Roadhouse

Roughly half way between Leupp and Flagstaff sits a real roadhouse. The address says Flagstaff, but it's actually closer to Winona. On the Leupp Road, it's close to nothing, in the middle of nowhere, beyond the back of beyond.

Despite its remote location, the roadhouse hops on a Saturday night. Parking lot full. We pull in. Outside, all is quiet beneath a big moon. A gentle breeze blows. Few cars traverse the Leupp Road, so the highway is clear and silent. We walk in, open the door, and inside find a different world.

Rockabilly music blasts, crowd moves. Drinks flowing. Lighting subdued. Most everyone's in western dress, jeans, cowboy boots. Lots of cowboy hats. But not a whiff of cigarette smoke here, in T-Bows 2Bar3 historic restaurant and saloon.

We mosey in and sit at a table in the bar section. Immediately greeted by a friendly waitress, seated, and within minutes the owner personally is out, smiling, with a basket of fresh hot corn bread with sweet honey butter. Man, it's good.

A private surprise birthday party is rockin' next door in the restaurant section, open to full view from the bar. We watch people come and go. Cowboys, critters, hillbillies, salt of the earth folks. All friendly, big smiles on their faces, out having a good time on a Saturday night.

The place has the special feel of another way out roadhouse, but that one now long gone to what many say was an arsonist's flames -- Avery's Cowboy Country Club. T-Bow's is much smaller, but has that kind of fun relaxed authentic local Flagstaff feel.