Just Got Back From Indy 500-- Part 5: "Lady and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"

Everyone was keeping a weather eye out west, lest we have heavy rain and mess up the race.  This was talked about ever since we got there on Thursday, whether or not there would even be a race and what would happen if it was canceled Sunday.

As it turned out, it didn't rain.

This race is probably the biggest Memorial Day commemoration in the United States.  It is devoted to those veterans who gave their lives in the service of their country.  We had a four helicopter flyover and another flyover by two WW II planes and a jet and another plane while Kelly Clarkson was singing the "Star-Spangled Banner."  No ONE took a knee.

Blackhawk favorite, Jim Cornelison sang "Back Home Again in Indiana."  He sings the "Star-Spangled Banner" for home games.  This is his third year in a row doing it so I'd say he has now taken the place of Jim Nabors singing it.

"Lady and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines."  Pippa Mann was among the 33 who raced.

--RoadDog

A PLETHORA OF TIDBITS:  When actor Clint Eastwood ran for mayor of Carmel, California, in 1986, a major issue was ice cream.  Town leaders had banned the sale of ice cream cones, incensing Eastwood and his supporters.  They won and overturned the ordinance.

Let the Fur Fly!!-- Part 1: Vote Early, Vote Often (If It's for My 'Cot)

From the September 12, 2014, Chicago Tribune "Main Event Furry Friday:  Let the fur fly."

"Currently, the Mascot hall of Fame is only a virtual place online (www.mascothalloffame.com), but there are plans to build a physical Hall in Whiting, Indiana.  That's great, but we checked the MHOF website and noticed they have inducted anyone since 2008.  Are they super-selective, or just plain lazy?  Let's find out.

"Go to (www.chicagotribune.com/mascot) poll and vote in Round 1 of our mascot tournament."  Round 2 will be next Friday.  I voted today.

They have four brackets of Chicago-area mascots:
Large Mammal Bracket
Canine Bracket
UFO Bracket (Unclassified Furry Objects)
FTF Bracket (Flying Things and felines

And, Who Are the Mascots?  Next Post.  --RoadDog

Some Info On Ball State University

Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana, on the state's east central side, a ways northeast of Indianapolis. It's enrollment is similar to that of NIU with 21,053 in 2013.

It gets its name from the Ball Brothers, those guys who make the canning jars, who bought a bankrupt school and gave it to Indiana.

Now You Know.  --RoadDog

NC Spring 2013 Trip: March 19th

Left home in Illinois at 8:13 AM Central and got to Columbus, Ohio, at 7:45 Eastern.Drove 491.3 miles today and am road weary to say the least.

Took the usual drive, Illinois 47 south from Woodstock, Illinois to Mahomet and then I-74 to Indianapolis and I-70 here.

Ate lunch at the Hen House in Mahomet, something I've been meaning to do.  The Hen House Restaurants are down to just four now, all in Illinois: Springfield, one near St. Louis, this one and one more in Arcola.  I've now been to all but the last one.  I'm pretty sure that Cracker Barrel restaurants based themselves on Hen Houses, just on a bigger scale.

Drove through downtown Indianapolis in early rush hout and no backups.

Of course, stopped at Skyline Chili north of Dayton on I-70 for my chili fix.

Tomorrow, I plan to drive US-33 southeast from Columbus to the hookup with I-77 in West Virginia.

Mighty Tired.  --RoadDog

Heading For the Warmth: December 28th-- Snowstorm

FIRST DAY ON THE ROAD

Friday, we got a very late start, 12:30 PM, and, as usual, took Il-47 south to I-74 by Champaign, Illinois.  Had to stop at the usual McDonald's in Yorkville.  For some reason that is always about the time for a bathroom break and get something to eat and drink.  And, right now, McDonald's has those great McRIBS!!! 

Stopped for gas at the Crawfordsville Pilot station which is usually the cheapest in the area, but it was about ten cents a gallon more than Indianapolis.

Took I-74 to Brownburg, just west of Indianapolis.  Would have liked to go farther, but starting about Crawfordsville, we started getting light snow.  And, by the last twenty miles, we had a regular snowstorm going on.  We were in a line with about twenty cars following a snow plow for safety.

We  got off along with a bunch of other cars and checked into the Super 8 for the night.

Not much fun driving in the snow, and dangerous as well.

As Paul Would Say, "Slip-Slidin' Away."  --RoadDog

Heading for North Carolina 2010-- Part 3

AUGUST 29th-- Sunday-- Part 1

This was my day to really drive US-150. I spent quite a bit of time in Vincennes, Indiana. I knew about its Revolutionary War history where George Rodgers Clark captured the British fort and about this being where Abraham Lincoln's family crossed over the Wabash River into Illinois.

But, I didn't know the town was the capital of Indiana Territory and home to William Henry Harrison before he became president and where he had a lot of dealings with Indians.

US-150 is aligned with US-50 until Shoals where the two split. The drive from Loogootee (how's that for a name) to Paoli goes through Hoosier National Forest and is really great drive, right up there with Ind-46 from Columbus to Bloomington.

Lots of curves, hills, tree tunnels, rock sides and just great driving. I highly recommend it. Paoli has a beautiful downtown square (actually more of a circle and a courthouse.

Continued on to Louisville, Kentucky.

Kentucky, Next. --RoadDog

Arrived-- First Day on Road

Got into Goldsboro last night after a little over 1000 miles on the road.Mostly drove on Illinois Highway 47 to I-74 to Cincinnati. Then I-275 around that city.

Gas prices Tuesday were anywhere from $2.60 to $3.00 (this price at two stations in Illinois along Il-47. As usual, the stations around Crawfordsville, Indiana, (west of Indianapolis, were the cheapest at $2.60.

I was looking to meet up with buddy Denny at a BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wings) on Montgomery Road (US-22, Ohio-3). As I found out, there are two B-Dubs on Montgomery Road.

And, I was delayed at the first one, by the appearance of a Skyline Chili place across the street. If you go to Cincinnati, you absolutely have to try some of their 3-way to 5-way chili. And don't forget a chili Coney Dog.

Went to the B-Dub and asked where the upstairs was and was told they didn't have one. This is where I was to meet Denny and his live trivia team. They said there was another B-Dub up the road and gave me the address so drove there and met up with them.

A Day on the Road. --RoadDog

While on the Subject

Here some more info on the movie "A Christmas Story." This being my all-time favorite Christmas movie.

Ralphie was in the quest for a Red Ryder air rifle.

Although set in Hammond, Indiana, the film's exteriors were shot in Cleveland, along with the store scenes at Higbee's department store.

Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of Ralphie's father. Now, that would have been really weird.

Movie fan Brian Jones bought the house used in the movie for $150,000 on e-Bay and invested another $250,000 in it before opening it to the public last year.

You can order your own major awards, the infamous leg lamp, including full-size ones at
http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/.

There is also a lot of other "A Christmas Story" information at this site, including information about Higbee's department store.

From December Midwest Living Magazine.