July 22 A birthday on the road and Illinois roads suck!

Miles and Princess Olivia go for a drive in the Pizza joint.

Victor Wears the paper napkin crown Cynthia made for him.
Birthday dinner

Didn't like the smoking section.
View of the Corvette Museum from our hotel
Alien Victor
Stylish Birthday gift from Mami.

Well the week of non stop shows is over. Like every "day after" we aimed to sleep in....couldn't do it. Somehow the new schedule formed from this past week of performing stuck like glue. For the first time in forever, I, the late sleeper, was first to raise and start cleaning up. (Many who know me will read this and find it hard to believe.)


We were all up by 9am ate b-fast in our rooms and were loaded and ready to go by 10am.


We were happy to say good-bye to our hotel but not to Beech Bend Park and the friends we made their. They were all wonderful, form the owner down to the ride techs to the other acts to the snack bar folks. Everyone welcomed us and made us feel like family. Many employees even stuck around after their shifts to watch our last show.


As I mentioned in the last post we stayed after the park closing to be one of the first to ride the new carousel and we got to feed the wild frenzied catfish and cute ducks at the park pond one last time.


Earlier in the day the Park Owner's daughter, the manager of the park, gave me a tour of the speedway connected to the park. It has everything for the racing fan. They even have a fabulous large stage for special events. Ronald Reagan had given a speech on the spot of that stage several years ago so the stage is called the Reagan Stage.


If you are ever in Kentucky and particularly in Bowling Green then you owe it to yourself to visit Beech Bend Park.


Kentucky is made up of some pretty darn nice folks. Just like the folks at the Laurel County fair in London the folks at Beech Bend were very special to us.


I just recalled that the Fair manager at the London fair reminds me of Tommy Lee Jones. His wonderful fiance was also very nice...a a bit crazy...in a good way. If you met her you can't help but like her...just don't fall down in front of her...she'll laugh her ...... off. (She is a natural audience for America' funniest home videos.)





Though the Corvette Museum was right across the street from the hotel we had not time in our schedule to visit the 68000 square foot facility. If we are blessed to return this way we will make the time. Too bad too because this past week they released the 09 version...only $103,000.





Victor turned seven today. His mom sent him an alien costume he badly wanted. She made it herself....very talented...just look at the pictures. He was ecstatic. He got to name our meal places today so we ended up at a McDonald's and then for dinner Chicago style pizza at a joint on the Indiana-Illinois border. We also went to the Walmart and he got a cool blanket that when rolled up looks like the Panda from Kung-fu Panda. A note pad and colored pencils rounded out the gifts for now. He will learn like Miles that most of his bdays will be celebrated on the road since it falls in July.





We saw a sign on the side of a road in a field in Indiana, "Used Cows for sale" . No joke. Saw it too quick to snap a picture.





It's hard to believe but the South is a changing. Couldn't find regular old fashion 30 minutes to get plumb grits anywhere. They had Quik (No spelling error) Grits and Instant grits of every flavor and style but no regular grits... I do declare!





Ethanol gas is a hoax. You pay a bit less but loose mileage. I have a few hundred miles testing it. Our mileage tanked and it ended up costing more per mile in the long run. Tell your friends.





The big industry up in London, KY and over the rural areas was tobacco. I had never seen it growing before this trip. It looks like large leaved Romain lettuce from a distance.





I have to compliment most of America for having pretty nice roads. But California and Illinois your roads suck. California's roads bent my axle. Illinois roads just shook us like a Polaroid Picture. To add insult to injury the cost to go 70 miles on their toll highway (no other choices) was $11.85.....I had to pay to have my van and trailer shaken like a shake and bake chicken. To add further insult to injury Kevin A. is the name of the ultra-rude toll taker at the Belvadire Toll booth. He was cold and icy and very rude...I will say no more...just that his eyes reflected the cold heart that beat in his chest and his skin was old and cracked like the roads he collected toll for. We were planning on stopping in Rockford, IL for the night but K. A. (his name will be left out) and the rotten roads put me in such bad sorts that I refused to spend another cent in Illinois....so we ended up in Beloit, WI, where the front desk clerk at the clean comfortable hotel with a fridge and microwave and bfast in the morning, Lee, is very friendly. I liked him so much I did my pounding a nail into my head for him...he loved it and is going to visit our website (hey Lee if you are reading this could you work out a cheaper deal on the rates...wink wink.)





Don't fall for Shampoo, demand real poo.





Blessings to all who read this.


We love you all