The Final Sixteen Vying for This Weekend's IHSA State Football Championship

These are the sixteen remaining teams of the 256 that started running after that state championship four weeks ago and now still have a shot at it.

Six of these teams are in the Route 66-Lincoln Highway and US-14-U.S. 12 competitions.  Shown by *

8A

Warren (Gurnee)  (13-0)
Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort)  (13-0)*

7A

Mt. Carmel (Chicago)  (13-0)
Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park)  (13-0)

6A

East St. Louis  (13-0)*
Prairie Ridge (Crystal Lake)  (12-1)*

5A

St. Rita  (Chicago)  10-3)
Rochester  (12-1)

4A

Richmond-Burton  (Richmond/SpringGrove)  (13-0)*
Murphysboro   (11-2)

3A

Byron  (12-1)
Williamsville  (13-0)*

2A

Newman Central Catholic (Sterling)  (12-1)*
Nashville  (12-1)

1A

Lena  (13-0)
Moweaqua Central  (13-0)

Classes 1A to 4A play at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb today.  5A to 8A  play at Huskie Stadium on Saturday.  All games are televised.

Looking Forward to Some Great Football.   --RoadBall

It's Championship Time on the US-14 (Northwest Highway)- US-12 (Rand Road) Showdown

The IHSA State Champions of 2019 will be decided this Friday and Saturday at Huskie Stadiun (NIU)  in DeKalb.

Teams Remaining with US-14

6A

Prairie Ridge


Teams Remaining with US-12

4A

Richmond-Burton

So, like the US-66-Lincoln Highway Showdown, we have a tie.  1-1

Good Luck Guys!!  --RoadBall

It's Championship Time for the US-66 vs. Lincoln Highway Showdown

After four week of play, the original 256 Illinois high school football teams that started the journey is now pared down to 16 teams who will play each other by class this Friday and Saturday at Huskie Stadium (NIU) in DeKalb.

And, there is a tie between Route 66 and Lincoln Highway at two apiece.

********************

Remaining Lincoln Highway teams

8A

Lincoln-Way East (13-0)

2A

Newman Central Catholic (Sterling)  (12-1)

**********************

Remaining Route 66 teams:

6A

East St. Louis   (13-0)


3A

Williamsville   (13-0)

Good Luck Boys!!!  --RoadRah

Along 66, October 2019: Tulsa Getting the Works

OCTOBER 24--  OKPOP museum breaks ground in Tulsa..  Full name, Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture.  This museum will feature musicians, artists and authors with Oklahoma ties.

Another museum never hurts, especially one like this.

OCTOBER 27--  A new neon sign goes up at Tally's Good Food Cafe in Tulsa.  It is the beneficiary of Tulsa's Route 66 neon-sign grant program which puts up to $10,000 for 50% the cost of a new neon sign or the restoration of an old one.

The have already has a neon sign, but more was added to it.  It is quite impressive and has a "Get Your Eats on Route 66" around a skillet.

We Can ALWAYS Use More Neon and Museums. --RoadNeon

Along 66, October 2019: Kingman Is Nicest in Arizona and the Demise of the Route 66 E-mail Group.

OCTOBER 19--  The Readers' Digest has named Kingman as the nicest place in Arizona.  Always get your gas there because it is really, really expensive in Needles, California.

OCTOBER 23--  It's the end of an era:  Yahoo! will scale back the Route 66 e-mail group on October 28 and remove all uploaded content come December. This is according to long-time member and moderator Mike Ward.

The group may relocate and FaceBook has a dozen Route 66 pages..

So far this year, the group has only had 150 posts, as compared to more than 8,000 in 2003  In July 1999, there were 1,191 posts.

At last count, the 66 e-mail group had 1,934 members, but many are inactive or have died.

The culprit is Face Book.

--RoadDog

Goodbye Route 66 Yahoo Group

Mike Ward reported that Yahoo! is shutting down our famous Route 66 E-Mail group  This is due to declining readership and posts as more people are turning to various FaceBook sites.  I imagine this applies to all of the Yahoo e-mail groups, not just ours.

Posting to the Route 66 E-Mail group is way down, with just 150 so far this year, but still one of the most of any still-existing groups.  At one time, that would have been as many posts for one week.

One person replied and said there are multiple sites on FaceBook. I at one time belonged to at least ten and it is a very rare day when anyone posts on these.

With all these eight blogs, I haven't posted on the E-Mail group in many years, but continued to read it.

The End of an Era.  --RoadYahoo

Along 66, October 2019: Oklahoma's Tulsa Signage and Phillips 66 Cottage-Style Gas Station

OCTOBER 15:  Tulsa, Oklahoma, is adding 29 historical markers along Route 66 at a cost of $111,000.  With the various alignments of 66 in the city there are a total of 26 miles of our favorite road there.

Not sure if these are signs to show the various alignments are to point out interesting places.

Always room for another sign on 66.

OCTOBER 18:  The bank that owns the property of the Old 66 Phillips 66 gas station in Chandler, Oklahoma, has foreclosed on it.  They prefer to sell it to someone who wants to preserve it.

It is at 701 Manvel Avenue (Route 66) and was built in 1930 with one of those neat cottage-style designs.

Phillips 66 Station No. 1423.

Anyone Interested?  --RoadDog

Along 66, October 2019: Chatham Road Bridge in Illinois and 66 Drive-In in Carthage, Missouri

These articles come from the Route 66 News site, your place to go for any and everything you want to know about what's happening on Route 66.  I just write about the ones I have the most interest in.  The site has many more articles, almost always one a day and goes into much greater detail.  Check it out.

OCTOBER 5:  Springfield Illinois' City Water Light and Power company made quick work covering up graffiti on the Chatham Road Bridge.  The span dates to 1919 and is also called the Old Chatham Road bridge over Lick Creek in Chatham, south of Springfield.

It was closed in 1989 after the new Illinois Hwy 4 bridge was built.  It once carried Route 66 traffic south of Springfield.


OCTOBER 10:  The 66 Drive-In theater in Carthage, Missouri marks its 70th year at the site.  It closed in 1985 but reopened in 1998.

And, so glad glad to have it.

--RoadDog

2019 IHSA US-14 vs. US-12 Showdown: Going Into Today's Semi-Final Games There Is a Tie at 1 Apiece

There were 256 teams 4 weeks ago.  Now there are just 32 going into the semi-finals.  To reach this level is truly an accomplishment.

Teams remaining.

US-14 (NORTHWEST HIGHWAY)

6A

Prairie Ridge  (11-1)

US-12  (RAND ROAD)

4A

Richmond-Burton   (12-0)

Good Luck Teams!!   --RoadBall

2019 IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown Semi Finals This Weekend: Route 66 Leads Lincoln Highway 3-2

With just one week to go to the IHSA championship games in DeKalb, Illinois on Nov. 29 and 30, we are in the semi-final round.

ROUTE 66 TEAMS REMAINING

6A

East St. Louis 12-0
Chatham Glenwood  12-0

3A

Williamsville  12-0

One of the 6A teams will be going to the championship game as the two teams play each other.

*********************************************

LINCOLN HIGHWAY TEAMS REMAINING

8A

Lincoln-Way East  12-0

2A

Newman Central Catholic  11-1

Go Teams!!   RoadBall

Eatin' Southern Style Up North, Y'all

Yesterday, I went to Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and had their Wednesday night food special which varies every week, but is a five course dinner with a theme.  Yesterday's theme was "SOUTHERN STYLE."

FIRST COURSE:  Corn chowder and corn bread

SECOND COURSE:  Cat Fish, Black-eyed peas& grits

THIRD COURSE:  Fried chicken, collard greens & biscuits

FOURTH COURSE:  Jambalaya

FIFTH COURSE:  Peach cobbler and ice cream

All that for $12.99.  Now, that's eatin' good in the neighborhood.

So sad.  I'm from North Carolina and to look up how to spell Y'all.  Reckon I have to give up my Southern citizenship.

--RoadEatin'

Just Hangin' 'Round Here-- Part 2: Doing That History Thing, Tacos, Oak Park, Sunnyside, Legion

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

I went to the Fox Lake Historical Society's meeting where a presentation was made on the role Waukegan, Illinois, played in the early days of he motion picture industry.  And, it was a big one.  Enjoyed talking with my buddy Frank who was also there.  We've had a great many good times boating in the past, but don't see much of each other anymore.

Afterwards had the delicious Baja Fish taco at Taco Bell (and a spicy tostada). The two of them came to $2.30, a hard deal to beat.

Later that afternoon, we went over to Oak Park Lounge on Pistakee Bay.  This place looks just about as it did when it was built back in the 1880s.  A real piece of history, and with $2 drafts, not bad.  And, we got to see Bomber, the much-spoiled bar dog.  He puts the lick of approval on customers.

Then, it was on to Sunnyside in Johnsburg where we had fun with the regulars and continued watching college football.  Too bad that Iowa beat Minnesota, but, at least Georgia eat Auburn.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Kind of a lost day for us, as no NFL football.  The Bears didn't play until night and the Packers were off for the week.  Enjoyed a rotisserie chicken from Jewel for $5.99.

We went to the McHenry American Legion and enjoyed talking with people there.  Crowds are improving as the Legion is trying to reopen again.  Then to Sunnyside again.

Watched Da Bears lose another game in Margaritaville.

--RoadDog

Just Hangin' 'Round Here-- Part 1: Ten at Tens, Crummy Weather, Bars and Friends

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14

As the days keep getting shorter and the early onslaught of winter (we've had about 12 inches of snow since Halloween and temps around 20-30 degrees colder than usual, rarely getting over freezing), we've still managed to cope.

As usual, during the day and early afternoon, we are on the internet (I'm doing these confounded blogs).

Later today, we went on our weekly excursion to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, a regular Cheers kind of place where everyone generally knows everybody else.  On the way home, we stopped at The Grove in Spring Grove, Illinois, and had their saganaki cheese "OooPahh!! and loaded nachos.

Met good friend Tom from Fanella's Pizza in Ingleside and talked with him.  He used to own Tom's Cafe in Johnsburg where I deejayed quite often.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15

After the usual morning (which often also involves recording Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  Yesterday it was ten songs from 1978 (my pick was "Magnet & Steel" by Walter Egan) and today Cocktails, ten tunes about drinking.  My pick of them "I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood.

Later we went to another Cheers kind of bar, Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.

Too Much Fun To Go Elsewhere.  --RoadFun

US-12 vs. US-14 IHSA Football Showdown Going Into the Third Round

The second round has ended

These US-14 (Northwest Highway) teams lost their second round games:

8A   Fremd
7A  Hersey, Prospect

Teams remaining:

6A

Prairie Ridge
Cary Grove

Route 14 has two teams left.

***************************************************

These US-12 (Rand Road) teams lost their second round games:

8A  Fremd
7A   Hersey


These US-12 (Rand Road) teams remain:

7A

Lake Zurich

4A

Richmond-Burton

US-12 has two teams remaining.

Going into the third round this weekend  US-14 and US-12 are tied at two apiece.

--RoadDog

IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown-- Lincoln Highway Teams Remaining

These Lincoln Highway teams lost their second round games:

6A  Kaneland

5A  Sterling, Marmion Academy

These Lincoln Highway teams are still in the running:

8A

Lincoln Way East

7A

Batavia

6A

Providence Catholic

5A

Joliet Catholic

2A

Newman Central Catholic

1A

Morrison

Lincoln Highway has six teams left, as does Route 66, so right now, it is a tie.

Third Round Is This Weekend.--RoadDog

IHSA Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown Results of Second Round: Route 66

These Route 66 teams lost their second round game:

8A  Edwardsville
7A  Normal Community



Teams Remaining:

6A

East St. Louis
Chatham-Glenwood

5A

Joliet Catholic
Sacred Heart-Griffin

3A

Wilmington
Willaimsville

There are six Route 66 teams remaining.

--RoadDog

In Honor of Veterans Day: National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago

On November 10 and 11, I wrote about five places you should visit in honor of our veterans in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.

From Wikipedia.

I had never heard of this one.

The National Veterans Art Museum was formerly the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum and is located at 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Six Corners neighborhood.  Originally just for the Vietnam War, it now encompasses all wars.

It was originally a traveling exhibit, but when Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley saw it, he insisted Chicago have its permanent home.  The entrance hall had 58, 226 dog tags hanging from it, one for each American killed in Vietnam.

There are nearly 2,500 works of art in the museum.

--RoadDog

In Honor of Veterans Day: My Trip to Pearl Harbor

My mother took the family to Hawaii and then she took my sister and me on to Australia and New Zealand.

I have always wanted to go to Oahu so that I could go to Pearl Harbor.  If you don't go to that honored spot, you might as well not have gone to Hawaii.

Besides the Civil War, my three really interesting historical places are the Alamo, Titanic and Pearl Harbor.  I buy any books or magazines I come across on these  events.  And, of the three, Pearl Harbor is #1.

I just never will understand how we got caught so by surprise as we were.  Come on, you had to know that the Japanese fleet, when it escaped detection, was headed somewhere to bring about a knock out blow.  Everybody in the Pacific Ocean should have been on the highest alert.

So, the absolute highlight of my trip to Hawaii was Pearl Harbor.   That trip by boat from the visitors center/museum to the USS Arizona Memorial was a solemn one.  It reminded me of the Vietnam Wall.  The names on that wall of the men below us still entombed in ship.

But, what got me the most were the drops of oil still coming up from the ship.  It was like the ship was bleeding and a real connection to December 7,1941.

There were a lot of Japanese tourists there as well.  I had to wonder what they thought about it.

Thanks Mom.

In Honor of Veterans Day: The National World War II Museum in New Orleans

On Nov. 10 and 11,  I wrote about five places you should visit to commemorate Veterans Day in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.  This is one of them.

From Wikipedia.

Formerly known as the National D-Day Museum, it was founded in 2000, but later designated by Congress as our National WW II museum.  The museum opened on the 56th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2000.

New Orleans' D-Day legacy came from the fact that this is where those Higgins boats were made.  They were those small boats loaded with Allied soldiers coming ashore on that day.

This place is definitely on my list of places to visit, but sadly, that won't happen for awhile because I am boycotting one of my favorite cities in the world because of what they did to those Confederate statues.  But at some point I will get over it and will be there.

Looking Forward to That Time.  --RoadDog

In Honor of Veterans Day: My Trip to The National U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB on Anniversary of JFK's Assassination

I have been writing about five places to visit to honor our veterans on this day in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.  This is one of those places.

Back in 2013, I decided to stop and check out this museum on my way to visit my mom in North Carolina.  I always take I-70 from Indianapolis to Columbus, which goes right by Dayton, where the AFB is located as well as the museum.

What made this even more of a special stop was that it the date I would visit was November 22.  That would be exactly a half century after President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.  His body was taken back to Washington, D.C. on Air Force One and this is where Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the next president.

And, that airplane is at the museum.

Talk about history and I was going to experience it exactly fifty years to the day  after it occurred.  You could just feel the history all around you.  I saw the room where Johnson was sworn in as president with Jacqueline Kennedy standing next to him in that blood-smeared dress.  I saw the area where seats were cut out to carry JFK's coffin.

When it happened I was in 7th grade at Winston Park Junior High in Palatine, Illinois.  I sure remember that day and the next days after it.

10 More British Places With Hilariously Rude Names-- Part 2: Where Is Sluts Hole?

Again, go to the site to find pictures and more information. I'm just listing these funny names.


5.  Mudd

4.  Wide Open

3.  Penistone

2.  Sluts Hole

1.  Fanny Hands

So, the next time you're over there, some good photo ops.

Wide Open.  --RoadMudd

10 More British Places With Hilariously Rude Names-- Part 1: Crapstone

From the November 5, 2019, ListVerse by Matt Garrow.

I am just listing their names.  Go to the site to see pictures and a lot of information.

So, next time you're in England and driving around, visit these places.

10.  Bitchfield

9.  Townland of Stranagalwilly

8.  Crapstone

7.  Brokenwind

6.  Hole of Holcrum

Photo Ops?  --RoadDog

First Round Results IHSA US-12 vs. US-14 2019 Showdown: US-14 Leads 5-4 Going Into 2nd Round

The first round games were played last weekend.

There were six teams from US  Highway 12  (Rand Road) that entered it.  Two were eliminated:

8A   Maine South

7A   Grant

*******************************

These four teams are still playing:

8A

Fremd

7A

Hersey
Lake Zurich

4A

Richmond-Burton

Northwest Highway  (US-14) leads Rand Road  (US-12) 5-4.

Go You US-12.  --RoadDog

Results First Round IHSA US-14 vs. US-12 Showdown: Five US-14 (Northwest Highway) Teams Left

The first round of the playoffs, featuring 256 high school teams in eight classes of 32 teams is in.

NORTHWEST HIGHWAY  (US HIGHWAY 14) WENT IN WITH NINE TEAMS.

Four of the teams lost: 8A   Maine South and Barrington

6A:  Crystal Lake Central and Crystal Lake South.

Five teams are still in:

8A

Fremd

7A

Hersey
Prospect

6A

Prairie Ridge
Cary Grove

Go Northwest Highway.  --Road14

IHSA Lincoln Highway-Rt. 66 Showdown, First Round: Ten Lincoln Highway Teams Still Remain

The first round of the Illinois High School Association football playoffs of 2019 has been played.

Nine Lincoln Highway teams of the 19 who made it lost:

8A:  St. Charles East, Plainfield East, Plainfield North, Plainfield South
7A:  Lincoln-Way West, DeKalb
4A:  Dixon
3A:  West Frankfort
1A:  Aurora Christian

************************************

Lincoln Highway teams still in the playoffs:

8A:

Joliet West
Lincoln-Way east

7A:

Batavia

6A:

Kaneland
Providence Catholic

5A:

Sterling
Joliet Catholic
Marmion Academy

2A:

Newman Central Catholic

1A:  Morrison

********************************

Lincoln Highway still has ten teams in the playoffs and leads Route 66 by a 10-8 margin.

Go You Lincoln Highway.  --RoadDog

The Results Are In for IHSA First Round Lincoln Highway-Route 66 Showdown: Route 66 Teams

Seven of the fifteen Route 66 teams were knocked out of competition:

8A:  Joliet West, Plainfield East, Plainfield North, and Plainfield South.  Definitely not a good weekend for Plainfield.

6A:  Springfield, Normal West

3A:  Carlinville

*********************************

Remaining Teams Play This Weekend:

8A

Edwardsville

7A:

Normal Community

6A:

East St. Louis
Chatham-Glenwood

5A:

Joliet Catholic
Sacred Heart-Griffin

3A:

Wilmington
Williamsville

**********************************

Route 66 has eight teams remaining.

Go You Route 66.  --RoadDog

Filling Shoes At the 'Shoeless' Joe Museum in Greenville, South Carolina-- Part 1

From the Oct. 22, 2019, Chicago Sun-Times by Mitch Dudek

Chicago bartender heading to South Carolina to run shrine to tarnished White Sox legend.

He may have been the greatest baseball player ever, but sadly is disgraces and was kicked out of baseball with the 1919 Chicago Black Sox.

Dan Wallach is a huge Joe Jackson fan.  His right foot even has a tattoo of Joe Jackson's autograph.  Even if his tattoo doesn't match the real Joe Jackson autograph.

Dan Wallach, 32, is abandoning his life in Chicago and moving to Greenville, S.C.  That means, selling his home in Skokie and quitting his job at Yakzies (across from Wrigley Field) and taking over operations at the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum.

And, yes, despite working by Wrigley Field, Dan is a bona fide White Sox fan.

That museum is inside Joe Jackson's house.

Go You White Sox.  --CootSox

And, Then There Is That Good Old Pumpkin Beer

Eating pumpkin not just good enough for you? Wash it down with a pumpkin beer.

From the October 5, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Pumpkin beer skeptic finds 8 worthy of appreciation"  by Josh Noel.

"I tried to hate a beer that sounded like a Starbucks drink. I really did!"

But, he found that he liked eight pumpkin beers out of 25 that he tried.  (How do I get signed up for that job?)  He has pictures of the bottles and a glass of each and says what he likes about  each.  I don't know how many are still made since this article is from three years ago.

1.  Crypt Keeper  (Scorched Earth Brewing)

2.   Brandy Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Imperial Ale  (Lakefront Brewery)

3.  Jack O'Latte  (O'Fallon Brewery)

4.  Punkin Ale   (Dogfish Head Brewery)

5.  Fall Hornin' Pumpkin Ale  (Anderson Valley Brewing)

6.  Harvest Pumpkin Ale  (Blue Moon Brewing)

7.  Pumpkin Chal  (Saugutuck Brewing)

8.  Pumpkin Lager  (Lakefront Brewery

See For Yourself.  --PumpDog

It's That Pumpkin Anything Time of Year

From the October 5, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Autumn Love Affair" by Jean Marie Brownson.

Although, with the 6 inches of snow we received on Halloween,it seems more like a winter wonderland thing than fall, this is the time of the year that thoughts of many, including myself, turn to anything pumpkin flavored, especially pumpkin spice cappuccino from Thornton's.

She points out that you can even make your own pumpkin spice mix for better flavor.  Such items as cakes, pies, ice cream and puddings.  I see Steak 'N Shake has a Pumpkin Spice Shake.  What next?  Pumpkin Spice McRibs?

And, if cooking is your thing, she had recipes for several items:

Pumpkin spice and currant waffles

Homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Why, I have even seen little teeth marks from our friendly local bushy-tailed rats (squirrels) on our two pumpkins outside.

--Pumpkin Me.  --RoadPump