racecars

As you may or may not know, dear reader, I'm a Nascar fan. I also happen to live across the street from the legendary Milwaukee Mile. This past weekend, the Craftsman truck series and the Nationwide series were in town.




Johnny Benson, winner of the Truck race on Friday night.



When I go to the track, I take my scanner. This allows me to listen in on radio communication between drivers, and crew chiefs, Nascar officials and track officials. I use noise cancelling headphones to save my hearing.


Carl Edwards. Flew in from California to run the event, then flew back to run the Sprint Cup race on Sunday.



Time to change the tires and put in some gas.

Under caution. Scott Wimmer, from Wisconsin, leads; Carl is second; Mike Bliss is third.


I had a great time both night. Friday got interesting as they cleared the bleachers due to lightning, but finished the race after the threat was gone.

detours and such

Check out my other blog for pics of the floodwater along I-94 between Milwaukee and Madison

http://thechadhasspoken.blogspot.com

feeling nostalgic

For some reason today, I missed my old home in Central Illinois. Maybe, just maybe it's that tomorrow, June 19th, marks 9 years in Milwaukee. Nine years since I moved out of my mom's house to the Big City to start new.

I remember the radio station I used to listen to, WWCT, or Rock 106 as it was known. Great morning show to listen to while I drove to school, great rock on the air. I had a couple classes with one of the DJs, and got to know him fairly well.

I remember 4th of July on the Riverfront in Peoria. Fireworks set to music by another station in town. Place would be packed.

Late night movies at the Willow Knolls 14.

Hanging out at the riverfront in Pekin, under the bridge with our musclecars.

Burgers at Schooner's in Morton.

Torpedo's at La Gondola in Pekin.

99 cent gas.

Monday nights at Brown's house.

how high's the water, mama?

oh Faramir, how you have fallen

when last we saw Faramir, he was in Middle Earth.




I guess he's fallen on hard times....I found him at Miller Park recently...


working for peanuts!

RIP Bo Diddley

I love West Allis

So, I drop Holly off at home around 10:45pm Saturday night after dinner with a friend. On my way home, I'm a few blocks away from my apartment when I see an Indy car turn right off of National onto 84th....an INDY car...

As soon as my light turned green, I followed it to Paulie's Pub. Race home, park my car and walk back to the bar to see what I have to do to get a ride...

I walk up, West Allis' finest are issuing a noise citation because one of the neighbors compained.

YOU LIVE NEXT TO A RACETRACK!!!

The racecar in question was the Jim Beam two seater, used for taking fans for rides around the racetracks the Indy car series is racing at. Paulie's Pub must have worked something out with Jim Beam. Funny thing is, the car had headlights, taillights, turn signals and an Indiana license plate...totally legal. Heck, the Harley's are waaaaay louder. Oh well...we laughed it off.

reflections on the weekend

Holly and I drove down to Illinois to visit my family over the holiday weekend. We left Saturday around 9am and made it to my sister's house in Western Illinois about 2ish (271 miles). We then met up with some old friends of mine for dinner at their house around 4 (21 miles), back to my sisters around 10:30 (21 miles). Both Holly and I had a hard time sleeping, as there seemed to be alot of noises we weren't used to, like coyotes and clock radios and me snoring.

Sunday morning, we we're up early to head to church (32 miles). I have a friend from my high school days who is pastoring a new church plant on the riverfront in Peoria, and we also got to hook up with some other friends of mine, Cory and Vicky. After church, Holly and I we're invited over to Cory and Vicky's (7.4 miles) for lunch and a chance to talk and catch up.

After lunch, Holly and I headed back to my sister's house (40 miles) for my youngest nieces birthday party. After cake and pizza, we hang out for a bit to talk with my mom and stepdad. about 5:30, we leave to head to my dad's house (30 miles) to watch the Nascar race and hang out with my dad and stepmom.

Up Monday morning for breakfast, then off to my paternal grandparents (59 miles) to have lunch with them and catch up. My Dad's folks are 84, and living in their own house after taking a stab at assisted living. They didn't care for the assisted living deal, so they bought a house that has a handicapped accessible bathroom, as Granddad had a stroke about 5 years ago and has limited use of his left side.

Next stop: Maternal Grandparents (18.5 miles). No food here, just a chance to visit for a couple hours. After that, we head to my mom's (1 mile) for dinner. Mom went all out: meatload, peas, biscuits....so much good food. We sat for a while after dinner, during which I entered a slight food coma. Holly took the wheel when we left for the first leg home, aided by my GPS. We stopped in Rochelle Illinois to gas up and get beverages, and I took the wheel for the rest of the way home (250 miles). I dropped Holly off at her house about 1am, then made my way home.

I included the mileage because I wanted to show that "going home" is never a short hop, even once I get there. We did it on less than three tanks of gas, two energy drinks, 2 sprite zero's, 1 diet coke, and a bag of cheese curds.

Why do I make that effort? I am blessed at the age of 32 to have all four grandparents, and I love my family. It's worth the numb butt and gas money to see them when I have the chance.

catching up...

Wednesday, I thought I DVR'd American Idol, but it didnt' take for some reason. I did see it live, and went nearly deaf if my left ear the my Amazing Girlfriend screamed her delight of the David Cook victory.

Go David Cook....looking forward to your first album.

Long holiday weekend....using it to see family and friends in Illinois. I don't care that regular unleaded is $4.19 a gallon...I refuse to let that deter me. I have always laid the route for weekends like this based on mileage and time, and this trip is no different.

I'm on vacation all next week. Looking forward to that :)

ouch...

it's only Wednesday

it's only Wednesday....feels to me like it should be later than that this week.

Tonight I was home by 8:30...earliest so far this week. Between work and other appointments, I've been getting home late each night, and getting to bed late as well.

That makes for a tired Chad.

I'm enjoying a beverage before heading off to bed.

How's your week so far??

time for a touch up

Welcome to the new layout and title of my blog. I felt it was time for a fresh look, so I looked around for a new layout and found this one. Works for me.

I've also started another blog that's more politically/civilly minded; that blog can be found here.

I'm keeping this blog as an observational documentation. Translated: this is where I'll ramble about getting older, people watching and general light hearted stuff.

:)

one good deed

Driving home from work tonight, I'm eastbound on I-94 from Oconomowoc toward State Fair Park. I see a disabled vehicle on the shoulder with the hood up and the driver behind it, thumb out. I pull over and get the guy's attention. We head back to my car to get out of the wind and call for a tow truck. State Patrol dispatches a wrecker and we wait. The man's truck has lost the water pump.

I find out the man's name is Marciel and I ask him where he is headed. In a thick Spanish accent, he tells me he's headed to Chicago. I had noticed the Minnesota plates on his truck. He tells me there's no work for carpenter's in Minneapolis so he's going to Chicago to see if there's work. I ask if he has any contacts in Chicago and he says he's got some family there. Marciel asks me how much farther it is to Chicago. I tell him another couple hours.

Tow truck shows up and we get out of the car to talk to the tow truck driver. He can take Marciel's truck west an exit or two to a garage for repairs, then asks how Marciel he wants to pay for the tow. Marciel doesn't have a credit card, or cash on hand. The driver says that they can include the bill for the tow in with the repair. At this point, I shake Marciel's hand, wish him luck in getting to Chicago and get back into my car.

No one else looked like they were going to stop to help Marciel. I did what I could, but I don't feel like it was enough. I certainly can't afford to pay for the repair to his truck, and I'm wondering how he'll make it to Chicago. I prayed for him as I drove away, hoping that he will complete his journey, as well as trying to placate myself a bit. I don't know what else I could have done.

Mondays....

Summary of my weekend...

Friday, finish work, head to Holly's to pick her up for dinner at a friend's house. Grab flowers on the way. Why? Holly loves flowers, and I'm not real good at giving them and I don't want to give them because I screwed up...I give ice cream when I do that. Dinner and conversation at friend's house....home and bed.

Saturday. Up around 9, head to Mayfair to swap out a misbehaving cable modem and pick up my new glasses. Return home, putz around, head to Walmart to buy digital camera, return home again, clean my apartment....yes...clean. My apartment was trashed. How well was it cleaned? When Holly arrived at my place at around 4:45 for the Brewer game that night, she almost fell over. She was stunned. My friends Tim and Kevin arrived and we all head to the ballgame.

Brewers win..YAY!!!

Sunday...church in the morning, race in the afternoon. Holly brings over some homework to finish. I fix dinner and we watch Extreme Home Makeover. Bedtime.


Monday morning...ack....

Just because it's Friday

I missed the fun

So, while most of were sleeping, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook a Southeastern Illinois.

I remember the last one that was just outside Rockford, but missed this one.

That's My King!

Is spring here??

I think....don't quote me on this...but I think that spring may be showing up in Milwaukee finally. I don't see anymore piles of plowed snow anywhere. Warm winds from the south make the flags stand out from the poles they hang from. Baseball is being played. The ground has a squish to it.

The only this missing is testing at The Mile...all in due time.

one of my favorite things

A nice Saturday night in Milwaukee. Sitting here, watching a race on TV, Holly sleeping on my bed as I sit on one of my floor chairs next to her. We had Subway for dinner, and I'm enjoying a beer. Nothing exciting, just an evening at home relaxing.

Take me out to the ballgame

Opening day for the Brewers....not going this year, but I'll be tuned in!!


GO CREW GO!!!