Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 7-- Regions and Scenic Routes

The Nebraska 2010 Travel Guide divides the state up into seven regions, starting from the east:

Metro (Omaha area) (east central)
Lewis and Clark (northeast)
Pioneer Country (southeast)
Frontier Trails (midsouth)
Sandhills (midnorth)
Prairie Lakes (southwest)
Panhandle (west)

On page 26, the guide has four pages on what us roadfolk would really find interesting, "Take the scenic route" which consists of nine different ROAD TRIPS across the state.

Gold Rush Byway
Bridges to Buttes Byway
Heritage Highway
Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway
Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway
Loup Rivers Scenic Byway
Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway
Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway
Western Trails Scenic & Historic Byway

I figure I'll definitely be on the Lincoln Highway Byway next June on my way out to the 2011 Lincoln Highway Association Conference in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

On the Road Again. --RoadDog

Lincoln Logs: Illinois Murals

Lincoln Logs-- New news About an Old Road, the Lincoln Highway.


ILLINOIS MURALS-- Two more to be exact.

The June 17th Beacon News reports a new Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition mural being unveiled in St. Charles. It is one of a planned 40 murals across the highway's 179 miles across the state.

The Lincoln Highway passed through the southwest corner of the city, but the mural is downtown at 102 E. Main Street. It shows travelers venturing off the road to enjoy entertainment at the Arcadia Theater and staying overnight at the Hotel Baker, two landmarks.

Channel 13 NBC News out of Rockford reported on June 16th that another LH Coalition mural was unveiled in Byron at 504 Blackhawk Drive featuring the Lincoln's racing heritage. In 1925, Lewis B. Miller made a record-breaking transcontinental race on the road.

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition is to be commended for bringing the road's history to the general public with these murals and the information gazebos that are popping up all along the alignment.

On the Road Again looking at Those Neat Murals. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Well-Known Residents-- Part 6

Some more well-known residents of the Cornhusker state.

MARG HELGENBERGER-- actress on CSI, grew up in North bend.

MALCOLM X-- famed Civil Rights advocate born in Omaha.

WILLIAM F. CODY-- better known as Buffalo Bill ran his famed Wild West Show from his ranch in North Platte.

HENRY FONDA-- actor born in Grand Island and took acting lessons from Marlon Brando's mother in Omaha.

CLAYTON ANDERSON-- this astronaut's hometown is Ashland. he recently completed a tour of duty at the International Space Station.

FRED ASTAIRE-- as a boy, he first took dance lessons in Omaha.

WILLA CATHER and MARI SANDOZ-- well-known authors were inspired by their lives on the Nebraska prairie.

Gettin' the 4-1-1 on Nebraska. --RoadDog

ILMOTOUR-- 2010-- Part 7-- Road Boaters

We actually went to Road Boaters before we checked into the motel as we wanted to be sure they were going to have the Black Hawk Stanley Cup game on TV. We definitely were not in Black Hawk land and they were completely unaware that a game was even being played. After some work, they found out what channel it was on and said they'd show it tonight.

After playing NTN at Chicago Brother's Pizza and JJ Twigg's (also where we watched the first two periods of the Black Hawk-Philadelphia Flyers game because they had a very few fans. JJ Twigg's started out as a Chicago-area pizza place in Wauconda and Lake Zurich, Illinois, near us. It is always more fun to watch a game with people who are fans.), we went back to Road Boaters and got seats right in front of one of their big screen TVs which had the game on.

There was a crowd, but no one else was watching (which would have been us had the Hawks not been playing). But, they KNEW the Hawks were playing as Liz and I were doing some yelling and cheering.

Bringing the Hawks to the Ozarks. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 5-- Well-Known Residents

Well-known residents:

** President Gerald Ford was an Omaha native.

** Financial phenom Warren Buffett calls Omaha home.

** Johnny Carson grew up in Norfolk.

** Lincolnite Joba Chamberlain pitches for the New York Yankees. he also pitched for the University of Nebraska--Lincoln.

** Larry the Cable guy grew up on a farm outside Pawnee City.

** Red Cloud and Standing Bear, American Indians who fought for the rights of other people, were born in Nebraska.

More Famous Folk to Come. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 4-- Fun Facts

Still using the 2010 Travel Guide.

** WAHOO is featured as the home office of the Late Show with David Letterman. There really is a place near Omaha called it. Check it out in Roadside America.

** OGALLALA was the destination of cattle drives on the Texas Trail and became known as the Cowboy Capital. You just have to love that name.

** CHARLES LINDBERGH learned to fly in Lincoln before becoming the first to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

** SHARKS AND TIGERS, OH MY!-- Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha is the home of the first test-tube tigers and was the site of the first virgin shark birth.

** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-- the newest member of the Big Ten, er Big Eleven, er Big Twelve, well Big Ten Plus Two was called the Old Gold Knights, the Antelopes, the Rattlesnake Boys and Bugeaters before settling on the less colorful Cornhuskers.

Sounds Like an Interesting State. GO YOU BUGEATERS RAH, RAH. --RoadDog

ILMOTOUR 2010-- Part 6: Dookie, Wookie and Mookie

While at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Jefferson City, I noticed that three of their top ten players have the names Dookie, Wookie and Mookie. That's pretty good. For awhile, i was playing the names Whodah, Doodah and Boodah while I was protesting the forced switch to the new sign in.

We then took US-54 to the Lake of the Ozarks area and checked into the Shawnee Bluff Motel in Lake Ozark. This is a great little and old Missouri motel with that wonderful giraffe stone on the outside of the rooms, a pool, hot tub and a panoramic view of a large part of the Lake of the Ozarks.

We had happened upon the place the last time we came through the area and were hoping they had a room. They did. The price is reasonable as well, around $80 for a tourist spot during the summer.

Even better, it is just about a 100 yards away from a bar. It used to be Risky's and was owned by the folks who also owned the J.J. Twigg's by us in Lake Zurich and Wauconda, Illinois. However, they have moved to another site closer to the Bagnell Dam.

A new bar is in its place called Road Boaters. We thought that was a great name since both Liz and I definitely like boating and the road.

One day, we Might Even get Out to Route 66. --RoadDog

It Was Definitely a Retro Night

Yesterday, August 5th, Liz and I had what could definitely be termed as a retro night.

After boating, (still no wake on the Chain of Lakes due to flooding, but the waters are slowly going down), we drove over to nearby Ingleside, about a mile away, and ate at the Dog 'N Suds. Miller's Dog 'N Suds has been owned by the same family since it opened in 1967.

Every Saturday they have a classic car show and once a month during the summer they have live bands. Thursdays the special is Charcoburgers for 99 cents. This is one of the best burgers I've ever had. Then, there is all that great root beer to wash it down with. We always order the 16 ounce small root beer as it comes in frosted mug. Usually, i always order the biggest size, but root beer really has to be served in a glass mug.


IT'S THURSDAY

Then, we drove to Antioch, Illinois, about ten miles away, where they were having their weekly It's Thursday party. Every Thursday, they have a band playing out at their band shell. Tonight, the band was the Fairlanes who played two hours straight of 50s and 60s music.

In addition, they had about 150 old classic cars parked all over the place. All were neat, but I was especially impressed with the 1967 red Firebird convertible. I used to have a 1967 blue convertible Firebird, but i found that I like driving them but definitely not working on them.

On the way home, we stopped at McDonald's for a chocolate sundae. You sure can't beat these for a buck. Of course, the first McDonald's opened in nearby Des Plaines in 1955.

All in All, Quite a Trip Back to the 50s and 60s. --RoadDog

Some More Talk on Recommissioning Route 66

These are comments from members of the US Highways: From 1 to US-830 Yahoo e-Mail group.

Route 66 is similar to other old roads, but is more popular because of all of the hype"This decertified chunk of concrete has done more to sustain itself and evolve than recertifying it will ever do."

You'd risk losing the character & flavor of the old road.

Personally, I don't want it recertified. Like they say, it would lose a lot of what makes it so unique. I wouldn't mind states making it state 66 like they do in Missouri. This way, they would put up more signage.

Right now, only Illinois, Missouri and Kansas have anything approaching the needed amount of signage. Once you get to Oklahoma, its hit-or-miss as to whether or not you're on it.

Don't Bring back Route 66. It's Already Here. --RoadDog

ILMOTOUR 2010-- Part 5-- Don't Blink

Continuing into Missouri.

We passed a sign for Queen City, a small town with a population of 638. We couldn't help but chuckle when it went on to say, "Don't blink or you'll miss us."

Continuing south on US-63 and we came to Columbia, the home of the University of Missouri. This is when I recalled that there was a TGIF that had NTN which we hadn't visited before. We saw it right by I-70, but not in time to exit so had to go on a few more miles and double back.

Not too much farther south is Jefferson City, Missouri's capital. We drove by the capitol and then got off looking for the new Buffalo Wild Wings, but it was so new it wasn't on our Tom-Tom GPS so had to stop for directions. It ended up being north of town off US-50.

This is also where we found the used CD and record store where I found "Costello Music" by the Fratellis, a CD I had been looking for during the whole trip. It is the one that has Chelsea Dagger, the song they play at the Blackhawk games whenever the Hawks score. It has kind of grown on us.

Played that song all the rest of the way to Lake of the Ozarks. The rest of the album is pretty good as well.

One of these days we might even get to Route 66, our destination.

Showing Me Through Missouri. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 3-- State Originals

Continuing with my look at Nebraska.

This time, it is about ORIGINALS, meaning things that come from Nebraska.

*** Center Pivot Irrigation (is this what waters circles of land?)

*** Kool-Aid from the town of Hastings

*** Arbor Day (I have bought little bitty seedlings from the Arbor Day Foundation.)

*** Cabela's-- the big outdoors store

*** Runza (OK, I admit I have no idea here.) (I just looked it up and it is a chain of restaurants featuring overstuffed sandwiches based almost entirely in Nebraska and a few locatins in surrounding states.)

*** Cliff Notes--- (What got me through high school and college. I was partying too much to read those darn books. Thanks, Cliff.)

From the 2010 Official Travel Guide.

And You Thought There Was Nothing to See or Do in Nebraska. --RoadDog

Tribune Article About Boating on the Chain of Lakes

Today's Chicago Tribune had a long article on the Chain of Lakes saying that people using it has increased from last summer, which was very cool and usually cloudy, definitely not what people like when they're out on the water.

Of course, this is near and dear to me as we have been boating since 1985 and I had been a deejay mostly in the Chain for several years before that. That means we're now in our 26th season (and on our third boat).

The first one was a 1979 Imperial, then, we got a 1990 Four Winns and in 2003, our present one, a Bayliner (Just Another Bayliner). All have been open bows with the first one at 17 feet and last two 19 footers. There are lots of Bayliners out on the Chain since Fox Lake Harbor Marina and Boat Sales sells a lot of them. For the price, you get a lot of boat.

Local businesses that are involved with the Chain are happy for the small recovery, but the rains of the last two weeks that have hurt since the lower Fox River is closed below Stratton Dam and all the rest is No Wake.

However, Liz and I love the No Wake status as we can float in peace without the cruisers and boats usually pulling kids on tubes which we see far more often than skiers any more.

We're hoping for another weekend of No Wake.

Come On Rain!! --RoadDog

ILMOTOUR 2010-- Part 4-- Iowa to Missouri

Much nicer weather after all the rain we drove through yesterday and the odometer read 338 miles.

Gas in Ottumwa was $2.44 for regular plus and $2.54 for regular. I never have understood why regular is almost always ten cents more expensive in Iowa. I'm always tempted to use the cheaper plus stuff, but figure I'd have problems id I did. And, even at $2.54, it was still 19 cents cheaper than in Dekalb, Illinois.


IOWA CRUISING ON US-63

US-63 south of Ottumwa definitely has some beautiful rolling hills and extra passing lanes on the inclines, always nice to have, but I was the one being passed today.

We went through Bloomfield, Iowa, which had a pretty court house as the county seat of Davis County.

We were now in Amish country and saw several of their buggies, only different from the enclosed ones. For the summer, they sport a convertible look.

There was also a sign "Share the Road" with an Amish buggy on it.

At the state line, there were several big fireworks stores.

Now in Missouri. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 2-- Really Big Things

Page 1 of the 2010 Nebraska Official Travel Guide has s big highway shield with "Rediscover the Road Trip" which is what us roadies are all about. You can go to VisitNebraska.gov for information.

Again, most folks view the state as someplace to just get across as fast as possible to get somewhere else. Too bad as there is lots of stuff to do, from the "Big City" stuff in Omaha (but don't try to find a motel room there during the college World Series games).

Page Two has the 4-1-1 for the state with some mighty interesting things.

Under BIG DEALS:

** Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha has the world's largest indoor rainforest, indoor desert and nocturnal exhibit.

** The world's largest Kool-Aid stand during Kool-Aid Days in Hastings.

** You can sit on the world's largest porch swing in Hebron with seating for 18 adults.

** The largest-ever mammoth was found in Lincoln County (well, its fossil bones were found).

** The largest hand-planted forest in the world at the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest.

** The world's LARGEST BALL OF STAMPS at Boy's Town in Omaha.

** Bailey Railroad Yard in North Platte is the world's largest railroad classification yard.

** The largest grass-stabilized dune region in the Western hemisphere can be found at the Sandhills in the central part of the state.

Who Needs a Giant ball of Yarn When You Have All of This. --RoadDog

Cruisin' Nebraska-- Part 1

A lot of people believe there is nothing to see or do in Nebraska. Wrong!!

We've been through the state a few times and driven parts of the Lincoln Highway around Omaha and North Platte. North Platte by itself is quite the destination with the World War II canteen history, the train yard, and all the Buffalo Bill stuff.

I have come across a copy of the Nebraska Official 2010 Travel guide, something i highly recommend.

The front page section has a full page ad for Kearney, Nebraska, which will be the site of the Lincoln Highway Association's 2013 Conference marking the centennial of the country's first coast-to-coast highway. In addition, there are the Oregon and Mormon Trails and what they call a walk through of twelve immersive environments which have earned AAA's "Must See Attraction."

A major attraction is the Great Platte River Road Archway which features the development of the American West via transportation.

Not Finished Yet. --RoadDog