Category Archives: On the Road

Octane Press Red Power Reception at Waterstreet Brewery

Teardrop Trail Log: Thursday, June 16

Canning, Pickling and Freezing with Irma Harding

Octane Press, the publisher of my cookbook, Canning, Pickling and Freezing with Irma Harding was holding a meet-and-greet in conjunction with Red Power Round Up. The invitation offered an evening of appetizers and libations. We established camp at the Racine County fairgrounds and un-hitched the Ambassador. Then Jim and I headed down the Teardrop Trail to the Water Street Brewery in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

Octane Press, founded by Lee Klancher, began in the Mid-2000s. Lee had always loved books and the company now publishes his own work and the work of others. Octane has more than 50 titles in print with about 6 – 12 new projects each year. Octane has been working with International Harvester on a variety of projects that range from calendars to coffee table books.

International Scout Encyclopedia

Since this year’s Red Power Round Up was held in Racine where Case IH Headquarters is located, this party was an opportunity to meet Sarah Pickett, from Case IH Marketing Communications and many of the folks I’d been working with on the cookbook project. There were other Octane Press authors in attendance. Jim and I enjoyed meeting many of the folks, especially Jim Allen and John Glancy, who had just published the International Scout Encyclopedia.

Since 1987, The Water Street Brewery has produced more than 78,000 half-barrels which is approximately 12,987,700 glasses of beer. The Oak Creek location opened recently in a modern, well-lit building that has one-of-a kind beer and brewing artifacts, featured in the book “The World of Beer Memorabilia” Book. It was great to have Jim was accompanying me and we enjoyed a great dinner of fish tacos and tasted a few more of the delightful brews.

Good restaurant too

On to Union Grove and Red Power Roundup

Teardrop Trail Log: June 16, 2016

We were back on the Teardrop Trail, headed toward Red Power Round Up in Union Grove, Wisconsin. Just a quick stop at Wisconsin Welcome Center to pick up post cards, we parked the Ambassador with the big rigs. He was finally running with the big dogs. After locating the Racine County Fairgrounds, we pulled around to our camp site. This would be our third Red Power Round Up where collectors, vendors and members of the public gathered to celebrate the history of International Harvester and explore agriculture-related memorabilia. There was an impressive selection of tractors, engines, trucks and equipment. The exhibitions included household appliances, farming equipment and toy collections.

Red Power Roundup camp

I had reserved our campsite at last year’s event and we were conveniently located just outside the exhibition building where my publisher, Octane Press had a booth and where I would be signing copies of Canning, Pickling and Freezing with Irma Harding. We backed the Ambassador into the space, and set up Camp Red Power complete with the canopy over the galley. This would be home for the next few days.

Jim has always enjoyed coming to Red Power for the tractors, like the IH tractor his grandfather had on the farm. His cameras come out and he is in tractor heaven. Every year he buys a raffle ticket for an IH tractor. So far no tractors have followed us home.

There’s a few tractors over there

On the Tasty Trail – Cherry Valley Café, The Best Fries Ever!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 16, 2016

Worth climbing over the construction

Thursday, we were heading north on I 39, when we embarked on the Tasty Trail in Cherry Valley, a quaint, mid-nineteenth century Illinois town with a cobblestone main street, lined by red brick buildings from a by-gone era. We spotted the Cherry Valley Café, located in an old bank built in 1909. A family restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner – seven days a week. Just our kind of place. We dodged the barricades for the road construction on State Street and opened the door to be transported back in time. The vibe was very friendly, small town. The customers greeted each other and the staff had been described by one review as “Flo-esque,” very friendly and attentive. Happy Days?

Chicken Sandwich

Jim ordered the BLT and I chose the Chicken Sandwich. The best way to describe the plates was artful home cooking. On my sandwich, the chicken peaked out from under the bun ever so slightly and the garnish was a small symphony in red and green – lettuce, tomato, topped with perfectly placed pickles. Jim’s BLT was amazing. Carefully cut triangles of perfectly toasted white bread with layers of lettuce and ripe red tomato slices. The real center piece of the plate was the mound of crispy, mouth-watering fries, piled artistically around the sandwich. He selected one of these tasty morsels and plopped it in his mouth. His eyes lit up as he exclaimed,”Yum.” He is always kind enough to share a few fries. I really appreciated his generosity. They were amazing. As we left the Cherry Valley Café, we speculated on the secret process that created this amazing culinary experience. One reviewer had written that they have extra breading or something that increased their flavor and texture over normal fries. Jim observed that perhaps they were dipped in tempura batter. He is completely convinced that these are the best fries ever!

Cherry Valley Café

Can you call Tech Support?

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

Motel 6 – WiFi Fail

The heat, raccoons and trailer problems had taken their toll, and by late in the day, we were looking forward to a rest in a clean, comfortable room. Marilyn had arranged a reservation at the Motel 6 in Peoria, and it looked good as we rolled in. Check in was routine, and the clerk accommodated our request for a room overlooking the Lady and Ambassador’s parking place. A quick shower and we would be on our way to dinner, checking into the ‘net, and a night of rest.

Except — we couldn’t seem to connect with the Motel 6 Wi-Fi. Hmmm. Back to the front desk. The clerk was sympathetic, but couldn’t help. She suggested I call Tech Support and provided a telephone number. Once an IT guy, always an IT guy. You can’t escape it. Back in the room, I called the number. Telephone-based tech support is the same the world over, and after getting through the call attendant system, I reached a human. It was clear he wasn’t located in Peoria and was probably part of a larger contract support service, but he did acknowledge there was a problem. Could we try connecting again in an hour or so?

Dinner didn’t sound bad, and there was a Grand Village Chinese buffet nearby (the high-octane fuel of tech workers everywhere) and we decided to try it out. Inside, the place was huge, and clearly designed to deliver a variety of tasty calories in the most efficient manner possible. The food was good, and the restaurant well attended. A popular place is always a good sign. Soup, appetizers, and several main courses later, we rolled out and headed back to the motel. A good meal always helps the mood.

Back at the room, we checked the wi-fi. Connection was iffy, and there didn’t seem to be any throughput. We would have to be happy with our cell-based data again. They might leave the light on for you, but they forgot to pay the Internet bill.

Bad News from Back Home

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

Raccoons like tomatoes

Whenever we set out on the Teardrop Trail, a very good friend will watch the house, feed the pets and water the garden. It is nice to know that someone is stopping by everyday, especially someone who knows the place. June is one of the high points for gardening in Texas – ripe tomatoes, plentiful green beans and much more. It has been a pleasure to share the bounty with Jason and Courtney while we traveled. As we were driving, Jim received a text from Jason accompanied by photos of ravaged tomatoes from the garden.

In past years, the rabbits had invaded when we hit the Teardrop Trail for Red Power Round Up. I had set about rabbit-proofing the garden fence after last year’s raids. 100 linear feet of bright green chicken wire were applied around the external fence. A careful final inspection revealed a secured perimeter. I kept checking for any invasions just to make sure things were secure for this trip.

Jason mentioned that the chicken wire was still in place and no identifiable animal tracks were visible along the fence. We asked about raccoons. Some had been spotted at different times. I had been suspicious about earlier invasions of my compost pile which was secured around a stout wire fence. I’d thought back. Upon closer inspection of the photos, the bite marks looked familiar… Raccoons can climb OVER fences… Even miles and miles away, our food wasn’t safe… Raccoons take 3.

You Want the Good News or the Bad News?

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

After leaving Perry, Missouri, we settled into an afternoon of travel. After a couple of hot and humid nights in Missouri parks, populated with marauding raccoons, we decided a night in a “clean, comfortable room for the lowest price of any national chain” would be a welcome change. Marilyn had the room booked, and all was right with the world.

This was my first time on an Illinois road trip in about 30 years, and that had been on a January night in an ancient International Harvester school bus (but that’s another story), so I didn’t have a visual memory of the state. The day was sunny, and the farmland was lush. Small towns marked our progress, and we pulled into Peoria in the late afternoon. Being a larger city, I had hopes of a Mocha, and as usual, Marilyn was already on it. She turned on The Girl, and in no time, we were pulling into a Starbucks. Finally a day without incident.

All that’s left

Hot drinks in hand, I noticed something amiss on the Ambassador. Where was the solar panel? The two feed cables and wing nuts with the torn corners of the fiberglass panel were all that remained. What had happened? No idea. Disappointing, but I had already decided a single 100 watt panel wasn’t enough, so this was an opportunity for improvement. Stay tuned for the Solar Ambassador Revision 2!

Tomorrow was another day. Besides, Tom Bodett was leaving a light on for us.

Antiques in Perry

Mark Twain Lake area

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

We’re rarely on the road early, and by the time we visited the Mark Twain Birthplace and navigated across Mark Twain Lake it was nearly noon. Just as the thought of lunch was occurring to me, we pulled into Perry, Missouri. Once a booming coal town, it is now a destination for lake fun and antique shopping. It is also one of the prettiest small towns in Missouri.

After lunch at the Hootenanny, I wanted to walk around and photograph some of the buildings. Within a block of Palmyra and Main, there are several ornate examples of late-nineteenth century commercial architecture including wood, brick and cast iron façades.

Miss Daisy’s Antiques

Many of the buildings now house antique stores. We took the time to explore one particularly promising one. I’m a woodworker and enjoy finding, restoring and using old hand tools. This store had a generous supply of old saws, planes, chisels and the like and I couldn’t resist exploring. There were lots of other things to look at, and we spent about an hour there. We were definitely going to have to visit again when we had more time. Sadly, we needed reach Peoria by late afternoon and play time in Missouri was over for now!

: Original Clark Garage

: Once owned by leading citizen Thomas F Gill

: Cast iron façade

: Simple brick façade

: Originally a mercantile

: Beautiful wooden façade

On the Tasty Trail

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

We decided to take the scenic route after leaving Mark Twain’s birthplace. As we pulled into the small town of Perry, Missouri around lunch time, we saw the Hootenanny Cafe on corner of Main Street and Palmyra Street. Discovering local places to eat is one of our favorite parts of traveling. One online review described the menu as “a small town take on fast food that reminds one of granny’s cooking.” From lemon meringue to apple, it was hard to miss the amazing pies, being placed on display as they came out of the oven.

A fine lunch at the Hootenany

Walking in the door, there was a homey atmosphere, the quintessential American heartland cafe. This was clearly a gathering place for some of the locals. Two ladies at a table across the room could have been the reincarnation of my grandmother Tina and her best friend Beulah from their print dresses to their sensible shoes. Our table was set with with tall, Pepsi plastic glasses, the black metal napkin dispenser as well as the yellow mustard and red catsup plastic squeeze bottles.

Jim had a BLT and I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. He chose fries and I got the onion rings to share. Yum. To Pie or Not to Pie, that became the question after lunch.

Mark Twain’s Birthplace

Mark Twain’s birthplace in Florida Missouri

photo of Mark Twain's birthplace bedroom

The bedroom as it was

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

After a night in Mark Twain State Park, we decided to visit his birthplace, accidentally discovered the day before. The original two-room clapboard structure is housed in a substantial museum, with exhibits, a reading room, several first editions of his novels and a handwritten manuscript of Tom Sawyer.

The house itself was moved from it’s original nearby site, now flooded in the reservoir created by damming the Salt River. It is furnished, and gives a good idea of early nineteenth-century life in the midwest.

Samuel Clemens, who went by the pen name Mark Twain, was born in Florida, Missouri on November of 1835 and lived there for the first four years of his life. The family then moved to Hannibal, Missouri — more famously known as his boyhood home.

Without doing any work …

One exhibit on flax, a primary crop of early America, shows the stages of production. From planting in the spring to harvest, to processing, spinning and weaving with period tools. A river boat exhibit shows various artifacts including a wheelhouse mockup. Another outlines Twain’s interest in technology including the first private telephone in the world. It is complete with handwritten records showing service outages — perhaps the forerunner of modern Internet uptime agreements?

: Spinning wheel and loom

: Loony river pilot

: First Telephone

: Carriage

Finally, there are several exhibits of furniture and other effects from his late nineteenth-century home in Hartford, Connecticut. The exhibit includes a carriage and street diorama.

: The man himself

: Cabinet detail

: Chair and table

: Carriage

Raccoon Caper #2 – The Nocturnal Invasion

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

Camp Mark Twain State Park established and a scrumptious chicken dinner under our belts, we cleaned the dishes and put away the food. We’ve camped in numerous national and state parks in the last few years, and have developed a bedtime routine. Galley closed, kitchen boxes stacked and Igloo cooler closed. Time for bed. Marilyn is usually earlier into bed than me, but I was tired as well and we turned in. Soon we were both asleep.

Raccoon crime in Progress

I’m a light sleeper and usually up in the middle of the night, but this night I was awakened by a commotion outside. Crash! Bang! What on earth?! I sleep next to the door in our teardrop, and grabbing my iPhone (always ready for a photo!) I opened the door and leaned out. We had a raccoon in camp, and he was exploring our stuff. Pushing the door open and stepping out, I made some noise and the invader escaped. Even though it was dark, I could see we’d been raided. The cooler was open, and various wrappers were scattered around. Well, the damage was already done so I went back to bed. We could survey the crime scene in the morning.

The evidence

Marilyn was the first one up in the morning and cleaned up the mess. The raccoon had opened the Igloo cooler (we even have trouble opening that!) and scored a pound of bacon, a pound of butter, two pounds of lunch meat, several eggs and a yogurt.

Not easy to open

It was able to open the egg containers and that’s not easy. It was also able to get the meat and bacon out of zipper bags without destroying them. Apparently they can work the zipper pulls. Their scientific name is appropriate: Procyon lotor or extremely dexterous front paws.

Later, when Marilyn went to the camp office to buy more ice, she mentioned the raid, and the camp host wasn’t surprised. It seems the local raccoons have developed a taste for beer and are able to open pull-tab cans. Two nights of camping so far, and two incidents. I wonder if they prefer lagers or ales?

Tiny raccoon fingerprints

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