Seven Days, Seven Bands-- Part 2: Monday-- McHenry Car Show

On Monday, June 23rd, I drove over to McHenry, Illinois, and ate at the Grand Buffet Chinese restaurant.  How can they serve shrimp and crab meat for $7?  Then, I saw a movie at the McHenry Theater "How to Train Your Dragon: 2"  Just as good as the first one.

Then, I bought four Kinks CDs at our local mom and pop record store, The Vinyl Frontier.  Some guy recently came in and sold his whole collection of Kinks CDs, something I've been looking for a lot of recent.  That was 40 CDs of which I have now bought six.  I had to turn down the owner's offer to sell all of them to me for $100.  Maybe that was a mistake.

Then drove over to Green Street and parked and went to the classic car show, featuring my favorite, Pontiacs,  tonight.  Always enjoy looking at the cars, but have to wonder about the owners who usually just pull up, open the hood, dust the car and sit behind them.  I did see one 1968 Firebird (my favorite Pontiac)..

I bought an Illinois 1951 license plate from a guy as that was the year Liz and I were born.  She was born in Illinois, but I was born in North Carolina so reckon I'll have to get a NC one for me.

He said he started collecting license plates in 1952 when he used to drive his bike on rounds around his town and buy them from gas stations and currency exchanges when people left them or didn't pick them up.  His mom didn't like his growing collection and his poor wife "inherited" it when she married him.  He said that he once had a straight collection from 1920s to current of Illinois license plate # 300, but sold it for real big bucks.  He also had some 1943-1948 license plates (WWII shortages) that were made from soybeans, something most people don't know.

While I was talking to him, a guy came up and started talking about record players in cars.  I never knew they had record players in cars.  While growing up, I always thought that would be a good idea, but had no idea how'd they do it and what about skipping when hitting bumps in the road?  The guy said he had a buddy with one and it was his job to change the tunes as they drove around.   The license plate dealer said these were mounted upside down under the dash.  Perhaps I am going to have to read some more on these.

And, there was a duo playing on a makeshift flatbed stage and doing quite well.  They reminded me a bit of the Brewer & Shipley "One Toke Over the Line" and "Tarkio Road" back during my college days.

So, Day One, Band #1.  Six to Go.  --RoadDog