66 News, June 2017: Europe and Wrink's

JUNE 28--  The Belgium Route 66 Association launches website and Facebook pages.  It has a short history of the road and is written in English.  As I have said in the past, I think foreigners, particularly Europeans have a better appreciation of our road than many Americans.

JUNE  29--  More is written about the reopening of Wrink's Market in Lebanon, Missouri.  And featuring those famous fresh-made sandwiches.  Looking forward to visiting here soon.  I sure missed it the last couple times through Lebanon.

--RoadDog

Some Good Music to Listen to This Weekend

If you like music like I do, these are some great radio shows to listen to this weekend.  All shows stream at www.wdrv.com and www.wxrt.com.

WDRV, 97.1 FM

Friday, July 28

Ten at Ten with Bob Stroud on Canadian Rockers from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m..

Sunday, July 30

Rock and Roll Roots with Bob Stroud from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m..  Music from the sixties and seventies.


WXRT, 93.1 FM

Saturday, July 29

Saturday Morning Flashback with Johnny Mars to the year 1971 from 8 to 11 a.m..

Sunday, July 30

Breakfast With the Beatles with Terri Hemmert from 8 to 10 a.m..

Bluesbreakers with Tom Marker from 9 to 10 p.m.

And, I just got back from seeing "Dunkirk."  All I can say is "WOW!!"  That was some show.  If you haven't already seen it, get out to the theater.

Get Your Listen (And Watch) On.  --RoadDog

Tastin' & Fiestin'-- Part 4: A Parade and a Storm

SUNDAY, JULY 23

Out on the FB (Front Porch) for breakfast, coffee and the Chicago Tribune.  Then listened to and recorded Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots program on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  Since the drummers of the Yardbirds and Young Rascals have birthdays coming up, he featured the music of those two bands.  They are two of my favorites from the sixties.

We went to McHenry for the Fiesta Days parade, one of the biggest parades in Illinois.  We had quite a walk after parking as the parade also draws a real lot of people.  It was a hot and muggy day, with threat of rain.

We went to the PLAV, Polish Legion of American Veterans, and waited for the parade to begin and slaked our thirst.  Liz decided to stay in the cool PLAV, but I walked the half block down to Veterans Park and watched it.  They even had the McHenry High School Marching Band.  Bands are my favorite part of any parade.

About 20 minutes into the parade, we started getting occasional raindrops which increased in intensity so I went back to the PLAV, arriving just as a downpour began.  This turned into a hail storm.  Sure glad I came back when I did.  It let up and I went back outside and the parade surprisingly was still going.  I watched a little until it started to rain again.  I did this about two more times.

We drove to Half-Times in Johnsburg, where they were having a grand opening party for their new addition.  Hard to beat the $1 draft pints and $4 beef sandwiches with fries.  Last stop was at Sunnyside.

At least I Stayed Dry.  --RoadDog

Tastin' and Fiestin'-- Part 3: Five Bars, Three Bands, One Art

JULY 21, SATURDAY

We drove to McHenry, Illinois, for their annual Fiesta Days Art in the Park and Street Party.  We call the street party the annual Drunkathon as there sure is a lot of drinking and one of the few times you can have an alcoholic drink on the street and not get arrested in Illinois.  Cops are there, but just keep an eye on things.

First stop was Chain O' Lakes Brewery.  We had decided to go to several places on the Chain Crawl passport book and have it signed.  The Chain Crawl involves about 40 places on or near the Fox River and Chain of Lakes where you get a  passport book stamped.  At the end of the season we have a big party and the more stamps you have the better your chances of winning prizes.

Chain O' Lakes Brewery is a craft brewery with $5 beers.  I don't much like $5 beers.  Too expensive for my blood.  But, I do like different beers.  We went outside to the biergarten and watched a band play.

Walked through Veterans Park and looked at the crafts vendors booths.  Didn't buy anythng, but sure wanted to.

Then, I went to the Vinyl Frontier and bought some CDs and afterwards met Liz at Corkscrew Pointe where she had gotten another passport stamp.  They had big buckets of rumrunners for $4.  Another passport stamp place, After the Fox, wasn't going to open until 5 p.m., after the street party closed.

Sat outside the Town Tap and had a beer and then i went back out to the street and saw two bands playing classic rock.

Last stop in McHenry was at the PLAV, Polish Legion of American Veterans, to cool off and enjoy their $1 drafts.

Then we drove to Half-Times in Johnsburg where they were having a delebration for the opening of their new addition with $1 draft pints and food specials.  A band was setting up, but we left before they began.  Last stop on the way home was Sunnyside Tap also in Johnsburg.

A Goof Time, But Too Much.  --RoadDog

News Along 66, June 2017: Blogs and Illinois 66

JUNE 22--  McLean County, Illinois,  to extend Route 66 Bicycle Trail another 3.25 miles from Shirley to =Funks Grove.  The current trail runs from Towanda to Bloomington-Normal.  It will be nearly 19 miles in its entirety and is expected to be completed by 2019.

Always glad to see the bicycle paths extended and even better, B-N had become aware of its Route 66 heritage.  We may have to go there on our next trip.

JUNE 25--  A new blog about Route 66 "Never Quite Lost" blog.  Subtitle "The Road Goes On Forever  There will be new post every several months.

I Sure Wish I Only Posted Every Few Months.  --RoadDog

Tastin' and Fiestin'-- Part 2: Sales and More Rain, No "Rainmaker"

JULY 21, FRIDAY

Every morning I spend time out on FP  (Front Porch) having coffee, breakfast and reading the Chicago Tribune.  Enjoying the yard, which is now at peak color for the summer and listening to the birds sing.  To me, that is as good as it gets.

I went to McHenry to check out the yard nurseries and found that there were now sales going on at Wal-Mart and Home Depot so took advantage of that and bought more flowers, which I don't need.

We had planned on going to Antioch's Taste of Summer tonight to see the country band Suburban Cowboys, but with forecasts and threatening skies, decided not to.  Glad we didn't go as we had torrential rains.  Still something we don't need with all the flooding.

We went to the Legion and met the Usual Suspects (our friends) for 50-50.  We didn't win, but at least stayed dry.  It was hard to see going home with how hard the rain was coming down.

Enjoyed Margaritaville, our downstairs bar and the Ultimate Jukebox (300 CDs).  The Legion's digital jukebox didn't have it, but  the Ultimate Jukebox did, the Cryan' Shames' "Rainmaker," a very appropriate song these days.

"Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day."  --RoadDog

Tasting and Fiestin' Last Weekend-- Part 1: Pirates and the Neverlies

Flood or no Flood, at least the boat still floats.

THURSDAY JULY 20

I had to go see "Pirate's of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" in Round Lake Beach one more time.  This is the kind of movie that  needs to be seen on the big screen and with that surround sound.  A 70-inch screen is good, but just doesn't cut it.

I bought an outside bench and shepherd's hook for the yard at Big Lots for half off.  Checked on the boat which still is floating, but up way, way high.  The water isn't going down too much as we keep getting rain, something we don't need.  Plus, it was so hot and muggy, I even broke down and turned on the Dakota's air conditioner.  Something I don't often do.

Drove to Antioch for their annual Taste of Summer Festival and saw the Neverly Brothers do rock and roll from the 50s and 60s.  They are a three-piece band with guitar, stand up base and stand up drums.  What a show, but left earlier than we would have liked as the mosquitoes were voracious, a little side effect of all this rain and flooding.

I Tell You, This Rain Is a Gift That Just Keeps On Giving.  --RoadDog

A Busy Weekend, Even if the Chain of Lakes is Flooded-- Part 2: Fiesta or Taste?

Saturday is when our choice gets really difficult.  Two local towns are both having their big summer festivals.  McHenry has their Fiesta Days and Antioch continues with its Taste of Summer.

Antioch has a lineup of three of the top bands in the local area:  American English and their salute to the Beatles in the afternoon and then Modern Day Romeos and Hi-Infidelity.  That and all sorts of great food.  Every food vendor also has a $1.25 taste as well as some great food.

McHenry has their Art in the Park with 100-125 craft booths at Veterans Park and they close off Riverside Drive between Pearl Street and 120.  There are bands and lots and lots of beer.  We always call it McHenry's Drunkathon.

Sunday, Mchenry has their Fiesta Days parade at 1, one of the biggest in Illinois outside of Chicago.  Antioch has the band 7th Heaven, anothere top local band.

No Boat, But Anyway.  Like I Said, Decisions To Be Made.  --RoadDog

A Busy Weekend in the Works, Despite the Flooding-- Part 1

Again, even with the Chain of Lakes and Fox River at record flooding, this is a busy weekend for us.  And, there will be NO BOATING, obviously as the Chain is not expected to get back to normal for several more weeks.

Yesterday, is saw the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" for the second time.  This is a movie best seen on the really big screen.  Then we went to Antioch, Illinois, and saw the Neverly Brothers, a three piece band with upright base and standup drums, playing music from the 50s and 60s and giving quite a history lesson.  This is part of Antioch's four-day Taste of Summer Festival.

Today it will probably be back in Antioch to see the Suburban Cowboys playing today's country music.

I should also mention that we have a big country party this weekend in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin,called Country Thunder, about 14 miles away.  Main acts:  July 20--  Billy Currington, July 21--   Keith Urban and Restless Heart, July 22--  Thomas Rhett,  July 23--  Jason Aldean, Big & Rich and Tracy Lawrence.

--Decisions, Decisions.  --RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 25: A Whole Day For Fort Fisher

JANUARY 17TH, TUESDAY

Looking out at the ocean from my fifth floor room and couldn't help thinking that had this been 152 years earlier, I would have seen Union transports and warships sitting out a little ways as well as Union troops fortifying lines in case General Braxton Bragg would get up the courage to attack them.

He hadn't come to Fort Fisher's aid when it really counted and the fate of the fort and the South's last open major port and a center for  blockade running hung in the balance two days earlier, so why would he do it now?

Fort Fisher fell January 15, 1865.

The Union soldiers who captured the fort landed about where I was right now.

Of course, to my way of thinking, the war was already lost by late 1864, so saving more men's lives would  be a good thing.

But, Anyway.  I have a full day to spend at Fort Fisher and the Carolina Beach area.

OH BOY.  My Favorite Place In the World.  --RoadFisher

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 24: Some Packer Nirvana and a War

And, I really considered starting an eighth blog on World War I.  I am really glad I didn't as I have WAY TOO MANY blogs right now, with seven.

Throughout the day, I had lots of people tell me what a great game that Green Bay Packer-Dallas Cowboy game was yesterday.  Though most said they were pulling for the Cowboys.  I wore my Packer hat today which was causing the remarks.   Go PACK!!  Regardless of who you were pulling for, you have to admit that that was one of the best-ever football games.

Th presentation was given by Dr. Jan Davidson of the Cape Fear Museum and she was very knowledgeable on World War One and had a lot of pictures of items the museum had relating to the war.

I wrote a lot about the presentation in my Cooter's History Thing blog which is where I am writing about World War I, or, as the British refer to it, the First World War.  You can read more about the presentation at Cooter's History Thing Blog.  Hit the Wilmington NC label.

She said that Fort Caswell, a Civil War fort, was actually used as a military base and that there is a World War I Memorial in front of the New Hanover High School.  There was a lot of shipbuilding going on in Wilmington during the war and that most Wilmington men volunteered.  Blacks also served.

--RoadDog

North Carolina's Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry

Located by the "Rocks" at the end of US-421.  This really saves a long drive (and going through those horribly congested and photo-enforced stoplights in Wilmington) and costs just $5 a car.  What a deal!!

It is about a 30-minute, 4 mile ferry ride across the mouth of the Cape Fear River and connects Pleasure Island/Federal Point and Southport.

Service began in 1965 and is used a lot by tourists to the area.

Two boats run at a time during the summer, one from each terminus.

Each year they carry 185,000 vehicles and 500,000 passengers.

--RoadDog

North Carolina's "Rocks"

North Carolina's "Rocks" at the southern terminus of US-421  (and there is a sign saying that by the parking lot, also the other side says it is the beginning of US-421, kind of neat, i wish all roads would do that.)

U.S.-421 ends at a parking lot and from there you can launch a small boat and it is a popular fishing and crabbing spot.

This is referred to as the Swash Defense Dam and built back in the 1870s by the Army Corps of Engineers to close New Inlet, a very popular place for blockade-runners to run in and out of the Cape Fear River during the Civil War.

--RoadDog

Even With Flooding, We'll Wait It Out Having a Good Time

We have two major festivals going on this week here in northeast Illinois in Lake and McHenry counties.

I wish they would find a way, though, to have it on two separate weekends, but, no, they never will.

McHenry, Illinois, has their annual Fiesta Days.  This Saturday we have Art in the Park, where all sorts of sellers offer their wares in Veterans Park.  At the same time, they close off Riverside Drive by Illinois Highway 120.  Then, we have bands out in the street and all sorts of partying in the afternoon.

This Thursday, Antioch, Illinois, has its annual Taste of Summer which features all sorts of food, a carnival and bands every night Thursday and Friday and throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

Well, If You Can't Go Boating,  Drown Your Sorrows.  --RoadDog

Flooding Here in the Chain of Lakes Area in Illinois

Last Wednesday morning, in the wee hours, we had a torrential downpour here in the Chain of Lakes area in northeast Illinois by the Wisconsin state line.  We got anywhere from five to eight inches in about four hours and then had a couple of other big storms come through.

We had some flooding in our subdivision, which is about two miles from the Fox River, but that was just runoff.  The water in the retention pond behind our house got up to about 2/3 capacity, but has dropped down since then, though there is still some in it.

That was bad enough, but southern Wisconsin also got hammered and their water all ran off southward in the Fox River which has caused much flooding here.  Kind of strange as the water is rising, even though we have't had rain but one time for a short bit since then.

We are worried about our boat, which is still in the water in a channel off of Fox Lake, along with a lot of other boats.  The boat is riding up high and we're hoping that the pier will hold, and especially the posts.  Thankfully, boats float, but there is a question of where they might go should they come loose.

The water has finally stopped rising and is going down very slowly.

Hey, Anybody Seen My Boat?  --RoadDog

North Carolina's 100 Counties, 100 Things to Do (Well, Six of Them Anyway)

From the May 25, 2014, Raleigh (NC) News & Observer "Best Kept Secrets:  100 N.C, Counties, 100 things to try" by Richard Stradling.

Being a native North Carolinian, this immediately was of interest, but unfortunately I was unable to find the last 94 counties, so will have to suffice with these first six:

1.  Pender County--   Lanes Ferry Dock and Grill in Rocky Point

2.  Columbus County-- The Riverwalk in Fair Bluff

3.  Bladen County--  Jones Lake State Park,  Carolina bays.

4.  Sampson County--  Sampson County History Museum in Clinton

5.  Brunswick County--  Kindred Spirit Mailbox in Sunset Beach.  People write down their thoughts and leave them in the box.

6.  New Hanover County--  Casey's Buffet in Wilmington.  I've eaten there.

--RoadDog

News From Along 66, June 2017: Farms, Book and Movie

JUNE 12--  The old Gillett Farm on the top of Elkhart Hill in Elkhart, Illinois, will be auctioned off.  It is sure hard to miss Elkhart Hill as it is the highest ground between Chicago and St. Louis.

John Dean Gillett was called the "Cattle King of the World" back in 1860.  he was a friend of Abraham Lincoln.

I imagine he made quite a bit of money supplying beef to the Union armies during the Civil War.

JUNE 14--  There is a new book out called "The 1928 Bunion Derby" by James R. Powell.  It is about the 3,423 mile Trans-American Footrace between Los Angeles and New York City.  But, those of us Route 66 fans knew that.

JUNE 16--  Movie Review on "Cars 3."  "Represents a return to the emotional core of the original 2006 film."

I saw it yesterday and sure did enjoy it.  Sadly, our local theater is pulling it after just three weeks, so it must not have done all that well.

--RoadDog

13 Must-See Sights on Route 66-- Part 4: Theaters, Rabbits, Ghosts, Wigwams and Piers

9.  KiMo Theater--  Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Built 1927.  designed to reflect the Indian/Hispanic and Anglo cultures.

10.  Jack Rabbit Trading Post--  Joseph City, Arizona.  You know, all those "Here It Is" signs.  Or is it "Hare It Is?"

11.  Ghost Town of Calico--  north of Daggett, California.  What is left of an 1881 mining town.  OK, this one I had never heard of before.

12.  Wigwam Village Motel--  Rialto, California.  There is also one in Holbrook, Arizona, on Route 66.

13.  Santa Monica Pier--  Not exactly on Route 66, but close and makes for a good end-of destination.  Built 1908.

She suggests Drew Knowles' "Route 66 Adventure Handbook" for reading.

Obviously, I Love My Lists.  --RoadDog

13 Must-See Sights on Route 66-- Part 3: U-Drop, Caddies and Blue Swallow

6.  U-Drop Inn--  Shamrock, Texas.  Art Deco wonder, once a Conoco station.

7.  Cadillac Ranch--  Amarillo, Texas. All those Caddies.

8.  Blue Swallow Motel--  Tucumcari, New Mexico. Opened in the 1940s.  Also in Tucumcari, the souvenir store shaped like a teepee and the sombrero-shaped restaurant.

--RoadDog

13 Must-See Sights on 66-- Part 2: Drive-In, Old Riverton Store and Pops

3.  66 Drive-In Theater--  Carthage, Missouri.  Opened in 1949.

4.  Nelson's Old Riverton Store--  Riverton, Kansas.  Opened in 1925 as the Williams Store and for a long time was the Eisler Brothers Store.  My wife told me a few days ago that it had been torn down.  Bad news.

CORRECTION.  It was not torn down.  Liz misread the article about buildings across the street being torn down and not Nelson's.  Thanks LuLu for pointing that out to Liz.

5.  Pops--  Arcadia, Oklahoma.  Has 700 flavors of pop, or do you call it soda pop or soda?  Its 66-foot tall neon soda bottle is a real looker.  This wasn't there when we last went through there in 2006.  Looking forward to seeing it this fall.

Maybe have a Sodee Pop or Two.  RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 23: World War I Presentation

A real nice room, as always at a Marriott (just usually considerably more than I want to pay, but $67 is a good price).

Drove over to Food Lion for a bite to eat and then I attended the Federal Point Historic Preservation Society's meeting at their museum next to the Carolina Beach Town Hall (in the old Blockade Runner Museum museum).  They took the old picnic area of the B-R Museum and put walls up and now have a museum.  The picnic area was either modeled after the Wilmington slave auction center before the Civil War or was a real one.  I have never been able to get clear on this.

The newspaper had said the presentation tonight at the museum was going to be Wilmington during World War II, something I am very interested in and have written a lot about it in my World War II blog, Tattooed On Your Soul.  However, the talk was not on World War II.

They are preparing an exhibit to mark the centennial of the United States entry into World War I and to go along with it, tonight's talk and slide show was on Wilmington, North Carolina, during that war.

That was alright, though, because I am interested in anything to do with history.

Little Old History Me.  --RoadDog

13 Must-See Route 66 Sites-- Part 1: Big Ketchup and Caverns

From readers Digest "13 Must-See Sights You Can Only See On Route 66" by Claire Nowak.

I always enjoy seeing when other people have a list of what to see on Route 66, especially when it is a place I've seen.

1.  World's Largest Ketchup Bottle--  Collinsville, Illinois.  Built in 1949 and actually a water tower 70 feet tall.  Wants some fries with your catsup (or is it ketchup?).

2.  Meramec Caverns--  Stanton, Missouri.  Opened as a tourist attraction in 1935 and did a lot of advertising along Route 66 and other roads on those barns, especially famous for putting bumper stickers on every car that visited.  I was SO disappointed when we visited that they didn't have any free bumper stickers in 2004, or even ones I could buy for that matter.

For some reason, I always have a hard time spelling Meramec Caverns.

No Bumper Sticker For Me, I Guess.  --RoadDog

News Along 66, June 2017: Wrinks Market in Lebanon, Mo., Reopens

These stories are taken from the Route 66 News site, which has a lot more stories and a lot more information.  I just pick ones of particular interest to me.

JUNE 11, 2017--  The granddaughter of Mr. Wrinkle, Katie Hapner, and her step-sister Sarah Carney reopened it and are trying to make it look as near as they can to the original.  It is quite near that wonderful Munger-Moss Motel, east  of town.

Glenn "Wrink" Wrinkle opened the place in 1950 and kept it going until his death at age 82 in 2005.  His son Terry Wrinkle reopened it in 2007, but closed in 2009.  Cowboy D.C. Decker reopened it in 2011 as a country emporium, but that too closed.  (I really enjoyed Decker's place.)  And, there were several other places in it that also didn't make it.

If the girls are going to make it look like the old Wrinks, it will have to be junky.  That place was packed, but what made it a great place to visit and buy was, of course, "Wrink."  We were fortunate and got to talk with him on several occasions before his death.  he would really "hold court."

It always bothered me to drive by it and see it sitting there vacant.  Happy days are here again.

A Real Bit of 66 Here.  --RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 22: Fort Fisher and a Motel

I  returned to the car and popped the Bee Gees' "One" CD into the player and then cruised south on US-421, through Kure Beach, keeping an eye open for a mom and pop motel, but didn't find any likely candidates, plus, I wanted to be closer to the Silver Dollar saloon and other Carolina Beach bars.

Drove to Fort Fisher which is always closed on Mondays.  I sure wish I had been able to get to this fort a couple days ago when they had the 152nd anniversary of its capture.

Back to Carolina Beach and looking for mom and pop motels, but no luck.  I remembered seeing that the Courtyard by Marriott, which had been the host hotel for Saturday's Friends of Fort Fisher and descendants reunion in the morning, had had a $69 special rate so thought I'd give it a go.  When the clerk told me it would be $67 plus tax, it was a done deal.  I had my room.

And, it is in just a few blocks of the Silver Dollar.

--RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 21: Tallking CDs, DJs and You Tube

JANUARY 16, MONDAY

Walked along the top of the sand dune berm and looked at the ocean on a pretty good day, weatherwise, for January.

I then took a walk along the front row of stores (and bars) and decided to check out a souvenir store.  I was impressed.  They had a huge collection of beach-related Christmas ornaments (but I avoided buying any, but I sure wanted to).  I did spend some time going through a big collection of used CDs which I, of course, had to thumb through all of them.

I bought five CDs and found out the owner, who was tending store, was a deejay and he was selling his CDs while recording You Tube download songs on his laptop which he will now use in his shows.

I agree that You Tube is one of the best sources of music anywhere.  I use it when I am doing my once a month WLS Top 40 list on my Down Da Road I Go Blog.  The other weeks, I post the Top Ten and generally know those songs, but when I get to numbers 21-40, there are always several (sometimes a lot) of songs that I don't know, so its to You Tube I go.  Only once or twice have I been unable to find a particular song.

He also told me about a place he hangs out at when not at the store or deejaying.  It is the Fat Pelican on US-421 in Carolina Beach.  I'll have to check it out.  He also spends time at my favorite Carolina Beach bar, the Silver Dollar Saloon.

Two things I really enjoy doing (well three things) and they are hanging around with knowledgeable music people, Civil War people and road people.

--RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 20: Carolina Beach Has Up-scaled But Still Retains Some Honky-Tonk

JANUARY 16, MONDAY

Well, if I can't find a motel, I'll go to the Boardwalk of Carolina Beach.

I parked right by it, something that is fairly impossible to do during the summer when the crowds are there.  Back in the 1960s and 1970s, Carolina Beach was a worn-out beach town, but not anymore.  It is booming, and unfortunately. extremely crowded with big resort hotels like Marriott and Best western.

But, one good thing is that it still maintains a bit of its old honky-tonk atmosphere.

Parking is also free in the winter and will cost you during the high season.

I walked around.  I was glad to see my old hangout, The Silver Dollar Saloon still in business.  It was open, but I walked on by.  I'll be back.

I went along the ocean front.  Sadly, you can no longer see the ocean from the buildings along it as there is a huge berm between them and the water.  You can walk along the top of the berm as it has walkways and places to sit and get down to the ocean.

--RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 19: Snow's Cut, Federal Point and Mom and Pop Motel Search

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Snow's Cut made Federal Point, called Confederate Point during the Civil War for some reason, was made into an island essentially when Snow's Cut was made to connect the Cape Fear River with Masonboro Sound as part of the Intercoastal Waterway.  Now brochures refer to the area as Pleasure Island.

I figured I'd stop by the Carolina Beach Town Hall and get some brochures and look at the Civil War dioramas, but it was closed.  Oh yes, MLK Day.  The town hall is in the building where once one of my favorite places in the world was located, The Blockade Runner Museum, which operated until the 1980s.  At one time I seriously considered quitting teaching and working there.  Fortunately I didn't as it closed.

I drove around Carolina Beach looking for a mom and pop motel to stay in, but found many closed for the season and a couple were open, but the office closed and no one around.

--RoadDog

Red, White & Blues Roots Salute to the U.S.-- Part 3: "Knights in White Satin"

Finishing up Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots Salute to the Red, White & Blue on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM. from July 2, 2017.

MORNING HAS BROKEN--  Cat Stevens
SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT--  Billy Joel

PLEASE PLEASE ME--  Beatles   This week, 65 years ago, John lennon met Paul McCartney.
HONEY DON'T--  Beatles   And 7-7 (July 7) Ringo Turns 77.  That's a lot of sevens.
TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK--  Eddie Cochran  When John Lennon found that Paul McCartney knew and could play this song, a band was born.

REDNECK FRIEND--  Jackson Browne
KNIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN--  Moody Blues
SILVER, BLUE & GOLD--  Bad Company

RED SHOES--  Elvis Costello
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE--  Procul Harum
BEHIND BLUE EYES--  Who

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "We Skipped The Light Fandango."  Answer Below.  --RoadDog


"A Whiter Shade of Pale"

The Drive's Fours of July-- Part 2: "Ramble On"

ROLLING STONES

Shattered
Rock and a Hard Place
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Little T & A

QUEEN

Under Pressure  (with David Bowie)
Radio GaGa
Bohemian Rhapsody
Bicycle Race

LED ZEPPELIN

Over the Hills and Far Away
Tangerine
Ramble On
Hot Dog

Still the Fours.  --RoadDog

The Drive's Fours of July-- Part 1: "Cheap Sunglasses"

Chicago's Classic Rock station, WDRV, 97.1 FM is running Fours of July in honor of the Fourth of July.  They play four straight songs by a classic rock group.

It streams at www.wdrv.com.

Here are some played the past couple hours:

ZZ TOP

Cheap Sunglasses
Pearl Necklace
Legs
Just Got Paid

EAGLES

Hotel California
Witchy Woman
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Those Shoes

FOREIGNER

Head Games
Urgent
Cold As Ice
Dirty White Boy

Give It a Listen. Happy Fourt.   --RoadDog

News From Along 66, June 2017: Repairing the Boots Court Motel's Neon

These stories come from the Route 66 News site.  I only pick the ones I am most interested in andI only write a little of what is said.  For the whole article and photos, go to the website.

JUNE 1--  Fire destroys building inside Joliet Corrections Center.  A juvenile was charged with arson.

And he should be careful about the ghost of John Belushi getting him from trying to mess up one of his most famous scenes.

JUNE 6--  Fundraising is going on to repair the Boots Court Motel's severely hail-damaged neon.  We are looking forward to staying there the next time we're in Carthage, Missouri.

JUNE 7--  The Lebanon-LaClede County Route 66 Association launched a new website.  Check it out at www.lebanonroute66.com.

One of our very favorite Route 66 counties.

--RoadDog

Red, White & Blue Roots Salute to the U.S.-- Part 2: "White Bird"

YES IT IS--  Beatles   Please don't wear red tonight.
DEAR PRUDENCE--  Beatles    OK, It was from the "White Album."
FOR YOU BLUE--  Beatles     Bob Stroud managed to get a trio of Beatles songs in with these.

GOING UP THE COUNTRY--  Canned Heat
I WANT YOU--  Bob Dylan
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME--  Cheap Trick

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD--  Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
WHITE BIRD--  It's a Beautiful Day
CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION--  Tommy James & the Shondells

RED HOUSE--  Jimi Hendrix
WHITE LIES, BLUE EYES--  Bullett    Hey, we got two for one with this one.
BLUE MORNING, BLUE DAY--  Foreigner

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Whose That I See Walkin' In These Woods?"  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Little Red Riding Hood"

Red, White & Blue Roots Salute to the U.S.-- Part 1: "Red Rubber Ball"

This past Sunday, Bob Stroud did a Rock and Roll Roots Salute to the Red, White & Blue of the United States.  Every so often, he would play three straight songs with the words red, white and blue (in that order.)  Kind of good for getting in the mood for tomorrow.

The other songs can put you into a summer picnic mood as well.

MY LITTLE RED BOOK--  Love
WHITE RABBIT--  Jefferson Airplane
JACKIE BLUE--  Ozark Mountain Daredevils

I GET AROUND--  Beach Boys
YOUR SISTER CAN'T TWIST--  Elton John
TRAVELIN' BAND--  CCR

RED RUBBER BALL--  Cyrkle
WHITE ROOM--  Cream
DEVIL WITH A BLUE DRESS ON/GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY--  Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

SANDY (4TH OF JULY ASBURY PARK)--  Bruce Springsteen
UP ON THE ROOF--  Drifters

LITTLE RED ROOSTER--  Jimi Hendrix
BLACK AND WHITE--  Three Dog Night
BABY BLUE--  Badfinger

Name That Tune (from above songs):  "Together We Can Learn To Read And Write."  Answer Below.  --RoadDog


"Black and White"

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 18: BBQ, Seafood and Carolina Beach

JANUARY 16, MONDAY

I had seen a Carolina BBQ buffet place on the road in Wilmington on several occasions, but had never stopped for one reason or another.  It is called The Carolina BBQ and Sea Food restaurant and it is at good as it gets, everything I expected and very reasonable at $6.49 for seniors.

It is across from beautiful Hugh McRae Park   Blacks want the name changed because of Hugh McRae's white supremacist past even though he donated it to the city.  Here's hoping they don't change the name, but that will probably happen.

Fully full, I continued to US-421 and Carolina Beach, going over that wonderful Snow's Cut Bridge.  From the top of it you can see the ocean and Masonboro Sound, something that over the years, and my family has been coming to Carolina Beach since I was a baby, always have me a great thrill.  "We're here at the BEACH now!!"

My grandparents owned a cottage on the Southern Extension of Carolina Beach until it was completely destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954.  After that, we'd rent a great aunt's cottage right behind it all the way  into the 70s.

--RoadDog

N.C. Jan. 2017-- Part 17: Closing Up the Condo

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Sunrise at the beach, but not as pretty as the last ones.

It is Martin Luther King day so I probably won't be able to pay the Topsail Beach water and garbage bill at the town hall.  I had forgotten about the holiday.

I saw that the NBA is looking to shorten their games, just as the NFL and MLB have done because ratings have dropped.  The biggest reason for the drop is millennials.  I can tell you, try to catch one not staring and playing with their "Idge" phones.  Another problem, especially in college football, is in the near constant stream of commercials and all those commercial timeouts.

Bob, Andy and I went back to the condo to move a few things out and raid the fridge  We were happy to see that all the condo garbage cans (and we had used everybody's) had been emptied and the huge pile of junk out by the street was gone.  Thanks Topsail Beach garbage men.

We went out to the beach one last time.  I am sure going to miss Mom's condo at Topsail Arms.  It was always a very relaxing place to go.  Bob and Andy drove back to Goldsboro.

On the way out of Topsail Beach, I stopped at the town hall, and as expected, it was closed.  The place we had consigned items to was also closed so I wasn't able to drop that off either.

Drove to Wilmington on the ever busy US-17 and then U.S.-17 Business to College Avenue.  How those roads can handle so much traffic is anybody's guess.  I really hate driving anywhere near or through Wilmington, which also has lots and lots of photo-enforced stoplights.

--RoadDog