Trailheads Say, “Cancel Us If You Can,” Hike/Walk Ol’ McDaniel Farm, Then Devour At Dreamland BBQ.

Trailheads’ motto is On The Path to Truth and Barbecue, and we take that mission seriously. Seriously.

The only way to get to the truth is by speaking freely, engaging in open debate, and doing so without fear of retribution. So, we were alarmed to hear about a blatant attack on the First Amendment the night before, with Jimmy Kimmel being suspended indefinitely for making comments that Brendon Carr, Chairman of the FCC, didn’t like.

Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and Trailheads love freedom. And humorists have a long tradition of ridiculing those in power. Even Lyndon Johnson had a sense of humor and respected the Smothers Brothers. Well, after first trying to get them fired. Nixon was a different story. He found a way to get the brothers canceled. Of course, Nixon would later pay a price for his shenanigans against his enemies.

Will Trailheads soon get canceled for not “falling in line”? While we’re not radicals, in our youth we read Abby Hoffman, Eldridge Cleaver, Jerry Rubin, George Orwell, and Ken Kesey. Our minds were opened, and like the framers of the Constitution, we believe censorship is pure evil. Restricting free speech is in the autocrats’ playbook, which is on the New York Times bestseller list these days.

Trailheads despise authoritarians. America was founded because our forefathers said, “To hell with obeying the king, we’ll govern ourselves, thank you very much.” We had a lot to discuss on this hike.

Trail Master rallied Steve and Patrick for a journey along ol’ McDaniel’s Farm Trail (E-I-E-I-O), a wonderful hike that is as easy as eating soup. It’s what we call a ‘sneakers hike.’ Read about our last visit down on the farm here.

George couldn’t join us because a plumber was working in his house on a major emergency. We think he’s getting one of those fancy indoor toilets that flush swirly water and everything. George is always puttin’ on airs, that guy.

Roy was suffering from a long list of ailments, helping ensure many doctors can afford their luxury cars and fancy vacations. 

And Brad was under the weather. Hey, aren’t we all? The sky’s always above us, buddy.

It was a beautiful day, and we started walking along the wide asphalt road. We also did some off-road, legitimate trail hiking on dirt to maintain our wilderness cred.

Many people were enjoying the day, some with dogs, and whenever Guy tried to start a conversation about their pets, the people hurried away. Were they avoiding us in case we were overheard saying something “offensive” to the official narrative of complete obedience? Maybe. We might see an electrical collar on Guy soon. Fio will giggle at that.

We kept our eyes peeled for Brendon Carr hiding behind trees. We didn’t want to get canceled and condemned to the gulag. Trailheads posed for a selfie in front of the McDaniel’s barn. All the animals had flown the coop. Had we scared them away? Probably. Maybe they were off to see a screening of Animal Farm.

Patrick saw a “facility” and decided to visit it. He envied George for his fancy indoor plumbing. Surprisingly, there was a towel guy at the sink with mints, colognes, and a tip jar.

We inspected some of the farm machinery, and each of us used it to shave while two men operated the gears. The contraption gave a mighty close shave. Good thing only the clean-shaven Trailheads were hiking today.

Then we took a picture with Fio, and she suggested we pose with tongues out. She perked up and said, “Humans think it’s cute. They’re suckers for it.”  

We weren’t so sure. But she seems smart and charming, so we went along. Sure enough, Guy petted all of us ( but no treats).

Trailheads did some more exploring in the beauty of nature, and we felt like we solved a few world problems, and so far, we hadn’t been busted. A good day. Though we had our “papers” just in case we got stopped or came across a checkpoint with armed soldiers. 

But all that heavy-duty cogitating leaves fellers awfully tuckered out, so Guy and Steve had a good sit. Guy is often “tuckered.” That’s his way. We had worked up a ferocious appetite and headed to Duluth for some delicious Dreamland BBQ. You can read about our last visit here.

This joint is large and comfortable, with a sign featuring the original Pit Master John “Big Daddy” Bishop, who was instructed by God in a dream to open a restaurant. So, he did that, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Like The Blues Brothers, Big Daddy was on a mission from God. Theirs was smokin’ blues, and his was smokin’ meats. Both are noble causes.

Big Daddy’s specialty was ribs, and in their honor, he coined a slogan that ranks among the all-time greats: “Ain’t nothing like ‘em nowhere.” But everything he smoked over hickory wood was superb. His restaurant became a huge success, and the operation expanded to other locations, and word spread like fire on gasoline.

On this day, things were quiet. We secured a table on the patio, and Prasad, our server, was attentive and kind. He brought Fio water and delivered tasty Arnold Palmers to whet our whistles as we surveyed the menu.

Steve asked about Dreamland’s homemade chips, and we decided a large basket of the crispy babies was needed to tickle our appetites before the main event. (The basket was full, but we forgot to take a picture, and by the time we remembered, we’d done some damage.)

Guy decided to eat light, so he ordered a salad topped with smoked chicken pieces. When Prasad informed him that unfortunately they couldn’t batter and deep fry his salad, Guy was crestfallen. 

“That’s too bad,” he said. “I guess I will be eating extra light then.” 

Both Steve and Patrick ordered large, chopped pork sandwiches on fluffy, toasted buns. Steve had his “Doc-style” with homemade coleslaw, pickles, and Alabama Sauce.

Patrick is a purist and likes his sandwich dry so he can doctor it himself. He slathered on Dreamland’s excellent BBQ sauce. It has a nice vinegary tang and a slight pop of heat.

We each had Brunswick Stew as a side dish. The savory stew is hearty and delicious, chock full of pork and veggies. 

Everything was great, and we were happy. We asked for the check. Then, the electricity went out, and the manager came and explained that the register wouldn’t work. He was prepared to comp our meals, but we refused and paid with good old legal tender.

We thanked Prasad for his exceptional service and hospitality, and we asked him not to report anything we said to the authorities. With free speech under attack, these are troubling times. 

Take this advice for fighting autocrats: Do not obey in advance.

Enjoy your freedom, defend it, and hike on.

Rating: Four Ribs*

Dreamland BBQ

3540 W. Lawrenceville St.

Duluth, GA. 30096

(770) 366-7427

dreamlandbbq.com

*About Our Barbecue Rating System

Trailheads do not claim to be food experts, epicureans, or sophisticated palates. We are hungry hikers who attack a selected barbecue venue and ravage our way through whatever smoked fare and fixings they're dishing out. Our reviews feature what we believe are the highlights of the menu we sampled. So our intent is not to trash talk the saintly folks who tend to smoldering smokers on hot, humid summer days. They are sacrificing themselves in the noble art of smoking meats and feeding the drooling masses. Many are independent entrepreneurs who are the backbone of this humming American economy. Now that you know our standards, you may wonder why every barbecue place gets a four-ribs rating. The answer is easy: our group has acclaimed designers, and they think the ribs graphic looks cool. Who are we to argue? Enjoy.

• barbecue

• AtlantaBarbecue

• bbq sauce

• brisket

• Brisket

• ChattahoocheeChallenge

• Chiggers

• Elvis Loves Fio

• hikingforfood

• HikingGeorgia

• hiking

• North Georgia BBQ

• Pierre de Coubertin Medal

• Pulled Pork

• quicksand

• Ribs

• Trailheads

• Trailheads Approved

• White sauce

• TrailheadsHike

• City BBQ

• Summit Coffee

• Okra

• AJC

• Olivia

• Glacier National Park

• Island Ford Trail

• Pulitzer

• Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution