Head Over to Your Local Mom and Pop Record Store Today. It Is RECORD STORE DAY!!

I'm sure you have a favorite local mom and pop record store.  I sure do.  That would be The Vinyl Frontier in McHenry, Illinois, and in a couple hours I'll be heading over to it.  Hopefully the biggest of the crowds will be gone by then.

I plan on buying at least two vinyl albums (hey its Record Store Day) and probably at least five CDs (they usually have a five CDs for $20  deal).

We are fortunate to have two record stores in McHenry, the other being the nearby Siren Records.  Also, Antioch (about ten miles away, has two places:  Reef Records and Track One Vintage Stereo.

You can go to the website and pick a state to find places participating.

--RoadVinyl

Along 66, May 2020: Those Funny Grizzly Bear Cubs in Arizona and Looting at the Historic Central Camera Store in Chicago

MAY 29--  Bearizona takes in three grizzly bear cubs from Montana.  Their mother was killed.  Make sure to watch the video on You Tube "Baby grizzly bears at Bearizona!" by Traviatablues.  Not many animals in the world have more fun than near cubs, unless its river otters.

MAY 31--  Historic Central Camera looted burned and burned by Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Chicago.  It is located at 332 S. Wabash and has been open since 1899.  It has that wonderful old neon sign outside it.

The store was originally at 31 E. Adams Street on Route 66 before moving around the  the corner to its present location in 1908.

Owner Don Flesch is the 3rd-generation owner.  I wrote several posts about this store in my Civil War II blog on August 5 and 6.  I have not heard if it was damaged in the most recent round of Black Lives Matter riots in Chicago in August.

It was first looted, then set on fire as many downtown stores were likewise damaged and looted in the wake of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis.  They even hit the iconic Macy's (old Marshall Field store).

--RoadDog

Along 66, May 2020: That Ski Lodge in Daggett. The Virus and the Road

MAY 26--  Ski Lodge Roof House in Daggett, California, will be converted back into a visitors center.  It is in a really neat-looking old building and was one of the state's earliest welcome centers at one time  that did not have an inspection or registration.  There were others.

It is also known as the Ski Slope Lodge or Russian House.  It was built in 1926 and was originally used as a land office to sell lots in town.

Daggett is just about a ghost town these days with a population around 200.

And, who knows, perhaps it will lead to a renaissance for the town.

MAY 28--  Route 66 Road Ahead is conducting a survey on the negative input of COVID-19.  No doubt.  It has kept us of the road since it struck.  My farthest trip from home has been 23 miles.

We could go to Route places, but it just wouldn't be as much fun with all the restrictions and possibility of getting, especially since we're both 68 with underlying health issues.

--RoadHome

Along 66, May 2020:Tulsa, Kingman and International Tourists

Not that I am running a bit behind on this, but, I am way behind.

These are from the Route 66 News site which has all the stuff you could ever want to know about our favorite old road.  The site also has items every day and pictures and video.  I just pick out the entries of most interest to me.

MAY 21--  Tulsa, Oklahoma, wants its own Route 66 asset survey of anything that was there during the heyday of Route 66.  I think that is a great idea and would like to see more owns doing this.

I would also like to see a list of places or sites that used to be in Negro Travelers Green Book.  Their experiences on Route 66 (and all over America at the time) was quite different from the white experience.

MAY 22--  The Kingman, Arizona, Visitor Center now has a retro-looking neon sign.  Always love retro. Always love neon.

MAY 24--  There may be more U.S. travelers on Route 66 this year, especially with international visitors so far down this year.  Whenever Liz and I are on the road, we run into large numbers of foreign folks.

--RoadDog

Buying Those CDs and Record Store Day This Saturday, August 29

My last two trips southward from home to Algonquin, Illinois, enabled me to go to a favorite store and that would be Half-Price Books.  This is one of the few places left that sells so many of the the things I like.  Sadly, it's getting harder to find these items as they are considered too old school I guess.

Anyway, Half-Price Books, of course, sells books (and for a good price) and also it sells record albums and CDs.  All either new or used.

Of course, I am definitely going to check out the Civil War and history books, but I also go through the CDs.  I like albums but give me a CD anytime, just so much more convenient and no flipping them to hear the other side.

I bought four CD collections on my July trip there:

American Heartbeat: 1956   Two CDs and 50 songs from that year.
American Heartbeat: 1957    The same as above.

Louvin Brothers    Four CDs and 96 songs
Cajun Party     Three CDs and 60 songs

This past Saturday I only bought one CD set:

Soul & Swagger:  The Complete "5" Royales  (1951-1967)  Five CDs  137 songs

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Plus, real good news.  The Record Store Day celebration originally scheduled for April, but canceled by the you-know-what, has been rescheduled for three days starting with this Saturday, August 29.  You can go to the national site as if you didn't already know where your local mom and pop record store was.

I will definitely be at The Vinyl Frontier in McHenry, Illinois.

--Music, Music, Music.  --RoadSong

Back to My 20.4 Mile Road Trip-- Part 4: Hitting the Garden Centers

Like I said, this was the farthest I had drive from home since the coronavirus hit and Illinois closed down back on March 17, 2020.

Munch sliders as I drove north on Illinois Highway 31, I went to two stores in McHenry, Illinois, to check out what they had in the garden supply nursery area.  This is also one of my favorite things to do in life.  I especially enjoy this as the winter doldrums and cold are leaving and spring is springing.  Nothing like those smells to put you in the mood.

I went first to Home Depot and then Meijer, both located north of McHenry in Illinois Highway 31.  I didn't buy anything at either place.  Meijer had very little left and Home depot had a lot.  But there wasn't much on sale.

That is one thing I have been noticing during the pandemic and that is that prices have gone up some, there are not as many plants and flowers for sale and there just isn't much on sale either..  Usually this time of the year there are a lot of great sales with very low prices and that is when I really start buying.

Actually, we had another MCCWRT discussion group meeting at the Alginquin Panera Bread store and this time I remembered to set the trip odometer (the last time I just looked up distance between Spring Grove and Algonquin and it said 20.4 miles).  Today, the distance from home to Panera was 22.3 miles.

Must be a Virus Thing, You Know.  --RoadDog

Back to My 20.4 Mile Road Trip-- Part 3: A Slidering I Go

July 25, 2020.

Back on Randall Road driving northward for the next place I really like. And that meant all the traffic and all the construction and changing lanes and fun and games.  Fortunately, the stop lights (and there are a lot of them) are set so it mostly a straight run, at least until you get to Algonquin Road and then a stop for generally at least two cycles.

Remember, there are probably every single big box store, smaller national chains and national restaurants, usually in several rows going back off Randall for a four mile stretch.  So lots of cars.  They are expanding Randall to six to eight lanes, but I doubt even that will be enough.  Very close to gridlock.

Anyway, my last stop in Algonquin (or Lake in the Hills as both towns/villages are in that area) is at the Home of the Slider, that would be White Castle!!!  Before the virus, I would often leave the MCCWRT discussion group meeting at the Panera Bread in Crystal Lake and drive to Algonquin to go to Half-Price Books and White Castle.

Well, since I was already in Algonquin, Sliders it be.  And, they had a special of 10 sliders for $6.99, so I figured to get twenty.  (They are excellent nuked the next day or two.)  I went inside to get 'em, figuring I would eat four or five then go on my way.  But, in these v days, I did not.  The inside was closed for everything except take out.  I mean, even the bathrooms were closed.

So, I got my twenty Sliders and enjoyed four of them while driving.  A Slider is just the right size to eat while driving and I didn't have to worry about getting a ticket like I would if I was on the old (2003) flip phone.

And, they were perfect.  Right off the grill and piping hot with a bun that literally melted in your mouth.

Few Things Finer Than a Fresh, Hot White Castle Slider.  --RoadSlide

Back to My 20.4 Mile Road Trip in July-- Part 2: Half-Price Books

After the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting ended I drove to my favorite store these days.  It is located about two miles south of the Panera Bread.  That meant driving on the super-busy and always under construction Randall Road, not one of my favorite things to do.  But just about every chain restaurant and store you can imagine is located along that stretch.  Plus, of course, lots and lots of stop lights.

I got taken in by a gas station whose top price is the cost of gas without a car wash.  I hate when that happens.  So, it cost me $2.30 instead of $2.10.  Oh well.

The place I was headed for was Half-Price Books.  They have things I still know about:  books, CDs and records.  Even better, the prices are quite low.  It generally costs me at least $25 to $40 to go in there.

Of course, they have a big selection of Civil War and other war books as well as history.  But today I didn't find any books.  Liz was so happy.  I really need to be getting rid of my books, not buying more.  But, I can't help it.

I did find several great CD music collections and bought five of those.

And, speaking of records, Record Store Day will be next Saturday, August 29.

--RoadBookCD

Back to My 20.4 Mile Road Trip in July-- Part 1

July 25, I drove a whopping 20.4 miles (well actually a bit farther since I initially missed the meeting location and went a ways south before backtracking, plus then drove to a favorite store since I was in the area).

This was the farthest I had driven since late February and early March before you-know-what hit.  Back then, I drove 60 miles to DeKalb, Illinois, from here in Spring Grove.  Liz and I attended two NIU basketball games (both victories), little knowing this was going to be the end of our trips for awhile.

Anyway, on July 25, I drove from Spring Grove to Algonquin for a McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting, which was our first one since February, again, the reason you-know-what.  Plus Round Table folks are not known to be spring chickens so best to lay low.

We usually meet for discussion groups inside at the Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, who let us use a room for two hours.  Some of us started chompin' at the bit and wanted to do some Civil War talking and decided to try meeting outside at the Panera Bread in Algonquin.  We had seven in attendance and it sure was good to get back to some normalcy these days.  Thoroughly enjoyed it.

We met outside under umbrellas, observed social distancing and wore face masks except when eating or drinking.  We follow the protocol for these days.  Especially since we're so old.

We're meeting at the same place again this Saturday and will discuss "The Beast."  That would be the very interesting Union general named Benjamin Butler.  And, he was involved with my favorite Civil War battle, Fort Fisher.

Anyway, I not only got to talk Civil War (one of my favorite things to do obviously) but I also got to go to two of my all-time favorite places and on the way back, stopped at two more places I really like to browse.

It Was A Good Day.  --RoadFun

Other Southern State Flags With Confederate Elements-- Part 2: Alabama, Arkansas and Florida Tennessee?)

ALABAMA, 1895

The St. Andrew's cross is a widely used  symbol, so the use on the Alabama flag might be a mere coincidence.  However, in 1915, the Alabama Official and Statistical Review , said, the flag "was intended  by the [state] Legislature to preserve in permanent form some of the more distinctive features of the Confederate battle flag, particularly the St. Andrew's cross."

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ARKANSAS, 1924

Though the Arkansas flag  is, overall, a cousin of  the Confederate battle flag,  it was actually designed in 1912 by a young woman from the town of Wannaseka.

According to the Arkansas state historian, the diamond represents the Arkansas diamond mine,  and the three star grouping inside the diamond represent the three nations Arkansas has belonged to:  Spain, France and the United States.

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FLORIDA,  1900

Before 1899, Florida's flag  was just the state's seal on a white background.  That year, voters  agreed to add the St. Andrew's cross to the flag.

Coincidence?  The change was first proposed by  then-governor Francis P. Flemming, a staunch secessionist who had fought in the Confederate 2nd Florida Regiment during the war and was very active in veterans groups afterwards.

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And, something might be said about Tennessee's flag.

I wonder when the SPLC will come out with their hit list.

These State Flags, No Doubt, Will Be the Next to be Changed.  --RoadDog

Other Southern State Flags That Resemble the Confederate Flag: Mississippi and Georgia-- Part 1

From the July 1, 2020, CNN  "Mississippi changing its flag isn't the end  of Confederate symbols on state flags" by A.J. Willingham.

Our good friends at CNN, always looking for another way to shear the Confederacy, had this article just a few days after Mississippi's legislature voted to remove the current state flag which features a Confederate symbol in the upper left hand corner (usually referred to as the Confederate battle flag).

CNN was quick to point out that there are other Southern (and former Confederate states) which have aspects of the Confederate flag in their state flags.  After looking at the pictures of the flags, I, unfortunately, have to agree with CNN to an extent.

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GEORGIA

By far, the most striking Confederate (if you will) state flag would be Georgia's, which incorporates most of the old Mississippi state flag as well as the Confederate First National Flag in the majority of it.

This new one replaces two other designs.  In 1956, the Confederate flag was placed on the state one as the legislature was battling integration.  In 2003, with pressure against the 1956 flag rising, a new, very unpopular, ugly looking-flag was proposed and voted on by the legislature in 2001.  People didn't like it.

A new design for the flag was voted on in 2003 and that is the one used today.

As Confederadication continues.

So, Don't Be Surprised to See New State Flags in These States.  --RoadDog

The Boy Scouts' Statue of Liberty Campaign-- Part 3: Even Three in Illinois

I see there are remaining existing Boy Scout Statue of Liberty statues in Birmingham, Alabama, and Richmond, Virginia.  Sure hope those wild and crazy mayors of those cities don't get a wild hair and decide they have to come down.

Some states that have them of special interest to me:

ILLINOIS

Benton
London Mills
Warsaw

IOWA

There are 19 in Iowa, one of the most in any state other than Kansas.

Of particular interest to me are those on the Lincoln Highway which include:

Clinton
Cedar Rapids
Woodbine

WISCONSIN

Kenosha
Madison

NORTH CAROLINA

Wilmington

--RoadLiberty

The Boy Scouts' "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty" Campaign-- Part 2

The copper statues were manufactured by Friedley-Voshardt Co. of Chicago, Illinois,  and could be purchased through the Kansas City Boy Scout office by those wanting to put one up in their community.

The statues were about 8 1/2 feet tall without the base and constructed of sheet copper.  They weighed 290 pounds and cost $350 at the time plus freight.  The mass-produced statues  are not meticulously accurate:  a conservator notes that "her face isn't as mature as the real Statue of Liberty.  It's rounder and more like a little girl's,"

Many of the statues have been lost or destroyed, but preservationists have been able to account for about 100 of them.  Boy Scout Troop 101 of Cheyenne, Wyoming,  has collected photographs of  more than 100 of them.  The list in Wikipedia is now approaching  150 examples.  The Wikipedia article has the entire list.

Some of the statues can be found at these sites:

Birmingham, Alabama
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Greely, Colorado
Burlington, Iowa
Overland Park, Kansas
Richmond, Virginia

Let's hope they are not wrecked by this take-down-the-statue mania we currently have in the United States.

--RoadDog

The Boy Scouts' "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty" Campaign-- Part 1

Yesterday I wrote about the Boy Scouts and their placement of many Statue of Liberty copies in the United States.  I'd never heard of this before, nor do I remember ever seeing one of these statues.  I will be keeping an eye out for them now.

From Wikipedia.

STRENGTHEN THE ARM OF LIBERTY

This was the theme of the Boy Scouts' 40th anniversary celebration in 1950.  The campaign started  at the base of the real Statue of Liberty in New York and eventually led to the erection of 200  replicas across the country.

Between 1949 and 1952, approximately  two hundred 100-inch replicas were created of stamped copper  and purchased by Boy Scout troops and placed in 39 states and several possessions and territories.

The project was the brainchild of Kansas City businessman J.P. Whitaker, who was the Scout Commissioner of the Kansas City Area Council.

--RoadDog

Along 66, May 2020: Boy Scout Statues of Liberty Across America in the 1950s

MAY 20--  Statue of Liberty replicas have own history.  They are 8 1/2 feet tall and were installed in 200 towns across the United States in the 1950s.

There is one in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 17th and Harvard Avenue which was unveiled in May 1950 and put there by the Boy Scouts of America as part of their "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty" campaign during the Cold War.   The states on Missouri and Kansas got the most.

They were made of copper and weighed 290 pounds each.  The scouts raised $612 for the project which went toward the stone base of the statue.

The one in Tulsa was restored in 1995 with a $5,000 grant from Bama Pie.

About 150 of these statues remain.  The ones on Route 66, besides Tulsa, are in Springfield, Missouri; Miami, Oklahoma; Edmund, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City.

I must admit that I've never seen one of these, but will start looking for them.

--RoadDog