♪ TED: TRUCK STOPS MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF GOOD EATS.
THINK AGAIN.
>> GOOD OLD-FASHIONED COMFORT FOOD.
TED: A TRUCKSTOP LANDMARK OFF WELLS RIVER.
A MAINSTAY FOR TRUCKERS LIKE RON PLANTE, WHO HAS BEEN COMING HERE NEARLY 40 YEARS.
>> NOT JUST TRUCKERS, ANYONE WOULD WANT TO COME HERE TO EAT.
TED: AND THEY DO, LIKE JANE AND MICHAEL STERN, AUTHORS OF "ROADFOOD." >> I THINK THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ORIGINAL WALLPAPER THAT WAS ALL TRUCKS.
TED: THEY ALSO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE FRESH-BAKED BREAD, WHICH IS STILL HERE ALONG WITH DINNER ROLLS AND MOUTHWATERING PIES.
>> GET THE MAPLE CREAM PIE.
>> I DO NOT GET INTO DESSERTS.
TED: MORE FOR ME.
ALSO SAMPLING HOMEMADE HASH.
>> SHARON CASSIDY, HER FATHER STARTED 30 YEARS AGO WHEN HE TORE DOWN HIS BARN AND PUT UP GAS AND A FOOD COUNTER FOR TRUCKERS, NEVER IMAGINING THE MIX OF CUSTOMERS HE WOULD HAVE.
SURE, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
>> WE USED TO BE FULLY 24 HOURS.
I STARTED WITH A SECTION THAT BIG.
TED: THINGS HAVE EXPANDED, BUT TRUCKERS MAKE IT A MUST STOP BECAUSE OF THE FOOD, AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.
>> WE HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS A FRIENDLY PLACE TO COME WITH GOOD FOOD.
TED: CHECK AND CHECK.
AS FOR NO DESSERT AT BREAKFAST, IS IT TOO MUCH TO HAVE ANOTHER AT LUNCH?
I RENEWED OLD ACQUAINTANCES.
IT HAD BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE MY LAST STORY HERE.
NO IDEA WHO THAT GUY IS.
MINUS, ALAS, ONE OF THOSE ACQUAINTANCES.
>> I USED TO SAY I AM THE ONLY FILMMAKER IN AMERICA WHO CAN SHEAR A SHEEP AND MILK A CALF.
-- COW.
TED: HE PURSUED HIS PASSION FOR FILMMAKING.
IN 1996 HE CREATED AN INDIE HIT CALLED "MAN WITH A PLAN." ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET, IT WAS A SATIRE OF A BROKEN DOWN DAIRY FARMER WHO RUNS FOR CONGRESS BECAUSE HE NEEDS A JOB WITH
DECENT PAY, NO HEAVY LIFTING IN GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE.
>> I SPENT ALL MY LIFE IN THE BARN.
NOW I CAN SPEND MORE TIME IN THE HOUSE.
TED: IN REAL LIFE FRED TUTTLE WAS THE SAME PERSON, HIS FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR.
I DID SEVERAL STORIES IN THE WAKE OF THE FILM.
AFTER ALL, FRED TUTTLE HAD BECOME A REAL CELEBRITY.
>> FRED REVERBERATES THROUGHOUT VERMONT CULTURE AND POLITICS.
IT IS INTERESTING HOW A YOUNGER GENERATION DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS BECAUSE 20 YEARS.
TED: FRED TUTTLE DIED IN 2003.
JOHN O’BRIEN, HIS WIFE EMILY AND TWO SONS KEEP SHEEP AT THE FARM.
HE WON A SEAT ON THE SELECT BOARD.
>> I LIKE PUBLIC SERVICE, PROBLEM-SOLVING AND PEOPLE.
TED: IN AN IRONIC CASE OF LIFE IMITATING ART, JOHN WAS ELECTED TO THE VERMONT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, A SEAT HIS FRIEND FRED HAD WON ON FILM.
>> THE SECONDARY FARM IN THE LEGISLATURE.
TED: A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND PHOTOGRAPHER RENT THE FARM FOR WEDDINGS.
>> YOU ARE UP THERE LOOKING OUT.
IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET MARRIED.
SHEEP COME UP TO THE FENCE AND WATCH THE CEREMONIES.
TED: IT IS ALSO A GREAT TOWN AND COUNTY TO LIVE IN.
>> MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER.
EVERY TWO MINUTES YOU RUN INTO SOMEONE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WITH, ARE RELATED TO, OR ARE HAPPY TO SEE.
TED: FRED TUTTLE WAS A FIXTURE AT THE FAIR.
ONE OF MANY THINGS JOHN NEVER FORGETS ABOUT HIS FRIEND.
>> HE STILL ECHOES.
I MUST BE GOING DOWN TO FRED’S, PICKING HIM UP AND GOING OFF ON AN ADVENTURE WITH HIM.
TED: IT WAS SOME ADVENTURE IN A SPECIAL VERMONT TOWN THAT INSPIRED HIM.
SHAYNA: IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH FRED TUTTLE OR WOULD LIKE A REMINDER OF HIM, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE.
THERE WAS A LINK TO A FILM CLIP.
ANTHONY: AND TELL US WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN HE SAYS HIS NAME.
FUNNY GUY, BUT NOT KNOWN FOR HIS ELOCUTION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE "FURRY TURTLE.