Fort Nelson, B.C. and Dixie Lee

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Oh Goodness. I hope I can tell this right!

Somewhere between Muncho Lake and Fort Nelson, far ahead, I saw a sign for “Dixie Lee’s Fried Chicken.” Now, I don’t know how many of you have ever been to Dixie Lee’s, but they have (or used to have) THE BEST EVER “Loaded Joes”. Loaded Joes (for those of you who have never had the privilege of tasting them) are specially seasoned potato chunks (like pan fries), smothered in layers of sour cream, grated Cheddar, bacon bits and chives. I hadn’t had them in YEARS!! (Dixie Lee’s seems to have been primarily a British Columbia restaurant, and even in B.C., they are far & few between now.)

ANYway, despite the fact that we had just had breakfast, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity for Loaded Joes, so we pulled in to the little drive-in diner.

Excited, I went up to the counter and ordered my Loaded Joes. The girl at the counter didn’t know what I was talking about. Never heard of them.

JUST when I was prepared to be disappointed, I heard a voice from the back say, “Wait! We can make them! We can make them!”

My hero came out from the back and a big discussion ensued between the hero and the counter staff, about what Loaded Joes are and how to make them. You could tell that the guy had heard of them before, like a myth or a legend. He talked about them with a hint of awe.

As Shannan and I stood there, he walked passed us and out the front door, got in his car and drove away! The counter girl explained that he had gone to the nearest grocery store to buy the ingredients for the Loaded Joes (they needed sour cream.)

ANYway – the accommodating staff was the highlight of the trip, so far! I couldn’t believe they went through so much trouble to get my Loaded Joes! They were slightly different than they were when they were on the menu (in looks) but the flavors were the same – AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS! (Also, HUGE – they gave me a family pack size of them, which worked out conveniently, since I had to share with Shannan.)

They are really, really messy, so I fed Shannan as we drove off down the highway.

Eventually, we’d had enough and they were cold, the fries were soggy and cheese was icky… Believe me when I tell you that I had no other choice but to put the remaining goo on the dashboard. (Remember, we were travelling with 3 little dogs in the car.)

I don’t really know how much time passed, but all of the sudden, Shannan and I (who were in the lead car) saw a sign on the side of the road that said, “Sasquatch Crossing”!!! I was so unprepared, I didn’t have my camera ready and, without thinking it through, yelled, “STOP!”

Shannan, alert to my suggestions, SLAMMED on the brakes!

By the time the dust had settled, there were little wide-eyed dogs in the front seat, and cheese fries EVERYWHERE! There was even melted cheese IN the stereo speaker grill! and the boys in the car behind us were MAD!

We, of course, had collapsed into a fit of laughter, and managed to gasp out when interrogated, “We didn’t throw the fries away, because we wanted to share them with you”, to which the boys responded: “If we wanted fries, we would’ve asked for them.” (OK – they were really mad – pulling the trailer, they skidded here and there when they had to slam on their brakes, which made them unhappy.)

Back on the highway, and maybe 20 minutes later (us still in the lead car), I look over at Shannan, and she’s talking to herself – all twitchy and mumbling and sneering… I catch her sentence right when she says, all sassy, “‘If we wanted fries, we’d ask for them’…. oh really… I’ll give YOU fries.”

She opens the sunroof and THROWS the fries OUT the sunroof at their car behind us!

OH MY GOODNESS! In my whole entire life, I’ve never laughed that hard! Seriously! My whole life!!

(Incidentally, we completely missed the picture of the “Sasquatch Crossing” sign… )

Wednesday, we’re heading towards Dawson Creek, BC; the start of the Alaskan Highway, Mile 0.

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Comments

[Carrie Chalmers]

awesome chicken
I worked there over 40 yrs ago. Lived that job

[4mygypsysoul]

It was delicious! I miss it! There's not many around anymore, I don't think. I was very excited to have spotted this one!