Today's Firebird Cruise-- Part 1: It Ain't That Flat, All Those Parks and All That Corn and Those Subdivisions

MONDAY, JULY 26, 2021

Nice, hot day, today.  Just perfect for a cruise in the old car, with the window down, arm out the window and tunes blaring from the radio.

I did a loop through Spring Grove and Johnsburg, Illinois, about 18 miles total.  In that time, I went by five parks, two agricultural tourist farms, lots of corn and soybeans as well as McHenry County's newest growth, the numerous subdivisions.  Also, lots of farms.  Beware of farm equipment on the roads at all times around here.  I've even seen big old tractors pulled up in front of some local drinking establishments and no parade would be complete without tractors.

Anyone that thinks all of Illinois is perfectly flat might change their mind around here.  We have several good-sized "Hills."

First, I took Sunset Road west to Meyer Road through real high corn.  Then north on Meyer and down a good-sized hill, past the Spring Grove Village Hall to US-12.  Wait and wait and wait for a break in the traffic and I'm on my merry way.

Even better today, I finally remembered to bring along one of my cassettes.  Yep, the Firebird radio also has a cassette deck on it.  I listened to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show salute to Summer 2020, Vol. 2, which I had recorded last year.  Yep, I still record on cassettes.  As a matter of fact, I recorded a large part of Bob's show yesterday when he featured Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Cosmo's Factory."

Creedence is my all-time favorite rock band, well, Swamp Band or whatever it was that they played.  It was released 51 years ago this week.

--RoadCruiser

Eatin' Southern Style Up North, Y'all

Yesterday, I went to Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and had their Wednesday night food special which varies every week, but is a five course dinner with a theme.  Yesterday's theme was "SOUTHERN STYLE."

FIRST COURSE:  Corn chowder and corn bread

SECOND COURSE:  Cat Fish, Black-eyed peas& grits

THIRD COURSE:  Fried chicken, collard greens & biscuits

FOURTH COURSE:  Jambalaya

FIFTH COURSE:  Peach cobbler and ice cream

All that for $12.99.  Now, that's eatin' good in the neighborhood.

So sad.  I'm from North Carolina and to look up how to spell Y'all.  Reckon I have to give up my Southern citizenship.

--RoadEatin'

Bucket List of Illinois Events-- Part 3: Tugging the Corn At the Parade

These were put out in honor of the Illinois Bicentennial of statehood in 2018.

9.  GREAT RIVER TUG FEST--  Port Byron   Early August

Teams from Illinois and Iowa pull their weight on a  2,700 foot rope between Port Byron and Le Claire, Iowa.  And, that would be across something called the Mississippi River.  As of 2018, Illinois leads 20-11.  Sorry Hawkeyes.

10.  MENDOTA SWEET CORN FESTIVAL--   Mendota  Early August

More than 50 tons of sweet corn gets devoured after being cooked by a vintage steam engine.

DeKalb has a Corn fest near the end of August.

11.  ILLINOIS STATE FAIR--  Springfield    Mid-August

A life size cow made of butter is just one thing to see.  And, you can eat Cozy Dogs.  Worth admission right there.

12.  BUD BILLIKEN PARADE--  Chicago   Second Saturday of August.

Just the way to get you ready for school.  The largest black parade in the country.

--RoadDog

News from Along the Lincoln Highway: DeKalb's Winged Ear of Corn to Be Moved

From the October 17, 2015, Dekalb (Il.) Daily Chronicle by Brittany Keeperman.

A marker showing the DeKalb Brand of Corn was placed at Memorial Park on September 16 of this year.  Memorial Park is located at First Street and Lincoln Highway.  However, the park district started getting comments from veterans organizations that this park should stay focused on veterans.

So, the park district will move the winged corn marker to DeKalb Square Park at 4th Street and Lincoln Highway.

You have probably seen the DeKalb Corn signs along roadways where new corn crops are shown.

Memroial Park and DeKalb square are parts of a major renovation plan being carried out along DeKalb's Main Street which is the Lincoln Highway.

And, Liz and I really did buy our winged DeKalb Corn sign that is hanging in the garage.

--RoadDog

Banjo and Beer Night at the Saufen Und Spiel

After eating all that food at the Taste of Spring Grove, I almost didn't make it out to the Banjo and Beer Night at nearby Johnsburg, Illinois' Saufen Und Spiel. Hint to the Spring Grove organizers, DON'T HAVE IT DURING SAUFEN UND SPIEL!!!

As it was, I missed the banjo band and had to settle for the Margarita Island band playing all that Buffett, reggae, and party music. Oh the crosses we have to bear. I gave up thoughts of getting to the beer tent because of the masses congregating around it. Prices, though must have been good, as I haven't seen this many inebriated folks since New Year's Eve in Key West several years ago.

One guy was constantly tottering and held up by his wife. This person got into a conga line, prompting bets at our table as to whether or not he'd still be in line when they came back around. He wasn't.

A QUESTION OF FOOD

This was too much like that great old John Cleese/ Monty Python skit in the cheese store. Corn on the cob was a buck, so I went and got tickets for it. Waited in line only to find they were out. Okay, how about a Diet Coke. Nope, out of that. Alright, a water then? Nope, plum out.

Okay, then you must still have hot dogs. Yep, but we're out of hot dog buns. You CAN have it on a burger bun, though. Done deal. I had to cut it. At least they had sauerkraut (hey, this is a German festival and they do serve brats), onions, and relish, so I had a fine Vienna beef hot dog on a burger bun, loaded.

I'll have to get there earlier next year.

No Food For You!!! At Least It Wasn't the Soup Nazi. --RoadDog

An Anniversary Roadtrip

To celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary, Liz and I hit the road for five days starting this past Wednesday. We went to Dubuque, Iowa, Galena, Rochelle, DeKalb, and Rockford in Illinois, and Beloit in Wisconsin.

We went on Illinois highways 47, 176, US-20, Stagecoach Road, Illinois highways 73, 72, 251 (the old US-51), 38 (Lincoln Highway), Anne Glidden Road, US-51, Wisconsin highways 81 and 67, some back roads along the Illinois-Wisconsin border when we got lost, US-12, some Wisconsin county roads, and Wilmot Road.

Along the way, we had to ford roads, drive through blinding rain, went to several bars including one with lots of animal heads, stayed at a mom and pop motel, played NTN at five new places and three old ones, ate at a 1935 steakhouse in a town that history forgot, stayed at a new motel that replaced the 1930s one we stayed at on our honeymoon, saw lots of algae in the Mississippi, enjoyed watching turtles and river otters at an aquarium, and went to Van's.

We also partied with a 60s band at a Lincoln Highway festival in Rochelle, saw the Beatles and ate corn at a festival in rain-drenched Dekalb, saw a movie in an Egyptian art deco 1928 theater, would have paid our respects to Gus (or do you call him William) Goose's marker at the flooded lagoon, saw some mighty young looking college students, received a blessing from the monsignor at the church we were married in, went to a bona fide surviving mom and pop type record store, ate at a Northwoods Cafe in Rockford, and went to a world-famous Japanese garden.

We essentially did things backwards from that date 34 years ago. We were married and had the reception in DeKalb and then, that night, drove out to Galena for the honeymoon.

All-in-all, it was a pretty good little drive of just over 500 miles.

Bringing Back the Memories and Making Some New Ones. --RoadDog

The Midwest, A to Z: lakes, Route 66 and Stay-Home Vacations

The February Midwest Living Magazine, in honor of its 20th anniversary, compiled a list of what makes the Midwest so special and did it alphabetically. Here is their list with their and my comments:

a- for the American Gothic painting by Grant Wood of the couple with a pitchfork in front of the home in Eldon, Iowa.
b- blue jeans for an honest day's work. I would have said Chicago Blues. The World Capital of the Blues.
c- corn on the cob- mighty fine here in Illinois

d- Diner- good food for cheap
e- education- great schools like Northern Illinois University in Dekalb and Magee Middle School in Round Lake, Il.
f- fair- like the great Illinois State Fair in Springfield right on Route 66.

g- Gateway Arch in St. Louis and right by Route 66
h- horizon with wide open spaces, great sunsets, endless seas of sky and earth.
i- Indy racing- nothing beats fun at the Old Brickyard.

j- jazz from Kansas City. Also blues in Chicago and Motown in Detroit.
k- kitchen table where families, friends gather at home
l- lakes and lots of them from Minnesota, the "Land of a Thousand Lakes", the Great Lakes, and Illinois' Chain of Lakes.

m- Main Street the heart of our small towns to congregate, work, and play. Then there's the annual Corn Festival on DeKalb, Illinois' main street, the Lincoln Highway.
n- Neighbors helping hands, more than just the people next door.
o- oaks tall and mighty and digging those acorns. But don't stand under one when the acorns are dropping.

p- prairie style - Frank Lloyd Wright's simple design inspired by long expanses.
q- quilts- ozy, colorful fabrics hearken to the pioneer past.
r- ROUTE 66- getting your kicks in Illinois, Missouri, and 13.2 miles in Kansas.

s- seasons- nothing like the change of seasons, especially magnificent fall.
t- thunderstorms lighting up the landscape
u- U-pick fresh produce and a hands-on connection to the land.

v- vacations- close-to-home beaches, mountains, forests, prairies, museums, parks,small-town charm, and big-city culture.
w- walleye- "What the Hell You Got Against Fish?" Thanks to Pat Dailey, the voice of the Great Lakes.
x-roads- the crossroads of the country

y- yards- freedom and space for living. I cut mine about once a week, more when it rains a lot.
z- zany- our sense of humor and sites that show it, like big balls of twine, Nebraska's Carhenge, and the Oz museum in Liberal, Kansas. Liberal got its name when free water was given to travelers in covered wagons. The people would say, "Mighty liberal of you."

Loving This Great Midwest. --RoadDog