Indy Here We Come: Race Day Arrives

Continued from June 11.

SUNDAY, MAY 29

Race Day is here.  The Indy 500, and my 10th straight trip to see it (other than, of course 2020 when no spectators were allowed inside the track).  I never thought I'd get hooked on any kind of car racing, but must admit I'm into Indy Car now.

We just have to cross the street from the Legion and we are there.  But then, its a long walk to get to our seats, which now cost $215.  I never thought I'd pay that much for any ticket either.  But, its the Greatest Spectacle in Racing as they say.

The, there are those mean old horrible stairs to clmb.  Those have been wearing me out ever since I first went.  I can take them when there is a crowd and a few steps at a time, but straight up, no.  It took me two stops this time to get the numbness gone in my knees.

The Indy 500 is  strange because they allow you to bring beer cans and plastic bottles in.  However, I don't drink anything until the last quarter of the race as there is no way I am going down and back up those stairs.

The Indy 500, in addition to bing a car race is also probably the biggest salute to our military in the whole country.  The opening ceremonies are all about them.

--RoadDog

Memorial Day 2020: A Different Sort of Respect

Usually, I am coming home from Indianapolis on the day on which the commemoration falls, but not this year as the race there was cancelled because of the virus.

And that race has to be America's biggest salute to our fallen veterans and all veterans for that matter.  It makes up a large part of the pre-race activities.

I was going to go over to the McHenry, Illinois, Memorial Day activity at Veterans Park with a friend, but found out it was canceled.  It was to be a bit different today with no speeches.  The honor guard of our three veterans organizations:  American Legion, VFW and Polish Legion, were going to fire volleys at three local sites.

And, our weather has been fairly good for Memorial Day weekend.  Usually we have pretty bad weather in northeast Illinois.  But, other than rain Saturday afternoon and some today, this has been an ideal weather weekend.  Temps have finally gotten into the 80s.

This year was just a stay-at-home thing for Liz and myself.  I already had a U.S. flag up by the garage and also put up an 1877, 38-star U.S. flag (from after Colorado became the 38th state).

I am trying to make a blog entry for all eight of them, but the internet is really causing problems today.  It takes a real long time just to do one entry with all of this stopping and freezing up.

We have had two short rain showers so far, but it hasn't rained for awhile, so I am hoping to at least get some yard work in.

I did enjoy the front porch (FP) a couple times and did some transplanting in the overwinter plants.

--RoadDog

Job Well Done, All Military.  --RoadDog

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.

Good Thing We Got Out of Boating Last Year

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

Looks like we times getting out of boating very well, having sold our third and last boat just this past June.  We were boating fanatics for many years, buying our first boat in 1985 because I was deejaying at Neptune's Cove and the Puppet Bar on the Chain of Lakes every weekend and those folks coming in off those boats were having just too much fun.  Thirty-three years of boating fun.

But, in the last eight years,it seemed like we were getting the boat our later and later each year and we weren't having as much fun as before.  Between fewer bars on the Chain of Lakes, bigger and faster boats and the water cop presence, the good times were waning.  And, of course we were getting older, so getting in and out of the boat and covering it up was becoming more of a problem.

And, then, the weather has been horrible the last several seasons.  The Chain was closed for much of 2017 and in 2018, we were late getting the boat out in July and then had one mechanical issue after another, so much in fact that we didn't get out at all.  That's when we decided the time for boating had passed us by.

Plus, it was funny to all watching me trying to back the boat up to launch it since I only did that once a year.  Once in the water, it stayed in the water.

So, we sold it.

Now this year, the weather has been absolutely horrible all spring with the exception of maybe there days.  Plus, now we have the "V" thing going on.  The few bars and restaurants left on the Chain can't open until the end of May, so the big Memorial Day weekend party is gone.  And, of course, boating is a social thing and this be the age of social you-know-whating.

So, Looking Like a less Than Fun Boating Season Coming.  --RoadDog

LAUGHTER HELPS WITH THE "V":  If you're having trouble with locating toilet paper, here's a life hack.  When you return a book to the library, they almost never count the pages.  (But, wait!!  libraries are all closed now, so where does that get you?)

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.

Remembering the Fallen, Memorial Day 2019

This blog entry started in my Cooter's History Thing blog and continued in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog and finishes here in this blog.  All blogs are for this date.

That humorous story was the last one that Tom Dier had with Jerry Corp.  That's because Jerry Corp was killed the next day.  While his platoon was trying to flush out a sniper there was confusion, and in it, Jerry Corp tripped a boobytrap and he was killed.  The date was April 21, 1970, one week after his 20th birthday.

After he came home, one thing Tom Dier felt he had to do was visit Jerry Corp's family, and especially his mother, Irene, who lived in Ozark County, Missouri.  She said, "We never got used to Jerry not coming home."

But, Irene, now 92, said something else to him.  "Irene has mentioned that she lost her son, but at the same time, she gained many sons --- Corp's former comrades who call, write, visit, keep tabs."

Memorial Day.  What It's All About.  --RoadDog

Remembering William Graham Hood, III: Vietnam Veteran

My cousin, William Graham Hood III, was a naval aviator in Vietnam.  We all called him Graham.

He contracted cancer from Agent Orange back in the late 1990s and fought it until a couple years ago when he died from it.

Vietnam Veterans Remember-- Part 6: "I Got Spit On"

As with his in-country experience, Jim Miller also had a different experience when he returned home.    He met protesters when he returned in 1971.  "I got spit on," he said.  "They said I was a baby killer.  They blamed us."

In contrast, Don Pendleton, 66, left Vietnam in 1971 after 14 months there where he was a base guard at Long Binh Post.  the war wasn't as traumatic for him, but he did lose a few friends  He landed in Oakland, California, and a few hours later, he was a civilian.

"I don't remember there being that much harassment.  We stood in line for 24 hours, 36 hours to get out of the service.  From there, we got on a plane and came home."

Vietnam Vets Remember-- Part 5: Coming Home

The unpopular Vietnam War was a lightning rod for protesters in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and returning veterans experienced a wide variety of homecomings.

For Pete Haley, his return in 1968 was uneventful since protesting the war had not yet hit its peak, he said.  Instead, Haley's experience with war protesters came on the battlefield.

"We actually killed a NVA, North Vietnamese (army) regular on patrol over there, "Haley said, "and he had a medicine kit on him that was donated by Berekely College of California.  I found that very offensive."

Vietnam Vets Remember-- Part 3: Memorials

Monday marks 49 Memorial Days since Pete Haley's return from the war and this month denotes 50 years since the fight that claimed his buddies' lives.

"I put a wreath on the monument in Battle Ground," he said when asked about memorializing his fallen friends.

Vietnam Vets Remember-- Part 2: Operation Union II

Pete Haley was almost killed in Operation Union II.

It was a search-and-destroy mission in the Queson Valley and involved the 5th Marine Regiment.  It lasted from May 26 to June 5, 1967.  The North Vietnamese lost 594 killed and 23 captured according to U.S. counts.

The Marines lost 110 killed and 241 wounded.

Facing a battalion of North Vietnamese Army regulars, Marines in Haley's unit called in an artillery barrage.

As the enemy got closer to the Marines, so did the artillery shells.  An air burst shell rained shrapnel down on the North Vietnamese and Marines alike, and Haley caught a piece in his arm.

Corpsmen patched Haley up there, and he stayed in the fight, he said.  When it was over, he went to the rear for medical treatment, and he received the Purple Heart medal.

--RoadDog

Vietnam Vets Remember-- Part 1: Operation Union II

Continuing with my honoring the veterans on Memorial Day 2017.

From the May 29, 2017, Indianapolis (Indiana) Star "Vietnam vets remember those from forgotten war" by Ron Wilkins.

"Memories remain, though bitterness has diminished.

"Pete Haley's eyes brighten as he laughs and recalls his youth, his days in the Marine Corps and the lighter moments in South Vietnam, while his friends sitting around the Veterans of Foreign Wars' bar wasted no time busting his chops -- you know, just for the fun of it.

"But the joy drained from the 70-year-old Battle Ground veteran's voice when asked about who he thinks about on Memorial Day.

" ' A lot of my buddies," Haley said as the smile briefly faded from his face.  'May (1967) was a bad month....We had several guys killed on Operation Union II.'"

Remembering Our Veterans This Memorial Day 2017

I missed going to the Fox Lake American Legion Post #703's ceremony at the Fox Lake train station today as I was on my way home from Indianapolis, Indiana, where some friends of mine and I had rented a RV parking spot at the American Legion Post #500 in Speedway, right across from the IMS, Indy 500.

I have gone to the Indy 500 the last six or seven years, but before that always went to the ceremony in Fox Lake.

A Salute To Our Troops, Our Defenders.

The Drive's Memorial Day Rock and Roll 500

This past weekend, WDRV, Chicago's Drive, 97.1 FM played 500 great rock songs.  I didn't hear much of it as I was out of town, but these are the top twenty, played on Monday, may 26th.  You can go to their site to see the whole list, all 500 of 'em.

20.  YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG--  AC/DC
19.  YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Van Halen
18.  HEY JUDE--  Beatles
17.  PARADISE CITY--  Guns N' Roses
16.  SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL--  Rolling Stones

15.  SWEET EMOTION--  Aerosmith
14.  KASHMIR--  Led Zeppelin
13.  BABA O'RILEY--  Who
12.  TWIST AND SHOUT--  Beatles
11.  ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL--  Pink Floyd

10.  MORE THAN A FEELING--  Boston
9.  WHOLE LOTTA LOVE--  Led Zeppelin
8.  POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME--  Def Leppard
7.  HIGHWAY TO HELL--  AC/DC
6.  (I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION--  Rolling Stones

5.  WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN--  Who
4.  DREAM ON--  Aerosmith
3.  FREE BIRD--  Lynyrd Skynyrd
2.  LAYLA--  Eric Clapton
1.  STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN--  Led Zeppelin



Once Again, Great Job, Drive!!  --RoadDog

And, the Real Reason We Are Thanking Today

From the front of the Speedway, Indiana, Post 500, which had=s a memorial for one of its fallen:

CORPORAL ZACHARY B. NORDMAYER
FIFTH SQUADRON
FIFTH U.S. CAVALRY REGIMENT
AUGUST 5, 1987- FEB. 23RD, 2009
U.S. ARMY
KIA BALAD, IRAQ

A Fallen Hero.

Memorial Day 2014

Wishing all the families of the fallen in American service the best, on this the annual observance of memorial Day.

A Pretty Good Memorial Day Weekend-- Part 2: Music, Summer Starts Here, Small Town Memorial Day

MAY 29th--SUNDAY

Started the day off listening to Bob Stroud's annual Rock and Roll Roots Used Car Lot show where he plays songs about cars and the open road, just the thing to get a roadie like me ready for the summer. This was also for the Indy 500, which celebrated its 100th birthday.

Lousy weather again, though. The fog was so bad this morning, that I couldn't even see the next door houses. It broke, then we had bad storms.

It finally stopped and we went over to Captain's Quarters on Fox Lake for our "official" summer kick-off. Sitting outside with boaters and bikers, drinking ice cold beer and listening to a band. Price of a bottle of beer was $3.25 and they still have those great Johnsonville brats and fries for $4.


MAY 30th-- MONDAY

The Drive had their History of Rock and Roll all day. They played songs and gave information about the beginning of RnR, through the British Invasion and to all other aspects of the music.

We went to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for a small-town Memorial Day celebration. There were three bands in the parade. We went to Main Street Tap (your perfect Wisconsin small-town bar), for drinks before and after the parade, which goes right by it. I had their great and ultimate Bloody Mary which is usually offered on Sundays only.

Then, on to Donovan's Reef (a piece of the Florida Keys in Wisconsin) for brews and NTN.

On the way home, Wilmot Riverside in Wilmot and the Dill Pickle in Spring Grove, Illinois, were closed. We ended up at Tommy's in Spring Grove for beer nuggets and broasted chicken.

Not a Bad Way to Spend Four Days. --RoadDog


EVER WONDER...Why Noah didn't swat those two mosquitoes? (I might add Japanese beetles, flies and gnats.)

A Salute to Our Veterans

Of course, the reason we have Memorial Day, is to honor those who have served in the defense of our country.

I belong to the Fox Lake American Legion as a member of the Sons of the American Legion due to my grandfather William Graham Hood's (we called him Daddy Graham)service in World War I (he was one of the first Legion members in the state of North Carolina.

My other grandfather, was in the Merchant Marine during World War I.

A great uncle on my mom's side, was a lieutenant in the AEF during World War I. He survived being gassed in the trenches, but lost his life a few months after returning to Goldsboro, NC, when he saved a young boy from a flood, winning the Carnegie Medal.

I was in the Marine Corps for awhile back in the early 70s. I went to basic training for six weeks (I was in Platoon Leadership Class to be an officer) during the summer of 1971. As the Vietnam War wound down, they dropped me (which was quite alright with me).

Dad was too young for World War II, but his brother served in the 101st Airborne.

Like They Say, "Freedom Ain't Free." --RoadDog

A Pretty Good Memorial Day Weekend-- Part 1: Some Yardwork and Relaxation

Even with all the crummy weather. We literally went from early spring to mid-summer today. This morning, the heat was on. At 10 am, I went outside and started sweating just walking. That's when you know it's REAL HOT and muggy.

FRIDAY MAY 27th

Worked in the yard and later went to the Tank on Long Lake for buck beers (they even had Bud Light Lime for a dollar!!) Stopped at the Legion on Fox Lake on the way home for dollar drafts and karaoke (I didn't sing though).

Took the '85 Firebird out for its first spin of the year around the neighborhood. I keep it in the garage all winter.


SATURDAY MAY 28th.

Enjoyed Wendy Rice's Saturday Morning Flashback on WXRT which went back to my college years, 1970 in the morning. Great music back then, and of course, I was enjoying my college experience. Some of that music brought back some great memories like: Roadhouse Blues-- Doors, Blues Power-- Clapton, Up Around the Bend-- CCR, Nature's Way-- Spirit, Ape Man-- Kinks, Ohio-- CSNY, War-- Edwin Starr and My Sweet Lord-- George Harrison.

Worked in the yard all afternoon. Watched Star Trek movies on Scyfy that night.

Half Way Through. --RoadDog


EVER WONDER...Why there isn't mouse-flavored cat food?

Flags Out

I just put the two US flags out a little while ago and also flew them Saturday and Sunday. In a couple hours we're off to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for the annual parade.

A big thanks to all our veterans because "Freedom Ain't Free." It was and is their service that keep the baddies away from our doors. This especially hits home now as we lose so many of the "Greatest Generation," those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II. We still have one World War I veteran, Frank Buckles, alive. And we just lost the oldest Medal of Honor winner, World War II veteran Joe Finn (see the May 28th Dead Page entry in http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com).

I was happy to see one branch of service that never gets much attention for what they did in World Wars I and II, the US Merchant Marine, is at long last getting credit. Member Louis LePan, 83, today will serve as the first-ever grand marshal for Saginaw, Michigan's annual Memorial Day parade. (See today's Cooter entry for his story.)

Merchant Mariners had the dubious job of transporting supplies through enemy submarine-infested waters so the troops could carry on the fight. Those serving on ammunition and tanker ships were at particularly dangerous station.

About Time. --RoadDog