Auburn, GA: Blues skies in Georgia

Miles since last blog: 32.5

Route

After loosening up, I decided that at the end of my walk today it would be fine to drive into Atlanta and couchsurf for the night, then return to where I had left off tonight in the morning. This way I still walk it all, I get to sleep inside, and I get to spend a bit more time in Atlanta. This was a very good decision.

After settling in at our CS destination we got directions to a local Tex-Mex place. We never made it there. Along the way while looking for it we stopped dead center of the street looking at a restaurant so dark we sat an extra half minute trying to figure out if it was even open. It turns out it was. It also turns out that Heaven is in Atlanta, GA, but here it's called Fat Matt's Rib Shack. It was too attractive and southern for us to pass up.

The first thing that you notice when entering FMRS is that the windows are not tinted, it's actually that dark inside. Which draws your attention even more to the glowing hole in the wall that was the gateway to the kitchen. In it stood a portly good natured woman with one tooth and a big welcoming smile.

The second thing you notice is that the food comes in portions like 1/2 slab, full slab, 1/4 or half bird.

The room is pasted with Blues magazine pictures, framed with posters and on the far wall under a banner which states "live music nightly" is a mural of Mount Rushmore with the Presidents replaced by Muddy Waters, Rob Johnson, B.B. King and one other man who not even the employee knew. Blues piped through speakers is the dim light and the smell washes over you when the door opens. Barbeque.

All the ambiance was nice, but the real business was the BBQ. I ordered a half slab of ribs and Free got a half bird. We sat down with a picture of Marvin Gaye who was to serve as the sign for which table to bring the food to, this would not have been hard to discern since we were the only people sitting in the restaurant that didn't work there or already have food.

The food came quickly and when I picked up my first rib by the bone the meat stayed on the plate simply letting the bone slide out. It was just that tender and that moist. I took the meat and dipped it in the trough of BBQ sauce they had provided. Then followed pure bliss. I'm sorry Dad, but this was amazing. The flavor and texture would be impossible to describe, we just sat for a moment wide eyed at each other and then reached across to get a taste of the others food. I can't remember ever making that much noise while eating food in my life. Moans and deep almost meditative breathes were the only things besides occasional outbursts at the incredulous deliciousness to interrupt the complete devastation of our meals. Suddenly at the end of the ribs the two slices of wonder bread made sense as we sopped up any trace amount of rib or chicken on our plates and dipped the bread n the last glorious bit of sauce.

Immediately I knew I could eat another slab but realized that his was a taste so good that I would have to visit again and the taste would be better spread out. Even now I could easily go back for more. Although I am a voracious eater, food rarely effects me this way. As we drove away we smacked our lips still miles down the road. We both agreed that it was worthy of being written about and neither of us had a second thought about covering the same territory literarally, it seemed the least we could do.

it's a good thing Fat Matt wasn't there, I don't know if I could be held responsible for what I might have done in tribute.