2012 Summer Tour - Day 1

Class reunion time for the present Mrs. Blythe so I decided to get some tickets to fly and will be spending a few days back in G-Burg, BFE, and Aledo.   Gonna do some eating, riding, drinking, laughing, visiting, and cruising.  Six days in God's Country loom before me.  I think I've lined up my ducks, crossed my T's and ready to be back home.





Flights take off early down here for Moline Airport.  I mean really early.  Technically passengers are to be at the airport by 4:15 a.m. for a 6:15 am flight.  The day's agenda is kind of empty after breakfast with older bro Phil at the City Limits in Rock Island.  Because of the time differential I arrive at 7:30 at QC airport and have a half hour wait before my retail car kiosk opens.  The above video is takeoff and for some reason they never get old.

Waiting for my Budget rental to open and this is what I like to see at an airport:  no one.

I rented my car for the week, and you'll recall last rental in April we got free upgrades to our choice between three luxury cars.  Not so, this time, as I was stuck with this abomination of wheels.  It is called a Toyota Yaris.  I don't know what a Yaris is, but I was embarrassed to be seen in it.  It looked like it had been guillotined in half.  On the upside, it ran pretty well and had great gas mileage.  

After a fine breakfast of biscuits and gravy and always entertaining conversation with Phil, I head South to G-Burg with my ultimate destination toward Wombie Mark's place in Aledo.

G-Burg just looked a bit more rundown this trip with more places closed.  The tough economy has been hard on small towns and some of these places that used to be viable never will be purposeful.  Within a few months these places will be bull-dozed.  The top pic is where a restaurant used to be and several niche shops after that.  The bottom pic is of the old Leighton's Sundries.  You could come in here and get your license plates renewed, have lunch or a cup of coffee.

I spotted this old school that had been converted to storage long ago.  There's not much left except brick walls on three sides and some roof left.  In the rear is a small cemetery.  But more on this place later in the week.  

I was travelling a road that I used in high school from my Uncle's farm heading south.  Had a fun time in a particular creek once and wondered if I could chance upon it.  Sadly, I didn't but I did capture this picture that epitomizes back roads America.  The bluest sky, the greenest crops and the road that winds to everywhere, and nowhere.

In Keithsburg I was saddened to see that the Lighthouse Tap had burned, and fairly recently, too.  This was one of the coolest places to stop and quench your thirst in the area.  It had a bar area with long plate-glass area you could watch the boats and barges drift by.  At one time they had free wing night every Wednesday.  I used to ride down on the bike and partake.  When I had the 'vert and would be in the area I would usually stop as well and have a cold one.  It had fallen on hard times recently and also served as a nudie place called Bikini's.  Everything changes. 

The River.  Never changes.  I didn't get it in this picture but there is a single span that juts out into the river from the right side.  Mark and I used to drive down and walk out into that area.  It was dangerous as the planking had rotted in areas and a fall would have been life-threatening.  Ah, youth.

Boating in Keithsburg or St. Petersburg looks fun.  I've read it can be a PIA as well.  

Old Roosevelt Military building in Aledo caught my eye, because those fire escapes are the same we had at the Seaton school.  I can still remember crawling up those suckers and trying to get the wooden doors open.  We'd just sit up there and bang on the sides and feel and hear the metal noises and vibration.  State of the art in their day, but apparently not OSHA approved now.

Another RMA building returning to nature.  

Great old stone moulding above the window.  

Now over to Mark and Holly's and a sit on the porch before bed.  Thus ends, day number one.  Going over to Mark and Holly's is a pleasure, always is.  They are two funny people first off, with a great place, a warm and welcoming porch and Miss Maddy, their little pooch is fun as well.  They like to call out for food whenever I am there and its always tasty.  Not only that but the guest bed always feels good after a long day.  A little white noise with the fan, a comfy pillow, and..........before............you.......know..........it.......................................