The Bon-Ayr Store & Deli (Park City, KY)

Bike Jeep:  Wrangler TJ

Route:  Google Maps

Hey now, another ride report with no riding! Since Global Warming started working I've had to accept the fact that I'll ride more in the winter than the summer. Boo. I certainly liked it better a couple years ago when it was called Climate Change and we had record-level snows for winter sledding and reasonable riding temps in the spring & summer. But I can't blame MMGW for today's problem, as this was probably the nicest day in two months -- finally under 90 degrees! I blame the weather guy who was calling for storms. I blame myself for being a Fair Weather Rider (but I'm cool with that). Of course the weather guy and his computer were wrong -- I'm sure it stormed somewhere, but not nowhere between Alvaton and Glasgow around lunch time! Beautiful day. The KTM is mad at me.

I love the good old-fashioned country stores that are still open around here and today's destination is a store that I've ridden past several times, but never visited. Incidentally, I've become friends with the owners this year because they sell their Esters Farm Baked Goods at my favorite farmers market. On any given Saturday Gabe and Susan can be found at the Community Farmers Market in BG or the Bounty of the Barrens Market in Glasgow. If you get there early enough [I don't], they usually have a nice warm breakfast dish or two, also. And they do a good job of letting everybody know what they'll have on hand at the market(s) each weekend via Facebook.

Gabe at the BG Community Farmers Market.

Esters Sourdough with Eggs, Bacon, and Sausage from Stoney Creek Farm. Both vendors show up at both Farmers Markets. Also, those Borderland Farms Strawberries were the best we've ever had.

Esters Banana Bread with more Stoney Creek Farm protein.

Yup, more Stoney Creek and Esters stuff together.

Margherita made with Esters San Fran-Style Pizza Dough.

Roasted Borderland Tomato & Need More Acres Pepper Pizza made on an Esters Pizza Crust.

Esters Pizza Crust AND Esters Pizza Sauce.
They're making this pizza thing too easy!

After a few months of enjoying their sourdough bread, s'mores bread, banana bread, foccacia bread, hot pepper jelly, pizza dough, pizza crusts, and pizza sauce I was excited to learn that they also operate this country store where they serve fresh homemade lunches. And I was more excited to hear that they serve frog legs for lunch on Fridays. So let's go.

BONUS:  The store sits at the intersection of 68-80 & 255, which has become one of my favorite roads... even in a Jeep.

60% of the time I'm on the right side of the line all of the time. 

Apparently Ranger Bob's is now 'The Landing at Port Oliver'...

... and apparently The Landing rents canoes & kayaks.  Sweet!

Barren River Lake Dam.

The Dam Store is still closed, baby.  The Dam Store is still closed...

255.

255.

68-80 & 255.
I think the Suzie Q Dairy Freeze is not open for business.

The Bon-Ayr Store.
Groceries. Gas. Deli.

Groceries & Deli.

Coke & Bread.

More of that bread we buy at the Farmers Market.

Speaking of the market...

Yes.

YES!

How can you not love a store that has Corvettes, motorcycles, and airplanes on the walls? 

Amen.

Frog Legs, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn.

VERDICT:  Great place! As mentioned above, I love love love these country stores. This one is super clean and they do have a good selection of popular grocery/convenience items (including Red Bull) in addition to the deli food. I'm guessing there isn't any other place to buy gas nearby, so that's nice. There's a big TV in the back that was showing our local Little League team playing in Indiana on ESPN while I was there. Cool.

I definitely don't know anywhere else to get frog legs for lunch, and I loved 'em -- I don't think I've had any since we'd go frog gigging in high school! You can always get a sandwich or a burger, but the lunch specials vary each day and I hear the meatloaf, roast beef, and ribs are pretty popular. I arrived late when the lunch crowd had dwindled down, but I did get a sense of how busy it can get. I'm sure you can meet some real characters here, and I'll be back for the meatloaf. And the roast beef. And the ribs. And the Friday frog legs.

[TANGENT:  Is it just me or do farmers eat lunch too early? Like, when I'm usually eating breakfast! I say if you're eating meatloaf at 10:30, that's brunch at best. Of course, I've never woke up early enough to see the sunrise, so I'd probably be a bad farmer. Also, a bad country store owner.]

Upside-Down Pineapple Cake (to go).
Instagram.

That is one cool mailbox.

255.

255.

255.

Headin' home... back over the dam... with cake.

Route.
I broke Rule #3.

UPDATE (8/15/12):  It's only been a few days since my first visit, but I returned to the store today on a bike this time. Good times! Also, I noticed that their facebook page is a great way to keep up with the daily lunch specials. Check it out...



UPDATE (8/21/12):  I saw the Esters at the Farmers Market this afternoon and they hooked me up with the easiest dinner ever. It sure made people smile at my house...

Hillbilly Grillers' Chili in a Bread Bowl from the Esters.
Instagram.

UPDATE (10/19/12):  The Bon-Ayr facebook paged mentioned BBQ ribs for lunch today, so I took a nice [minivan] drive out to the store.  Remembering how early their lunch crowd gathers, I called the store and Gabe was kind enough to save a plate for me.  I'm glad because the ribs had sold out before I arrived at 12:15.

We're real close to peak colors so these country roads are beautiful even on a dreary day...

Fall.

BBQ Ribs, Pinto Beans, & Mixed Greens.

Good Country Cookin!
Instagram.

Their BBQ sauce is so good I might even put it on meatloaf, whenever I finally make it there for meatloaf.  Unpictured is the chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies I grabbed to-go.  Safe to say everybody at home was happy.  The cake alone is worth a trip to Bon-Ayr -- I'm not even a dessert guy, but wow.

By 12:45 the lunch crowd has cleared out and you can have the TV to yourself.
The lunch specials will be long gone, but you can still order a sandwich, burger, etc.

Headin' home...

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