Friday, June 8, 2012

Taco Truck Trail

While riding the elevator at work recently, I overheard colleagues discussing the Taco Ride.  For those unfamiliar with this local tradition, the Taco Ride is a 10 mile cycling trek along the Wabash trail every Thursday night, from Council Bluffs to Mineola, Iowa. While some may do it for the exercise, most do it to socialize over cheap tacos and margaritas at a steakhouse in Mineola.

But here's the thing. The Taco Ride I overheard them talking about wasn't that one. They were talking about the new Taco Ride on Thursdays: The UP Lunch Ride's Taco Ride.

Yes, that's right. There's an upstart taco ride happening every Thursday over the lunch hour, from downtown Omaha to the taco truck at 24th and Vinton.  Come join us. We leave the UP bike rack at 11:45 every Thursday and make our way along the Taco Truck Trail to the best tacos and burritos in town.

Here's the route

Taco Truck Trail, South Approach (from Downtown)

Like the Hipster Highway, the Taco Truck Trail also follows a street's bike path to get from downtown to south Omaha.  Let's take a look at some of the landmarks along the way.


At 16th and Harney Street, the Taco Truck Trail passes a gem of Omaha: the Orpheum theater.


Not far from there, we encounter a couple other familiar land marks, starting with the beautiful Greyhound Bus terminal ...


...followed immediately by the Douglas County Sheriffs Office/Court Services Bureau at 16th and Leavenworth. Wow, who knew that's what it's called? Most folks call it by local term that rolls off the tongue a little easier: Jail.


Stay on 16th Street. You'll notice here at 16th and Martha that there's even a bike lane.


At the 16th and Vinton, veer right. You can't miss it -- it's in front of the South 'O Mexicana Meat Market...


... and the Vinton St. Tobaco Shop.


Just a little way down the road is another South O landmark, Louie M's Burger Lust.

Now you're almost there. While the UP lunch ride hooks a left at 20th and Vinton and works its way through the neighborhoods, you can continue to 24th St. 


From there, the Taco truck is just one block to the south, parked in the O'Reilly Auto parts store lot. You can't miss it. There's always a long line.


Here are some happy people who've wandered to the end of the Taco Truck Trail. Some even drove their cars. 

 ¿Aceptara esta AmericanExpress tarjeta de credito? 

Just be sure that when you make the trip, you bring cash. Shim may even tell you about the time I tried to pay with my American Express card.  Anyway, $5 is all you need for 3 tacos or a burrito, and a coke.  The food is fantastic. All smiles here.


Oh and a shout out goes to Ed Brown for lending me a pair of socks.


The socks were one time favor. You'll need to bring your own socks. Thanks Ed.

8 comments:

  1. Also - I didn-t realize you were a "lance pedal" guy. I think Lance always used the zeros, but I've always been partial to those you have there. I like the way they make my calves look defined as I walk around the office on them.

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  2. Hey Shim, I have a joke for you:

    So one day this big huge fierce grizzly bear (no relation) was feeling nature’s call (he had to poo). He finds a nice comfortable log to squat over and starts going to town. Well this big old bear is a gruntin’ and a strainin’ trying to get every last bit of poo to come out of his bottom, when all of the sudden this tine little squirrel comes up and well, he sits right down next to Mr. Big old bear and starts to take a tiny little dump. Well, I don’t need to tell you that the big old grizzly was amazed at the cheekiness of this little squirrel. “Hey, Mr. Squirrel, I have a question for you,” said Mr Grizzly.
    “Fire away big guy,” shot back the little guy with no detectible hint of fear.
    “Do you ever have a problem with shit getting stuck in you r fur?” asked Mr. Grizzly.
    “Never, because I always …”, started Mr. squirrel.

    “Perfect,” interrupted the bear as he picked up the squirrel and wiped his ass with it.

    So you can use that one if you want.

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  3. Though suffering crippling bouts of acute asthma that were to afflict him throughout his life, Che excelled as an athlete, enjoying swimming, football, golf, and shooting; while also becoming an "untiring" cyclist
    -- Wikipedia

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  4. True Story: Those Nike shoes were a hand-me-down from Shim.

    Ahem. A shout out goes to Shim for giving me those used Nike shoes. Shim, you should be proud to know that Fred likes them because they make his calves look defined as he walk around the office on them

    Fred: You'll need to bring your own shoes for the UP Lunch Taco Ride. Thanks Shim.

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  5. Shim, Ed's Che socks look good in your old shoes. Ed would probably lend them to you, you know, as a one time favor for the UP Lunch Taco Ride.

    Ed: you don't have to worry. A cheeky squirrel has a higher probability of becoming butt wipe than your Che socks.

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