It’s fair to compare the Famous Idaho Potato Tour Team to the distinguished Energizer Bunny. They keep going and going and going. In one week the trio had five different states under their set of eighteen wheels! With that much exposure, great stories are bound to be born. I will assure you, if it’s stories you want…stories you shall receive!
Tuesday afternoon Paul planted the truck in Liberty Park where the spud got it’s first introduction to Lady Liberty. She was a stunning beauty in the cool blue water of the Hudson River. The team wasn’t completely sure…but they could have sworn they saw the overgrown potato blushing at the sight of her. After a day of play at the park the team decided to call it quits, and the potato had to unwillingly part from its new found lady love.
That evening Kaiti and Ellis decided to meet up with a couple of Ellis’s local friends and partake in some friendly competition. They cracked their knuckles, stretched their muscles, and let the pins fly! The evening boomed on with spares and strikes behind every throw! Well, if you don’t count all the gutter balls. After hours of battling it out they decided to finish up and let their fingers rest, but they could not have predicted what was soon to come. Driving into the parking lot of their hotel, their eyes zeroed in on the sight that unfolded before them. Four cop cars had the potato truck surrounded. Shock and confusion struck the minds of the tour ambassadors. They raced towards the truck determined to understand the reasoning for the commotion. As the partners neared, they spotted an officer with his weapon raised in a wide defensive stance. Two more officers inside the trailer caught the team’s attention. The two gulped, fearing the demise of the Famous Idaho Potato Tour. “Is everything ok?!” Kaiti finally spat out as they skidded to a stop by the scene. The officer holding the fire arm twisted towards the two and goosebumps over ran their skin while they stared straight down the barrel of the….camera?? With a smile he informed the two that they were just taking pictures with the giant spud. The partners let out a great sigh of relief and offered to act as photographer. One cop even admitted they were trying to scale the structure to mount the potato for a picture. It’s safe to say they were unsuccessful. The officer the team first spotted explained that he caught sight of the truck, then proceeded to radio over three more cars to take in the sight! Kaiti indulged the law enforcers with a small tour inside the colossal spud. All the cops were very thankful for the pleasant hospitality delivered by the team, and they even took some Spuddy Buddies and postcards for a little interior decorating in their cruisers.
- It’s hard to see, but the officer is sporting our jumbo postcard in his back window!
Two local BJ stores were proud to act as host to the tour truck Wednesday afternoon. The sun was shining and the crowds were smiling! A sweet elderly gentleman fell head over heels for the big spud and couldn’t express just how much he loved Idaho potatoes. Kaiti was humored by the gentleman’s story of an Irish man who was a good friend of his. The Irish man was overwhelmed by the delectable taste and texture Idaho potatoes had to offer. Determined to duplicate the mouthwatering vegetable, he smuggled a bag of Idaho potatoes back to Ireland! He planted the tubers in soft dirt and let the magic begin. He meticulously waited on them, allowing them plenty of water and sunshine. Months later he uprooted his little creations and impatiently cooked them up. Taking a big bite of the vegetable his tastebuds had yearned for since his visit to America, disappointment overwhelmed him. They were nothing like the gold he had tasted months earlier. Without the rich volcanic soil and perfect temperatures, the outcome was not comparable. The lesson learned? No one can do it like Idaho can!
Reunited and it feels so good! Irina Ruoff flew in all the way from Germany to see her knight in shining armor! Don’t be confused…it was really just Ellis. 😉 The couple was thrilled to be back in each others arms! She undoubtedly got an interesting first experience in America when the team prepped for pulling a last minute event that would entail an all-nighter. The tater team started their Thursday morning off trekking to Philadelphia to tackle the staircase made famous by the classic film Rocky! The determined trio jumped from the cab and stormed the staircase, seizing two steps at a time. Reaching the top they threw their arms up in victory! Thats when they got the call….back to New York for an event at 2:00 AM! The team realized then that it was no time to ease up their game faces. They bounded down the defeated structure and put on an appetite for the Big Apple!
It was a long night at the Hunts Point Produce Market but the thrilled admirers made it well worth the expedition. At 4:00 AM the team rolled onward to Maryland…after pulling off the highway for a few hours of shut eye of course (they can only be around-the-clock machines for so long). They were able to check one more thing off the “tour bucket list”: spending the night in the truck!
The Saturday sunshine was calling everyone outside for some fun in the sun. The team set up a corn hole game and challenged all the passing fans to try a toss in exchange for a prize! If you really want to know what the prize is, you better come track down the truck and figure it out for yourself. 😉 They welcome all challengers! The team was thoroughly impressed by the luck….oh I mean the “skills” of participants young and old.
If you thought the team was going to sit back and kick up their feet Sunday afternoon you got another thing coming! The thrill seekers had no intention of passing up Six Flags America! The amusement park echoed with screams and Kaiti didn’t think twice about pitching in her portion of the vocals. When the group was starting to drain due to the sun’s merciless beat down, they cooled off at Hurricane Harbor! What’s a better way to bid farewell to another busy week? So sit down, strap in, and keep all arms and legs inside the ride because the team is gearing up to hop on the roller coaster of another chaotic week! Enjoy the ride.
