Good Times in the Area: Last Weekend and This

Last weekend is a good example of why we like to stick around the area here in northeast Illinois during the summer.

The bars are open again and the bands are playing.  Spring Grove and the towns around us are in an area of Illinois known as the Chain of Lakes (or Chain o' Lakes).  There are about nine interconnected lakes and a long stretch of the Fox River.

And, boating is king.  As a matter of fact, we had three boats over a period of time ranging from 1985 to 2019.  The waterways go crazy on the weekend with hundreds of boaters out to have a good time.

An example of the fun we have took place last weekend.

On Saturday, our friends Kevin and Kelly had a party for their new granddaughter and a keg of beer and lots of food.  They have a house right on Mineola Bay on Fox Lake.  There is something about ice cold beer, the sun and watching the boats go by.

However, many folks brought their own libations and that keg wasn't empty, so we signed up for a Day After Party on Sunday with some other friends.  We worked as hard as we could, but we couldn't finish that keg.

So, it became necessary to have a Day After Party Part 2.  This time we succeeded.

Last night, we went out for one of those great Midwest fish fries at Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois.  In just a little bit, we're going to Rosie's on Grasslake where they will have a band out on the deck.

Oh, Well, Somebody's Got to Do It, and We're Just the Guys to Do It.  --RoadParty

One Year Anniversary of You-Know-What

Today and yesterday mark the one-year anniversary of the arrival of the virus here in the Midwest.  I could never imagine the impact just one year under this would have.  But, it sure has.

We were very aware of the virus the beginning of March 2020 and it just kept spreading and spreading.

We were at the McHenry, Illinois, American Legion on the Sunday, March 15, 2020, when we heard that all bars and restaurants in Illinois were going to be open just one day longer and close indefinitely after Monday, March 16.  There was a lot of grumbling to say the least.

On Monday, March 16, we went to our local hangout, Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg, Illinois, for one last drink for however long this would be.  Again, the closure and virus were the topic of discussion.  With sad hearts we left Sunnyside and went home.

But, restaurants and bars were still open in Wisconsin, which is about eight miles from us, so we decided we would still have our St. Patrick's Day celebration as well as corned beef & cabbage at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes (another of our favorite hangouts).

So, about 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, we drove to Donovan's and found one other friend from Sunnyside there who had the same idea.  Again, discussion revolved around the Illinois closures and whether or not Wisconsin would follow suit.  At 3 p.m., Barb, our friendly bartender, received a phone call saying that all Wisconsin bars and restaurants were to close at 5 p.m.

There were a lot of upset folks, I tell you.  Barb, even more so because of all the corned beef and cabbage she had on hand for the day.

Anyway, that was our welcome to you-know-what.

--RoadDog

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  The law of gravity was enacted by the British Parliament.

School Has Started Again, Happy 15th Year of Retirement to Me

School started last week in Round Lake, Illinois, where I taught for 33 years before retiring in 2006.  But, as a teacher, your real retirement doesn't start on the last day of the school year, but on the first day school is back in session in fall (now, of course, in August).

As such, this is the start of my 15th year of being retired.  And, made even better not to be teaching in these days.

Though I have enjoyed retirement immensely, I do have to complain about how fast it has gone. Every month is like 2 weeks long these days.

I reckon time flies when you're having fun, even in this virus age.

Retirement Is Good. So Good.  Just Goes By Way TOO FAST.  --RoadTired

Happy 44th Year to Tom Fuchs at Oak Park Lounge on Illinois' Pistakee Lake

In a few hours, we are going to go over to Oak Park Lounge to wish owner Tom Fuchs who will be celebrating his 44th year of owning the place today.  He opened for business on August 1, 1976.  Of course, the place dates to the 1890s and looks quite a bit like it did back in the 1930s (we've seen pictures of the inside of the place from back then).

In short, it is one of our favorite "Dive Bars."  It is a Chain of Lakes original.  A big party is planned with food, a band and deejay all outside.  Plus, our favorite bar mutt, Bomber, will be lording over everything.  He is a black lab.  Tom may think he's the boss, but all of us know better.  Is there any more spoiled dog than a bar dog?  He fits the bill.

Forty-four years owning a bar is a real long time.  So, congrats to Tom!!!

Of Course, Social Distancing.  --RoadBomber

Music Deaths: Mike Somerville With Head East

MIKE SOMERVILLE, 67

Died 28 February 2020

Guitarist with the Illinois-based band Head East.  Wrote two songs that became staples of classic rock stations from the band's 1975 big hit album "Flat As a Pancake" which was certified gold.

The first song is best-known (and I mean huge)  "Never Been Any Reason" (#68-1975) and "Love Me Tonight"  (#54-1976).

They also had their biggest hit with 1978's "Since You Been Gone" which went to #46.  Rainbow had the bigger hit with it the next year.

More Cowbell, Please!

Uncertainty for Chain of Lakes Boating This Year-- Part 1

From the April 22, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Uncertainty for Lake County boating season" by Karie Angell Luc.

For the Lake County boating community, COVID-19 is having a ripple effect.

"We're all in the same boat, no pun intended," said Joseph S. Keller, executive director of the Fox Waterway Agency (FWA).  "There is certainly a lot of anxiety out there."

May and especially Memorial Day Weekend typically launch the boating season.  "People are itching to get outside to enjoy the system."

But,he warns:  "The Fox Waterway Agency has kept the waterways open during the state's stay-at-home order.  But that could change quickly if users don't abide by safe social distancing rules.  The FWA and law enforcement are keeping a close eye on the waterway."

Of course, April's weather so far has been a bust.  Way cold, overcast and lots of rain.  Not exactly prime boating weather.

--RoadDog

LAUGHTER TO DEAL WITH THE "V":  We have gone from Miles Per Gallon to Weeks Per Gallon.   But, sadly, now we also have the cheapest gas prices I've seen around here in a long time.  Most places are around $1.60.

Still Got Our CB&C for St. Patrick's Day-- Part 4: Last CB&C and Bar Beer

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

No more drinking in bars or eating in restaurants in Illinois anymore.  You can get delivery or take out at the restaurants, but that's it.

At least we got to visit two of our favorite places, Stucky's and Sunnyside yesterday.

But, today is St. Patrick's Day.  Celebrating at home just doesn't feel right and we didn't think the virus was here yet, so what to do.

Hey, Wisconsin bars and restaurants are still open.  And since we live just a few miles south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border, let's go visit Cheesehead Land.  And, what better place to go than our fav Wisconsin bar, Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes.  And, they are serving cb&c (corned beef & cabbage) as well.

Went in and bartender Barb was on the phone and we heard that they too, were closing bars and restaurants in Wisconsin at 5 o'clock tomorrow.  Well, at least we got one last trip in.  But, a few minutes later, she talked to someone else and found out that the 5 o'clock closing referred to today.  Now, that sure wasn't much warning from the governor.

Oh, well, one last time.  Donovan's always fills up at the onset of happy hour when all drinks are half price plus 25 cents, but, as people learned of today's closure, the place really filled up with last-nighters.

We took our cb&c to go and finished it (as well as some of yesterday's cb&cs this past Friday).

So, We Sure Got Our CB&C and Last Drinking In.  --RoadIrish

LAUGHTER HELPS WITH V.--  "Who else is self-quarantining alone?  I'm this close to naming a volleyball."

Still Got Our CB&C for St. Patrick's-- Part 4: Corned Beef & Beer

MONDAY, MARCH 16

This is the last day for Illinois restaurants and bars to be open.  Restaurants, however, can have take out or delivery (just no one other than workers inside).

We figured to take one last fling and in the afternoon went to Stucky's in Johnsburg to enjoy their $1.50 draft pints and we both ordered corned beef and cabbage (CB&C) meals ($11.99 each).  So, we finally got our Irish food.

The closings were  the big topic of conversation at the bar.  Stucky's will be offering take out as well as delivery the next two weeks.

We then went to Sunnyside where we also enjoyed the Monday $1.50 pint drafts.  Most of the regulars were in and out during the time we were there.  That something like this could be happening to us just is amazing and unexpected.

Sunnyside serves no food other than a few frozen items, so it will be completely closed for the next two weeks or longer.

We generally always say goodbye when people leave, but even more so and more emphatically today, as it will be awhile before we see each other again.

--RoadBye

TOP TEN COUNTRY SONGS:  "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly"  Real song by Loretta Lynn.

Music Deaths: Chuck Barksdale, 84, Member of the Dells

CHUCK BARKSDALE, 84

Died May 15, 2019

Bass singer with the popular Soul Music group, the Dells for over fifty years.  The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.  The fictional group in the movie "The Five Heartbeats" was based on the group.

The group formed in Harvey, Illinois, and had hits such as "There Is" (#20-1968),  "Stay In My Corner" (#10-1968) and "Oh What A Night"  (10-1969)

2019 Route 66 Trip-- Part 8: Tropics, No Bonanza, Palms, Horseshoes and Traffic

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19

We had another rainstorm this morning.  Seems like we either had a storm or had storms threatened this whole trip.  As a matter of fact, this was the same situation in the five days at the Indy 500.  This has been one really rainy spring.

Took I-55 north to Williamsville then drove 66 north to Lincoln.  The Mill wasn't open so drove to Bonanza Steak House for lunch, past the newly reinstalled and relit Tropics neon sign at the McDonald's.  Glad to see it back.  But, real sad to see that Bonanza was no longer in business.

Went to Atlanta and ate at the Palms Grill, which has gotten quite a bit more expensive than I remember it, but the food is still high quality and plentiful.  I had a pulled pork horseshoe and could have gotten by with a ponyshoe.

Drove I-55 the rest of the way to Dwight as we were hoping to get through Yorkville and Huntley before rush hour.  Turns out their rush hours start at 2:30 and with all the stoplights along Illinois Highway 47 it took a real long time to drive through those two towns.  Making it worse was the cross traffic was much favored, causing huge backups.

Finally got home after 1,100 miles on the trip.

--RoadGladToBeBackHome

Another Illinois Bicentennial Quiz

From the Illinois Chronicles Bicentennial mastermind Quiz.

An interesting one, but to find out how you did you have to send it to them and I chose not to do so.

I might have missed the question about who worked to allow women to vote for U.S. president.  I knew it wasn't the last two.

I also wasn't sure about architect Fazlur Rahman Khan, or when the current Illinois Constitution went into effect or the lab technician from Peoria of which Olympic games Jackie Joyner-Kersey won Gold.

I'll Have To Look Those Up.  --RoadDog

Take a Quiz on Illinois in Honor of Its Statehood Bicentennial

Go to December 3, 2018 Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette  "Bicentennial Celebration:  Take A Quiz" by Tom Kacich.

Here's your chance to show-off your Illinois knowledge.  But, I have to warn you, many of the questions are quite specific and probably easier to answer if you live around that area.  One was definitely a trick question.

I took the quiz and missed 1.2.7.9 and 12.

Like I said, this is a hard quiz.

I got one of the answers because I had seen a couple playing the roles of Abraham and Mary Lincoln yesterday at the McHenry County Civil War Round Table Christmas party.

Good Luck.  --RoadDuh

IT'S ALL IN THE NAME:  A sound stage technician's son who is named Mike.

Won't Life Be So Much Finer After Tomorrow

Tired.  I am so tired of all this election mess.  I'm so tired.  And, it has been going on for two years.  That is much of what passes for TV and radio commercials today here in Illinois.  And, there are more signs by the roads than I ever saw.  Talk about your sign clutter.

Much money has been spent by both Democrats and Republicans.

If we are to believe these commercials, pretty much everybody running for office should be arrested immediately and thrown into jail.  We have reached a new low in mudslinging.  To hell with what a candidate believes, let's slam something their opponent did.

Democrats are saying their opponents have Trump connections and Republicans are tying Democrats to the much-hated Illinois Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan.

We have a major contest for Illinois governor going on.  Both men are extremely rich.  Bruce rauner, current governor is very anti-Union which we don't like.  J.B. Pritzer is Madigan's man.  Picking the lesser of the two evils, I'd have to say we'll vote for Brauner.

That Madigan Is Bad Medicine.  --RoadDog

IT'S ALL IN A  NAME:  From the July 1, 2017, Orange Peel Gazette.  Profession / Name:   Lawyer's daughter:  Sue

It's the Rauner Republicans Vs. the Madigan Democrats in Illinois

Thankfully, we have reached the last day of this horrific, mudslinging, nasty, dirty political season.  I am so tired of seeing the political ads on TV.

In Illinois, much of the contest has come down between attacks on what are called the Rauner Republicans, after Governor Bruce Rauner and his support for the Republican candidate for president.  That means every Republican he supports is also a Trump advocate.  The Republicans, on the other hand are attacking the Michael Madigan Democrats in an attempt to break his stranglehold on the Illinois House of Representatives.

I'm not a big fan of Rauner fan, not really trusting him because he is a GRB and generally against unions.  But Madigan has become very rich through his connections as Speaker of the House, essentially just as powerful as the governor.  He too, is a GRB.  Vote Madigan's big supporters out and hurt Madigan.  There is no way his district in Chicago would ever vote him out.

We tend to be more Democrat when voting, but we would never vote for a Madigan person.

But I Am really Getting Tired of M-D's and B-R's.  --RoadWeary

In case you're wondering, GRB stands for Greedy Rich (Boys).

Fox Lake American Legion Baseball Team Advances to the Illinois Championship

I can't be in Jerseyville over the next several days, but our Fox Lake Bulldogs Post 703 American Legion team has advanced past the 2nd Division tournament and now finds itself with the best of the best teams in the state with play starting tomorrow, July 27th.

Teams playing will be Jerseyville 8-13, who are there because they are hosting the tournament., Danville 31-4-1, Fox Lake 15-2, Highland 19-8, Mt. Prospect 20-1 and Quincy 30-6.

Congratulations to our boys and good luck!!

--RoadDog

25 Ways to Know You're From Lake County-- Part 4: Get Your Season Pass

Lake County, Illinois

13.  You have a season pass to Great America.

14.  When you are out of town and visit that area's Forest Preserve and think they are lame.

15.  40 degrees = short pants

16.  Sometimes, you visit Long Grove just because, even when there isn't a festival.

Tee Shirts Also at 40 Degrees.  --RoadDog

25 Ways to Know You're From Lake County-- Part 2: A Polish Connection

4.  You can correctly pronounce "paczki" and you know who Casimir Pulaski is... sort of.  (Well, I don't know for sure how to pronounce it, but they sure are good.)

5.  You understand that Route 83 isn't always Route 83 because sometimes it is Route 60 or sometimes it is Route 45, but it never is actually Route 137.

6.  People from Chicago think you live in Wisconsin.

7.  You know how to spell "Mundelein." ( "i" before "e", except when it is Mundelein).  Mundelein is one of our towns, or is it a village.

Not In Wisconsin!!  --RoadDog

25 Ways to Know You're From Lake County-- Part 3: Always, Chicago Suburbs

8.  You understand that North Chicago is not actually in Chicago, nor is it anywhere near Chicago.  The North part is right, though.

9.  You may be geographically closer to Milwaukee, but still say you're from a "suburb of Chicago."  (I'm looking at you, Antioch.)

10.  You have a relative who works for Abbott, CDW, Baxter or Walgreen's.  (Or, you work at one of them.)

11.  At least once a week you are late for work, school, practice or an appointment because of a freight train.

12.  You say "Great America" instead of "Six Flags."  (We had Marriott's Great America before it became Six Flags.)

--RoadDog

25 Ways to Know You're From Lake County-- Part 1: You Own a Boat and Probably Have Packer Friends

From the Little Lake County site.

Lake County, Illinois, on the northeastern corner of the state.  We lived there for 20 years in Vernon Hills and Round Lake Beach.  After that we moved to McHenry County, next door, but are only a few miles from Lake County.

This list is quite funny if you are from Lake County.

1.  You own a boat, but it spends more time in your driveway than in the water.  (The Chain of Lakes is in the northwestern section.)

2.  You are never more than twenty minutes from a corn field.  (Lots of farms, but fewer every year.  Now, many fields grow houses.)

3.  You have almost as many Packer fans on your block as there are Bear fans.  (Lake County's northern border is Wisconsin.)

Ah Yes.  Packer-Bear Rivalry.  --RoadDog

A Munger-Moss Motel Route 66 Trip-- Part 1: Illinois and Missouri

We left this past Thursday, April 21st for the 500 mile drive to Lebanon, Missouri, for the 70th anniversary of the Munger-Moss Motel on Route 66.  Not only has the motel been serving 66ers since 1946, but owners Bob and Ramona Lehman have had the place for 45 years (1971).  That alone is quite a feat.

We have been coming to the motel since our second trip on 66, back in 2003

The first day was spent driving in Illinois with stops at Dwight for the Route 66 90th Birthday celebration, Dixie Truck Stop, George Ranks, The Cozy Dog and stayed at the Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center and their Filling Station Bar.

The second day, April 22,  was another driving one with a stop at Jack's (Jack-in-the-Box) in Litchfield for our taco fix, then getting lost in St. Louis.  Then lunch at another Jack's in Sullivan, Missouri.  (We don't have Jack's by us and have a big desire for their tacos.)

We took a ride along Hooker Cut, my favorite stretch of Route 66, and a stop at The Devil's Elbow Inn and the Munger-Moss Motel.  Talked some with Ramona  and then went to Senor Pepper's on Missouri-5 and Applebees.

Great to Be Back On the Old Road.  --RoadDog