Waiting out the rain in Abilene, Kansas. After a day of exploring the backroads of rural Kansas – and killing a lot of big ass bugs on my windscreen – I decided that between dark clouds and deer I’d better find some place to shack up.
I ended up at a Holiday Inn Express out in the boonies. Across the dead-end driveway is a hotel that features chicken-dinner…. as it has since 1870. Very cool. The two hotels are surrounded by undeveloped land, so I decided it was time to light one of the two good cigars I bought back in Merion, PA. Let me explain.
The (very Jewish) salesperson running SJ Cigars asked me a series of multiple-choice questions to determine the best fit for me. Basically a sales funnel. My answers were: big, dark, spicy, full-bodied. And so he pointed me to the Joya de Havana Doble Robusto. At only $8.00 a stick, I went for two. Then as an afterthought I saw a bin of dark looking stogies for $5.00 a stick…. they looked rough and oily, the way I tend to like them, so I asked him what the deal was with those. Classic cigar-shop sales rhetoric…. he said, “It’s like a pretty girl with a zit. Do you really care?” I laughed and bought two, even though technically yes, I do care. I find the word “zit” repulsive, always have.
I smoked the first “pretty girl” on the PA Turnpike, back in Land, PA. It was a solid little smoke, and I found myself wondering the whole time…. “so where’s this zit?” To use cigar aficionado parlance, it was the last third. It got harsh, hot, and bitter. I tossed it before it ruined the otherwise enjoyable experience of the first 2/3’s.
I smoked the second “pretty girl” in Odessa, MO… the town described by a local as a home for "Catholics and tweekers". Exact same experience. The final third is the zit. And yes, I care. Won’t buy them again.
So here in Abilene, KS – having changed into shorts and sandals – I decided to burn a good cigar while watching the lightning storm and listening to chirping crickets and yipping coyotes in the near distance. The parking lot is full of pick-up trucks locked and loaded with hunting gear. Apparently this is a popular stop for elk hunters. I walked out to a field and enjoyed my cigar while watching a very impressive light show…. thunderstorms rolling in. The occasional threat of a downpour as huge cold drops splashed on my head and arms. But these sprinkles came and went.
For any cigar smoker reading this, while I won’t embarrass myself with an attempt at a review, I will say it was a cool smoke, even burn, notes ranging from sweet to surprisingly spicy, with leather and chocolate being the most consistent flavors. The final third was so good I literally got down to the nub, and extinguished it only when my finger-tips started to get too hot. Really good by my standards. Props to the salesman at SJ; he had my number.
I’m at the point in my trip where I’m about ready to get home. I did a FaceTime call with Celia and Bennett, and I’m really missing them. So tomorrow I’m going to blast through Colorado on my way to the Grand Canyon, then start a high-speed boogie back to San Diego. Stay tuned. I hope you’re enjoying this. I’m enjoying sharing it with you. 🤠