2017 Indy 500-- Part 23: "Don't You Know I'm the Gangster of Love"

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Still at the Steve Miller Band concert.

The next song was one I'd heard before, but wasn't sure of the name. It started with the words "Did you see the light."  I think I heard someone say it was called "Serenade."  I just went to You Tube and found out that was the name.

Then, "Space Cowboy."

Something about it being written in the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco where the floor bounced up and down with the crowd.  Monday they had Johnny Cash, then Chuck Berry.  Wednesday was the Grateful Dead.  Thursday was Big Brother & the Holding Company (any you-know-who).

Steve Miller played there 120 times and said that Santana inspired this song.

A whole lot of yelling for this song and even the youngsters in the crowd singing along.

Who' s a Space Cowboy?  Every so often, funny smells would go through the crowd.

"I told you 'bout living in the USA.  Don't you know  I'm a gangster of love."

"I'm A Space Cowboy.  Bet You Weren't Ready For That."  --RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 22: Tee Shirts, Beer Cans and Songs

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Still at the Steve Miller Band concert.

I had to take a guess as to the names of their next three songs.

'GOING UP THE COUNTRY"   Correct guess.

"THE STRANGER"   On You Tube today and found it was "Stranger Blues."

Tee shirt:   Johnny Cash playing an electric guitar and giving the "finger."

Steve Miller is playing a blue guitar with white stars on it.  Now, he has a different electric guitar.

Tee shirt:  "I'll call in sick for Carb Day."

"GOING TO MEXICO"

Tee Shirt: "All hustle, No luck."

Well, if you go around gathering aluminum cans to sell, this is where you want to be.

Beer Cans All Around.  --RoadCarb

2017 Indy 500-- Part 21: Beer Can Towers, Sugar Babe, True Fine Love

FRIDAY, MAY 26

There were several towers of beer cans, duct taped together, in evidence at the Steve Miller concert, one of which was near us.  After a while, they got so high they were practically touching the ground, but everyone was having fun.  A gravity thing I suppose.   I have to wonder if this was pre-planned or not.  Who goes to a concert carrying duct tape.  Perhaps you never know when you're going to need duct tape.  When the Barenaked Ladies had seen them, they made up that song about them right on the stage.

First say "Joker" and then they kicked it off with the song "Sugar Babe" as they did in 1973.

People were walking around selling Steve Miller 2017 Tour tee shirts for $20.  Paul bought one.  They look sharp, but I sure don't need anymore tee shirts.

"True Fine Love"

I didn't know this song so wrote down some lyrics as best I could:

""Get your rocks off,  I'm gonna knock your socks off.  We're gonna raise a family."

"Dance, Dance, Dance"    Off the "Fly Like An Eagle" album.    A real country hoe-down.  Banjos and everything.   Steve played an acoustic guitar on this one.

I Want That Tee Shirt.  --RoadShirt

Indy 500 2017-- Part 20: Crown Me With a Cheseboiger

The songs:

"Abracadabra"

Gone are the days when you'd get in trouble for videoing at a concert.  Lots and lots of videos being taken. And those young folks were really enjoying our old "Geezer" music.

A guy came by and offered us a shot of the new Crown Royal Apple drink.  We took a shot.  Good stuff, but hey, after our trips to Florida I have become a big fan of anything Crown Royal.  Probably shouldn't take shots from people we don't know.  Oh well.

"Livin' In the U.S.A."

Steve played a harmonica.  His voice was not quite as good on this one, but sounded good as ever on most of the rest.  This is my song of the 60s.  I was wondering if Steve would say, "Somebody Give me A Cheeseburger!"  He did.  As did most everyone there.

Tee shirt:  "Somebody Shut the Front Door."

"Take the Money and Run."

--RoadCheeseburger

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2017 Indy 500-- Part 19: Of Cheeseburgers, Flying Horses and Space Cowboys

FRIDAY, MAY 26

The Steve Miller Band started right when they were scheduled to start at 5 p.m., something I really like.  I hate when a concert doesn't start on time and often it is just the performer(s) being egotistical.  The MC said, "Welcome Stevie Guitar and his band."

No big surprise, but Steve Miller is getting lots of gray hair, but, in his defense, he HAS been  around for a lot of years.  He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1943 and formed his band in 1966 and is still playing music.  I remember his first big hit, "Somebody Give Me A Cheeseburger," no "Living in the U.S.A." in 1968.

He comes on stage and says, "Nobody loves you like I love you."

Of course, we were so far back and blocked by tall people, but if you moved up a little you could see him on some huge screens on the side of the stage.

By now, the already wet ground was getting pretty muddy with everyone walking around.  I wasn't going to sit down in that mud, so stood.  And as I get older, standing for a long time is less of an option.

We had already seen them, but especially now we saw the "Space Cowboy" tee shirts with the famous flying horse logo of Steve Miller.  I was really tempted to buy a Steve Miller tee shirt, but already have WAY TOO many tee shirts.  Paul bought one, though.

A Real Trip Back.  --RoadWooooo

2017 Indy 500-- Part 18: Of "Woooooos" and Milk

FRIDAY, MAY 26

That loud "Woooooo" we heard was none other than pro wrestler Ric Flair who was introducing Steve Miller about 25 minutes before he was set up to play.  This guy is a complete nut, but a fun nut.  We don't know what he might have been on or if this is usual schtick.

Needless to say, when Ric yelled "Wooooooo" the crowd "Woooooed" him back.  As a matter of fact, the rest of that day and until late Sunday night, you would occasionally hear "Woooooos."  We did it quite often ourselves.  As a matter of fact, I'm doing a "Woooooo" right now.

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

WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

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Saw a a tee shirt : "In my sport if it goes out of bounds, It's not coming back."  A hat with the words "Winners drink milk."  A classic for the Indy 500 as the winner traditionally drinks milk.  As a matter of fact, the field has to write down their milk preferences before the race and there are bottles awaiting whoever might win.

--RoadWooooo

Nice Picture of Old Motel in Hinckley, Illinois, on US Highway 30

From the December 12, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

A photograph, probably 1930s or 1940s of an old motel with rooms in separate cabin buildings.  Three of the cabins are one room and one is a double room judging by the doorways.

The caption reads Hampton's Cabin Court Restaurant and Service Station in Hinckley along Route 30.

I found a postcard of the same scene which dates the postcard to 1940s to 1950s.    I can fin no further information about the place.

Worth A Look.  --RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 17: Big Bang, Hits and "WOOOOOO!!!"

FRIDAY, MAY 26

I did not know that the Barenaked Ladies were the ones who wrote the theme song of "Big Bang Theory," but they played it and it was.  Learn something new all the time.

They ended their show with some of their big hits "One Week" and "If I Had A Million Dollars."

To see the band in person, well we could see them up on the Jumbotron as we were quite aways away from them, they sure don't look like a group of guys who would call themselves Barenaked Ladies.  They look real regular.  But we definitely could hear them.

The crows was eating their music up as well and really went crazy on their medley to end the show.  A rap song, "Shout" and "New York, New York."

Great show, and we still had Steve Miller coming on the stage.

This is where we heard a yell out that we would be using amongst the four of us the rest of the time at Indy.  We were just talk when we heard, really loud, "WOOOOOOO!!!!"  Then "WOOOOOO!!!" again.  Well, this got our attention.

Who Was That????   --RoadWoooooo

2017 Indy 500-- Part 16: Drunks, Beet Towers and the Ladies

FRIDAY, MAY 26

The concert area definitely needs a 55+ age area.  Old as I am, though, I still manage to get by, but next time will bring along a folding chair.  All that standing is getting rough in these old days.

And was it ever hot with a blazing sun beating down.  Every so often a breeze would provide relief and I sure appreciated the occasional clouds to blot out the sun.

It was a very youthful crowd and there were a lot of drunks.  You can bring your alcohol with you at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, even on the 500 race.  That is sure a break from the overpriced beverage choice most anywhere else you go.  I would have liked to have the aluminum can concession afterwards. Lots and lots of cans.

Lots of drunks and, of course, with the younger set, lots of tats.

The lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies said he would run the race track tomorrow in a race car , but expects to be some sort of hazard.

We had several groups of people using duct tape to tape together beer cans and form towers, one of them must have been 15 feet or higher.  The problem was that the higher the tower got, the more it bent over.  The Barenaked Ladies saw this and threw together an ad lib song about the beer towers.

Watch Out for Falling Beer Cans.  --RoadTower

2017 Indy 500-- Part 15: Barenaked Ladies and Steve Miller Concerts

FRIDAY, MAY 26

After the activity at the racetrack, we walked northward to near Turn 4 where the concerts are held.  This is a long walk with a whole lot of people.  It is definitely not for Old Farts like me.  But on I went.  This is definitely a highlight of the whole Indy 500 race thing, the concert for Carb Day.

There is also a concert on Saturday, usually a country act.  We don't go to this one, but sure enjoy seeing those young hard bodies strutting their stuff in those really short Daisy Dukes and then the really funny looking cowgirl boots.  I can tell you two things that just don't look right together and that is Daisy Dukes and cowgirl boots.  Reminds me of someone wearing socks with flip flops or black socks with sandals.  Just ain't look right.

Well, we had a great pair of bands for  Carb Day this year:  Barenaked Ladies and the Steve Miller Band.

The Barenaked Ladies are a Canadian group and opened for Steve Miller.

I didn't recognize some of their songs, but even then, those were good.  The Ladies can sing a song.  One of the first I recognized was "Brian Wilson."

Unfortunately, there are no seats in the concert area.  And, with the wet ground from all the rain and the fact that if you sit down it is highly likely that someone will trip over you.  Much better idea to stand.

Back to the Bare.  --RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 14: Reba's Boy and the Brazil Kid in the Freedom 100 Indy Light Race

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Shortly after the Indy cars were towed off the track, the Freedom 100 race took place.  This race features what they call the Indy Light cars.  These are driven by racers who want to "graduate" to the Indy Car Series, and, of course, the Indy 500.

Reba McEntire sang the "Star-Spangled Banner."  She is the mother of one of the Indy Light racers, Shelby Blackstock.  There were 14 cars in the race.  In order to race, each one had to achieve a 199.9 mph speed.  They would race 40 laps (The IMS is two and a half miles around the track.) or 50 minutes.  These guys are real eager and there was an accident on the first lap.

The race was won by 18-year-old Mattheus Leist of Brazil.  He is now partnered with Tony Kanaan and ran his first Indy 500 in 2018, finishing 21.

--RoadLight

2017 Indy 500-- Part 13: Getting Hooked on the 500

The spotters saw something on the track so we now have a yellow flag.

My favorite racer is James Hinchcliffe who hails from Canada.  When I first started coming to the Indy 500, I never thought I'd get into it, but I have, somewhat.  John, Sue and Paul are huge fans of Brazilian racer Tony Kanaan.  Terri, probably the biggest Indy Car fan in the world, and someone I taught school with fot 25 years, favorite racer is Helio Castroneves.

There is a whole lot of talk about an F 1 racer named Fernando Alonzo.

Came across a guy trying to sell some tickets where we sit for the race for $220 apiece.

Now, we're sitting in the upper grandstand right across from where the #3 spot pits in the race.

Alexander Rossi won the 100th Running of the Indy 500 last year as he had just fumes left in his tank as he crossed the finish line and ran out of fuel part way around the track on his victory lap.

Hinchcliffe's car broke down coming off the yellow flag and spent the entire time in the pit.

Our #3 spot had the fastest time today at 227.336 mph.

This is the last time the car engines will be started until Sunday's Race Day.

--Road500

2017 Indy 500-- Part 12: Watchin' the Cars Go Round

FRIDAY, MAY 26

We're inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway now and the cars that will be racing on Sunday are running around the track and it is noisy,especially where we are sitting (not where we watch the race as we move around on Carb Day to get the different spectator experiences.  Right now we are in the main grandstands just north of Turn One.  We normally sit on what is called the Catwalk, way  up high between the 1st and 2nd turns.

A whole lot noisier here.

Most of the cars pitted after just one lap for adjustments.  They don't have to run for the whole hour, just until they're satisfied with their car's performance.  The pit crews are not moving as fast as they will on race day when every tenth of a second counts dearly.

Scott Dixon, who was held up earlier this week is in car #9, sponsored by Game World.

We took the elevator up to the upper grandstand.  Stairs really get me with my age.  Only too happy to take an elevator whenever possible.

--RoadRace

2017 Indy 500-- Part 11: Hockey, Bo and Carb Day

Friday, May 26

The Shack now has lunch with two pulled pork sandwiches for $3.  Why eat anywhere else?

Pittsburgh Penguins won last night's game in double overtime and will face the Nashville Predators Monday.  One thing nice about the Blackhawks not being in the Stanley Cup is that the pressure is not on to watch the other games.

I called Bo, a friend we met earlier this winter in Panama City Beach, Florida, and we will be getting together after the Carb Day festivities.  He lives in Speedway,  Indiana, just a short distance from the track.

They were playing "Fly Like an Eagle" on the Indy public announcement system at 10 a.m..  Steve Miller is the main show at the Carb Day festivities and Bare Naked Ladies will open for him.

We paid out $30 to get into Carb Day.  For that we get to watch the cars in Sunday's race get their final fine tunes, a 100 mile Freedom 100 race by the Indy Light cars, which are racers in training to get into the big race.  Then, there is a concert in the afternoon.

One nice thing about Carb Day is that you get to sit anywhere along the race track so we, of course, try out seats elsewhere.

--RoadDog

2017 Indy 500-- Part 10: In the Newspapers, 15 Millionth Model T, Scott Dixon Robbed

FRIDAY, MAY 26

Newspaper articles this morning.

Ninety years ago today, Henry Ford and his son Edsel drove the 15 millionth Model T out of their factory.

Vehicle headlights back then were stuck in the tech Dark Ages and were not bright enough.

"Millennials fuel growth in RV sales"  It is expected that RVs will ship 446,000 RVs in 2017, up 5.6%.

OPEC is cutting back oil production.

This year's Indy 500 Pole Setter, Scott Dixon, as robbed at gunpoint Sunday night at the Speedway Taco Bell.

It is getting so warm that I take my sweatshirt off.

Off to the Miller Light Carb Day.  --RoadDog