Road trip, this time let’s go to Cle Elum Washington.

This weekend it was time for another road trip, and this time it was Cle Elum Washington. 

Before we get started, I need to tell you why I was making a road trip to Cle Elum. The answer is simple I needed to pick up some ham shanks. Martha. (My girlfriend.) in her youth was raised in the South and one of the traditions that she learned when she was a youngster was the tradition of Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Eve. If I remember correctly, the tradition is that you give the people you love a serving of Black-Eyed Peas. for them to eat to celebrate the new year and this will bring them good luck. 

Several years ago, we found it difficult to find hammocks. (Which is an integral part of good Black-Eyed Peas) In the Wenatchee area. So, I thought, “well, I have to make a trip to Ellensburg anyway, let's go up to Cle Elum and pick up some ham hocks there. (Owen’s Meats.) 

So, I stopped by there to get some ham hocks, and it turned out that they had ham Shanks. (Much bigger. More meat.) She's been using ham Shanks ever since. 

I started the trip on Saturday at about 8:00 in the morning. Jumped in the car, headed out, stopped at a truck stop along the way to pick up a breakfast that would travel and headed for Blewitt Pass. The drive was uneventful except for the fall leaves, which were very beautiful. It was a little foggy on the backside of Blewitt Pass and going into Cle Elum. 

Owens Meats is always a great place to visit because it is truly as they say in their advertising, they are “the candy store for the carnivore”. The first thing I notice when I walk in the door is the aroma from the smokehouse, it permeates the place, it's wonderful. It's a long, narrow retail site. With lots of space in the back that we don't see where they're doing all the work. 

There's an amazing amount of history that goes with Owens Meats and Cle Elum. 

According to owensmeats.com.
‘For over 130 years, Owens Meats has been serving meat to the tables of families in the northwest and across the country. It is thought that Owens Meats is the oldest continuously operated family business in Kittitas County and perhaps one of the oldest in the state of Washington.
Owens Meats opened its doors in 1887, two years before Washington became a state. It all started with Morgan Owens, who moved to Roslyn for the coal and stayed to feed generations of coal miners.
Richard Owens, Sr resurrected and rebuilt the business after the depression woe’s, moving to Cle Elum, the present location and changing it’s name to “Owens Cash Market.” 

There's much more to this 130-year-old story and it can be found on their website. 

I guess I showed up early enough that they weren't terribly busy. They only had three or four other customers in there. The last time I was there they had Customers. stacked 13 deep. The staff is very efficient, and they take your order and get you out the door as quickly as you want to go. 

On Saturday they had lots of smoked ham Shanks to choose from. I bought 2 and asked for them to be wrapped for freezer storage. I also picked up some bacon. (Custom Sliced.) And packed it all in the cooler for the drive home. 

The drive home was also uneventful except that I decided to stop and check on a charging station that I used to use on the way out of town. Last time I tried to use it was about 9 or 10 months ago. The plug was broken, and I called the company to let them know and they never answered the phone. I guess that's what happens when an oil company buys up an electric vehicle charging company. When I checked on the charging station this time the broken plug was removed and never replaced. (I guess I'll scratch that one off my list.) 

The drive home was also uneventful again except for the amazing fall foliage. There were no encounters with deer, or elk, or stupid drivers. 

Overall, a very successful road trip and Martha was thrilled to get her ham shanks sooner rather than later for the Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's Eve. 

Below I have included a whole lot more photos of Owens Meats for you. I just wish I could have included the aroma. By the way, yes, this is where we get the 12 hams of Christmas to give away in December. On The Quake 102.1. 

http://thequake1021.com/?p=9391