Here Are Your US-12, Rand Road Teams!!

Some of the teams are on both sides of the Showdown because US-14 and US-12 both go through the towns.

8A

Fremd  (7-2)
Maine South  (7-2)

7A

Hersey  (8-1)
Lake Zurich  (6-3)
Grant  (6-3)

4A

Richmond-Burton  (9-0)

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

US-12 / Rand Road has 6 teams.  US-14 leads 9-6 right now.

Go US-12!!  --RoadDog

It's Here Again, the Annual Northwest Highway (US-14)-Rand Road (US-12) IHSA Football Showdown: US-14 (Northwest Highway) Teams

These two roads mean a lot to me because I grew up in Palatine, Illinois, where both roads have alignments and currently live just off US-12 here in Spring Grove, Illinois.  Both the Northwest Highway and Rand Road are important Chicagoland  roads.

Same rules as with my Route 66-Lincoln Highway Showdown.  essentially Last Man Standing.

I started this showdown in 2013.  US-14 leads 4-2-1.

8A

Fremd  (7-2)
Maine South  (7-2)
Barrington  (6-3)

7A

Hersey  (8-1)
Prospect  (7-2)

6A

Prairie Ridge  (8-1)
Crystal Lake Central  (6-3)
Crystal Lake South  (5-4)
Cary-Grove  (7-2)

Northwest Highway (US-14) has 9 teams.

Go US-14!!  --RoadDog

Here Are Your Lincoln Highway Teams for the IHSA Football Showdown 2019-- Part 2

U.S. Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway both go through Joliet and Plainfield, so those teams are on both 66 and Lincoln Highway lists.

In order to make the final list of playoff teams, a school has to have at least 5 wins in their 9 regular season games.  Sometimes, however, a 4-5 team like Joliet West will make the cut.

8A

Joliet West  (4-5)
St. Charles East   (7-2)
Plainfield East  (5-4)
Plainfield North  (6-3)
Plainfield South  (5-4)
Lincoln-Way East  (9-0)

7A

Lincoln-Way West  (5-4)
Batavia  (7-2)
DeKalb  (6-3)

6A

Kaneland  (7-2)
Providence Catholic  (New Lenox)  (6-3)

5A

Sterling  (9-0)
Joliet Catholic  (6-3)
Marmion Academy   (6-3)

4A

Dixon  (5-4)

3A

Frankfort West  (6-3)

2A

Newman Central Catholic  (Sterling)  (8-1)

1A

Morrison  ((-0)
Aurora Christian   (5-4)

There are 19 Lincoln Highway teams in the playoffs.  Right now, Lincoln Highway leads Route 66 19-15.

Good Luck Lincoln Highway teams!!

--RoadLinc

It's Here Again, the Annual U.S. Route 66-Lincoln Highway Showdown (As In IHSA Football Playoffs)-- Part 1: Route 66 Teams

There are 256 teams in eight divisions (8A largest to 1A) in the Illinois High School Association football playoffs, which start Friday.

I have been running this competition since 2012.  Winner is determined by last man standing, in other words the road with a team or teams left in the competition.  Right now, Lincoln Highway leads 4 to 2 with one tie in 2018.

I do not count the Chicago teams.

Okay, 66ers.  Here are your teams and regular season records:

8A

Joliet West  (4-5)
Edwardsville  (7-2)
Plainfield East  (5-4)
Plainfield North  (6-3)
Plainfield South  (5-4)

7A

Normal Community   (7-2)

6A

East St. Louis  (9-0)
Springfield  (7-2)
Normal West  (7-2)
Chatham Glenwood  (9-0)

5A

Joliet Catholic  (6-3)
Sacred Heart-Griffin  (6-3)

3A

Wilmington  (8-1)
Williamsville  (9-0)
Carlinville   (6-3)

So, there are 15 Route 66 teams in the Showdown.

Go Route 66.  --Road66

Along 66, Sept. 2019: Taylor's Chili Parlor in Carlinville, Illinois, Honored

SEPTEMBER 27--   Illinois Tourism honors Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor of Carlinville, beating out eighteen other contenders.

Charles O. Taylor of Carlinville, Illinois, worked at the Mexican National Exposition at the St. Louis World's Fair (also called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) in 1904 and this was his first experience with Mexican food.

When he came back to Carlinville afterwards, he had a push cart from which he sold tamales at local bars (and there were 25 of them).  he made money and wanted to expand his business.  He bailed a Mexican vagrant out of jail for $3, but made him work it off at the price of 50 cents a week.

However, this man showed Taylor how to make chili.  He purchased the recipe and opened a chili parlor at  218 W. main St. in Carlinville.

This place dates to 1904 and is on the 1926-1930 alignment of Route 66 on the north side of the square.  I didn't know about it until I read this in the Route 66 News, but definitely will give it a try the next time in town.

Ole. --RoadChili

Fall Color Trip to Geneva Lake, Wisconsin-- Part 2: Into the Town of Lake Geneva

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Once you get to the town of Lake Geneva (the town is named Lake Geneva, the lake is Geneva Lake) Highway H is routed over to the US-12 expressway, but to continue on the original US-12, you continue north on Wells Street, past the high school.

Continuing, you will see a lot of motels (and some of them are very old ones).  This is not surprising as these motels were built for travelers and vacationers as the Lake Geneva has always been a favorite of people from Chicago.  You will also pass a great old sign advertising a cheese place.  And, there is a lot of color.

When Wells Street ends, you are at Wis. Highway 50, which is Lake Geneva's Main Street, turn left and now you drive through a great old bustling main street.  All stores are occupied and lots of shoppers, but here in October nowhere near as busy as it is in the summer.  Parking is at a premium in the summer.  (parking is $2 an hour)

Just, keep a close eye on what lane you need to be in as it is somewhat confusing as to where you should be.

A nice side trip here is to turn at the last stop light before the beach and library and take a drive down by the lake, Riviera Docks and Popeye's, a popular eatery right across from the Riviera featuring rotisserie chicken and one of the best fish fried in Wisconsin on Fridays.

--RoadDog

Along 66, Sept. 2019: Stealing Signs and Going to Prison

SEPTEMBER 21--   The long-closed Los Alamitos Motel sign was taken down in Grants, New mexico.  The problem is though, that the city has no idea who took it.

Not nice, sign stealers.  Don't take our neon away from us.

SEPTEMBER  30--  The Old Joliet Prison has drawn 14,181 visitors since it opened in August 2018.  They have gone on tours and special events.  It was built in the 19th century and known officially as the Joliet Correctional Center.

Officials put the amount of revenue the prison has generated at $407,654.

What a great place for a Halloween spook house if it already isn't one.

--RoadHoosegow

Fall Color Trip Around Geneva Lake, Oct. 23-- Part 1: To Wisconsin

This past Wednesday, we took advantage of a sunny day and drove up to one of our favorite places to see fall tree color, and that is Geneva Lake in Wisconsin, about twenty miles from our house.  We hadn't driven it for a few years and I have noticed that our trees here in Spring Grove and our subdivision were finally starting their fall change to color.

Drove through our subdivision for that color and then took US Highway 12 to Richmond. North of that village, we stopped at the fairly new Mobil station.  This is not one of your average convenience store gas stations as it has a regular restaurant and a deli selling Boars Head meats, some of the best anywhere around.

Plus,their gas was $2.40 whereas in Spring Grove it is $2.80 because of our Gov. Toilets' doubling of the Illinois gas tax.

Instead of taking the US-12 expressway to Lake Geneva, we continued on what became Highway H into Wisconsin and through Genoa City.  Highway H used to be the original US-12 before the expressway was built and it is a pretty drive with color from trees as well.

--RoadDog

Along Rt. 66, September 2019: That's a Lot of Abes, Bridge Closed and Bridge Opens?

SEPTEMBER 18--  The 49th Annual Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitter  Festival was held in Lincoln, Illinois September 21-22.  This part of the festival was an attempt to break the records for most Abraham Lincoln lookalikes.

I was unable to find out if they broke it.

SEPTEMBER 19--  Lake Overholser Bridge on Oklahoma City has been closed to vehicular traffic after structural problems were found.

That is a neat looking old bridge.

SEPTEMBER 20--  A proposal is out to rebuild a replica of the long-gone toll house at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge near St. Louis.  I've seen pictures of the original and it was a neat looking structure.

It looks like it will be built on the Missouri side and I hope they clear up the problems that have happened there.

--RoadBridge

Along 66, September 2019: Now, That's Some Kind of Eatin', Two 72-ouncers in Less Than An Hour and That Wasn't Even the Record

SEPTEMBER 11--   Arizona woman eats not one, but TWO of those Big Texan 72-ouncers.  Unbelievable.  But, as that guy from Princess Bride would say, "Inconceivable."

But, she is a professional competitive eater named Miki Sudo who has won the Women's Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest six years in a row.  Oh yes, and she also had salad, shrimp cocktail, baked potato and roll with both meals.

But, the record for fastest meal consumed was set in 2015, when 120 pound Molly Schuyler of Nebraska ate three in just 20 minutes.  She ate the first one in just under five minutes and that beat fellow competitive Joey "Jaws" Chestnut's 8 minutes 52 seconds set in 2008.

The Big Texan's 72 ounce steak dinner in one hour began as a publicity stunt by founder Bob lee in 1962.  The Big Texan opened originally on Amarillo Boulevard (Route 66) in 1960.  It moved after the coming of I-40 in 1977.  The new place, however, turned out to be on an obscure 1920s alignment of 1966.

Hopefully the Steak Was Rare.  --RoadSteak

Along 66, September 2019: Cadillac Resists Arsonist, Roy's and the Photographer

SEPTEMBER 9--   An arsonist torched a car at the Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo.  It was a 1949 Cadillac Fastback Coupe.  However, back then they built the GM behemoths sturdy and strong and in a short time people will have covered up all evidence of the evil deed.

SEPTEMBER 11--  Roy's Motel and Cafe will be relit in mid-November.  It is out in the middle of nowhere in Amboy, California.  A true ghost of 66.

SEPTEMBER 12--  Photographer Robert Frank died at age 94.  In 1958, he had a popular book called "Americans" which featured a Route 66 photograph which has led to many, many more since then.

--RoadDog

Along 66, September 2019: Tulsa Neon and Worrisome Elbow News

SEPTEMBER 6--  First neon sign restored with a Tulsa Route 66 grant program.  Billy Ray's BBQ and Catfish neon sign.  It has been dark for about fifteen years.  The program has gotten a lot of applications for this worthy project.

My idea is that you can never have too much neon.

SEPTEMBER 7--  Elbow Inn operators lose lease; owners will restore the place to its 1950s appearance.

The people operating it right now have had it since 2006, but the owners want the place to move in a different direction and it will reopen after a face lift.  They do say that it won't be a winery.  What would they do with those hundreds of bras on the ceiling?

I am a bit concerned about this news.  Other than the bathrooms, I like everything just the way it is.  Not only is the place rustic, but it really puts the dive in Dive Bar. It is a must-stop every time heading for the Munger-Moss.

Keep It Real.  --RoadElbow

Along 66, September 2019: Bottles and A Tourist Trap Named Totem

These are taken from the Route 66 News site which goes into much greater detail and has one or more posts every day.  I just pick out the ones of most interest to me.


SEPTEMBER 1--  Bottle Tree Ranch in Oro, California, reopens full-time after the death of its creator.  Elmer Long, 72, creator, died June 22.

This is a really eye-catching thing to see.  Probably my favorite thing in California other than the Santa Monica Pier.

SEPTEMBER 3--  The Phelps County Focus newspaper had an article about the Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla, Missouri.

It dates to 1931, when it opened in Arlington, Mo., (which today is essentially a ghost town at the end of one section of Route 66 which includes John's Modern Cabins).  With realignments, it moved to Rolla in the 1960s and to its present location since 1979.

Tim Jones has been a co-owner since 1974.

The last several times we stopped in (I really love Tourist Traps) it was sad to see how little business they had so I'm hoping it will find a way to continue.

--RoadDog

Along 66, August 2019: Club Cafe Neon Signs Taken Down

AUGUST 31--  The two remaining neon signs from the long-closed Club cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, were removed.

Sign Art removed them and it is rumored that they are destined to go to a collector who'll refurbish them and re-erect them at a future Route 66 Visitors Center in Albuquerque's west side.

Good news.  I always hate when something is removed and placed in a private collection, out of sight of the public.

--RoadDog

Along 66, August 2019: Camp Cajon and Springfield's Motorheads

AUGUST 22--   Camp Cajon's 100th anniversary in California.  A recreation of the monument that marked the site wasunveiled as well.

Camp cajon was a free auto camp that opened July 4, 1919, on the National Old Trails Road which later became Route 66.  The site was badly damaged in the Great Flood of 1938 and never rebuilt.

The history.

AUGUST 29--  A closer look at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.  It was shown on PBS and is a 27 minute video.

Owner Ron Metzger has all sorts of Route 66 memorabilia at his place which once was a stand alone Stuckeys on the south side of town on the other side of Lake Springfield.

This is a spot now on our must-stop itinerary.  We first stopped there back in 2018 during the Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour, just a few weeks after the place opened.  Most recently, we saw the St. Louis Blues clinch the Stanley Cup there and you could have been in St. Louis with all the fans and cheering.

Thanks, Ron.

"Gloria"  Not the Shadows of Knight Version, But Laura Branigan's.  This was the Blues' Song.  --RoadDog