2017 3rd Annual Midwest Scarecrow Run

ckangaroo70 · Jun 12, 2016

A whole year to plan for next years 2017 3rd Annual Midwest Scarecrow Run. The 3rd Annual Scarecrow Run is scheduled for Saturday June, 10 2017. As of now the planned route will be a cruise from London Mills, IL to the only dam on the Spoon River located at Bernadotte, IL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhB3WNZ3hHQ
We will also visit the small town of Ipava upon leaving Bernadotte to stop for gas, snacks or drinks. This will be a 60 mile round trip cruise on quiet country blacktop road.
As of now we will plan on the event starting at 10am and beginning our cruise around 11am. Upon return from our cruise at around 3:30pm we will be hosting a dinner and drinks for all to enjoy.
Be sure to mark this event on your calendar and make it a point to come ride with us. My hope is to grow our event little by little every year and hopefully look back in 10 years passed and see how far we have come.
Pass this along to a riding buddy.

Update: The route has changed and will now be a 75 mile six town circle route. Six small towns, a few gas stations, a few parks and miles and miles of smooth country blacktop.

YesImLDS · Jun 12, 2016

Count me in.

brown · Jun 12, 2016

I am in. May make a weekend out of this time. Maybe we could meet up for a pre-ride dinner some where on Friday night? Either camp or find some lodging nearby.

ckangaroo70 · Jun 12, 2016

brown said:
I am in. May make a weekend out of this time. Maybe we could meet up for a pre-ride dinner some where on Friday night? Either camp or find some lodging nearby.

Mike
There is a fairly new bbq joint in knoxville Illinois that is about 17 miles from us. The ribs and smoked brisket is devine. You and your wife want to come friday ...we would be happy to get together for some supper either in knoxville or some other place with good eats.
My yard is open for anyone wanting to camp. There is also an area here in town that is right on the river that people can park an rv or pitch a tent. There are restrooms and shower there. Nearest hotels would be Canton, Galesburg, Peoria or Macomb depending on which direction folks come from.

ckangaroo70 · Jun 19, 2016

For any history buffs who may want to research our next riding adventure. The Dam we will be riding to was used to support one of the nations largest WW2 german POW camps. Camp Ellis had over 2000 buildings and housed as many as 5000 POWs...which will blow your mind when we visit this locale and see only thousands of acres of corn where at one time a few thousand buildings sat. Amazing how fast the camp was built and just as quickly disappeared. Follow this link to learn more.
http://illinoisancestors.org/fulton/camp_ellis/camp_ellis.html

ckangaroo70 · Jun 19, 2016

There is also one of the very few remaining iron bridges left in the area in Bernadotte. Attempts are being made to preserve and or restore the bridge in hopes to save it from the scrap yard. Progress is being made according to this article. I havnt been down there in awhile..so be nice to see there progress. One end of bridge was laying in the spoon river last time I was there.
http://www.cantondailyledger.com/article/20150828/NEWS/150829424

bluegoatwoods · Jun 22, 2016

Interesting.

I guess I'd heard before of axis POW camps in the USA. But I hadn't given it much thought.

At first I was a bit surprised to think that they'd go through the hassle of bringing them to North America.

But it's not hard to imagine that there was nowhere in Europe to hold them properly, other than the UK, until the very end of the war in Europe. I imagine that the UK did keep a number of them.

But you can also picture London turning to Washington and saying that they can't hold them all securely without using resources that were needed for the war effort.

I wonder how many axis prisoners the allies held? I'll bet it's a lot.

totalnewb · Jun 23, 2016

I asked my boss, I mean my wife, and she said maybe.

Greg58 · Jun 23, 2016

Y'all are just too dang far away for me to join, I'll just have to watch the videos. From here to the central Illinois air port is 700 miles, that would take 50 gallons of gas to get there in my truck!

2door · Jun 24, 2016

Greg58 said:
Y'all are just too dang far away for me to join, I'll just have to watch the videos. From here to the central Illinois air port is 700 miles, that would take 50 gallons of gas to get there in my truck!

Get a smaller truck

My Ford Ranger was getting about 26mpg on my last trip to Illinois from Denver. I'm about 900 miles from London Mills. You're gonna miss a good time, Greg. Better reconsider.

Tom

YesImLDS · Jun 24, 2016

I guess I shouldn't complain about my 230miles! Heck gas is cheap for now may as well use it!

brown · Jun 25, 2016

2door said:
Get a smaller truck

My Ford Ranger was getting about 26mpg on my last trip to Illinois from Denver. I'm about 900 miles from London Mills. You're gonna miss a good time, Greg. Better reconsider.

Tom

Like!...... You can consider it a vacation. Work in a side trip. I plan on arriving a day early and exploring the area more. Life is short. These are the things that you will miss someday. Easier than you think. I drove to Daytona Fl for the weekend once. Was tired but had a blast and will never forget it. Hope to see you next year.

ckangaroo70 · Aug 18, 2016

Greg58 said:
Y'all are just too dang far away for me to join, I'll just have to watch the videos. From here to the central Illinois air port is 700 miles, that would take 50 gallons of gas to get there in my truck!

Greg

Ride the motorized bike here. If you are paying and average of $2.00 for gas and are averaging 70mpg. Heck..that is only $40 worth of gas there and back!

And if you are averaging 25mph all the way here and ride 8 hours a day...shoot, you could be here in 5 days. he he he laff

ckangaroo70 · Aug 18, 2016

For anyone considering traveling any distance...I do have an Amtrak station about 20 minutes from my house. I also found it interesting that Amtrak will allow you to take a bicycle along. Might have to cover up the engine and tank, but perhaps not...
https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard

ckangaroo70 · Aug 18, 2016

brown said:
Like!...... You can consider it a vacation. Work in a side trip. I plan on arriving a day early and exploring the area more. Life is short. These are the things that you will miss someday. Easier than you think. I drove to Daytona Fl for the weekend once. Was tired but had a blast and will never forget it. Hope to see you next year.

I checked Toms route on Amtrak. From Denver, Colorado to Galesburg, Illinois is a 15 1/2 hour trip on Amtrak. $90 for a one way trip. Not to shabby.

Greg58 · Aug 18, 2016

ckangaroo70 said:
Greg

Ride the motorized bike here. If you are paying and average of $2.00 for gas and are averaging 70mpg. Heck..that is only $40 worth of gas there and back!

And if you are averaging 25mph all the way here and ride 8 hours a day...shoot, you could be here in 5 days. he he he

I like to ride my bikes but not that much, I'd like to ride with your group but again not that much!

brown · Aug 18, 2016

If few folks that want to make the trip but need a bike when the arrive. I could provide a bike to ride. I have 7 and am set up to be able to travel with all of them.

And I don't have junk. All are good safe bikes with top notch parts.

ckangaroo70 · Aug 18, 2016

MotorBicycleRacing said:
perhaps not?
No chance of getting a bike with a gas motor on Amtrak.

Put the little tank and little china girl engine in the luggage and problem solved....LOL
Be surprised what someone might come up with. Once knew a guy who restored a Chevy Chevelle in the living room of his one bedroom apartment one piece at a time. Went to visit one day and he had a Chevy 327 engine completely tore down in his living room. When I knocked on the door he was very slow to answer. He was concerned I might be the land lady who wouldn't appreciate the set of heads, crankshaft, camshaft, pistons and all the other bits laying on the new carpet she had installed before he moved in there.

He said he found creative ways to hide the stuff when not working on it, but I just couldn't figure out how he would hide that car rear end laying on the kitchen floor. he he he

ckangaroo70 · Aug 18, 2016

brown said:
If few folks that want to make the trip but need a bike when the arrive. I could provide a bike to ride. I have 7 and am set up to be able to travel with all of them.

And I don't have junk. All are good safe bikes with top notch parts.

Mike

Very nice bikes indeed and the one I test rode was soooo comfortable to ride. Like riding a magic carpet. Almost made me wanna leave my own bike in the shed and just ride one of yours. Super nice rides.

brown · Aug 19, 2016

ckangaroo70 said:
Put the little tank and little china girl engine in the luggage and problem solved....LOL
Be surprised what someone might come up with. Once knew a guy who restored a Chevy Chevelle in the living room of his one bedroom apartment one piece at a time. Went to visit one day and he had a Chevy 327 engine completely tore down in his living room. When I knocked on the door he was very slow to answer. He was concerned I might be the land lady who wouldn't appreciate the set of heads, crankshaft, camshaft, pistons and all the other bits laying on the new carpet she had installed before he moved in there.

He said he found creative ways to hide the stuff when not working on it, but I just couldn't figure out how he would hide that car rear end laying on the kitchen floor. he he he

When I went to college I worked as a janitor. The women I worked for had a 16 year old son. Her son and I rebuilt his 67 VW engine in his bedroom. I still remember him and I carrying the motor out the living room and into the kitchen and then into the driveway when we were done. It was in January and back in those days winters were cold. It was warm in the house and just too cold in the driveway. He drove that car for all through High School.

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