Good Times Around Here, August 1-- Part 3: Summer of 1971, PLAV's Street Party, Brats, Burgers, Beer and a Band

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1

The usual Sunday morning stuff.  Bob Stroud played part 3 of his annual Rock and Roll Roots to the Summer of 1971, fifty years ago.  Of course, I had to record it.  You can see what he played in the last several posts.  He'll have a part 4 on Sunday, September 5 from 9 am to noon CDST on WDRV. This was a fun college year for me, spent between NIU and UGA.

Watered and watered and watered.  We could sure use some rain.

I had planned to go to the McHenry VFW to watch their afternoon band and then go to the McHenry American Legion.  But Liz said she thought she had seen something from the PLAV (Polish Legion of American Veterans) in McHenry about their annual summer street party.

There was no question where I wanted to go when  I got that bit of information.  Get me to the PLAV ASAP.

She was right.  Of course, we didn't have it last year because of you-know-what, so I was really looking forward to it and would not have been very happy to miss it.  I'm so glad Liz told me about it.

For $15, I got auce and aycd brats, burgers, side salads, corn on the cob and draft beer.  Now, that is what I call a deal.  Plus, we had a great country band playing and karaoke in between.  And the weather was hot, but breezy and felt fine under the tent.

Afterwards, to the McHenry Legion for an adequate $2.50 Bloody Mary.

A Real Good Time.  Thanks PLAV.  --RoadDog

LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE, WARM WATER THEOREM:  When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.  And, I have an ADDENDUM:  Just as soon as you fall asleep for your nap, the phone doth ring.

Somewhat Near Normal Last Saturday: Some of My Favorite Things

As another month hurries by.  And, I mean HURRIES BY!!  Why does time go so fast when you're having fun, and even here in the "V" fun.

People asked me in the past why I don't travel much during the summer.  Why travel when you've got a travel destination right here in the area.  I mean, Illinois' Chain of Lakes (or Chain 'o Lakes) is as much fun as you can have and we haven't had a boat since last year.  But there is always stiff going on with weekly concerts in many local towns, car shows, parades, holidays, bars and bands.

But, this year has been different with so many things canceled.

But, last Saturday, I came as close as you can to a return to the good old days. 

I went on my longest road trip since March 3, a whopping 20.4 miles to Algonquin, Illinois.  Usually by now, we would have been to Missouri on Route 66 at least once and out to the the Mississippi River at least once, but since we can't just have the fun we want because of you-know-what,  might as well just hang around here.

However, this past Saturday I got to do a whole bunch of my favorite things.  First, we had our first meeting of the MCCWRT discussion group outside at Panera Bread with facemasks on, then to my favorite store, Half-Price Books and then to one of my favorite fast-food places called White castle.

Last two stops were to check out plants at Meijer and Home Depot, something else I really enjoy.

That night, closer to home in Johnsburg, Illinois, we had fresh Stade corn on the cob and a band outside of Stucky's.

I Was Smilin'.  --RoadGrin

Living in Today's World: Speed Bump

From the August 24, 2016, Speed Bump comic strip.

One panel.  No talking.

A father and his daughter are entering a corn maze.  The father looks up and just over the tops of the corn he sees a giant mouse in a white lab coat writing on a clip board.

Turnabout is fair play, I guess.

Of course, within a few miles of us we have Richardson's Corn Maze, reputed to be the world's largest, which draws thousands of people every fall.  This year's theme of their maze is the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek."

--RoadDog

JSS: Dog Drive-- Corn High-- Jewel Tailgating-- Death of D-18

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  DOG DRIVE--  We have three pooches we like to keep tabs on whenever we drive to Spring grove for shopping along US-12.  Nearest us is a husky dog named Zoe, who is one of the prettiest and laziest dogs ever.  Of course, with us being bug NIU Huskies fans, we like huskies.

Then, farther down the hill, we have a pair of clowns.  We don't know their names, but one is a JKack Russel and the other has the biggest ears we've ever seen on such a small dog.  We call them Jack and Ears.

2.  CORN HIGH--  If there is any meaning to corn being knee-high by the 4th of July, ours was already chest high with all the rain and cool temps.  Looks like a bumper crop.

3.  JEWEL TAILGATING--  Today, after being "attacked" by Ears and Jack (well, seriously barked at), I sent to our local Jewel and saw six guys tailgating in the parking lot and seeming to really enjoy themselves.  I had to ask them where the football game was.  They just laughed.

4.  DEATH OF D-18--  Sad to find out that one of the Decorah bald head eaglets was electrocuted yesterday when he landed on uninsulated high wire power lines.  They (there were three of them) had a rough eaglethood after being laid in really cold weather, having it really cold when first hatched and then bothered so badly by gnats they all left the nest too early, one of them breaking a wing in the process.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

NOT YOUR USUAL FLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTSl:  As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan Airport, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!!"

Road Trip-- 34th Anniversary Part 4 Floods and Corn

FLOODS and DEKALB CORNFEST

Saturday morning we found out that today's destination had made the national news on The Weather Channel. A reporter was doing a live report from a flooded golf course in DeKalb. All this rain has the Mighty Kish, the Kishwaukee River (usually more of a stream or creek) flooding in a big way around DeKalb. I went on the hotel's internet and found out from my Illinois Lincoln Highway e-mail group that yesterday the city was essentially isolated by flooding. Northern Illinois University had been closed.

We decided to go to DeKalb anyway. We encountered no flooding along the Lincoln Highway (Illinois Highway 38) until we got NIU's lagoon and the bridge over the Kishwaukee. This area was flooded and water was up to the bridge, but it was still passable.

Cornfest was underway and, as usual, finding a parking place was not easy. Lincoln Highway, which serves as the main street through downtown, was blocked off. We got there in time for the FREE corn. From 11 AM to 2, it was all the corn you want for free. It is heated by an antique steam thresher and everything is done in assembly-line fashion. They'll give you two ears at a time, drenched in butter and in a paper container.

Nowhere to sit, and as I was eating one, I evidently tilted the container and got butter all over the front of my shirt, proof that I had been there, but Liz wasn't too pleased.

Walked around and listened to a band on the main stage. The Egyptian Theater, dating to the 1920s was open and had a free showing of "Field of Dreams" so took advantage. I don't remember ever going to this old movie palace with its art deco/Egyptian architecture. It was closed when I was a student, and almost torn down until a group stepped in and saved it. This is a major site along the old Lincoln Highway in Illinois.

Met The Lincoln Highway Association's state director, Kay, by the small park with the DeKalb mural, Veteran's Memorial Clock, and small WWII Sherman tank (which used to be parked by the train tracks across from Andy's and McCabe's for many years). She had planned to go to Rochelle last night, but had canceled due to the flooding. Kay said that next year, Cornfest will be held at a local park because of planned work on Il-38 through town. Whether it will return to the main drag through town the following year is still to be seen. I hope it does.

Watched the Beatles tribute band, American English, do some of the early Beatles songs. At least they were playing this time, not like the no-play that took place at the Kenosha County Fair a few weeks ago.

Still to be Continued.... --RoadDog

Road Trip- 34th Wedding Anniversary Part 1

In honor of our 34th wedding anniversary, Liz and I took a road trip, essentially reversing what we did all those many, many, many, many years ago. Back in 1973, we got married in DeKalb, Illinois, and went to Galena, Illinois, for our honeymoon. This year, we went to Galena first then to DeKalb on the actual same day of the week, Saturday. We drove by the current Best Western (Holiday Inn in 1973), where we had the reception. We also went inside NIU's Newman Center where the marriage took place.

Along the way, we encountered floods, forded flooded roads, played NTN, crossed the Mississippi River in a downpour, went to two festivals, visited a Japanese garden, drove some absolutely beautiful roads, saw lots of corn, ate lots of corn, dripped butter on myself, did some Lincoln Highway stuff, DID NOT buy any souvenirs, and went to a museum/aquarium.

I'll be highlighting the trip here, but will go into greater detail on the roaddogsroadlog blog.

More to Come Later. --RoadDog