RoadDog
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I was thinking about the motor tour, but something came up, so can't go.
However, Springfield is having the Route 66 Festival, sixth annual I think, the last weekend in September. We wil be going to that.
We'll leave the week before and go out to Kansas and backtrack to Rail Haven, or perhaps Rest Haven (we've never stayed there), Munger-Moss, probably Vernelle's after reading the article in the Route 66 Advertiser.
The key to it will be the opportunity to cross the Chain of Rocks Bridge on Friday.
In Springfield, we'll be staying at the Abraham Lincoln right downtown.
Anyone interested?
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
Perhaps some of us ARers can get together there.
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First, we had the Michaels writing that book, and now it appears that we will have a new PBS documentary on it.
WQED producer Rick Sebak, cameraman Bob Lubomski, and Jarrett Buba are on a trip running from late August to early September along the Father Road. They are gathering material about the Lincoln's history and charms.
The working title is "A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway."
You can view their blog at
http://www.wqed.org/tv/natl/lincoln_hwy/blog
Lots of great pictures and commentary. Check it out.
When it Rains, it Pours. --RoadDog
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I'm not sure if Bucyrus is between Ashland and Pittsburgh, but the Eric Grohe mural on the side of the building downtown is something to behold.
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Planning on going out to Las Vegas this December. I definitely know a place I'll stop by several times.
The Chicago Tribune had an article a month or so ago on how far some must-eat-at chains are from Chicago. The closest In 'N Outs are in Las Vegas.
You folks out west ought not to be making Midwesterners salivate about that treat.
Keep Eatin' Those In N Out Burgers Down the Road. --RoadDog
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Did anybody see Michael Wallis on the Colbert Show on Comedy Central last night?
I'd say Michael fared very well, despite Colbert trying to trip him up.
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I stand corrected. I don't know why I typed Dayton instead of Canton. My excuse is that my eyes are tired. And...I'm stickin' to it.
Lincoln Highway? Dayton? They must be from an obscure Dixie-Lincoln connecter.
Aww, we know what you meant.
That museum sounds like a "gotta see" but, of course, I gotta get there first.
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The weekend of August 24-26th will have the Lincoln Highway in Illinois blocked off in two towns, Dekalb and Rochelle for two really fun annual festivals.
Dekalb sponsors its 30th annual Cornfest in which 70 tons of that sweet stuff will be consumed. It will be FREE on Saturday from 11 to 2 PM, or as long as it lasts. Just watch out, Lincoln Highway gets mighty slippery with all that butter a'drippin'.
Plus there will be lots of vendors, food crafts, and, of course, music. Cornfest is billed as Illinois' largest FREE music festival. Bands such as Chicago's Rat Pack (the Boys), American English(Beatles Tribute) will take the stage as well as headliner Sawyer Brown, a country band.
There will be an auto rally and bus tours with Dekalb historian Stephen Bigolin. I went on this last year, and even though I'd gone to college in Dekalb and have spent much time after that in its environs, I sure did learn a lot.
About twenty miles further west is Rochelle, where they will be having their 10th Annual Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival. The Lincoln will be closed through the heart of town as well. Besides music, there will be an artsraft show, car and motorcycle show, fly-in at the airport, miniature train display, and an ice cream social.
I understand this will be dry this year, but there are at least seven bars downtown.
Great fun, but I can never figure out why they persist in holding both on the same weekend every year.
www.cornfest.com
www.lincolnhighwayheritagefestival.com
I'll be Out There Eatin' and Enjoyin'. --RoadDog
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OLD LINCOLN HIGHWAY BRICKS FOUND IN DAYTON, OHIO
Earliet this month, a lot of original Lincoln Highway bricks, laid down in 1914, were found during roadwork on Canton's Tuscarawas Street.
I would have expected Canton to keep them to have left the bricks in place and use them, but, plans are to ship the bricks out to the Great Platte River Road Archway over I-80 in Kearney, Nebraska. Kearney was the halfway mark of the old LH, and the arch is a few miles from the alignment.
They are ecstatic about getting the bricks for a planned project. There had been plans to get a brickmaking company to make new ones and perhaps a hope for a few "real" bricks. This goes far beyond their wildest dreams. Once in Kearney, they plan to cobble them together into a 16 foot wide and 30 foot long stretch of road.
The museum documents the history of transportation in the US from the old wagon trails to the present with a major emphasis on the Lincoln Highway.
If the bricks gets there, and there is still some question as to whether they're being loaned or donated, and Canton says they are not going to pay to ship the bricks, they will join a 130 foot-long metal bridge made by the Canton Bridge Company. At one time, Canton was called the brick-making capital of the world.
The one time we went under the arch, we were on a tight schedule and didn't have the time to warrant a look at this museum for the price of admission, which I believe to be around $10 or $12 if I remember correctly.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
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Liz and I made it out to Franklin Grove. There were about 25 people there in the brand new library and that structure is really a credit to the community, even though we initially went to the old one, but, not seeing anybody around, we went to the LH Tourisn Center and found out it the book tour was at the "new" library.
This building wasn't even officially open and the library director was happy that the tour was running a bit behind as she had to change from her sweaty clothing as she and a local Boy Scout had been doing some landscaping. The scout was working on his Eagle ranking. I thought that was appropriate since it was the scouts who put up all those markers so many years ago.
I was right in front of the podium and filmed the whole thing. Michael Wallis spoke first, then Michael Williamson. They were pressed for time so signed books and were out of there for the next stop in Clinton, Iowa.
I was impressed that Michael Williamson had his young daughters along with him and he says they are definitely roadies, even at that young age.
I had both sign the new book and Wallis signed a copy of his "Mother Road" book.
Also enjoyed Brian Butko's talk. He was unable to get the power point presentation to work, so he talked about the name of his book, "Greetings from the Lincoln Highway." He is into postcards and especially likes the ones with writing on the back. He read the many postcard messages he included in his book.
I had him sign his "Greetings" book and I also bought his new one about roadside attractions.
It's not often you get to meet that many authors and photographers in one place.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
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Here is a great chance to get to meet two of the great road authors at the same time.
I'm planning to be at the Franklin Grove, Illinois stop. Perhaps will follow them out to Clinton, one of our favorite towns along the old LH.
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We've been slowed down by the price of gas. I just don't want to give more to Big Oil than I have to,
However, this next weekend, we hope to get out to Franklin Grove, Il, and Clinton, Ia, to meet Michael Wallis as he promotes his new book on the Lincoln Highway.
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Your post led me to visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation site. Some states, such as mine (Washington) provide on line access to a photo data base of every foot of state roads, usually with the view ahead and to the right. I didn’t find that in Wisconsin, but I did discover an interesting program they call Rustic Roads.
They have identified over 100 rural roads with special character. I clicked on a few and they sound like terrific side trips on any two lane trip in Wisconsin. I looked for one along your route on US 51 and the route described below popped up as an example.
Never miss a chance to cruise one of those Rustic Roads. That is a great drive. I am especially fond of Snake Road, just west of Lake Geneva and off Wi-50.
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I'm sure all of us have a story about the moment we became full-fledged roadaholics.
Here's mine.
Back in the winter of 2002, I was a scorekeeper and timer for our middle school wrestling team in Round Lake, Illinois. The other team was late arriving, and then they would have to do weigh-ins and exercises before the meet started; very time-consuming. I was too lazy to walk back to my classroom so wandered back behind the main office where someone had set up a book display. One of the books was the one by Nick Freeth about Route 66.
I knew about Route 66, but had never really paid any attention to it. I was a full-fledged superslab guy and always really hated it whenever I got "stuck" on a two lane highway. I started reading about the places in Illinois and thought to myself that the wife and I should check it out over Spring Break since I was already too late to make reasonably-priced plane reservations to Florida, where we had been going the last ten years.
That spring, we drove into Chicago to the beginning of Route 66 and then out to Joliet. The next day we encountered a horrendous snowstorm that lasted until Pontiac. At one point, I was ready to turn back and go home. We drove on to St. Louis and spent a few days touring that city, then drove Route 66 back home.
We stopped at Rich Henry's and started really getting interested. In Springfield, we went to the Cozy Dog and bought Lenore and John Weiss's book on the road and that really increased the enjoyment of the drive.
The final blow came when we pulled into Bill Shea's and found him outside talking with Tom Teague. We never had a chance. Then, we were impressed when we pulled into Funk's Grove after it had closed for the day, and Glaida Funk came out and opened for us. We definitely got the best introduction anyone could possibly get.
So, Route 66 "Made me do it" to paraphrase Flip Wilson.
What is your story? Inquiring minds want to know!!!!
Keep on Down that two Lane Highway. RoadDog
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ROBERT DeFORREST 1935-2007
Preservationist Located Black American Landmarks
Robert DeForrest died February 23, 2007, at age 72. In 1970, he and his brother Vincent established what became the Afro-American Institute for Historic Preservation and Community Development. Operating out of a three story Washington DC mansion, they were able to track down and identify more than 60 sites in 23 states and DC that had notable African-American ties. These were put on the list of national historic landmarks.
In 1978, he completed a study that resulted in the Richmond, Va., home of Maggie Walker (1867-1935) becoming a national landmark. She was a pioneering black banker and civic leader. She was the first woman of any race to receive a banking charter in the US. In later years she became paralyzed and an advocate for persons with disabilities.
Robert DeForrest once said, "The history we were taught in school always came from a Eurocentric perspective. But the presence of blacks in American history is very significant from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam."
We need more people like Robert DeForrest.
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Here's a cool shot of the garage at the house where he grew up: Larry Legend
As for that nickname, well, he didn't attend "French Lick High" (since it didn't exist), but as a Blackhawk at Springs Valley High is where he earned a basketball scholarship to play for Bob Knight at Indiana, only to drop out less than two months later to transfer to Indiana State. The rest, as they say, is histree!
Where thousands of shots were launched on that backboard. Where is the hoop? In a museum, or some fan's basement?
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Well, not in the near term: Troubled Bridge Over Waters
Like the Bridge Over Troubled Water. I'm glad it is in no present danger.
I really don't care if they build another bridge, but they should leave the first one. Too often today, you don't even know when you're driving over a bridge. They just DON'T look like a bridge with all those girders.
They could always turn it into a walking bridge with picnic tables like they have at the old Chain of Rocks Bridge by St. Louis.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
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Invasion of Normandy, or in other words, D-Day. Thanks for the reminder!
Keep the Show on the Road was the motto of the 384th Heavy Bomb Group of B-17s flyimg out of Grafton Underwood, England .
So, is this where you got your American Road name?
Speaking of WWII bombers, one of England's most-decorated RAF flyers died yesterday, Wallace McIntosh, age 87. He received the RAF's Distinguished Flying Medal once and Distinguished Flying Cross, RAFs highest award for valor, twice.
As a tail-gunner on a Lancaster, he is credited with seven kills of german fighters and one probable. His greatest moment of his 55 sorties, came on today's date in 1944, when he shot down three German planes by the beaches of D Day. This was a very crucial time.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
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Wasn't Larry Bird from French Lick?
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This is a good primer for locating old alignments.
We, as you said, always look for railroad tracks and the telephone poles. Also, we find that the old roads almost always went down the main street as a business proposition and, because they were often already paved.
Sometimes the old roads would have two or three alignments in a town before a bypass was added.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Road, --RoadDog
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Nashville, Indiana- I drove past the outskirts of it returning from the Dixie cruise. I sure wish I'd stopped to see it.
Madison, Indiana- I had a picnic lunch in the park overlooking the Ohio and that beautiful bridge. Did I hear correctly that it is slated for demolition?
Drove around the town, but didn't stop. I'll be back to both places, as someone says.
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I was driving from Des Plaines, Il, to my first job as a teacher in Round Lake, probably about 300 miles. I remember the lines, but most I was incensed at the doubling of gas prices to 70 cents. Ahhh! the Good Old Days. I do remember some lines, but never had too bad of a problem.
By the way, I was driving my first new car, a 1973 Ford Pinto...and, I lived to tell about it.
I wasn't born during WWII. By the way, tomorrow, June 6th, is the WWII anniversary of what event in 1944?
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
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I'll post this here, because I said I would but since it is Northwest, not Midwest, I'll post future Northwest lists under a seperate thread.
Remember that at one time the Midwest was the Northwest, the Old Northwest that is.
Ephraim/Fish Creek, Wi.
A major bigtime destination for Chicagoans. Gets quite busy during the summer and fall (especially tree viewing), but hardly anyone there in the winter when most places close.
You've got to try a Door County Fish Boil for some mighty good eating. I love the flames that come up when the boil itself occurs.
Spent a night at the Trollhagen Inn in Ephraim and weren't too happy to find that the town was dry. Had to go to a nearby town to slake our thirst.
One great group that used to play in that area was the Happy Schnapps Combo. Their music could best be described as polka on acid. Had some great tunes like Pull My Finger, PMS Polka, You Can't Teach a Woman How to Drink, and The Bears Still Suck (as a Bears fan, I didn't much care for that one, but it was funny). PC they weren't.
Anyone else have any comments on Door County?
Boiling My Fish. --RoadDog
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Something that caught my ear was the mention that Pony Express riders averaged about 10 miles an hour and changed horses every 10 miles or so. A Segway's top end is 12 MPH and they really did average about 10 MPH on the trip and they had to change batteries ever 10 miles or so. The Pony Express was considered the fastest form of travel available in its day. The Segway, not so.
But the Segway Dudes had a much better road to follow. Those Segways are the strangest looking contraptions I've just about ever seen.
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The Midwest Living Magazine just released its top ten best getaway towns of under 20,000 population. They were:
Ephraim/Fish Creek, Wi.
Petroskey/Charlevoix, Mi
Galena, Il
Madison, Wi
Saugatuck/Douglas, Mi
Nashville, In.
Bayfield, Wi.
Put-In-Bay, Oh.
Stillwater, Mn
Mackinac Island Area, Mi.
I've been to Ephraim, Galena, Madison, Saugatuck, Put-In-Bay, and Stillwater.
Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog
New Transportation Theme Park In Tulsa
in National Old Trails Road / Santa Fe Trail / U.S. 66
Posted
The Red Fork Derrick theme park in West Tulsa, located right on Route 66, received $400,000 from the Oklahoma Centennial Fund. They plan to use it to construct an 80-ft tall oil derrick which will serve as the centerpiece for the transportation theme park.
They also have a 1942 steam engine that used to go through Tulsa.
The Red Fork Derrick is one of 21 different tourist attractions planned for Tulsa's 23 mile stretch of Route 66.
Also, a street beautification project is planned in the Red Fork area.
Always Like to See New Route 66 Projects. --RoadDog