It’s Day 181 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. When I was putting together this leg of the trip, I saw that the Route 34 Drive In Theatre in Earlville IL would be open from the previous Friday through the Tuesday Fourth of July and somehow mistook it for a seven-day schedule. That’s why I took a two-day detour to northern Indiana for my Wednesday and Thursday night shows, and why I needed a three-hour drive from Knox IN to the Route 34 for to rejoin my previously planned route.

The Route 34, then owned by Charles Dyas, opened as the Dyas 34 in June 1954. He kept it running until selling it to Ron Magnoni Jr. in 1994, which is probably when the drive-in’s name changed. That’s Ron above in an excellent 2015 YouTube video, extolling the virtues of a rural drive-in with its lack of ambient light.

That video interview comes in the middle of the conversion to digital projectors. In a 2014 article in DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Magnoni talks about raising funds for the new system, replacing film projectors “made of a combination of parts from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘70s.” He also said business improved a few years after he bought the 34 when stopping showing R-rated movies and lured in more families.

In the video above, Magnoni talks about the preparation work he had done to modernize the projection booth. About switching away from film, he said, “All my friends (in the business) tell me they hated it at first, then they loved it. Well, I don’t think I’m going to love it.”

Then an April 2016 article in the La Salle NewsTribune, Magnoni announced that the Route 34’s transition was almost complete. “I should be able to play anything from any film company now,” he said.

Tonight marked my second consecutive night of Despicable Me 3, which was nothing compared to my Cars 3 marathon. The concession stand sells fried chicken, which I think is a terrible food to bring in but a real treat to eat when it’s freshly cooked. (Not to mention that it’s much better to support the concession stand whenever possible.) Life is good!

Miles Today / Total:  164 / 23001 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Despicable Me 3 / 97

Nearby Restaurant: For some surprisingly complex and flavorful Italian food in the middle of a small Illinois town, you’ll want to go to Francesca’s Restaurant. I enjoyed some baked spaghetti for lunch, and I almost wish I’d come back for some cod in the Friday night fish fry.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There aren’t any hotels in Earlville, so I had to take US 34 to I-39 for Mendota IL’s Comfort Inn. I’ve been so spoiled by in-room mini-fridges at similar chain hotels that I was surprised by its absence in my king bed room, which was otherwise everything I needed, including wifi and a coffeemaker. Breakfast in the morning was up to the typical Comfort Inn standards. Just another typically great night.

Only in Earlville: Every September they hold the Fiber in the Park festival in Shabbona Park here. “Bring your projects or your spinning wheel, and spend the day listening to live music, far from the city.” Plus they have alpacas.

Next stop: Skyview Drive-In, Litchfield IL.

It’s Day 178 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. Ah, Chicagoland! Even though the fastest route was only 38 miles, it took a little over an hour to drive the suburban highways from McHenry to the Cascade Drive-in in West Chicago IL.

The Cascade opened in 1961, and it’s huge. The lot can hold over 1200 cars, all pointed at its single screen.

Cascade owner Jeff Kohlberg told the suburban Chicago Daily Herald in 2013 that as a kid “he regularly went to work with his dad, who operated drive-ins in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.” (One of those was the drive-in I visited the night before, then called the Skyline.) Jeff was able to buy a digital projector for the Cascade. “I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old, so this is worth it to me,” he said.

Like too many other drive-ins, the Cascade doesn’t own the land it’s on. It dodged a bullet last year when West Chicago denied the landowner’s request to redevelop the site as a truck terminal facility. “The Cascade is one of the busiest movie theaters in the country,” Kohlberg told the Daily Herald in January 2016. “It’s not like it’s a dilapidated drive-in.”

With all that room and being so close to a huge metro area, the Cascade attracts classic car shows. In July 2015, it was Classic Car Appreciation Day. This coming August, it’ll be Volkswagen Night. You get the idea.

This was my 26th consecutive active movie night. (Hooray!) And the eighth time in 12 nights that I watched Cars 3. (Oh no!) Really, it’s a good family movie, but Cars 3 starts losing its appeal after four or five viewings.

Miles Today / Total:  38 / 22707 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Cars 3 / 94

Nearby Restaurant: Before heading to the Cascade, the Volkswagen club said they’d meet at Augustino’s Rock & Roll Deli. Good choice for staying with a retro theme. With all the vintage memorabilia on the walls, it’s easy to overlook the excellent Chicago-style Italian sub sandwiches. Yummy!

Where I Virtually Stayed: There really aren’t any hotels in West Chicago, but it was only about four miles to get to the Hampton Inn in Carol Stream. It’s a pet-friendly hotel, so if you brought your dog, you’ll want the sixth floor. I didn’t, so I didn’t. My room was clean, full of the standard amenities, and the breakfast was standard Hampton, which is pretty darned good.

Only in West Chicago: If the retro feel of the Augustino’s in West Chicago wasn’t enough, check out its Carol Stream location just up the road. As described by Roadside America, the entrance is a giant replica of a Wurlitzer jukebox, complete with animated bubble tubes, a nostalgic playlist, and stacks of “records” just waiting to be played.

Next stop: 49er Drive-in Theatre, Valparaiso IN.

It’s Day 177 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. With a short detour to avoid the tollway, it took about three and a half hours to drive east from Blue Grass IA to the McHenry Outdoor Theater in McHenry IL.

The McHenry opened as the Skyline, and there’s a remarkable amount of confusion about when that happened. One source claimed it was 1943. The current owner, Scott Dehn, says in the above video (which misspells his name) that it was the “mid to late 1940s.” Before I pointed out a better source, Cinema Treasures said it was 1955. The true answer probably comes from the McHenry Public Library District blog. Working from McHenry Plaindealer archives, it says Roy Miller opened the Skyline in July 1951.

Stan Kohlberg of Chicago bought the Skyline in 1963. Dehn bought the McHenry in 2012. Some time in between, probably in the late 1970s, the drive-in changed its name and covered its old marquee with a new one. You can see photos of the layers here and here.

The McHenry caught a break in 2013. After launching a relatively unsuccessful Indiegogo campaign, it was one of the winners of Honda’s Project Drive-In, receiving a digital projector so it could stay in operation.

I had several choices of McHenry video. There was a really nice 2013 video from WGN, Chicago’s Very Own, but it stubbornly insisted on autoplaying when I tried to embed it. YouTube has a drone video from last year, a charity event from last year, and the very professional promo for the Project Honda entry. What I chose (above) was a nice little 2015 piece from the Northwest Herald.

This place does a great job of evoking the past, with oldies playing on the in-car speakers and a (CD) jukebox and old-style arcade games in the concession stand. With room for over 600 cars in its large lot, it makes for a really large retro party. It helped me deal with the fact that, after a two-day break, I was back in front of Cars 3 for my seventh viewing in 11 days.

Miles Today / Total:  180 / 22669 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Cars 3 / 93

Nearby Restaurant: The Brunch Cafe works for breakfast or lunch, just like it says up front. I arrived for lunch, but did I eat healthy with a southwest salad including black beans and romaine lettuce, or did I give in to a stack of blueberry bliss pancakes with a side of ham off the bone? I’m not telling.

Where I Virtually Stayed: Good old Hampton Inn. As much as I like quirky, historic hotels and well-reviewed mom and pop motels, I’m always happy to find a Hampton Inn near one of my drive-ins. There were little snacks in the afternoon, the usual Hampton breakfast in the morning, and a room full of all the regular amenities in between.

Only in McHenry: Less than a half-hour west is Woodstock IL, the town where they filmed the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. The annual Groundhog Days celebration there celebrated the 25th anniversary of the movie this year. It included story-telling, showings of the movie, and walking tours of the movie locations.

Next stop: Cascade Drive-in, West Chicago IL.