Cold Ahead-- Part 22: "Moonshine in the Trunk"

Carrie Underwood and Emmylou Harris sang background vocals on "High Life" about"A bunch of low lifes living in the high life."Another Good Ol' Boy song is "Moonshine in the Trunk."  And, of course, there is all that great Brad Paisley picking on his guitar.  This boy can sure play that thing.

"Gone Green" is a somewhat humorous look at saving the planet and the unexpected things that happen when you do.

"JFK" of course is about the late president "We choose to go to the Moon."  Paisley always likes to have a U.S. song.

The song "Country Nation" refers to all the country music stations across the United States.

Great Album.  I'm Looking Forward to His Next One.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 21: "Moonshine in the Trunk"

No trip for me is quite right without my tunes as I cruise down the road.  One of my listen to album/CDs was the new one by country singer and guitarist superb Brad Paisley titles Moonshine in the Trunk.

This is his 10th album released in August of this year.  It became his 8th #1 album on the country charts.

This is a typical Brad Paisley album with lots of Good Old Boys songs and some with a play on words.  I always like to see that he either wrote or co-wrote all but two songs on it "Me and Jesus" by Tom T. Hall and "Gone Green" by Kenny Lewis.  That is always impressive.

It kicks off with the song "Crushin' It" which like to scared me to death by opening with the sound of a can being crushed.  Not the thing you want to hear while cruising down the interstate at 70 mph.  Believe me.  I thought it was the car doing something.

Cruisin' and a Movin'  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 20: Driving Around Athens, Ohio

I got off of US-33 at State Street with the intentions of getting some breakfast and to take a look around.  Athens is a beautiful city, but I have never seen any motels (and with a college campus, Ohio University, there really has to be some.  State Street looked like a big thoroughfare.

I did see a couple motels on it.

Stopped at a McDonald's and am sure I have never seen more cars waiting in line at the drive-through.  I rarely use this way to get my food.  I noticed quite a few cars in the parking lot, but was surprised to see three or four lines at the cash registers, each with 5-7 people in it.

I'm not waiting, so used the facilities and returned to the car.  It even took awhile to get backed out of the space and some more time to work my way around to the other side and exit on State Street.

A block down from McDonald's I found a Burger King with six people total in the restaurant and no one waiting in line.  Hey the breakfasts are just as good and the same price, so why not.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 19: The Nelsonville Bypass

NOVEMBER 21, 2014.  Second day of the trip.

I should be reaching Athens, Ohio, in time for my 8 a.m. class at Ohio University.  It is now 7:26 and I am on US-33 and 8 miles northwest of Nelsonville.  The sun is coming up behind the hills (and this is a really hilly area)  It is a pretty sunrise, but soon I will be driving straight into it; right in my eyes.  But, i expect that the hills will help block the sun, hopefully.

Driving on the Nelsonville bypass right now, the last part of US-33 to be made four lane and somewhat limited access. For much of the way from Columbus to West Virginia, US-33 is now akin to an interstate,a far cry from the way it was back in 1976.  This stretch by Nelsonville was probably the last completed (before it was finished, you had to get off US-33 and drive through the downtown with a lot of traffic lights and congestion), because of the big cuts that had to be made in the hillsides.

And with all this cold weather we're having, you could see a whole lot of frozen springs on the hillsides.  I imagine I'll see a whole lot of the frozen springs when driving through West Virginia, especially on the turnpike.

--RoadDog

$2 Gas Here in Northeast Illinois!!!

Today, I filled up the Dakota at Murphy USA on Illinois Highway 31 in McHenry, Illinois.  The sign read $1.99.9.  Wow!  I never expected Big Oil to allow the price to go down below $3, and now this!!  Gas all up and down the road in McHenry was at that price as well as Murphy USA started a gas war (another term I never thought to hear again) when it opened a month ago.

Gas in nearby Fox Lake was $2.18 on Christmas Eve, but I filed up the '03 Malibu at Thornton's for $2.05 with my 13 cents off in their Rewards Program.

With gas this low, we'll have to plan a trip in January.

Must enjoy it now as I figure Big Oil will have us gouged back to $4 by May.

--CheapGasDog

United States Highway 12: The Iron Brigade Memorial Highway-- Part 2

The Iron Brigade was composed of Midwestern regiments from Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin and fought in the eastern theater of the war.  They had a reputation of being a hard-fighting regiment and would usually be in the very hottest parts of the battlefield.  They received the name Iron Brigade for sustaining the highest fatalities at the Battle of South Mountain, leading up to the Battle of Antietam.

Then, the majority of the brigade, 1,153 became casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg, mostly on the first day.

I saw pictures of the BGSs for it (Big Green Sign) and here near us we have the medal-looking one with USV (United States Volunteers) in the middle with spokes radiating out for each of the five regiments in it: 19th Indiana, 24th Michigan, 2nd Wisconsin, 6th Wisconsin and 7th Wisconsin.

A Fitting Memorial to a Hard-Fighting group of Men.    --RoadDog

United States Highway 12 a Memorial to Union Soldiers in the Iron Brigade-- Part 1

Continued from yesterday.

United States Highway 12 runs from Michigan west to the state of Washington.  Through the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin it is also called the Iron Brigade Highway.  There is a sign for it at US-20 and Indiana 49 in Chesterton that marks it.  I also like our one near me at US-12 and State Park Road in Illinois.

Al Loomis of Valparaiso, Indiana, a member of the David D. porter Camp of Sons of Union veterans of the Civil War was very involved in having US-12 become known as the Iron Brigade Highway.  (David D. Porter, by the way was the Union admiral who captured Fort Fisher, North Carolina, almost 150 years ago on January 15, 1865.)

At the time of its naming, there was some disagreement as to whether the name should be given to US-20 in Indiana when the sign was erected in 1995 in paragraph one.  Back then, US-12 was to become part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Drive and US-12 would be rerouted to run along US-20.

--RoadDog

United States Highway 6 a Memorial to Civil War Soldiers

From the April 11, 2011, Northwest Indiana Portage News "U.S. 6, U.S. 12 memorials to Civil War soldiers" by Joyce Russell.

US-6 is the Grand Army of the Republic Highway.  It was the idea of Major William A. Anderson of the U.S. Army in 1934.  This idea was strongly promoted by the Sons of Union veterans of the Civil War( SUVCW)  The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a group made up of veterans from the Union side during the war.

US-6 starts in Massachusetts and is a transcontinental highway, ending in California.  The idea had to be approved by each state for the GAR Highway to come into existence.  Massachusetts was the first to approve it in 1937.  Indiana was the last in 1946.

The formal dedication took place May 2, 1953, in Long Beach, California

The highway runs through 14 states and covers 3,652 miles.  That is more than the more famous Route 66.

--RoadDog

Some Route 66 News for December

From Route 66 News.

DECEMBER 12TH--  The Bel-Aire Motel in Springfield, Illinois, should be entirely gone by this summer.  I'm sorry to hear this, but it had gotten into such bad shape with its absentee owner, that is about the only option left.  I do hope they save the sign and the interesting spoke ball, however.

DECEMBER 14TH--  The McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois,  now features a Route 66 penny press.  (Always amazes me, however, how little Bloomington and Normal have to do with their Route 66 heritage.)

DECEMBER 15TH----  The Cafe on the Route has reopened in Baxter Springs, Kansas after being closed for two years.  (I didn't even know it was closed, but have been no farther west on 66 than Lebanon, Missouri, the last two years.  It was great food when we visited earlier.)

DECEMBER 16TH--  Illinois is expanding its Electric vehicles Network along historic Route 66 so it will be easier for electric car folk to tour it.  Stations are at Edwardsville, Carlinville, Springfield, Lincoln, Normal, Pontiac, Dwight and Plainfield.  (The one in Dwight is at the Ambler-Becker gas station and has been there a couple years now.

Plug Me In, Start Me Up.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 18: The Perils of Morning Radio and Disco

November 21st, day two on the road.

Listening to my three disc Disco set this morning.  I usually try to avoid morning FM radio as there is way too much yapping going on.  Lots of blah-blah-blah, commercial, commercial, commercial, blah, blah blah.  Then traffic and weather, commercial, commercial, news.  Blah blah blah and commercial, commercial commercial.

I bought this Disco set several months ago at the Half price Books in Palatine, Illinois, mostly because there were quite a few songs on it that I had never heard before  Track #3 on Disc 1 is one of those "searching" by Change.  I hear some of you making sick noises about Disco, but I always have believed this was great music.  If Disco can't get your feet to moving, nothing will.  I often used Disco to get folks up when I used to deejay.  It was the phony lifestyle the Disco Nuts tried to effect that turned me off and most others.

"Ha, Ha, Ha, Staying Alive."  --RoadDog

No More US-41?

I came across posts in the US Highways Yahoo! Group discussing the impending end of one of the major historical highways in the United States, US-41.  Plans apparently call for it to become Interstate 41.

I know large parts of it are already limited access four lane roadways, but I sure would hate to see the end of the United States highway.

--RoadDog

Some More on Bernard Queneau: Boy Scout Distinguished Eagle Scout Award

Bernard Queneau died one day after receiving the rare Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.  His wife Esther claims that he held on until then.

The Boy Scouts do not keep an official count of living Eagle Scouts, but with Mr. Queneau being 102 years of age, it is very likely he was the oldest.

--RoadDog

The Last 1929 Lincoln Highway Boy Scout Dies-- Part 4

Bernard Queneau graduated from New Rochelle High School in New York and went to Columbia University and later received his Doctorate in Metallurgy at the University of Minnesota.  He joined the Navy reserve in 1939 and served during World War II.  He developed oxygen tanks for pilots.

After the war, he became U.S. Steel's Chief Metallurgist until his retirement in 1977.

Late in life, he married Esther, the president of the Lincoln Highway Association, whom he met at a LHA function.

Quite the Life and One of the Greatest Generation.  --RoadDog

The Last 1928 Lincoln Highway Boy Scout Dies-- Part 3

The group of Scouts passed through Harrison County and Council Bluffs, Iowa, on July 28, 1928, en route from Carroll, Iowa, to Omaha, Nebraska.

Bernard Queneau kept a journal which has been digitalized by the Lincoln Highway National Museum and can be seen on its website,  (I couldn't locate it, however).

The journey was actually the precursor of concrete markers that would be put up by the Boy Scouts a few years later.  Some 2400 were built, one for each mile.

Mr. Queneau was born in Belgium and moved to Minnesota and then to New York as a child.

--RoadDog

Correction on the Last 1928 Lincoln Highway Boy Scout's Name

Bernard's last name is spelled Queneau, not Queneu as listed in my source.  I'll gp back and change the name in the previous posts.

--Road "Scout" Dog

The Last 1928 Lincoln Highway Boy Scout Dies-- Part 2: Oldest Eagle Scout

The display of coast-to-coast half mast flags along the Lincoln Highway dates back to 1915 when Arthur Pardington, a Detroit ma instrumental in the early days of the highway, died.

Mr. Queneau was also recognized as America's oldest-known Boy Scout, something that was very important to him.  he was one of four Boy Scouts who made a 34 day trip along the Lincoln Highway from Philadelphia to San Francisco in 1928 to show safety and help save the Lincoln Highway after it mostly became US-30.

In the 1920s, signs along the road were often vandalized and even used as shooting targets.  It was decided to have a group of Scouts travel the road to show people how to pay respect for and maintain the markers.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 17: The New US-33

NOVEMBER 21ST, 2014: Cruising along US-33 now and saw a sign saying Athens. Ohio, was 33 miles.  US-33 is all four lane highway and often limited access so fast driving on it.  Liz and I had taken it back in 1976 to save time getting to North Carolina and found it to be all two lane, up and down, twisting and going through every town.  You sure couldn't make time on it back then and we hated it.  (Of course, this is before our old road awakening and we'f like it now.)

It bypassed Nelsonville last year, the last town you had to drive through.  Judging by the steep cuts in the hillside, this was a hard to build stretch of the new US-33.

We had such a disagreeable drive on US-33 back then that I always used to drive I-70 to Zanesville, Ohio, from Columbus and then get off and drive my favorite stretch of the old National Road/ U.S.-40 to Cambridge and then take I-77 into West Virginia.

--RoadDog

The Last 1928 Lincoln Highway Boy Scout Dies-- Part 1

From the December 12, 2014, Daily Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Iowa,  "Last surviving member of 1928 Boy Scout Lincoln Highway tour dies at 102" by John Schreier.

Bernard Queneau kept his oath to always protect and promote the Lincoln Highway all these years since 1928.

Mr. Queneu died Sunday, December 7, 2014, at age 102 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He was the last surviving member of the 1928 Lincoln Highway Safety tour which passed through Council Bluffs on its way west.

The Lincoln Highway National Museum and Archives wants towns along the route they traveled to fly their flags at half mast from noon, when his funeral will be today, to sundown.

In the early years of the Lincoln Highway, all major events along it were marked at noon as well, so this is continuing a tradition.

More to Come.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 16: Photo-Enforced Lights and "Uncle Billy"

NOVEMBER 21, 2014, FRIDAY:  Second Day on the Road.

Mighty cold this morning, but at least no frost on the car windows to contend with when I left.  Not as cold as yesterday, but still cold, especially this far south as I was.  Took the Exit 110 road south from the motel, figuring I would be able to run into US-33.

Encountered lots of those mean old photo-enforced lights and they seemed to be "out to get me."  There is a point where you have to make an instant decision, "Do I or Don't I Go Through."  I certainly don't want a$100 fine.  Lots of traffic on the road, but in eight miles, I was at US-33 and don't think I got a photo-enforced ticket.

Gas along the first stretch of the road was $2.73.  I am now entering Lancaster, Ohio, home of "Uncle Billy" Sherman, yeah, that infamous Union general who, 150 years ago was into his March to the Sea across Georgia and making "Georgia howl" while encouraging his army to "forage liberally."  Georgia still howls over it.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 15: No CBS, But Half Price Books!!

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

I checked into the Knight's Inn Motel at Exit 110, using those motel coupon books I always pick up when entering a state.  They do save money.  The cost of tonight was about $50 with tax.  I had driven 491.8 miles today and was up 29.7 mpg from 26.3.

I was going to watch the CBS lineup of shows, but look as I might, just couldn't find the local CBS station.  I figured perhaps this motel had Dish Network which supposedly was going to lose the CBS channels because of squabbling over money.  I have been hearing a lot about this on radio and TV of late.

I figured that as long as I was there and couldn't see my shows that I might just as well take a ride around the area to see what was there, so went back out.  Most of the stores were already closed so went back to the motel, but just before I turned off for it, I saw the sign of one of my favorite places to go these days, Half Price Books.

I shouldn't actually ever go into a Half Price Books store as it always ends up costing a lot of money.  I am puddy in their hands with all that favorite stuff of mine that they have (LPs, CDs and books).  There would be closing in 40 minutes, so I quickly began making my rounds and actually thought I was going to have a first, going into one of their stores and NOT BUYING anything!!

But, I got hooked in the Civil War section with two Navy books: "The Civil War Adventures of a Blockade Runner" and "Ironclad Down: The Story of the CSS Virginia.  I also bought a greatest hits CD by Buck Owens and two calendars for 2015 (Civil War and Military Posters).

Stopped at McDonald's on the way back.

The End of te First Day.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 14: All Christmas Music and Commercials

November 20th.

I must tell you that it never got over freezing all day, though somewhat warmer as I went farther south.

After I left Meijer's in Englewood, I got back on I-70 and drove to Columbus.  The idea was to make sure I was east of that city so I didn't have traffic to contend with tomorrow.

Cruising along, i was on 93.3 FM, WODC, usually classic hits, but now, all Christmas music and a WHOLE LOT of commercials.  They finally broke from commercials to do the weather and then went straight back to, you guessed it, commercials.  Get you holiday music and commercials on WODC.  Then, finally a song, Steve Lawrence doing "Happy Holidays" and then another one titled "Santa Baby."

A fairly uneventful cruise on I-70 to and through Columbus to exit 110 where I checked into the Knight's Inn Motel.

--RoadDog

100 Years Ago, Portland, Oregon, Solves Auto Accidents in 1914 with Hard Labor

From the Dec. 9, 2014 Mid Week "Looking Back."

100 Years Ago, December 9, 1914.

"In the last nine months there has not been one person injured or killed in an automobile in Portland, Oregon, because in Portland, the driver of an automobile who exceeds the speed limit is put to work on the rockpile for from two to 30 days.

"No fines accepted.  If the driver is convicted, he must do hard labor and no exceptions are made."

I hate to think what might happen if the driver had been drinking.

Must have Worked Back Then.  --RoadDog

Bald Eagle Hunting... in 1889

From the Dec. 9, 2014, Mid Week (Sycamore, Illinois) "Looking Back 125 Years Ago.

"While driving by Norwegian Grove Saturday, Mr. Turner spied a large bald eagle perched on a treetop.  He drove to town (I imagine not in an automobile) and got his gun, but on return the proud bird had disappeared.u

Let's file this under things you'd better not do today.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 13: Gas Prices for the Trip

This was one of the cheapest trips to North Carolina in a long time.  I can't even remember the last time I encountered gas prices under $3, but sure did this time.

Nov. 20--  Mahomet, Illinois $2.65
Nov. 20--  Englewood, Ohio--  $2.77
Nov. 21--  Wytheville, Virginia--  $2.56
Dec. 1--  Goldsboro, North Carolina--  $2.61
Dec. 1--  Wytheville, Virginai--  $2.46
Dec. 1--  London, Ohio--  $2.70
Dec. 2--  Potomac, Illinois--  $2.60
Dec. 2--  Saunemon, Illinois--  $2.69

I never figured to see gas this "cheap" again.

Savings I Can definitely Live With.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 12: "Cruising" Very Slowly Through Ohio, Well, Englewood Anyway

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

After leaving the gas station with the impossible to read prompter on the pump, I decided to take a look at the Meijer's (this is I-70 Exit 29 and I believe it to be US-40) just to the south of the interstate.  I immediately regretted it.  This was one really big rush hour and more traffic than I cared for.

First, it took a really long time just to turn out onto the road, then I ended up stuck in the turn lane to I-70 east bound.  I couldn't get over because of all the traffic coming up to my right (I needed to be in the left lane to turn into the Meijer parking lot.  After two light changes, I was finally able to work my way to the right lane and proceeded on to the Meijer turn in.

Here, I got stuck by the folks going across the road from a side street who would turn and then get stuck by the back up going north.  I had to wait for two light changes.

I figure it took me 15-20 minutes to go a half mile.

I finally got into the Meijer parking lot and there was a lot of traffic there as well.  Everybody was out driving.  I had to park pretty far away and went inside, all the while wondering why I didn't just get back on I-70.  Well, at least with all this delay, that meant reaching Columbus, my destination for the night, farther away from rush hour.

I bought two cassette brick 5-packs of Memorex tapes for recording use in North Carolina.  Meijer is one of the very few places where you can still buy audio cassettes.  I also bought the new Art of McCarthy double CD album.  Yep, I also still buy CDs.

Reckon I'm More Than Just a Little Out of the "In" Loop, Or So I've Been Told.  --RoadDog

A New Low Here in NE Illinois, $2.29 Gas in McHenry

Last night at Half-Times in Johnsburg, my Buddy Paul was showing his gasoline app on his smart phone and we happened to see gas in McHenry was $2.29!!  That is the lowest price I've seen in years and I decided to go there tomorrow to take advantage of it with my gas guzzling Dakota.

I figured it was because the new Murphy USA had opened by Wal-Mart.  It was.  they were having a welcome deal and all the other stations in the area had also dropped their price to match it.  It had been $2.70 to $2.80, so that is a really big drop.

That $2.29 didn't hurt nearly so much as the nearly $4 a gallon prices we've been getting hit with the last several years.

I would like to thank Big Oil for finally getting their storm trooper boots off our necks and giving the average Joe a break.  But curse you Big Oil for making me thing $2.50 gas is cheap.  It shouldn't be over $2.

Gas in Fox Lake the last I looked was just under $2.60.

I have heard from a Route 66 fan that gas in Oklahoma City has dropped below $2.

Oh Well, You know What They Say About Gift Horses.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 11: More Radio, Chili and Unreadable Prompts

November 20th, Thursday

Driving along, i picked up 92.1 FM by Columbus and heard some pretty good new R&B.  Not sure if 92.1 FM, WRLU might be out of Dayton.  I started losing the station around Exit 66, "Your station on Exit 66, "you know.

By Dayton, I came across the I-75 junction on I-70 and that is quite a spaghetti junction.  The I-75 signs for north said "To Toledo.  A big yuck to that.  Toledo Rockets, not exactly my favorite team.

Now, I found WODC, my first of those all-Christmas, all-the-time stations on the trip which I get every year.  I heard the Roulettes singing a Christmas song and then there was at least 15 minutes straight of commercials (while i was trying to determine if this was a Christmas station or not.  I mean, those commercials just came and came.

Of course, thanks to pal Denny, I had to stop at Exit 29 in Ohio so I could get my Cincy Chili fix at Skyline  And, then, I got gas at the station across from it which features the infamous no-can-read faded out prompt screen.  It is impossible to read it (the first pump across from Skyline Chili).

You really have to be able to read it to know what your're supposed to be doing.  I had used it before and forgot.  Went to another pump and filled up, then went inside to find out if my account had been cleared from the unreadable pump.  The clerk had no idea what I was talking about (but only a limited ability in English).  Gas was $2.77 here.


--RoadDog

Going Back to 1970-- Part 3

RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE--  CCR
SOUTHERN MAN--  Neil Yound (Remember what Lynyrd Skynyrd said.)
MEMO FROM TURNER--  Mick Jagger
THANK YOU FA LETTIN ME BE MY ELF--  Sly & the Family Stone

SUMMERTIME BLUES--  Who
OYE COMO VA--  Santana
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD--  David Bowie
MAYBE I'M AMAZED--  Paul McCartney

NO MATTER WHAT--  Badfinger
GALLOWS POLE--   Led Zeppelin
SPIRIT IN THE SKY--  Norman Greenbaum
THEM CHANGES--  Buddy Miles (Always a favorite of mine.)
WAR--  Edwin Starr  (And It Sure Was Going On.)

"What Are You Good For?"  --RoadDog

Going Back to 1970-- Part 2

SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED--  Stevie Wonder
BELL BOTTOM BLUES--  Derek & the Dominoes
LAKE SHORE DRIVE--  Alliotta Haynes & Jeremiah  (All about that famous Chicago road.)
IF NOT FOR YOU--  Bob Dylan

GET BACK--  Beatles
I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU--  Al Green
WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY--  Cat Stevens
BOX OF RAIN--  Grateful Dead

LET'S WORK TOGETHER--  Canned Heat
LOLA--  Kinks
CARAVAN--  Van Morrison
LET IT RAIN--  Eric Clapton

SWEET JANE--  Velvet Underground
ROADHOUSE BLUES--  Doors
BEWARE OF DARKNESS--  George Harrison
BALL OF CONFUSION--  Temptations (Some things just don't change.)

From the North Shore to the South Shore.  --RoadDog

Going Back to 1970-- Part 1

From the December 6, 1014, WXRT Saturday Morning Flashback with Wendy Rice.  Always enjoy this show from 8 to noon on 93.1 FM which streams on the internet. besides the music, there are plenty of events from that year that really take you back in my last full year as a teen.

And, this was a college year at good old NIU.

By the way, Professor John Hook is playing the top 40 Beach Music songs from 1955 on his show at www.beachshag.com site this week.  This was before my time of listening to music, but I have come to know a lot of these songs as I delve deeper into the roots of Rock and Roll.

These are the songs she played:

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN--  CCR
MIDNIGHT RIDER--  Allman Brothers
TAKE ME TO THE PILOT--  Elton John
WORKING CLASS HERO--  John Lennon

ARE YOU READY--  Pacific Gas & Electric
I HEAR YOU KNOCKING--  Dave Edmunds
SWEET BABY JAMES--  James Taylor
NATURE'S WAY--  Spirit

"I Want to Know."  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 10: Greetings Mr. HNST ABE

One of the highlights of my drive east on Indianapolis on I-70 was what I saw while tooling down the road.  I came up on a minivan and saw the Indiana license plates which read "HNST ABE."  After a short time, i figured out it was "Honest Abe."  I was chuckling to myself and thinking this must be a real bug Abraham Lincoln fan.

As I pulled alongside, I glanced over to get a look at this Lincoln fan.

And, it turned out to be none other than the Great Emancipator himself.  Abraham Lincoln was driving that vehicle.  There he was, in all his glory, hunched forward over the wheel and staring straight ahead as he tried to keep the ship of state on course through the turbulent war.

Sadly, there was no top hat (probably not enough room), but he sure enough had those strange chin whiskers and beard.  He had on a black suit.

I am thinking he must have a speaking engagement in Ohio.

I just had to chuckle.

Sure Made My Day.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead: N.C. Trip 2014-- Part 9; Barney Fife? Emergency Brioadcast Testing

East of Indianapolis, I-70 has been under much (and needed) construction the last several years.  Most all of it has finally been completed, but the reduced speed limit signs remain.  That's 55 mph and if you exceed it there are dire warnings about consequences.  So what is a motorist to do?  Drive that speed and get run over or go your regular speed?  

Going a regular speed over 55 mph could cause an encounter with a police man and you have to worry about a Barney Fife who would be a stickler for the law.  "I know there is no construction, but you have to do what the sign says."

As I drove through Indianapolis, I was seeking local stations to see what they had.    Today is evidently the agreed upon testing of the emergency broadcast system with that grating noise.  Sadly, not all the stations do it at once.  I must have heard the test five different times.

--RoadDog

Pearl Harbor Attacked 73 Years Ago

Continued from the Saw the Elephant and Running the Blockade blogs.

PART 3

James Vyskocil fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  A veteran of three wars.  He was in five sea battles and survived three air crashes.

On December 7, 1941, he was on duty at the naval shipyard tower and watched as Ford Island was bombed and ship after ship exploded.  He and his ship mates gave the first warning alert of the attack and remained on duty on the open platform of the 90-foot tower until the next day when they helped recover bodies.

Mr. Vyskocil went on to see heavy action in the Pacific Theater of the war and survived five major sea battles.

Route 66 Wins the 2014 IHSA Football Showdown 2-1

The finals of the IHSA High School Football playoff were played last weekend.

Route 66 beat out Lincoln Highway 2-1.

Lincoln Highways' Providence Catholic (New Lennox) won in Class 7A.

Route 66's Sacred Heart-Griffin (Springfield) won the championship in 5A.

In Class 3A, two Route 66 teams played for the championship and Wilmington defeated Williamsville.

Congratulations Route 66!!  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead, N.C. 2014 Trip-- Part 8

Listening to Brad Paisley's new CD, Moonshine in the Trunk.  The first song, "Crushin' It" startled me when it opened with the unexpected sound of a crushing can.  Something that is quite ominous when you're cruising down the road at 70 mph.

Earlier, I had been listening to the two discs of The London American Story with quite a mix of songs I knew and ones I didn't.  This was music from the 50s and 60s.  The CDs were stowaways as they were already in the player when I left.

I was just barely into Indiana when I saw where someone had hit a deer and I'd never seen so much blood on the road  The carcass was a bloody pulp.  that had to have been quite a big collision.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead, N.C. Trip-- Part 7: McRib Attack!!

Gas in Gibson City was $2.80.  I never thought I'd see it below $3 again.  I hate Big Oil for making me think $2.80 gas is cheap.  It ISN'T.

McRib season is upon us at McDonald's, and just in time to stop the company's earnings which are in the doldrums.  I try to get at least one McRib every week during this time, and it was coming up on one week, so stop it was at the Mac's in Gibson City.  It was a bit more expensive than at back at home (hard to believe as everything around Spring Grove is more expensive than this distance from Chicago.

It was $3.39 for the McRib sandwich ($2.99 back home).  A full meal was $5.55 (($4.99 in Spring Grove).  Regardless, it was a DELICIOUS meal.  McRibs are so G-O-O-D!!

On to I-74 at Mahomet, Illinois (near the southern terminus of Il-47.  Shortly after getting on the interstate, i see a marker for the origins of the Kaskaskia River.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead, N.C. 2014 T-Giving Trip-- Part 6: "Squirrel Stalks" and WGCY

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

There is a strong west wind blowing pieces of recently harvested corn stalks across Il-47.  Looks like squirrels skittering across, but I am now used to them so not slowing down.

My first hint as I passed Forrest, Illinois, that WHHP was no longer WHHP was a song playing on it that you would never hear on that station.  Then I heard the new call letters WHP.

I am now approaching Gibson City, Illinois, on 47 and have tuned in 106.3 FM WGCY with its beautiful, easy listening music format.  I've lost WJEZ by now and, of course, no more WHHP.  But, i have been listening to this "little pleasure" of a station the last couple years since I drove by the station and saw it's sign.

Today, they were playing more of a selection of easy listening rock songs:

DANCE WITH ME-- Orleans
I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU--  Spanky & Our Gang
THEN YOU CAN TELL ME GOODBYE--  Casinoes
DON'T IT MAKE YOU WANT TO GO HOME--  Glenn Campbell
HOW CAN I BE SURE--ON AND ON--  Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Unfortunately, I am pretty sure this is a canned music station for part of the time, at least.

I did enjoy listening to the local news on WJEZ and WGCY.    Local happenings in Gibson City wasthe Christmas parade and tree lighting downtown this Saturday.  Part of the town's Main Street is still brick and the town's Christmas tree is right out in the street surrounded by what looks to be giant presents, but are actually huge concrete blocks.  I don't recommend by a Scrooge and ramming that tree.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead, N.C. T-Giving Trip 2014-- Part 5: It's 10:26 A.M.

It's 10:26 a.m..  I always know that time because that is when my watch alarm goes off every day.  (I still tell time by looking at a watch and not by looking at my cell phone like so many do these days.)

If I was home right now, I'd be recording or listening to Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten on WDRV, 97.1 FM in Chicago.  And, if I was in the car right now I'd be listening to it, but alas, am out of range.

It goes off every day at 10:26 a.m. because I can't figure out how to turn it off.  I can set it to another time to go off, but can't figure out how to eliminate the alarm altogether.  I have a Timex digital watch (don't like figuring out those pesky hour and minute hands, you know).

If anyone knows what to do to turn it off, please let me know.

Always Knowing When It's 10:26 A.M..  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead, N.C. T-Giving Trip 2014-- Part 4: The Difference Between Live and Dead Deejays

One thing I like about WJEZ, 98.9 FM out of Pontiac, Illinois, is that they have live deejays all the time (well, at least during the day.  A live deejay is always better than a dead deejay.  Dead deejays are, well, DEAD.  I used to kid the bars advertising me as a live deejay when I was doing that.  Well, of course I'm live, otherwise I would be dead, wouldn't I?

But, a lot of stations nowadays have what I call canned music and no people there doing the announcing.  I will always listen to a station with those "live deejays" as opposed to canned deejays.

I am still thinking about becoming a deejay (well, nowadays CJs, Computer Jockeys, as they all play music off their laptops and pcs).  at our local LP (Low Power) radio station WRLR in Round Lake Heights, Illinois at 98.3 FM.  It has a whole 1 watt of power and goes out maybe 10-15 miles in every direction.  We get it quite nicely here on the hill in Spring Grove.  But more importantly, it streams out over the internet, so can reach much larger audiences.

But, then there is all that technology I'd have to learn (not exactly my strongest area).  I probably would have started deejaying way before 1981 but was afraid of all those wires I'd have to contend with.

Said the Guy With an Old Flip Phone from 2003 Who Still Doesn't Know How to Operate It.  --RoadDog

Driving in N.C. During World War II

From the July 17, 2012, Wilmington (NC) Star-News "Back Then" by Scott Nunn.

Wilmington, N.C. was an important arsenal for the war and coastal areas could come under attack by German U-boats, known to lurk off shore, especially in 1942.  Besides gas rationing, Wilmington-area residents had further restrictions.

JULY 10, 1942:  Brigadier General P.A. Wethered of District 2 Interior defenses announced that motorists along the coast could drive any time of the day or night on unrestricted roads as long as they followed regulations, including a nighttime speed limit of 15 mph and use of parking lights only.

Hey, It Was.  --RoadDog

Route 66's "Halloween" Movie Connection

From Yahoo! Answers.

Haddonfield, New Jersey, is the home of "Halloween" co-screenwriter Debra Hill.  John Carpenter, screenwriter and director, was raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and there is a small town of Smith's Grove 15 miles from Bowling Green.

The movie, however, despite its fall setting, was actually filmed in southern California in the spring.

The original movie referred to Haddonfield as just being somewhere in Central Illinois (which is around Springfield).

The 6th Halloween movie, "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers" was directed by Chicago native John Chappelle who chose to have Haddonfield located in Livingston County, about 70 miles south of Chicago.  The movie featured a map of the area in the deserted bus station before Michael broke in and that is where I saw Dwight and Pontiac.

Like, BOO!!  --RoadDog

Back Home Again

After almost two weeks and 2200 miles, I arrived back home last night.

Sure enjoyed the cheaper gas and filled up for a low of around $2.46 in Wytheville, Virginia, on Monday.  The last several trips to N.C., I paid around $3.30 to $3.80.  Big savings.  Thanks Big Oil for taking less of a profit and  helping your country.

All sorts of temp changes on the way home.  Leaving Goldsboro, N.C.,  it was upper 40s and 72 degrees in Mt. Airy around noon.  Going up the mountain side into Virgina, it dropped to 40 degrees in a matter of minutes.  Then stayed in the lower 30s the rest of the way that day.  All day yesterday it was 28-32 degrees.

Miserable driving the last two days with rain and drizzle all through West Virginia and southeast Ohio.  Yesterday, I had black ice and freezing rain from Richmond, Indiana, to Indianapolis and then overcast, but dry the rest of the way home.

--RoadDog