One that sticks in my mind was in 1981 on the way to Harper's Ferry, WV in the MG. My buddy and I were really thirsty and we were in some dry county either in southern PA or WV. We learned of a 'blind pig' and decided to check it out. I can still remember all the stares when we strangers walked through the front door. All I could think was - damn are we going to get out of here alive. Thankfully someone followed us in and remarked about the MG and that was the ice breaker, so they let us live.

 

Years ago I was riding a road bicycle from Amsterdam to Hamburg when I got thirsty -- out in the Dutch countryside. I found a country pub and went in for a local beer. My Dutch was not so good, so I ordered a beer in German from the old man behind the bar. I should have used English, but I was already close to the German border, so it was almost automatic. Big mistake. No only was I not served, but was summarily asked in Dutch to leave the premises. (The Holländer had suffered terribly under the Nazi occupation, and the whole crowd of angry old men became louder as I tried to become invisible and slink out to ride off as fast as I could pedal!


It wouldn't be like that today...