Urban Planning in Munich

On: 11/15/2020

In: Europe

I wanted a street-level look at Munich’s past, present, and maybe even its future. Instead, I ended up on an urban planning journey through space and time.

Ride the Gnar at Munich’s Eisbachwelle River Surfing Scene

On: 10/25/2020

In: Europe

Sure, you might need a full body suit, but thanks to a little ingenuity you can go river surfing in the middle of Munich!

2 Hours at Versailles, “The World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant,” in Miami, FL

On: 08/20/2020

In: Miami

Spend enough time at Versailles in Miami, and the distance between the United States and Cuba seems to shrink.

Discussing the Future of Taylor, TX at Davis Grocery & Bar-B-Q

On: 08/06/2020

In: Texas BBQ

We spent 10 years wondering what was inside Davis Grocery & Bar-B-Q. Once inside, we got answers to questions we had never thought to ask.

A woman in an apron stands in front of a large barbecue grill

Manic Kentucky Barbecue Adventures: Miss Anita’s Monroe County Pork Shoulder

On: 07/22/2020

In: American Travel, Kentucky BBQ, Near South

So you like BBQ. But have you had thin-sliced, hot-smoked, and sauce-dipped Monroe County pork shoulder? How about Monroe County shoulder in Monroe County, Kentucky itself? Our goal was to track down this delicacy in its native habitat.

Dining Al Fresco at Tacos La Pasadita in Green River, Utah

On: 07/04/2020

In: The West

There’s a stretch of I-70 in Utah which runs through a landscape nearly bleached of color. Then, once in the town of Green River, there is a former gas station repainted in bright yellow and orange hues with a truck reading MEXICAN FOOD and a sign reading TACOS.

First Impressions: Corkscrew BBQ (Spring, TX)

On: 03/09/2020

In: Texas BBQ

We thought Corkscrew BBQ in Spring, TX would be a good little trip from Houston. Once we got there, we realized that we didn’t budget nearly enough time for the trip.

First Impressions: Terry Black’s Barbecue (Austin, TX)

On: 03/08/2020

In: Texas BBQ

Arriving at Terry Black’s Barbecue during dinner time led to a thirty-minute wait. It also led to an opportunity to notice a few things about the place.