Chicago Blues

Chuck Zimmerman June 25, 2006

About the only thing this post has to do with ethanol is the fact that a lot of it was being consumed around me last night at Buddy Guy’s Legends in downtown Chicago.

I went to see the awesome blues guitarist, Carl Weathersby, who was greatly influenced growing up by Albert King. Carl was even better that I expected and I’m glad I went. After so many days on the road you need at least a few hours to unwind. However, I got a late night reminder of the challenges we face with our interstate highway system when I sat in stopped traffic coming back to my hotel. 3 lanes solid for miles after midnight due to construction. It was 30 minutes getting there, over 2 hours getting back. I’m sure the original highway planners never envisioned that kind of traffic, especially at 12:30am.

I’m posting this video clip so my convoy buddies who didn’t go, know what they missed: Carl Weathersby (1 min WMV)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Video

Highway Medalists

Chuck Zimmerman June 25, 2006

Here is a group of medalists. Not in the Olympics but highway medals.

The Lincoln Highway Association has produced some commemorative medals that are modern replicas of the ones made when Lt. Col. Eisenhower conducted his cross country convoy in 1919. Most of this group are folks who worked at the Ottawa AASHTO test site many years ago. They were recognized at our stop for the work they did in helping get our interstate highway system off the ground. Mixed in are current convoy participants like yours truly.

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Uncategorized

Illinois Corn Greeting

Chuck Zimmerman June 25, 2006

Jim Robbins, Illinois Corn Marketing Board Director, showed up to greet the AASHTO convoy in Tinley Park, IL. In fact, he gave our convoy group and nice description of what ethanol means to him as a farmer and to our country.

Jim is a corn grower in Illinois right below Chicago. He also commented on how important the interstate highway system is for transporting agricultural commodities.

I interviewed Jim prior to his speech: Jim Robbins Interview (4 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

Field of Future Fuel

Chuck Zimmerman June 25, 2006

Most of the corn I’ve seen along I-80 looks pretty good. This is near Ottawa, IL. It’s the tallest corn I’ve seen so far coming east.

I got on the convoy radio once to point out to our participants all “that fuel growing along the roadside.” This is what it’s all about. We can grow this over and over and make our own clean burning fuel. Farmers and ethanol plants are getting more and more efficient and the explosive growth in the ethanol industry is just going to keep pushing the development of new and better ways to fuel our cars and our economy.

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Ethanol

IL Senator Dick Durbin

Chuck Zimmerman June 25, 2006

We stopped in Illinois off the road in Ottawa where the original test site was set up by what is now AASHTO to test various highway products and procedures. To do this a lot of people put in a lot of work over years, including driving a track millions of miles.

One of the people greeting us was Senator Dick Durbin. I interviewed the Senator before our program began. He talks about the importance of the highway system and renewable fuels like ethanol. He also pointed out how it took a doubling of the gasoline tax 50 years ago to raise the funds to get the interstate highway system going and he credits President Eisenhower with a lot of courage to get that done.

Listen to Senator Durbin here: Senator Dick Durbin Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

Army Having Fun

Chuck Zimmerman June 24, 2006

At The World’s Largest Truck Stop they had a 1917 Army truck on display. Possibly one much like the ones involved in the cross country convoy in 1919 that Lt. Col. Eisenhower travelled with, which is one of the events we’re commemorating with our trip.

Here’s two of our army participants posing in their modern day uniforms. They look sharp don’t they?

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Uncategorized

World’s Largest Truck Stop

Chuck Zimmerman June 24, 2006

One of our stops on the way through Iowa was The World’s Largest Truck Stop. This stop is so big it has a trucking museum where we were greeted by local people and provided with some of the best pies I’ve eaten in a long time.

This is also a fueling stop that has ethanol in the pumps. Glad to see that.

You can find The World’s Largest Truck Stop off exit 284 (Interstate 80) in Walcott, IA.

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Uncategorized

EPIC Sponsors Local Event

Chuck Zimmerman June 24, 2006

Joanna Schroeder works for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) which is an AASHTO Convoy sponsor and sponsor of Domestic Fuel and my trip. She came to our Iowa event to tell people about the good things that ethanol is doing for America. Besides sponsoring the convoy, EPIC also was one of the sponsors of the local Iowa event.

Joanna says that people need to demand ethanol because it’s good for the environment, good for your car’s engine and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. She says they’re developing a mechanics training module to teach mechanics about ethanol regardless of what blend they use.

Listen to Joanna here: Joanna Schroeder Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol

IA State University Ethanol Car

Chuck Zimmerman June 24, 2006

When we got to Living History Farm in Urbandale, IA Tony Sartor, Iowa State University had an ethanol car on display.

Tony is the public relations man for the team of students who work on this car this year. He did a great interview.

Tony says that the engineering students build this car, which is a mini version of a Formula One or Indy race car, to compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers competition. They’re one of the only cars to use ethanol.

Listen to Tony here: Tony Sartor Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

IA Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson

Chuck Zimmerman June 24, 2006

The Lt. Governor of Iowa met our convoy off of I-80 after we got into Iowa. She’s Sally Pederson (right), seen here with AASHTO staff members Jennifer Gavin (left) and Kathie Leyendecker.

When I spoke with the Lt. Governor she said she’s kicking off her own convoy tour around Iowa to promote tourism. I’m sure she’ll be doing some interstate miles. She thinks ethanol is very important to Iowa and is proud that Iowa is the number one ethanol producing state.

Listen to Lt. Gov. Pederson here: Lt. Governor Sally Pederson Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

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