"Sweet Home Illinois"...

[Guest]

...does not have the same ring as "Sweet Home Alabama"...by a long shot. But, be that as it may, I am home safe'n'sound from my latest road trip...wishing, of course, I was still on the road. Heh...but, bills must be paid.

My eastern road trip, just like my western one last year, was an absolute blast! Life is short, so, like last year, I made the most of my time by meeting/catching up with people. I missed seeing "too many" people for various reasons, but those "misses" allowed me more time to spend with those I did see, more time to relax/sleep, & time to take scenic routes (i.e. I-90/SR 2 in Ohio en route to Michigan).



Met in person for the first time...
* Joel L (Memphis TN; mcml, mcss)
* Paula (Memphis TN; acha)
* Brandon (Birmingham AL; mcml, mcss) ... finally met my "little sister" (Brandon's fiance, whose last name is the same as mine ... don't know of any relation, however)
* Danny (Atlanta GA; vr)
* Tim (Atlanta GA; ct)
* Bubba (Atlanta GA; r1)
* Brian (Atlanta GA; cn)
* Bryan (Charlotte NC; r1)
* Alayah (Pittsburgh PA; xf)
* S*S (Pittsburgh PA; xf)
* escmylife (Pittsburgh PA; xf)
* Anthony (Johnstown/Somerset PA; acha)
* Karl (Baltimore MD; ecml)
* Pat (Smithville OH; ct)
* Ross (Canton OH; vr)
* Rick (Detroit MI; mcss)
* Kurt (Detroit MI; nmcoa/2nd Gen MC)
* Matt T (Detroit MI; nmcoa/2nd Gen MC)
* Josh (Detroit MI; c&g)
* Tom/LT (Sidney IN; r1)



Also visited with some "old friends" along the way...
* Jay & family (Central IL; 2nd Gen MC/nmcoa)
* Richard O (Jackson TN; mcml/fgmc)
* Bryants (Jackson TN; college friends)
* Mike (Nashville TN; fgmc)
* Stephen V (Nashville/Antioch TN; mcml/mcss) ... got to see his car shop!
* Sheri (Nashville TN; 2000mc)
* Kevin W (Anderson SC; fgmc founder)
* Jay O (Charlotte NC; mcml/mcss) ... his '87 MCSS with 6-speed & cupholder! is still waiting attention...
* Replogles & Floras (Bridgewater VA; friends from IL now in VA)
* Rob P (Pittsburgh PA; fgmc/nmcoa)
* John H (Pittsburgh PA; nmcoa/fgmc)
* bunch of family members (reunion, Johnstown PA area)
* Kevin/Crusher (Neptune NJ; mcss/mcml)
* Dan G (Neptune NJ; mcss/mcml)
* Dan M (Neptune NJ; mcss/mcml)
* Steve R (Neptune NJ; mcss/mcml)
* Randy M (Neptune NJ; mcml)
* Aunt Alice/cousin Charlotte (Alexandria VA)
* Allisons (Smithville OH; college friends)
* Rose (Detroit MI; MI MCs/mcml)
* Pete & Donna (Detroit MI; fgmc)
* Leo, Sue & Mike (Detroit MI; fgmc/nmcoa)
* Tim (Detroit MI; fgmc)
* Paul (Detroit MI; mcml)
* Mike B (Detroit MI; nmcoa)
* George (Detroit MI; fgmc)
* Jeff H (near Fort Wayne IN; 2nd Gen MC/nmcoa)
* Allen K (Warsaw IN; college friend)
* Amy & Tim (Warsaw IN; college friends)
* Tammy (Warsaw IN; college friend)


I don't think I have forgotten anyone....


"Time is a friend" ... Reba McEntire ... 'Is There Life Out There?'


I discovered...
...you never have enough time to visit with family & friends....
...strangers are friends you have yet to meet....
...sweet tea CAN be made incorrectly (had some bitter sweet tea in Memphis TN).
...it really IS "Sweet Home Alabama" (should've bought some souveniers or something).
...being from IL & driving a rental car (gray Buick Century) that features Georgia plates in Atlanta GA is not necessarily a good thing.
...the Carolinas are hot'n'muggy.
...I-81 in VA is not as long as it seems....
...driving the PA Turnpike is less costly these days than actually filling up the car with gas to drive.
...I really would like to have a 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic convertible someday.... Last year, I saw a white one for sale in TX; this year, I saw a red one at the Wexford PA car show....
...society/people seem to be centered/fixated on couples, have a knack for asking the same nerve-wracking questions, & not following through with plans....
...Philly PA/NJ area has way too much traffic...even on Sunday.
...the Washington DC/Baltimore MD/Philadelphia PA corridor has too many baseball teams .
...driving the "long way" (i.e. avoiding the PA Turnpike) from Alexandria VA to near Canton OH isn't that long of a drive & is quite scenic, especially through MD & the short distance in WV!
...I-90 & SR 2 are beautiful right along the lake in Ohio.
...the cruises before the official Friday/Saturday Woodward Dream Cruise feature just about as many cool cars!
...watching old reruns of shows (The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, etc.) can be fun & relaxing.
...the longest drive is the one that leads you home.%0



I ate with friends at some great restaurants along the way...
* O'Charley's (Sat, Aug 6, lunch, Memphis TN) ... their bread is so good!
* Snappy's (Sat, Aug 6, dinner, Jackson TN) ... where you can have pizza & desert together!
* TGI Friday's (Mon, Aug 8, dinner, Antioch TN)
* O'Charley's (Tue, Aug 9, dinner, Birmingham AL)
* Mo's Pizza (Wed, Aug 10, lunch, Atlanta GA)
* A&W/KFC (Thu, Aug 11, lunch, Charlotte NC) ... rootbeer FLOAT!
* Eat'n'Park (Sat, Aug 13, breakfast, Pittsburgh PA) ... shouldn't this be called Park'n'Eat?
* a great Italian restaurant (Sat, Aug 13, late dinner, Somerset PA) ... can't remember the name of the place....
* Beacon Street Grill (Sun, Aug 14, dinner, Neptune NJ)
* The Barn (Tue, Aug 16, dinner, Smithville OH)
* National Coney Island (Thu, Aug 18, lunch, Warren MI) ... right across from the GM Tech Center
* The American Table (Fri, Aug 19, dinner, Warsaw IN)



Virtual & actual car shows...
While I saw a number of older cars during last year's road trip, this year's crop was impressive.... I attended actual car shows in Wexford PA (Friday, Aug 12) & Warsaw IN (Friday, Aug 19), spotting quite a few nice cars. Equally impressive were some personal collections....

John & Dot (family friends from IL, now in TN) have:
* 79 Caddy Sedan DeVille
* 41 Packard


Mike (FGMC, Nashville TN) has:
* '86 Pontiac 2+2 (Pontiac's version of the MCSS Aerocoupe...but the windows are not the same)
* 2 Chevelle Malibu convertibles
* 60s Buick Skylark convertible
* 60s Corvette
* Ford Mustang race car
* 60s Pontiac GTO
* 90s Lincoln Town Car Limosine
* 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (being converted to convertible)


Kevin W (FGMC founder, Anderson SC) showed me his family's collection, which includes:
* 68 Impala
* 72 Charger
* 69 Caddy Wagon DeVille
* 41 Pontiac
* 78 Buick Park Avenue
* 70 Monte Carlo (Kevin took me for a ride in this!)
* 59 Caddy Coupe DeVille
* 72 Monte Carlo (being converted to a Coke Machine replica ... Allison's #12 NASCAR)
* 74 Caddy Fleetwood Talisman
* 91 Caddy Alante
* 53 Ford Tractor...Golden Jubilee Edition
* 83 Chevy Silverado (lowered)


Jeff H (NMCOA, 2nd Gen MC Yahoo, MCML, etc.) showed me his collection & his Dad's "museum", which includes:
* 75 Monte Carlo ... gorgeous orangish ... has been to quite a few NMCOA MC Nationals
* 57 Ford Thunderbird
* 39 Ford Coupe
* 40 Ford Coupe
* 34 Ford 2-door Sedan
* a bunch of gasoline, Ford, and misc automotive collectibles!



Along the way, I saw...
17 1st gen MCs (7 out west last year)
10 2nd gen MCs (7 out west last year)
6 3rd gen MCs (5 out west last year)
57 4th gen MCs (31 out west last year)
59 5th gen MCs (67 out west last year)
100 6th gen MCs (94 out west last year)



All in all, it was a great trip...! Now, I need to plan for 2006....


As for the rest of 2005, unfortunately, I won't be at Frog Follies (Evansville IN) as planned next weekend (Aug 27). The rest of my schedule may be altered drastically, too...we'll see....



Cort, "Mr Road Trip" / soon2be ex-"Mr MC", 31swm/pig valve/pacer
MCfamily.models.HO.chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
"I'm fading away" ... Simple Plan ... 'Untitled'

 

[Ross]

Glad to see you made it home o.k.!

Tell me, how was the Barn for dining? We hear alot about it here and it's sparked my curiosity.

 

[Sherry]

Hey, Cort,
Sounds like you had a great time on your travels. And meeting Ross?...Well, that's the coolest thing yet. Hey, if you're going to be in town for the Follies next weekend, you know you have a place to stay. If not, I understand.

 

[geebee]

Places in songs

Places in songs

Cort,

Glad to hear you made it home and about all your adventures. You mentioning "Sweet Home Alabama" reminds me of a couple of song places I have visited.

"Hotel California" - Chateau Monmart in Los Angeles
"Take It Easy" - stood on the corner in Winslow, Arizona
"Rocky Mountain High" - anyone who's been to Colorado knows this feeling.
"Country Roads" - West Virginia is so beautiful

I could go on and on. I love road trips so much more than plane rides. You get so in touch with the people and places in this country.

Still waiting to get to: Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota, Montana & Washington State, the only states I have not yet visited. Wanna go?????????

 

[Guest]

Tell me, how was the Barn for dining? We hear alot about it here and it's sparked my curiosity.

It was simply AWESOME! I had the salad/soup bar, which had way too many choices .

Sounds like you had a great time on your travels. And meeting Ross?...Well, that's the coolest thing yet.

*nods*

Amen .

As for the Follies, I definitely appreciate your offer and promise that "one day" I'll take you up on it. But, at this point (might change later this week...who knows), it seems that I best stay home next weekend....

Still waiting to get to: Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota, Montana & Washington State, the only states I have not yet visited. Wanna go?????????

Absolutely! Of the ones you listed, the only ones I haven't been to at some point in my life are Alaska and Louisiana.

And, those song quotes ... excellent! Getting in touch with people and places is, to me anyway, what it is all about ... especially since life is short....

 

[hensylee]

so when's the fl panhandle on your list?????

 

[Guest]

so when's the fl panhandle on your list?????

Sometime...though, I've no idea when . I know several people in the FL/southern US areas that keep asking when I'm going to make it down there...lol.

So, we'll see .

 

[epstns]

Well, Cort - You may hail from Elgin, but whatever became of "Sweet Home, Chicago?"

Jake and Elwood would be sooo ticked!

 

[Christina L]

Cort,

Cort,

I'm exhausted from YOUR trip! Aren't you? It all sounded wonderful though -glad you had such a great time.

Christina L.

 

[Mary]

Sweet Home Illinois --my thoughts exactly, each time we cross the Mississippi River and enter Southern Illinois. We've lived in Missouri for almost thirty years, but Illinois is still home to me.

Glad you made it home safely, Cort.

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Cort,

Welcome back to IL, enjoy reading your post, post RT ( decipher that... )

Just read a nice road trip travelogue "Driving Mr. Albert" by Michael Paterniti

So far all my really long road trips have been vicarious -- got to finish this thesis and then maybe I'll go too....

Best,
Burair

 

[gadgetman]

Cort,

Glad to see you made it back safely. We enjoyed our visit with you and your car buddies. Too bad none of the other Georgia VR.COM members made it, especially those in and around Atlanta . I won't tell them what they missed . Just don't try to jump off any bridges down here .

Maybe we can cross paths when you make your Florida trip .

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[Rich]

Cort,
I'm really sorry we couldn't hook up this year like the last one.
The appt. I had that day just turned out to be a quirk.
I was supposed to do this two weeks earlier but the doctor had some problems that day.
So they re-scheduled me (and all the others in the waiting room) and sure enough it had to be the day we were going to get together.
Well hopefully we will meet again next year, as long as I'm still on this side of the grass.
Glad you got to meet Ross and some others along the way.
Ross lives in my wifes home town, one day we may surprise him also.
Rich

 

[Karlynn]

Cort - one word - CAMERA! Or even 2 words - DISPOSABLE CAMERA

Sure would have liked to have seen a shot of you and Rossie-poo.

Glad you are home safe and sound. There are no flies on you friend, you definately keep moving.

 

[Sherry]

Cort, I'm so glad you had a great trip. I truly understand you wanting to relax next weekend. Take care, friend, and we'll catch you another time.

 

[Guest]

Ahhh....how sweet of ya'll....


Steve,
I thought about using "Sweet Home Chicago", but that just didn't seem to fit me ... he he he .


Christina,
Yes, I am quite exhausted, actually. Got home about 2am Saturday morning...and, instead of checking Email at that point like I thought I would, I simply went to bed.... I'm getting too old for this....

*grins devilishly*


Mary,
Whereabouts in S IL do you travel/are you from...if I may ask? Some of those areas are just wonderful...he he he.


Burair,
That was an easy one to decipher ... post Road Trip (RT) . BTW, that travelogue...is that a book...or something else? I may set about to read that...he he he. And, I definitely suggest a road trip .


Danny,
It was great meeting you, too! Can you believe that it has been almost 2 weeks since we met up for lunch? My how time flies ... sometimes ... eh? Definitely enjoyed the lunch ... and whenever I make it down to FL, I'll see about making a stop in the Atlanta area!


Rich,
No worries...I understand. I just hope you are feeling better. I was able to relax a bit more that evening and spend more time with others...so, it all worked out...as it usually does...heh. But, I definitely advise you to visit Ross....and, of course, we'll meet up again when I'm back in MI .


Karlynn,
Yeah, I know. I guess I just got put off from taking pictures when my camera decided that it didn't like me taking pictures...he he he. Ah, well. I do have some pictures of the trip ... just not of Ross and me .


Sherry,
Thank you! I do believe I will not be at Frog Follies this weekend. When I originally planned that, I didn't realize how tired I'd be ... or how much I'd have to do this week.... Very sorry .