And Heeeeeere They Come!, tales from the Watt

"So many horses - I don't know who to vote for."   -Marge Simpson
Last race of the night..."pacers" round turn two of the final lap. Ocean Downs Raceway, 6/19/2019.

      Everyone's a critic and sometimes, I take it to heart. The last few posts have lacked "soul." Or, so I have been told. Wednesday's session provided the ingredients for a soulful post. Ocean temps finally allowed me to strip off most of the rubber while surf conditions afforded a few decent rides (to my satisfaction) and a little header here and there (to Target's satisfaction). Felt like I had a handicap removed, so a better temperament in the water. The waves were small...thigh high at the most. In addition, position was again a struggle. Recent storms contributed to the shifting sandbar off Castles beach. At times I was caught inside, or too far out and the waves just passed me by. But, I enjoyed myself. Summer's just starting, so it'll pick up. Excuses, they kinda work for me. Not for LWatt or Target though. I will give Target credit...his attention span improved. He kept the shutter snapping this time 'round.

Squeezing every drop out of the knee to thigh skinners. Castles, 6/19/2019.

   The evening's post sesh destination was, without a doubt, a balancing act. We headed out to Ocean Downs Casino. The Journey's terminus was Poseidon's Pub and a night at the races. The pub greeted us from the trackside of the Casino with an open concept that featured an octagonal bar providing a 360 degree view of the Casino, dining area, and the Harness Racing. With the bells and whistles of the "one armed bandits" to the left of us and the track to the right it was no wonder there was no music. However, there were plenty of flatscreens including a few closed circuits of the race action. Our barkeep, Andy, was on the spot with our drink order including waters. At this point a question came to mind: why serve our brews in plastic cups and our water in glass? Did not compute for us. Andy said people are allowed to travel through the Casino and to the track, thus the plastic. Still, we were not completely convinced. Regardless, decisions were made and we put in for the groceries. The Signature Crab Dip with lemon, Old Bay, and horseradish served with a sliced baguette. The Pineapple Jerk Wings having a combination wet-dry rub. And, the Miami Style Cuban made with pork shoulder, tavern ham, a house pickle, and dijon mustard on a pressed Ciabatta. I'm going worst to best here...the Crab Dip was not impressive. Very fishy tasting and too much cheese. LWatt was the most disappointed and ate very little, so myself and Target did our best to get through it. It was rich. The Wings were okay. Well cooked and meaty, they lacked strong flavor. Just hints of jerk and little pineapple. The first winner of the evening was the Cuban. I thought it was very well put together. Target liked the textures and the meats melded well even though he was not a ham fan. The tab was a little surprising...a bit more expensive than we had figured on. Apart from that, the bustle of the Casino and Track made for a stimulating meal experience.

Upon finishing our chow, we headed on out to the track. Keep in mind, a casino in Berlin, MD is a far cry from Vegas, and in these small towns, what happens in the casino could very well be the next day's front page news. Thus we kept a low profile, keeping our wagers, and corresponding winnings, below the IRS radar. Harness Racing involved Trotters and Pacers. These horses were no where near the level of Thoroughbred racers, but the harness sulky will do 30 mph plus. Like racing down a back road in a car without doors or a roof, and ropes for steering, 30 mph probably seems faster that you'd think, and I would imagine they are no fun to fall from. But they are fun to bet on. We dropped down to the track area just in time for the last two races. True to his nature, Target chose Explosive Drama in Race 11 to show and sure enough, he won. His horse came in a strong 2nd. I swear the guy keeps a clover in his pocket. In Race 12, the last race, LWatt suggested the show horse...Win Or Lose Drink Da Booze...yeah, she knew the name spoke to me...19-1 odds and he came in 3rd. Such huge winnings I could buy another beer! Maybe a six. LWatt was as surprised as Target (hope the Treasury Agents don't read this post). Like I said, we kept a low profile...as I went dancing off with my winnings. The wealth and soul of a summer evening with friends; finding stoke on the water, and luck at the track. We look forward to our continued Journey.

THE RATINGS-
Signature Crab Dip: C-
Pineapple Jerk Wings: C+
Miami Style Cuban: B
Beer (why all the plastic?): C+
Atmosphere: B
Value: C
Overall Score = 2.38