Corn Daze, Part Deux

Is there a specific motel/hotel?

Friday, Saturday ansd Sunday rather than Satm, Sun, Mon? Based on what Rich said

 Plus Fri, sat, sun gets me on the road Mon and I want to make it on one day.

Certainly not a deal breaker though.

Thoughts?

Jack, what did I say?

565 miles, Peoria to Hot Springs...you're an animal...an iron-butted animal! Plus, refresh my memory. Are you planning to come to Pewaukee to visit your friend first, then back down to Peoria?

Last year, I stayed in Morton, just a few miles from Stanistan. There's several to chose from.

Yeah, Rich...and a couple of weeks ago you were on Route 66...c'mon dood....I don't look too good while drooling.

Last year, during our afternoon excursion, we stopped in Washington, Illinois...a quaint little town. The Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast appears to be directly above the "watering hole" we stopped at that day. Judging from their web site, it looks like a nice alternative to the chain motels and about a 20 minute ride north from Stanistan...http://www.bedandbreakfast.com...one-inn-details.html

Perusing the Cornerstone web site, I came across this little ditty...

• Drinking Description: C-note pub or can bring own in, please keep it under control

Rich let me know when you plan on heading down and where you are staying. If possible we can caravan.

Joe, first we have to take Carlisle...

Jack-

Friday, Saturday, Sunday works really well for me, but Cory and Rich really want to do the "Great Race", which comes through town on Monday. It's a weekday either way (F,S,S or S,S,M), so we made the call to do it this way.

Rich---yes, I'd drive vto see my friend in Pewaukee then down to Corn Daze in Peoria.

What is the Grea Race all about and are we all going to join up with it or watch it pass by or wnat?

Last--Sat, Sun, Mon is fine with me.

I've emailed the contact for the "Great Race" to determine when and where it's coming through Peoria. I'll have more details when I have an answer.

As for the bed and breakfast in Washington Rich mentioned-- it's a nice place, but I don't know about parking. The good part about that is that Washington is a small town, the bad part is that it's not a REALLY small town.

The thing about the Peoria area is that everything is within 20 minutes of everything else. If we had the opening dinner in East Peoria, it's 10 minutes from Washington, 10 from Morton, 10 from Peoria, and 15 from my place. There are multiple hotels in East Peoria, and a riverboat casino with attached hotel (for those so inclined).

So far we've got Rich and Joe for sure, and Jack as a firm maybe. If you are seriously considering attending, please give me a head's up so I can get some sort of idea on a number. We'll pick a place and see about group rates once we get a bit of a head-count. This would be good to have so we can all eat together as well.

We had a blast last year, and we just kind of faked our way through it. This year ought to be even better.

Whatever you guys do, don't listen to me. I've just visited the area twice in less than a year...

what the hell do I know other than what I have only seen. Which ain't much!

Actually, the whole area is much more impressive than I had ever imagined and that's coming from a dreaded Cheesehead in the flatlands of the Land of Lincoln. 

Believe in Stan and Bob, your trustworthy guides for the corn fields.

Here's a link for The Great Race:

http://www.greatrace.com/

Basically, i think it's a bunch of old cars being driven by probably slightly younger drivers.

I'd guess at the least, an excellent Kodak moment or You Tube opportunity.

Alright, Jack! If you make it to Pewaukee we can caravan back down to Peoria, picking up with a few more of the "flatlanders" along the way like I did last year to Peoria/Stanistan/Corn Fields.

It's about a 4 hour trip from my area (which is very near Pewaukee). Traffic is not bad along this route as well.

I'm looking good for this event.

Marty, if you wear those gloves, you'll be lookin' REALLY good.

Marty, you're always looking good! Now just show up and we can confirm that 

Stan...question? Is it Corn Days Deux or Corn Days Duex? Or maybe both?

^ Rich, don't you have some travelogue to be working on?

Why yes, Stan, I do and I'm way past part 2 

Not much.

I will make plans to show up with my 78' IM.     Can arrive Sat. afternoon and maybe stay through Monday.   Depends if my wife can come with or not.

But I will definitely be there Sat. evening and stay were most everyone else is staying.

Sounds like fun!

Chris 

Rich---has a hearquarter motel ben selected yet?  I'd go ahead and make reservations as motels fill up during vacation time.

That's cool, Chris!

Jack, Stan and Bob might correct me, but I don't think you're going to have to worry too much about motels. But then, it's better to be safer than sorry.

Now those Wisconsin hotel/motels...that's another story...people actually travel there for a reason.

My Spyder neighbor informed me he won't be able to make the trip this year.

Marty, you're still looking good today...especially with this glove weather we're still experiencing.

We probably have 30 or more hotels in the area. If people want to stay closer to Stanistan, then the city of Morton is where to locate. East Peoria has everything from an Embassy Suites right on the Illinois River to the Par-a-Dice which is a hotel and Casino.

I would avoid downtown but the northside, opposite side of Peoria from Stanistan, has a bunch of hotels, Wyndham, Candlewood Suites, Hampden Inn. etc. all right in the Grand Prairie area. There's a shopping center, restaurants etc. there, but nothing you can't get anywhere else. Avoid Pekin.

Stan knows the good places that are unique to Peoria. Burger Barge etc.

Everything is within 25 to 30 minutes driving time once you get here. 

Plus, this is not Carlisle-Midwest...last year we had...what...7 of us including Cory.

I was the only one who stayed at motel headquarters. I felt really special

Let's see a sorta firm schedule for:

Cruises-where we might cruise and what sights to see and places to visit?

"Headquarters" where the out of towners should all stay?

Group meals-what places the group might go for dinner---what makes them special?

Additional things to see/do?

We should get 10-12 and maybe more easily in this area, you would think. There are more Speedsters around the upper Midwest than around Asheville and we have had as many as 10-15 cars at Tail Of The Dragon when Hoss was organizing it.  I am looking forward to this Midwers event as it's an area I seldom stop in to look around plus there are many Speedster Buds there that I haven't met.

Pekin...sounds ominous

Gentlemen,

Please take a deep breath, here.

I know you'd like details, but I don't have a bunch just yet (I found out I was in charge of this a week ago). I did get a response from the "Great Race" coordinator, and it looks like the cars will be stopping for lunch in Peoria, along the riverfront at the Gateway building (it's nice) at 11:45 on Monday, June 24. He contacted the local guys, who were going to try to hook us up with some parking and a good viewing spot.

I'd think the best place to get a hotel would be in East Peoria. There's a decent selection to choose from. ONCE WE GET A HEAD COUNT we can pick something, and go with it. Aside from the High-School State Basketball tournament weekend, getting a hotel is just not a problem. There'll be a central hotel. It'll be nice, but it won't be something you remember 15 years from now-- it'll be a Hampton, or Embassy Suites (if we get pretty fancy).

... which bring me to my final point (for now): I don't have the cruises, stops, restaurants, and "special" stuff mapped out yet because this isn't that kind of event. It'll be organized, and there's stuff to do and places to go, but the point of this is to have an excuse to get together. If you are looking for a "Tail of the Dragon" or Carlisle kind of event-of-a-lifetime, you will be sorely disappointed. This is central Illinois. We have corn, and bugs, and small-towns. There's no wineries, or old-growth forests, or crystal lakes, or narrow gauge rail-roads threading through spectacular gorges.

There's corn. And bugs. And small towns.

It's laid back. It's a place to go. We can all meet and compare notes regarding our cars in a pretty relaxed environment. We'll have some meals together. We'll drive from place to place, small-town to small-town, and eat at some fun spots with some local flavor. But the "local flavor" isn't Stanley Park in Vancouver, or the Grand Canyon in AZ, or even the Ozarks in Arkansas.

It's fun. It might not be your kind of fun, and that's cool. We had a blast last time with 5-ish guys on a one-day lark. My hope is to have theat feel again, only spread out over a couple of days.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Stan, your pro-activeness for "The Great Race" thing was most thoughtful, a special parking spot sounds like all we need to have all the locals oggling our cars as opposed to headliners for the day. That and the more relaxed venue of a 2, maybe 3 day event is all us Midwesterners really need.

I think we got lucky with bugs last year, I don't recall them being an issue.

I only ask one request...no driving into the sunset...I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!

Steve Wojciak says he might bring big muscle this year. Steve?

We DID get lucky with bugs last year. The heat & drought killed 'em off. Don't count on it this year.

The "road to the sun" on Old Peoria Road (Mitsubishi Motorway to Danvers) was a miscalculation. That road rocks, but it's a lot better when you don't have the fear of meeting your maker due to blindness. Sorry, man.

Regarding Steve's muscle-- I've got more than enough of that between my ears.

Stan---sounds fine--especially the Great Race part.  A bunch of Speedsters will sure open some eyes too!  I have been learning about The Great Race and although I have heard of it, I never really knew much about it.  That will be outstanding to see some of those cars.

We lean towards Hampton Inns--good prices and a good breakfast is included.  But whatever the group wants to do, I'm fine with.

Being properly forewarned is being forearmed for the bugs in Mid America...

So far I've got

Stan & Jeanie

Cory and Jeni

Bob

Rich

Joe

Marty

Chris

Jack

Rick99GSX- possible?

Others? Right seaters?