Montrose Tradition

One of our traditions is going to Antol's in South Montrose and having an ice cream supper. I think Antol's has been there since Rosie and I first did our BIG summer trek with children and without husbands in 1985. In those days we had 6 children and various cousins and friends along so if we went on a hike to town we had them count off to make sure we had everyone. Tim was 1 and Reuben 18 months old that first summer when we went and stayed for nearly a month.

Of course there was that one unforgettable summer day in about 1988...the morning started when I accidently washed Lyn's contact lens down the drain...we had company; a former boyfriend of mine (we dated when I was at Wheaton, though I've known him since I was 12) brought his family -- wife and three children to visit, and we took them to Buttermilk Falls (Salt Springs). Jill dropped her retainer down the falls. Torrey fell down a hill in the woods and broke her left arm but didn't want to tell anyone, and then to top it off, Ian (David's youngest), got sick and threw up all over everything. Not one of our more auspicious days.

But this is the 2006 trip to Antol's:


Liz Anne and Lowen



The 2006 chorus line with Rebecca in front.

By the way, Antol's has just about the biggest and best selection of soft ice cream you could want. Not only do they have different flavors and toppings, they also have regular ice cream, sundaes and shakes. This year they had "crunchy" soft ice cream in a cone which was like a Dairy Queen Blizzard, but with the candies cut much more finely. I had a Heath Bar crunch which was my mother's favorite candy.

For several years they actually had Teaberry flavored soft ice cream which tasted just like the old Clark's Teaberry gum.

After Antol's we take the long way home which takes us up on the Ridge Road -- from there you can look over the countryside and see both the Montrose courthouse and the Presbyterian church peeking up over the trees in the distance.

Since the Ridge Road is up on a hill, it has become (yet another tradition) to get a "running" start, put the car in neutral, and then see how far you can coast before coming to a complete stop. Rick won this year.... I think he made it just about 2 miles.

Tradition and Montrose like -- oh, peas and carrots? (Just in case you are needing a Forrest Gump fix....)