Along 66, October 2018: Motels, Museums and Shields

OCTOBER 5--   DeAnza Motor Lodge scheduled to reopen in April.  In Albuquerque, New Mexico.

So far, it has been a $9 million project to renovate.

Built in 1939.  At  4301 Central NE.  Albuquerque will be glad it was saved.

OCTOBER 16--  Decades of Wheels opens in Baxter Springs, Kansas.  They had some pretty good bands opening for them:  Grand Funk Railroad and John Kay (of Steppenwolf).  Always good to have another museum on Route 66.

OCTOBER 19--  A huge Route 66 shield has been painted on the road (you know which one) in front of Gay Parita in Paris Springs, Missouri.

Hey, bigger is better.

--RoadDog

IHSA 2018 State Champions Classes 5A to 8A

5A

Joliet Catholic   9-4   They started the playoffs at 5-4.  Very few teams win it starting with that record.

6A

Cary-Grove   (Cary)  14-0

7A

Nazareth  Academy (LaGrange Park)   12-1

8A

Loyola Academy  (Wilmette)   10-3

Congratulations Teams.  --RoadDog

IHSA 2018 State Champions: Classes 1A to 4A

It started dive weeks ago with 256 teams in eight classes, 1A to 8A.  With one being the smallest schools and eight the bigger ones.

1A

Forreston  11-2

2A

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 13-0

3A

Monticelle   13-0

4A

Immacualte Conception  (Elmhurst)  13-0

--RoadDog

Lincoln Highway and Route 66 Play To A Tie in IHSA Tournament

Lincoln Highway went into the Championship games with a 2-1 lead, but St. Charles North lost.  Both teams had Joliet Catholic which won the Class 5A Championship.  As such,  the Route 66-Lincoln Highway Showdown is ruled a tie for 2018.

Remember, Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway both go through Joliet.

Of interest, Joliet Catholic was in the playoffs and rounds after that for many years, but the last several years, they have hit upon hard times.  They started the 256 team tournament with a 5-4 season record.  Very few teams have overcome that record to win it all.

And, Joliet Catholic Did Just That.  --RoadDog

IHSA Football Championships, Classes 5A to 8A

These teams play for the Illinois state championship in Saturday:

5A

Montini   (Lombard)  12-1  vs.  Joliet Catholic  9-4

6A

Cary Grove    (Cary)  13-0  Vs.  Crete-Monee   (Crete)  10-3

7A

Nazareth Academy  (LaGrange Park)  12-1  Vs.  St. Charles North   10-3

8A

Brother Rice  (Chicago)  13-0   Vs.  Loyola Academy  (Wilmette)  10-3

Good Luck Teams!!  --RoadDog

IHSA Football Championships Begin Today-- Part 1: Classes 1A to Class 4A

Shortly the eight IHSA Illinois Football championship games begin in Champaign at the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium.

Today Classes 1A through 4A play.  Tomorrow, the larger schools, 5A to 8A  play.

1A

Forreston   11-2 vs. Camp Point  12-1

2A

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (Gibson City) 13-0  vs. Maroa-Forsyth  (Maroa)  13-0

3A

Byron  13-0 vs Monticello  13-0

4A

Immaculate Conception  (Elmhurst)  13-0  vs.  Bishop McNamara  (Kankakee)  12-1

Good Luck Teams!!

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 5: To the Bookstore For NIU Gear

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

So, we're not going to the game, but didn't want to go to downtown DeKalb and start having cocktails this early, so we drove Lucinda Road (which really, really needs to be repaved) west to the Village Commons shopping center.  It opened back when we were students at NIU, 1970.

It had the Village Commons Bookstore when we used to get royally ripped off for textbooks.  Believe me, no one told me (or warned me) about how much those college books cost.  It was a HUGE culture shock.  But, it also has all sorts of NIU clothing, so, since we are in  to that sort of thing, it is a good stop.  And, they have a free parking lot.

The other place selling clothing (and those expensive textbooks) by campus is the University Center.  I have to wonder in this age of digital if students still by hard copy books or pay to download (or even better free downloads)?  The big problem with the University Center Bookstore is there is no free parking by it.

Saw some interesting stuff, but nothing that we HAD to Have.  I always stock up on old Northern Star student newspapers at VCB, though.  I find out what is going on on campus.

--RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 4: The Lagoon and the "Mighty Kish"

Ok, so we puppied out of going to the game, but still plenty to do around campus for us alums.

We  drone east on Lincoln Highway to our favorite part of campus, the Lagoon.  This was formed back when DeKalb leaders were trying to get a college in the city in the 1890s.  It is right by the "Mighty Kish," as we call the Kishwaukee River, which is actually more of a stream or creek.

The story has it that DeKalb leaders damned up the Kish and had the dam broken when state people were in town to select a college site so it looked like the Kishwaukee had a strong flow, which it doesn't have during the summer.  (The headwaters of the Kishwaukee River are in Woodstock, Illinois, and we always drive by it on Illinois Highway 47 when we go to DeKalb.)

Well, they did get that college after all that work.

The Lagoon is close to the hill (actually more of a rise) and there is the oldest building on campus, Altgeld Hall.  It is called "The Castle" because that is what it looks like.  Back in the 70s there was talk of tearing of down and I am sure glad they didn't as it is a beautiful building, complete with gargoyles on the top.

But, No Igor.  --RoadDog

Lincoln Highway Holds a 2-1 Lead Over Route 66 in 2018 IHSA Showdown

Going into the championship weekend starting this Friday and continuing this Saturday, Lincoln Highway has a 2-1 lead over Route 66.

Last weekend these Lincoln Highway teams lost:  Lincoln Way East, Batavia and Sterling,   This Route 66 team lost:  Carlinville.

Remaining teams:

LINCOLN HIGHWAY:

7A

St. Charles North

5A

Joliet Catholic

ROUTE 66

5a

Joliet Catholic

Both Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway go through Joliet which is why Joliet Catholic is listed on both roads.

Good Luck Teams.  --RoadDog

US-14 (Northwest Highway) Wins Showdown

This past Saturday, the last remaining US-12 (Rand Road) team in the IHSA football playoffs lost and the last remaining US-14 team, Cary-Grove won.

This gives US-14 (Northwest Highway) the Showdown Championship.  Back 5 weeks ago US-12 started with five teams in the playoffs.  US-14 had nine teams.

Since the first US-14-US-12 Showdown in 2013, US-14 leads 4-1-1.

The next game will be Saturday in Champaign, Illinois, at the University of Illinois.

Go Cary-Grove!!  --RoadDog

Good Thing It Was a Flivver

From the September 5, 2018, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"A tourist, while driving across the railroad tracks at Fourth Street this noon. lost a wheel, and was held up for some time.

"A gang of strong fellows standing nearby picked up the flivver so that the wheel could be  placed again and then pushed the car clear of the tracks. There is one advantage of a flivver, it can be handles easily by a couple strong men in an accident like that."

--RoadDog

The Problem With Fire Plugs in 1918

From the October 17, 2018, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"It is noticed of late that local automobile owners are forgetting the appeal of the  fire marshal here some time ago, as well as the city ordnance relative to the parking of cars near fire hydrants.

"Day after day, local people, who know better, are seen parking cars directly in front of a fire plug on Lincoln Highway and should the department have occasion to connect onto the plug the car would have to be removed several feet."

--RoadDog

IHSA US-12 vs US-14 Playoff: It's a Tie Going Into the 4th Round

US-14 team that lost last weekend:  Maine South.

US-14 (Northwest Highway) remaining team:

6A

Cary Grove

US-12 (Rand Road) remaining team:

4A

Richmond-Burton

Like I Said, It's a Tie.  --RoadDog

IHSA Lincoln Highway-Rt. 66 Showdown 2018: Route 66

There are now still 32 teams remaining in the eight classes in the Illinois High School Playoffs.

These Route 66 teams lost last weekend:  Edwardsville, East St. Louis, Normal West and Williamsville.

Remaining teams:

5A

Joliet Catholic

3A

Carlinville

So, Lincoln Highway leads 5-2.

Both roads share Joliet Catholic since both roads go through Joliet.

--RoadDog

IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown 2018: Lincoln Highway

There are now just 32 teams remaining from the 256  who started.

Lincoln Highway teams losing in the last round:  Sterling Newman and Aurora Christian.

Teams remaining:

8A

Lincoln Way East

7A

Batavia
St. Charles North

5A

Sterling
Joliet Catholic

Lincoln Highway has 5 teams remaining.  Tomorrow we will see how many Route 66 teams are still in the Showdown.

--RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 3: The Problem With Night Football

October 13,  Saturday.

Well, at least it was football during the day.  To me, that is when football should be played, even if we puppy out at cold days.  (Nor do I like to see games in the rain.)  I don't like the fact that all high school games being played on Friday nights.  When we went to Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois, all our games were on Saturdays and I sure would like to see high school games returning to then.

Plus, even worse, all of NIU's games in November are at night.  Let's see, night football in DeKalb, Illinois?  Might there be a chance that it will be c-o-l-d!!!  You betcha.  No way I am going to sit out in the cold like that, plus, the games are generally shown on TV.  I'll sit home and watch it.

The Mid-American Conference, which Northern is in, has a contract with ESPN for these games which is the only way we can get on national TV.  It's good to be on national TV, but it hurts the football experience because of the severe cold temps here in the upper Midwest where all of the teams are located.

The TV crews are always sure to keep the shots tight so you don't see how few people are in the stands.

Of they want the MAC on TV and it has to be at night during the week, then put us on in September.  Let the Sun Belt have the November night games.  It is warmer in the South, after all.

Shivering All the Way.  --RoadBurr

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 2: Motels and A No Go

Continued from October 23, 2018.  Click on the NIU Homecoming label below to see the first entry.

OCTOBER 13, SATURDAY

We checked into the Red Roof Inn on Lincoln Highway.  We had our wedding rehearsal dinner at this place back on August 25, 1973 after being married at the Newman Center at NIU.  At that time it was a Holiday Inn and later a Best Western.

Back in the earlier days when we came to DeKalb for NIU Homecomings we stayed at the Motel 6, jut to the east of the Red Roof Inn.  Unfortunately, it was allowed to run down and closed while it was a Travel Inn several years back and it is still vacant.

We were thinking of going to the football game as we had arrived in time, but too late to do any of the pre-Homecoming partying.  Plus, it was quite cold with a stiff wind blowing.  Neither Liz or myself is too keen on sitting outside in cold, windy weather.

So, we decided not to go to the game.  We figured we could watch it in one of the college bars like Lord Stanley's.

A Bunch of Puppies.  --RoadPup

Veterans Day Ceremony At Fox Lake Train Station

In just a little while I'll be going over to the Fox Lake train station where the American Legion and VFW are having a commemoration of the end of World War I, Armistice Day, which took place 100 years ago today.  My two grandfathers were in the war, one in the Army and the other in the Merchant Marine.

Also, today is Veterans Day.

The Armistice was only temporary and peace did not completely come until the Treaty of Versailles was signed the following year.

November 11 is a national holiday in France as well as other Allied countries.  In some countries, Armistice Day coincides with Remembrance Day or Veterans Day.

"You Cannot Exaggerate About the Marines"

Today being the 243rd birthday of the USMC, a few words to sum them up are in order.

"You cannot exaggerate about the Marines.  They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth -- and the amusing thing is that they are."

Father Kevin Keaney
1st Marine Division Chaplain
Korean War

2018 IHSA Rand Road Vs. Northwest Highway Showdown

The following US-12 (Rand Road) teams lost last Saturday:  Hersey and Lake Zurich.

That leaves just Richmond-Burton in Class 4A.

The following US-14 (Northwest Highway) teams lost last Saturday:  Barrington, Hersey, Maine West, Ptairie Ridge and Crystal lake South.

This leaves just Maine South in Class 8A and Cary Grove in Class 6A.

US-14 has a 2-1 lead.

--RoadDog

From 256 to 128 to 64

It kind of sounds like a Chicago song, but these are teams who started in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football playoffs two weeks ago and remain today.

Just 64 remain and after tomorrow, that number will be whittled down to 32.

Good luck to all the remaining teams.

And, in the Lincoln Highway versus Route 66 Showdown, Lincoln Highway keeps a slim 7-6 lead over Route 66.

In the US-14 (Northwest Highway) versus US-12 (Rand Road), two roads that go through our area, US-14 has a 2-1 lead.

--RoadDog

2018 IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown: Round 3

These Route 66 high schools lost last weekend:

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Chatham-Glenwood, Pontiac.

These Route 66 high schools are still in the hunt.

8A

Edwardsville

7A

East St. Louis

6A

Normal West

5A

Joliet Catholic

3A

Carlinsville
Williamsville

There are six Route 66 teams remaining.

Route 66 is losing to Lincoln Highway 7-6  going into the third round this weekend.

Mighty Close.  --RoadDog

2018 IHSA Lincoln Highway-Rt 66 Showdown-- Round 3

Round 2 concluded last weekend.

These Lincoln Highway teams lost:  West Aurora, Lincoln Way West, Kaneland,

These teams remain:

8A

Lincoln Way East

7A

Batavia
St. Charles North

5A

Sterling
Joliet Catholic

2A

Sterling-Newman

1A

Aurora Christian

Lincoln Highway has 7 teams remaining and leads Route 66 by 7-6.

Tomorrow, the Remaining Route 66 Teams.  --RoadDog

Along 66, Sept. 2018: Who's That Guy Standing On the Corner?

SEPTEMBER 28--  The Standin' On the Corner statue in Winslow, Arizona, is marking its 20th anniversary.  To put it mildly, it is an oft-photographed piece of work.  Who knows how many selfies have been taken there.  Money well spent for the town

Of course, the "Standin' On the Corner" was taken from the Eagles' song "Take It Easy."

The statue was sculpted by Ronald Adamson of Libby, Montana and it is not of one of the song's co-writers and singer of the song, Glenn Frey, as most think.  (Nor is it of the other writer, Jackson Browne.)

Well, you know the words, but I'll write them down anyway:  "Well, I'm standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, (Add 'Right on Route 66' here) such a fine sight to see, it's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me."

Words Ingrained In My Head.  --RoadCorner

Along 66, September 2018: New Oklahoma 66 Guide and the Black Experience

SEPTEMBER 21--  There is a new Oklahoma Route 66 Guide available.  It is put out by the Oklahoma Tourism Bureau.  More than 120 Route 66 attractions are highlighted.

And, i thought they already had a very good 66 guide.  Every state should have a guide and lots of signage for Route 66.

SEPTEMBER 22--  A new marker in Bloomington, Illinois, tells of Miller Park's role in the era of segregation.  The Blacks-Only beaches here were in very bad shape.

Again, the Black Route 66 Experience is an underwritten segment of our road;s history and I am so glad that more is being written about it.

So You Thought Segregation Was Only a Southern Thing.  --RoadDog

IHSA US-14 vs. US-12 Showdown 2018

U.S. 12 (Rand Road) teams that lost in the first round:  Fremd (Palatine), Wauconda.

Teams remaining:

7A

Hersey (Arlington Heights)
Lake Zurich

4A

Richmond-Burton


U.S. 14 (Northwest Highway) teams that lost on the first round:    Fremd (Palatine),  Woodstock North

Teams remaining:

8A

Barrington
Maine South

7A

Hersey (Arlington Heights)
Maine West  (Des Plaines)

6A

Cary-Grove
Prairie Ridge  (Crystal Lake)
Crystal Lake South

U.S. 14 (Northwest Highway) leads U.S. 12 (Rand Road)  7 to 3.

--RoadDog

2018 IHSA Route 66-Lincoln Highway Showdown: Round 2

These Route 66 teams lost in the first round:  Plainfied South, Bolingbrook, Normal Community, Springfield, Bloomington, Dwight, Wilmington, Staunton.

These Route 66 teams won:

8A

Edwardsville

7A

East St. Louis

6A

Normal West
Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin
Chatham-Glenwood

5A

Joliet Catholic

4A

Pontiac

3A

Carlinville
Williamsville

--RoadDog

2018 IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown-- Round 2

These Lincoln Highway schools lost in the first round:  Plainfield South, St, Charles East, Lincoln Way Central, DeKalb, Rochelle, Dixon, Providence Catholic, Frankfort.

Lincoln Highway Winners in the first round:

7A

Lincoln Way West
Batavia
St. Charles North

6A

Kaneland

5A

Sterling
Joliet Catholic

2A

Sterling Newman

1A

Aurora Christian

Lincoln Highway  has 11 teams remaining.

--RoadDog