Along66, March 2022: Ike's Chili Featured on TV

I take these posts from the Route 66 News Blog.  I just pick the ones of most interest to me.  The site has at least one post most every day and has pictures and much more information than I give.   But, if you rally want to know what is going on along the Mother Road, you want to go to this site.  (Plus, my posts are a month old usually.)

MARCH 2, 2022

Ike's Chili of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will have an appearance in the "Drew Barrymore Show."  Ike's is a famous chili which has been served for over a century since 1908.  It has been at its current location at 1503 and 1509 11th Street (Route 66) since 2013.

Earlier it was at Admiral Place (an older alignment of 66) from 1966.

The TV show is a competition and it will be up against two other chili places.  I'll be pulling for it unless one of the other chili places features Cincy Chili.  We have never eaten Ike's Chili, but will be doing so the next time in Tulsa.

I'm also a huge chili fan.  Chili cookoffs help get me through winters.

Good Ike's.  --RoadDog

Got My Food Craves On Our Trip to N.C.

I have certain places that are must-eat on my trips to North Carolina.  Here is a list of ones I ate at this month on our trip to the family reunion.

JULY 10--  Skyline Chili in Engelwood, Ohio

JULY 11--  Golden Corral in Burlington, N.C.

JULY  12--  Hardee's    (We don't have any around us.)

JULY  13--  McCall's BBQ at the family reunion

JULY  15--  Paul's Famous Hot Dogs in Rocky Point, N.C. and Britt's Donuts in Carolina Beach, N.C.  Lazy Pirate Carolina Beach.

JULY 16--  Hardee's in Carolina Beach, Britt's Donuts and Hoplite's in Carolina Beach

JULY 17--  Snappy Lunch (pork chop sandwiches) in Mt. Airy, N.C.  (Home of Andy Griffith)

Mighty Good Eating in the Neighborhood.  --RoadFood

N.C. January 2017-- Part 4: Through to Zanesville, Ohio

January 12, 2017.

Clear run on I-70 to Columbus.  Stopped in Englewood, Ohio, at mm 29, for my usual Skyline Chili fix.  I am getting to be a regular at  this place.  Still strange there is no road construction there like it was for many years.  I was beginning it was going to be a forever project.

I had no problem driving through Columbus either.  Of course, it was late in the rush hour.

Drove to Zanesville, Ohio, and stopped at the Super 8 Motel west of town where I have stayed many times.

--RoadDog

N.C. for T-Giving 2015-- Part 5: Huber Heights, Ohio

November 24, 2015, Tuesday.

Checked into the Days Inn in Huber heights and got the room for $52 including tax.  A good price these days for a clean and comfortable room.

I had seen a sign for a Skyline Chili as I got off I-70 and found the place in a shopping center right across from the hotel.  I got my Skyline Cincinnati chili fix.

I then went to the BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wings) and had to ask for the University of Ohio-Northern Illinois game to be put on.  I was a bit surprised as Huber heights is in Ohio.  But, Ohio is mostly an Ohio State (or perhaps University of Cincinnati) kind of a state.  I had had the same thing a couple years ago when NIU played Bowling Green (also an Ohio school) in the MAC Championship game.

Played some NTN while watching the game, but had to leave by half time as Northern was really playing horribly.  Back to the room and found out later that Ohio had beaten Northern.  had we won, we would have had a spot to play Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game.

--RoadDog

N.C. for T-Giving 2015-- Part 4: To Huber Heights, Ohio

I found a good station playing Blues Music by Champaign, WFT, a public radio station.

Stopped in Crawfordsville (as usual) for gas at the Pilot station.  It was the cheapest I got on the whole trip, $1.66 ($1.65.9).  Less and less snow until there was none at all the other side of Indianapolis.  No problem driving through Indy, but a whole lot of trucks east of it on I-70

Stopped at the Ohio Welcome Center east of Richmond, to pock up hotel books to use those good coupons.

Clear sailing until I got near Englewood, Ohio and encountered a huge traffic jam.  Got off at Exit 29, to get my usual Skyline Chili fix, but it was wall-to-wall so got back on I-70.

Picked up my first Christmas Music stations out of Dayton, 106.5 FM which bills itself as Dayton's Christmas Station.  I must admit that I do like my Christmas music this time of the year.  I always look for these stations.

I got off at Exit 36 where I got a room at the Days Inn and paid just $52, including tax.  Good price these days and a nice room.

--RoadDog

N.C. Summer Trip 2015-- Part 4: Interstates

July 20, 2015, Monday

Once to Mahomet, Illinois, I picked up I-74 and took it to Indianapolis.  Gas in Crawfordsville, Indiansa, was $2.33, the cheapest I'd seen in awhile, but I didn't need gas.

I hit Indianapolis right at the peak of the go-home rush hour (one if the problems of getting a late start from home and losing the hour to the Eastern Time Zone).  Never a good thing.  Took I-465 bypass to I-70 right into the city and had just one little slow-down, no problem.  But just try to drive the 55 mph speed limit and you get run over by traffic.  Must go faster.

Then, easy cruise on I-70 east to Richmond and then under that great Ohio Welcome Arch.  I wish all states would put these up to welcome folks.

Stopped for my usual Skyline Chili fix at Exit 29 by Englewood, Ohio.  That is a tradition.  Love my Cincy chili.  Lots and lots of construction at this exit, but managed to find the entrance ramp back to the interstate.   Construction continued for a lot of miles after that.

Went straight through Columbus and got off at Reynoldsburg.  I always thry to get through to the other side of big cities when I am getting ready to stop for the night.  That way you avoid the morning rush hour.

Another thing I like about this exit is that there is a Half-Price Books, one of my favorite places.  Got a room at the LaQuinta for the night.

Mileage for the day was 492.

--RoadDog

A Spring Beach Trip 2015-- Part 2: Interstate Driving to Gatlinburg, Tn.

APRIL 22, 2015, WEDNESDAY

This was a day of driving the interstates to make some miles toward Savannah.  We eventually drove a little over 500 miles starting on I-74 to Indianapolis from Champaign, Illinois, and then I-465 bypass to I-74 again to the Cincinnati bypass.

We didn't stop along the way to eat as I had visions of a possible Skyline Chili stop in my head, but was beginning to wonder as there was not a single one, or much in the way of any restaurants along the Cincinnati bypass until we got close to I-75, and, there on the sign was Skyline Chili.  Oh Boy!!

We quickly got off and sated my love of that item (thanks a lot Denny).  I even have Liz liking Cincy chili, though she complains there is too much of it.  We both had had some left over for another meal.

Then, we took I-75 south through Lexington, Kentucky, to Knoxville, Tennessee and took the bypass there to the east.

I had been planning to stop at a motel along I-40 somewhere, but when I saw the exit for Tn-66 coming up, I knew that went through Seveirville, Pigeon Forge and out to Gatlinburg, so decided to drive that in a steady drizzle.  This is one huge tourist area all along the highway.  The Wisconsin Dells pales to this and until Dolley hit Pigeon Forge, in the 70s, there really wasn't a huge amount back then until you got to Gatlinburg.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead-- Part 11: More Radio, Chili and Unreadable Prompts

November 20th, Thursday

Driving along, i picked up 92.1 FM by Columbus and heard some pretty good new R&B.  Not sure if 92.1 FM, WRLU might be out of Dayton.  I started losing the station around Exit 66, "Your station on Exit 66, "you know.

By Dayton, I came across the I-75 junction on I-70 and that is quite a spaghetti junction.  The I-75 signs for north said "To Toledo.  A big yuck to that.  Toledo Rockets, not exactly my favorite team.

Now, I found WODC, my first of those all-Christmas, all-the-time stations on the trip which I get every year.  I heard the Roulettes singing a Christmas song and then there was at least 15 minutes straight of commercials (while i was trying to determine if this was a Christmas station or not.  I mean, those commercials just came and came.

Of course, thanks to pal Denny, I had to stop at Exit 29 in Ohio so I could get my Cincy Chili fix at Skyline  And, then, I got gas at the station across from it which features the infamous no-can-read faded out prompt screen.  It is impossible to read it (the first pump across from Skyline Chili).

You really have to be able to read it to know what your're supposed to be doing.  I had used it before and forgot.  Went to another pump and filled up, then went inside to find out if my account had been cleared from the unreadable pump.  The clerk had no idea what I was talking about (but only a limited ability in English).  Gas was $2.77 here.


--RoadDog

Road Work Ahead, N.C. Summer 2014 Trip-- Part 32: Snappy Lunch and Skyline Chili

Leaving Goldsboro, N.C., on July 31, 2014, the odometer stood at 29,508 miles and 1,102.5 miles for the trip with a 31.4 mpg.  Drove US-70, I-40, US-52, I-77, US-33 and I-70 today.

I drove 653 miles that day, stopping at Snappy Lunch in Mt. Airy (Mayberry), N.C., for one of those unbelievably good pork chop sandwiches.

Listening to my tunes on CD and various radio stations..

Stopped at another favorite, Skyline Chili, on the Columbus, Ohio,  bypass for dinner.

Arrived in the dark at Richmond, Indiana, right on the Ohio border off I-70.  Stayed at the Motel 6 again.

AUGUST 1st:  Listening to the radio and now in Illinois heading north on Il-47, my way to avoid the Chicago hassle.

Had breakfast of champions, Sliders, in Indiana, but why the White Castles in this state (or at least along I-70) only have Diet Caffeine-free Coke and don't have the great Dusseldorf mustard is beyond me.

I Lost Count of How Many Miles of Road Construction I Had to Endure.  --RoadDog

Coming Home-- Part 5

Returning from North Carolina April 1-2, 2013.

After the West Virginia Turnpike, I got off I-77 at Ripley and took US-33 again, this time heading northwest toward Columbus, Ohio.

I was surprised to see a rest area along the highway that was open.  You don't see a lot of rest areas on U.S. highways, just interstates.  I also passed an Ohio Bicentennial barn, with logo facing southeast.  I did not see it on my way down, of course.

Picked up a good radio station, WYSO, 91.3 FM, playing blues this Monday.  Sure enjoyed their selection.

It was getting quite dark by now (April 1st) and I decided to go to Dayton.  Got off at what is now a regular eating spot, the Skyline Chili place at Exit 39, I think.  Filled up there and then went next door and got a room at the Super 8 for $38 with tax.  Nothing great, but I was ready to go to sleep after the long drive today, 630 miles.

Gas was $3.60 at the Dayton exit.  MPG now at 31.1

Over Half Way Home.  --RoadDog

NC Bound Spring 2013-- Part 6: Indy and Chili

March 19th.

Ate lunch at the Mahomet Hen House.  As I already said, I was thinking of ordering a half a chicken, but decided not to when I was told there would be a twenty minute wait.  Instead, I had a ham steak with three sides for $7.95.  Some of the best ham I've ever eaten.  But, next time, maybe in Springfield, I will try some of that chicken they're noted for.

Listened to Bob Seger's "Beautiful Loser" and the Tribute to Jimi Hendrix on the way to Champaign, until Forrest, Illinois, when I started listening to the Whip, WWHP.  Listened to that station until I lost reception by Danville on I-74.

Gas was $3.80 at Crawfordsville, Indiana.  I should have gotten gas at Mahomet where it was $3.60.  Usually, the Pilot station near Crawfordsville is one of the cheapest prices on nthe way.

On I-74 through to the bypass around Indianapolis, arriving in time for rush hour.  Decided to go right through town on I-70 and am happy to say that traffic was heavy, but there were no slowdowns.

I-70 into Ohio and had dinner at Skyline Chili north of Dayton.  This is getting to be a regular stop for me.  Got a room at the Knight's Inn east of Columbus.

Finally Made It Through the First Day.  --RoadDog