On our way home from the Eastern Tandem Rally, we overnight in Hagerstown, Maryland for some genuine German grub.

It’s a little out of the way for us, but Schmankerl Stube is worth the drive. If you can pronounce the name of the place, you can eat there. And drink too.

This is gen-u-ine German beer. That’s a hefe on the left and a marzen on the right. They are full of malts. No hops come close to these beers. If only you had some warm whole wheat bread with your beer.

The bread is served with butter and what could be described as a German version of pimiento cheese. Just add anchovies. The highlight of the night is the dinner for two. We eat and ride in tandem.

Schnitzel on potato salad, beef medallions on spaetzel, bacon wrapped green beans and wurst fill out the plate. Need cabbage? No problem.

You also get a plate of apple cider cabbage and sauerkraut. This is a memorable dining experience and worth a visit if you are in Hagerstown. You won’t have room for dessert, although you can imagine what the streudel tastes like.

The next day we roll into the sporty minivan and drive 350 miles south to Bristol, Tennessee. Or is it Bristol, Virginia? Either way, it is the self-proclaimed birthplace of country music.

The Tennessee-Virginia border runs right down the middle of State Street. They have little brass plates in the road to tell you what state you are in.

There is also a giant arch over State Street in case you are in a “state” of confusion as to where you are.

Apparently, we were in Tennessee when we took this picture. Bristol is also known for it’s NASCAR track, which holds 150,000 race fans. And one tandem…

Keeping with the NASCAR theme, did you know that two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip has a brewery in Bristol? It’s on the Virginia side. The things you learn by reading this blog!

The beer is good, and the pretzels are tire-shaped. Ours may have had a flat.

The burgers are nice and pink in the middle, which is hard to find these days. The fries/house made chips arrive a little too salty.

Somewhere on State Street, we come across this place.

As far as we know, we do not own it.

There are lots of places to eat and things to do in Bristol. We enjoyed our visit. You wouldn’t want to spend a week there, but it’s worth a visit if you are in the area.

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