Saturday, August 11, 2012

DelGrosso Park,Altoona and maybe the best hot dog ever?

Busy times over the last week and even more next week,but wanted to jot a few lines so that any of you out there know that I have not forgotten about you all.
I know I keep saying I'll be back more,but it might be after Labor Day until I get on a firm schedule.
The signal at the road office has been spotty and that has not helped matters either.

Squeezed in between work and baseball games for me was a trip to the Altoona area that found me having a few innings of baseball with a trip for Rachel to an amusement park and eating what just might have been the best hot dog that I have ever eaten.
Del Grosso's might be more well known for its spaghetti sauce (I've never tried it),but its comfy little park tucked away in an Altoona suburb of Tipton was not only fun to go for the kids,but even enjoyable for me and I did not even get on a ride.

Del Grosso's has your typical small park rides,but has a quite a few large water slides.I usually am not much of a mechanical ride person,but I do like water rides and normally would have been willing to partake in some sliding,but on this day,Rachel had a friend along and Corey was more than able to take my place.
This allowed me to spend a little alone time with the lovely Cherie to enjoy the terrific weather and play 18 holes on their "Championship "miniature golf course (2 under par,thank you) to kill a few hours while they pounded the water slides.

After a roughly two hour drive that featured a quick stop for a light lunch at a Bedford PA Burger King for a thoroughly mediocre Texas Whopper,I was starting to get a bit hungry,so Cherie and I split a order of fries and ordered each ordered a hot dog at Austin's Hot Dogs at the front of the park.
I would highly recommend the dogs there with their chili sauce,mustard and onions!
It might be the best dog that I have ever had as it ranked right up there with the "coney" at the Ashland/Wooster Drive In in Ohio and surpasses it as the dog was bigger and beefier than the A&W dog.
It had the crispness that a special dog really needs with the snap that you feel when you bite into it.
That is high praise as the Coney had always been the gold standard to me,but now there is a new king-The Austin dog!

Good food,free parking and a very reasonable cost to the park for the day all adds up to a very family friendly day that I plan to repeat next summer.
Compared to Lakemont Park,another small park in the area,Del Grosso's is a better park and a much more enjoyable experience than one from Lakemont,when I had been there in the past.

Part of the agreement to make the trip was to catch the Altoona Curve on the way back.
The stadium is about 15 minutes from the park,so it certainly was along the way.
My trips to Altoona have always been fun and since I didn't need to do any autographing,I could just watch a game and scout things out a bit.
As I waited as Rachel and Corey grabbed some ice cream,I was able to chat with one of our longtime readers,Chet Trybus,who approached me and offered some kind words about the blog.
I sometimes zone out and Cherie pointed out that Chet was speaking to me and I didn't see him.
I don't know why I do that so often,but it happens more than would care to say,I'm embarrassed to admit.
Chet has been reading us for much of our run and it is always nice to see him and hear from him as well.

Bowie scored seven runs off Brandon Cumpton in the third inning and considering the drive home that loomed,that was enough for me to get going.
We did stop for a quick bite at Long John Silvers,as Corey had said he had never tried LJS.
I am usually a fan and the food was fresh,but it was not as good as usual.
I felt bad for Corey as his first LJS impression was likely lukewarm at best....

All and all-a great day and one I hope to repeat next year.
Thanks to the lovely Cherie,Rachel and my new friend Corey for having me and allowing me to have a great day with them as company.....







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