2017 Indy 500-- Part 9: Wake Up Time

Continued from April 2, 2019.

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Much nicer day.  No rain.  I spent  a lot of last night getting used to my sleeping chair in the RV so didn't get a lot of sleep.  Or at least I think I didn't get a lot of sleep.  By the second night I have that chair figured out so sleep much better.  The alarm at the track went  off.  If I wasn't already up, I'd sure be up now.  It was loud and we are very close to the track (right across the road).

I walked over to the American Legion Shack which is manned by the auxiliary, a place I go every morning to buy coffee, a newspaper and those delicious $1 sausage biscuits.

Some Indy facts from the paper:

Indy cars go from 0-100 mph in 3 seconds.

Kent McCord is 74 and was in the TV show "Adam 12."    His first time at the 500 was in 1970 and he was in the parade and is a fixture in the parade.  he still comes.

Florence Henderson will be at the race.  She was in the TV show "The Brady Bunch."

--RoadDog

Along 66, March 2019: Efforts At the Painted Desert Trading Post

MARCH 21--  An original Route 66 road side shield is to be auctioned off for the Painted Desert Trading Post project.

An enthusiast is offering it on e-Bay.  It was used between 1981 and 1985 in Texas, but the exact location is not known.  As of March 28, the sign had 30 bids on it and the amount was over $1,100.

Also at auction is a 1940 Conoco map.

MARCH 25--  The Painted Desert Trading Post in Arizona finally got a new roof.  The building was getting in worse and worse shape so it is good to see some Route 66 enthusiasts are taking care of it.

We'd sure hate to have another John's Modern Cabins.

Get A Real Piece of 66  for the Trading Post.  --RoadDog

Along 66, March 2019: Ariston's Neon Sign To Be Relighted

MARCH 20--  Through a joint project between the Illinois Route 66 Association and the Rt. 66 Association of Missouri, the Ariston's neon sign in Litchfield, Illinois, will be relit.

Current owners Will and Michelle Law and Marty and Kara Steffins, and the old owners, Nick and Demi Adam plan a real big to-do for the occasion, scheduled for May 4.

They received a $10,250 cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.

The Ariston opened in Carlinville in 1924 on the future Illinois alignment of Route 66 and then moved to Litchfield to 413 Old Route 66 in 1935 after the road was realigned.

Nick Adams began working there, at his parents' place, in 1966 and sold it last summer.  It was listed on the NRHP in 2006 and inducted into the Illinois Hall of Fame in 1992.

Quite the Place.  --Roadiston

Along 66, March 2019: Coleman Theatre Anniversary and Missouri Hick Bar B Que

These are taken from the Route 66 News blog.

MARCH 16--  The Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma, will be celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.
A beautiful structure.  Never been in it though and still can't correctly say the name of the city.

MARCH 17--  Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que in Cuba, Missouri, is up for sale.  The owner has had it 17 years and wants to retire.  Great food and an eye-catching building.  Hope someone keeps it going as is.

And right next door to that neat old Wagon Wheel Motel.

--RoadDog

Route 66 Experience Hub, Pontiac Region

I am going to list what the hub says to do in one of our favorite stretches of Illinois Route 66, Pontiac.

Along with the map:

1.  The Log Cabin Inn

2.  A Bridge to the Past

3.  Patrolling "Bloody 66" at the old State Highway Patrol headquarters

4.  Protecting travelers  (same building)

5.  Route 66  Association Hall of Fame and Museum

6. An underground Route 66 crossing

7. Historic Chenoa

8.  Memory Lane in Lexington

9.  Lexington neon sign and Filling Station restaurant

10.  A Geographic Journey Parkway in Towanda

These, along with excellent signage will keep you right on the road.

--RoadDog

Route 66 Experience Hubs in Illinois: There Are 13 of Them

From the Illinois Route 66 Info/Experience site.

There are 13 of these sites in Illinois.  Each one covers a town and a region and gives maps and a list with short explanations for sites to see in the area.

You can find the Experience Hubs in (going north to south):

Berwyn
Romeoville
Joliet

Wilmington
Dwight
Pontiac

Bloomington-Normal
Lincoln
Springfield

Carlinville
Litchfield
Edwardsville
Chain of Rocks

A State That Knows Its Route 66  Heritage.  --RoadDog

Along 66: A New Route 66 Experience Hub in Illinois

MARCH 5--  A nine-foot tall Route 66 Experience Hub kiosk at Main and Jefferson streets in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, has been laced in an effort to boost tourism.  It shows Route 66 attractions in that city.

This is the 14th Experience Hub in Illinois.  This one is located near the Cruisin' With Lincoln On 66 exhibit at the town's visitor center.

Again, I am so very happy that Bloomington has finally, at long last, discovered its Route 66 heritage.  For far too long, they seemed to completely ignore it.

--RoadDog

About Last Weekend-- Part 3: Burning Leaves, 8-inches Snow, Pancakes, Snowblower and Sunnyside

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

With some difficulty, I was able to burn some leaves in the backyard before the forecast inch of snow started.  I came in when it started.  My working conditions specifically say I don't have to work outside when it is snowing.

And, that one-inch was soon on the ground with no signs of stopping.  When we drove over to the Spring Grove fire station for the annual Explorers pancake breakfast, there was a little snow now on the streets, but nothing too bad.

It cost $6 for auce pancakes, sausage and drinks.  By the time we finished about 30 minutes later, we went outside to find the car covered with two inches of snow and the streets nearly impassable.  I don't drive too bad in the snow, but this was a real hard drive home.

Hey, April 14th winter.  Come on!!

And, it kept snowing.  We figure, judging by the accumulation on the deck rails that we received eight inches of the white stuff.  I fired up the snowblower and cleared the driveway.  I didn't have to as the rest of the week was supposed to be 50 degrees plus, but this was an opportunity to run the oil/gas mixture out of it.

By then, the streets in our subdivision were clear of snow an we went over to Sunnyside in Johnsburg.

Who'd Have Figured Eight Inches At This Late Date.  --RoadDog

About Last Weekend-- Part 2: Record Store Day, Tommy's Hot Dogs, Stucky's, Uncle Will and "The Legend of the USS Titanic

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

After the Easter Egg hunt, I drove over to the Vinyl Frontier Records store in McHenry, Illinois, and did my Record Store throwback thing, see the recent Record Store Day posts.

Then, after my vinyl attack, I had a hot dog attack, a good old Chicago Dog attack.  And, there is a Tommy's store in McHenry, so drove over to that.  They gave a great hot dog special:  two dogs, fries and drink for $7, including tax.  And those are Chicago Dogs.  The best.

Later, Liz and I went over to Stucky's in Johnsburg and had a good time with Uncle Will who has become one of our favorite performers.  He has a great knowledge of music and I try to stump him on requests.  He even knows "Two Hangmen" by Mason Proffitt and he learned how to play "The Legend of the USS Titanic" by Jaime Brockett, a thirteen minute long song about the real reason the Titanic sank, involving 297 and a half feet of rope and the first mate.

If you have never heard the song before, you owe it to yourself to check it out on You Tube.  Check out the video by Eggs Zachtly.  In honor of 4/20.

"It Was Midnight On the Sea, the Band Was Playing 'Nearer My God To Thee"  Fare the Well, Titanic, Fare the Well."   --RoadDog

About Last Weekend-- Part 1: Squirrel Wars, No Luck and Eggs

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Weather bad again today.  Fought and lost to the squirrels, who despite my best efforts, broke through my defenses of the bird feeders and gorged themselves.  They are worthy opponents.  However, I went to Menard's and bought out the anti-squirrel heavy artillery, a metal sparrow feeder and a feeder that drops down a covering over the food ports when squirrels get on them due to their weight.

TAKE THAT SQUIRRELS.   But I know they will figure out how to get through these.

Met Kevin and Kelly at the Legion for 50-50.  As usual, no luck for us.


SATURDAY, APRIL 13

I went to the Fox Lake American Legion and helped the SAL, Sons of the American Legion to which I belong, put out Easter eggs for the kids.  The real little kids are worth the price of admission.  There was one little girl who had a small Easter basket and was eagerly running around, grabbing eggs, tossing them into her basket, only to have them pop out immediately.  There was a Dad following her and grabbing the fallen eggs.

Another Mom was admonishing her young boy not to keep looking at the Easter bunny because he wasn't going to give him eggs, he had to get them himself.  She failed to convince him.

It's a Good Thing I Like Squirrels So Much.  --RoadDog

Along 66, March 2019: Bloomington's (Ill.) Parkview Inn Reopens

Theses Along 66 posts come from the Route 66 News blog which has many other things happening on our favorite road and in much greater detail.  I just pick out some of the posts I am most interested in.  But if you want to know what is going on along 66, I strongly suggest you check it out.

MARCH 4--   The rebuilt Parkview Inn in Bloomington, Illinois, is to reopen this month.  Afire in 2016 did $300,000 in damage so bad the place had to be rebuilt from the ground up.  The new structure cost $1.1 million.

It pays homage to Route 66 in its interior decor and on the sign outside.

It was originally built in 1928 and is on the 1930-1940 Route 66 alignment and at 1003 Morris Avenue.

At the time of the fire, it was reportedly Bloomington's oldest restaurant on Route 66.

We have never been to this place, but now that Bloomington-Normal seems to have become cognizant of their Route 66 heritage and pushing it (hey, there's money to be made) we have more often not taken the interstate around those two towns.  Plus, they now have signage which they didn't in the past.

So Proud of Bloomington-Normal, Finally.  --RoadDog

Record Store Day, 2019-- Part 3: It Came, I Went, I Bought, I Ate

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

I immediately popped the "Pet Sounds" into my truck's CD player.  That's right, I still play CDs in my vehicles.

I had a hot dog attack and cruised over to Tommy's on Illinois Highway 120 and got their dog special:  two Chicago-style hit dogs, fried and a drink for $7, including tax.    While I was making up my mind, I made the mistake of letting a guy go ahead of me, not knowing he was ordering ten meals for his work.  And, I had to wait for him to fill ten drinks at the machine.  I tell you, no good deed goes unpunished.

But the hot dogs are so very good (but without sport peppers) and the fries perfectly augmented by generous ketchup dips.

I then went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store and actually found a couple boomboxes with dubbing cassettes, but didn't have my cassette tapes along to see if it worked so didn't buy either.

Yes, I Still Use Cassette Tapes.  --RoadDog

Record Store Day 2019-- Part 2: It Came, I Went, I Bought

The Vinyl Frontier also has a standing special where you pay $20 if you buy five CDs.  Right up my alley.

I bought my five CDs.

PET SOUNDS--  Beach Boys

THE VERY BEST OF--  Elvin Bishop

THIRTY YEARS OF FUNK 1969-1999--  Grand Funk

ANTHOLOGY--  Tommy James & the Shondells

THE SINGLES COLLECTION--  Kinks

I'd never had the opportunity to listen to "Pet Sounds" but was familiar with the songs "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B", "God Only Knows", and "Carolina No."

I'm going to be doing a lot of good listening indeed.

CD's and Vinyled Out.  --RoadRecord

Funeral for Dayton Native, Doolittle Raider, Richard Cole Set For Today

From the April 18, 2019, Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun.

Dayton, Ohio, native Richard Cole,  the last surviving member of  the Doolittle Raiders, will be honored today during a memorial service at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole was born in Dayton September 7, 1915, and graduated from Steele High School in Dayton and attended two years of college at Ohio University in Athens before enlisting as an aviation cadet on Nov. 22, 1940.  Receiving orders to report to Parks Air College in East St. Louis, Illinois, for training before arriving at Randolph Field, Texas, and later Kelly Field in Texas where he completed pilot training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in July 1941.

He retired from the Air Force in 1966 with a whole lot of honors and medals as well as a Congressional Gold Medal given in 20014 for all of the Doolittle Raiders.

At the bottom of the article is a place for you to click titled "Photos: Doolittle Raiders through the years." Well worth a browse through.

Like I Said, the Greatest Generation.

Record Store Day 2019-- Part 1: It Came, I Went, I Bought

Not that I don't go to my mom and pop record stores every so often throughout the year, but Record Store Day is very special to me.  A day to honor my past.  A day to flip through those old vinyl albums and yes, you can even flip through CDs, just not as easily.

I went to my old mom and pop record store, The Vinyl Frontier Records (still a great name for a record store) in McHenry, Illinois, and perused the place.  It was crowded as it always is for Record Store Day which made moving around in the narrow aisle a challenge.  The owner said there had been a big line waiting outside when he opened, but not as long as in the past.

I bought two vinyl albums, well, one and a three album set:

BLUE AND GRAY--  Poco

AMERICAN ROADS--  a collection of country town, city and road-related songs on three albums.  (40 songs)

Some of those songs:

GOD BLESS THE USA--  Lee Greenwood
LOUISIANA SATURDAY NIGHT--  Mel McDaniel
TEXAS (WHEN I DIE)--  Tanya Tucker

OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE--  Merle Haggard
LONG HARD ROAD--  Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
HIGHWAY 49 BLUES--  Ricky Skaggs

ALL THE GOLD IN CALIFORNIA--  Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
YOU'RE THE REASON GOD MADE OKLAHOMA--  Shelly West / David Frizzell
THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA--  Charlie Daniels Band

WICHITA LINEMAN--  Glen Campbell
EL PASO CITY--  Marty Robbins
SOUTHERN NIGHTS--  Glen Campbell

Some Good Listening.  --RoadDog

"Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin' "-- Part 2: Robert Spencer

From Joel Whitburn's  "Top Pop Singles:  1955 to 1993."

Bubblegum studio concoction of producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz.   Robert Spencer of the Cadillacs on lead vocals, Joey Levine (Ohio Express and Reunion) on backing vocals.  Touring group formed later.

So, it was Bubblegum Music.  I didn't know that.

From Discogs.

Robert Spencer was a former member of the Cadillacs who had a hit in 1956 with "Speedo."  He also wrote "My Boy Lollipop"  (#2-1964).

Still Love This Song, Just Not 20 Times In a Row.  --RoadDog

"Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin' " by Crazy Elephant

In honor of Record Store Day and the April 14, 1969, WLS Top 40 Silver Dollar Survey, Chicago's 890 AM radio powerhouse, I am going to write about this song.  It was #14 this week fifty years ago.  It debuted March 24 at #36 then went to #29 and #19 on April 7.  It then went to #8 and peaked at #5 for two weeks.

They were truly a One-Hit Wonder.  This is their only song to crack Billboard's Hot 100 at #12

In other words, we heard it a lot, a whole lot.  But I never got tired of it (like with the Beatles "Hey Jude").  The more I heard it, the more I liked it.  As a matter of fact, I have now listened to it probably ten times and still movin' to it.

Every time I do the WLS Top 40 on my Down Da Road I Go blog, which I do once a month around the second week, I listen to all of the songs on the chart on You Tube which always has one or more versions of the songs.  This really takes me back.  The rest of each month I do the WLS Top Ten with weekly debuts.

This song is great Frat Rock or do you say Garage Rock.  I even saw one comment on one of the versions saying this was not Bubble Gum Music.  Yes, I can see where it might be Bubble Gum Music as it certainly is catchy.  And, I REALLY LOVE my Bubble Gum Music.

There is only one PROBLEM with the song.  It is way too short.  No jamming here.   Depending upon the version, it is anywhere from 1:57 to 2:03 minutes long.  I have had to go back and hit replay many times.

Well, after twenty times, I must admit I am getting Jes' a Little bit tired of the song, but I will recover and come back to my senses.

One thing You Tube likes to do for you is automatically go to a list of like songs that you might like and they do a real good job.  Right now I'm listening to "Build me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations with "Dream Lover" by Bobby Darin up next and then "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys.

Now, This Is Some Good Music.  --RoadSong

By the way, in a short time I have to go out and crank up the ol' snowblower as, here it is April 14 and we already have gotten six inches of snow and IT IS STILL SNOWING!!!!  I was out burning leaves earlier this morning.  Now I'll be removing snow.

Along 66. Feb. 2019: Another Bicyclist Killed

FEBRUARY 22--  Another bicyclist is killed on Route 66 west of Galena, less than two years after two German cyclists were killed.

The Kansas Historical Route 66 Association has placed a Ghost Bicycle near the spot, painted white.

If motorcycling Route 66 is fun, bicycling it must be even better, but there is, unfortunately, not a lot of it, other than in Illinois, that has been turned into a bicycle trail.  I fully support making large stretched of the abandoned 66 into bike trails.

--RoadDog

Along 66, February 2019: Route History Store Opens in Springfield, Illinois

FEBRUARY 21, 2019--  The Route History Store in Springfield, Illinois, had a soft opening on February 16.  It has Route 66 souvenirs and a tribute to local Black History.  It is at 737 E. Coda in the former Just Off 66 Sandwiches and Souvenirs.

It is in an old gas station and two blocks off the Springfield Ninth Street Route 66 alignment.

We had once eaten at the earlier place which had good stuff to eat.

Some of the proceeds of the place will go to renovate the Lincoln Colored Home at 427 S. 12th Street.  (I'd never heard of this place, but I'll write about in this blog next week.)  It opened in 1904 and is on the NRHP and was one of the first black orphanages.

This new place will also feature exhibits on the Negro Motorist Green Book, Jim Crow Laws, the Great Migration, black-owned Springfield businesses and the Springfield Race Riot of 1908.

Looks Like An Interesting Place to Check Out.  --RoadDog

Two Days to Record Store Day!!!

This coming Saturday, April 13, is Record Store Day, our annual salute to those old record stores, you know, the mom and pop stores.

To me  it is a chance to do one of my  favorite things and flip through albums, one of my all-time favorite things to do.  CD flipping is Okay, but nowhere as much enjoyment as album flipping.  And, there is NO fun in download flipping.

I plan on going at least to Vinyl Frontier Records in McHenry, Illinois, my main mom and pop store.  I'll likely buy several vinyl albums and several CDs.

I also enjoy seeing young people, mostly high school age, in there looking at vinyl albums.  Perhaps there is hope after all for us old dinosaurs.

Flipping Albums.  Yes!!  --RoadDog

Death of the Last Doolittle Raider, Richard Cole

While working on my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog today, I suddenly got to thing about the Doolittle Raiders and whether or not any of them were still alive.  I did a search and found out the last one, Richard Cole, 103, had died on Tuesday April 9, just short of the anniversary of the raid by nine days (April 18, 1942.

That is quite a coincidence.

I have written about the raid many times:

World War II blog--  91 times
History blog--  20 times
Down Da Road I Go blog--  3 times

This raid, coming so soon after Pearl Harbor, was a huge lift to American morale and a great blow to the Japanese who were sure it would be impossible.

Four Days to Record Store Day, April 13

Getting more excited as we approach the date.  One of my favorite days of the year.  The day to take a step back into history and visit your local mom and pop record store.

I don't miss this chance to revisit my past.  Back before all this downloading stuff.  Back when you actually owned the music right there in your hands.

Lots of specials going on and special vinyl.  But, by far my biggest kick is seeing all those young people, even high school students in the stores.  Maybe there is hope for us old dinosaurs after all.

And, I am lucky to have four places within 12 miles of where I live (all in northeast Illinois):

Vinyl Frontier Records, McHenry.  My favorite local record store.  Now, if there is a better name for a record store, I'd sure like to know what it is.
Siren Records, McHenry

Reef Records, Antioch
Track One Vintage Stereo, Antioch

--RoadDog

Gerald Ellis, Hero-- Part 4: The Funeral Procession

The procession finally arrived, heading west on Illinois Highway 173 and turning south on Deep lake Road.  By then I'd estimate about 200 people at our spot (along a 30-35 mile route).  And, it was silence as befitting the procession and man.

First, came a group of motorcyclists, then the hearse and family.  After that was around 300 police cars.  They went by at about 25-35 mph as all roads were blocked.  There were a lot of unmarked cars which was unfortunate because we'd sure like to know where they were from.

The farthest away police cars were Louisiana and Texas.  Pretty much every Lake County town was represented, including all four Round Lake villages.  Plus, Illinois towns were in the the procession, including Sangamon County where Springfield is located.

Some of the people in the cars were filming us and others waved as they went by.

This was a good thing, not only to honor a hero, but also to show the police that they still gave our backing, especially in these days where certain people have nothing but hatred for the police.  I should say that I never heard one BLM or other black group offer condolences to a true hero.

But to us, it is the Blue Lives Matter.

--Roaddog

Gerald Ellis, Hero-- Part 3: The American Legion and a Show of Support

Like I said, we had quite a long wait before the procession showed up.  A guy came over and said, "I thought that was you."  It was Dale from the Fox Lake American Legion, past commander of the Sons of American Legion to which I belong in honor of my grandfather who was an original Legion member of the Legion as he served in WW I and joined in the early 1920s.

We have the U.S. flag at the Legion flying at half mast for the three Illinois State Troopers killed in the line of duty so far this year, the most in 66 years and we're just into April.

We both agreed this is a make up for 2015 when the Fox Lake police officer (I won't use his name) was thought to be killed in the line of duty and we found it later to be a suicide as a way to avoid being caught for criminal activity.  There was a huge outpouring a public support, fundraisers and a massive police procession. And, as it turned out all for a crook   We were embarrassed.  But I look at it as a show of support for the job the police on all levels do for us.

And, of course, now with certain groups all upset that the police are targeting them, it is good to show them that the general public is still on their side.

Gerald Ellis, Hero-- Part 2: Dies Saving Lives in a Wrong-Way Crash

From the March 30, 3019, ABC News  "Illinois state trooper Gerald Ellis dies in a wrong-way crash, 2nd officer  killed in a roadside accident this week."

Officer Gerald Ellis, 36, and an 11-year-veteran was killed in the line of duty early Saturday morning at 3:30 am after being struck by a vehicle driving in the wrong direction on I-94.  He was in his squad car and headed home when he saw a vehicle driving east in the westbound lanes.

To keep the other car from smashing into others who were behind him, he intentionally crashed his squad car into the oncoming one.  Both he and the other driver, who had been drinking, were killed.

Now, that is the ultimate sacrifice.

Ellis is the second Illinois State Trooper killed this week.  Brooke Jones-Story, 34, a 12-year-veteran was struck during a traffic stop.  Another State Trooper was killed in January.

A Dangerous Job.

Honoring Illinois State Trooper Gerald Ellis-- Part 1

I was out there most of this afternoon for the funeral procession of fallen State Police Policeman Gerald Ellis. He gave up his life in the line of action so that others might live.  The true definition of a hero.  And he was sent off in a correct manner.  By fellow officers and a whole lot of the general public around where I viewed it at the corner of Illinois Highway 173 and Deep Lake Road east of Antioch, Illinois.

Services were held at the College of Lake County in Grayslake and then a procession left there and went to the Tri-State Tollway and north to Randall Road by the state border and then to 173 to Deep Lake and Lake Villa.

We had around 100 people where I saw it along with two fire trucks with ladders up flying a huge American flag, several hundred smaller American flags and quite a few of the Blue Line American flags including the one I was holding.

Unfortunately, the procession was delayed almost an hour in starting so we had a long wait.  Fortunately, the weather was fairly nice.

I told several people the significance of the flag I was holding and talked quite a while with one man who had been drafted in the Vietnam War but had served his time in Korea along the dangerous DMZ as an artillery observer.  Sadly, he told me that after his tour of duty was over, his group went to Hawaii for shots and were told to take off their uniforms and get into civilian ones.

They found out why when they got stateside, when, despite civilian clothes, they were recognized as soldiers, sworn at and spat upon with calls of murderer and baby killer.

This never should gave happened.  Whether you were for or against a war or president, you never ever treat out military that way.  Sure hope this never happens again.

To Honor the Blue: Funeral Procession of Illinois State Policeman Gerald Ellis

Illinois is reeling right now after the deaths of three state troopers, a McHenry County Sheriff's Police officer and a Chicago police officer in the last just over a month's time.

It is a dangerous job.  One that certain people don't seem to appreciate.

I am leaving to meet some former Magee Middle School (Round Lake, Illinois) teachers in Bristol, Wisconsin, in a few minutes and afterwards will try to find a place along the funeral procession route of State Trooper Gerald Ellis, who sacrificed his life to keep innocents alive from a wrong-way driver on an interstate last week.

I hope to view the procession, which I understand to be two hours long somewhere along Illinois Highway 173 east of Antioch.  I'll have my Blue Lives matter U.S. flag with me.

A Real Hero.  Thank You for Being There

2017 Indy 500-- Part 8: Hockey, "Idge" Phones and Twisted Kilt

Those Millennials!  On their bloomin' "Idge" phones most of the time.  Hey, there is a big game on the TV and you're blankly staring at your phone!!  

The winner of this game goes to the Stanley Cup Championship.  Big game.    End of 1st a 0-0 tie.  Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup last year.  Penguins score, then Senators do ten seconds later.

The guy behind us in full Penguin gear and a huge fan.  Talked with him and found out he loves Put-In-Bay.

Just found out that Twisted Kilt will be at the Legion tomorrow and running things.  That is a fairly big restaurant chain whose waitresses and bartenders do a Hooters in the way they dress.  But male bartenders and waiters also dress sexy and in kilts.  Should be interesting.

Group of Millennials just left and three of five are staring at their "Idge" phones.  Hope they trip.  I call them "Idge" phones as my brother refers to our old flip phones as "Dumb Phones."  I am fairly certain you have to be an "Idiot"  "Idge" to devote your life to one of those new so-called "Smart" phones.

Tied 2-2 at end of regulation and Pittsburgh wins in overtime and will go to play for the Stanley Cup against the Predators.

Back to the RV.  Real busy day.

Go Pittsburgh!!!  --RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 7: Doing My Hockey Thing At the Lehion

MAY 25

The name and logo of the Pittsburgh Penguins is not very scary, nor is the name and logo of the Anaheim Dicks.  Sorry, Ducks and Penguins just aren't scary.  The Nashville Predators are already in the Stanley Cup Championship and I will be pulling against them no matter who they play against in this series.  And this because of their treatment of Blackhawk fans.  It is unacceptable.

The problem revolves around the Predator fear of Hawk fans taking over the arena as Nashville is fairly close to Chicago and there would be lot of red in their home, something they didn't like.  But, the way I see it, if a guy is willing to get ripped off at NHL prices it shouldn't matter whose jersey they are wearing.

I am pulling for Pittsburgh as I am not a fan of Canadian teams.

Too bad the Blackhawks aren't there, but I am not surprised.  They had the best record in the NHL, but lost 6 of their last 8 games including several blowouts and then got swept by those gosh-durn Predators.

--RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 6: Good Eating and a Hockey Playoff Game (Not the Hawks)

Continued from February 25, 2019.

MAY 25, THURSDAY

We now returned to the RV and had Sliders and Paul did some grilling.  We eat well the whole time we're at the Indy.

Afterwards we went to the American Legion where they had a deejay and $2 drafts.

We watched the hockey game between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins.  Sadly, no Blackhawks as they were swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  One time during the much ballyhooed "Dynasty" days of the Hawks when they played a must-win game against the Detroit Redwings.  A loss and the Hawks went home.

At first there were a few Detroit fans in the Legion, but more and more Hawk fans began arriving and with our guys playing well and all the cheering, pretty soon the Detroit fans were gone.

--RoadDog