Update: After reading KT’s post yesterday about old gas stations I remembered passing this old station last summer while out exploring on Whiskey. So I went to take a photo of the old gas station and it’s pumps for her. Sadly the pumps were gone when I got there yesterday. To me this is the classic gas station of yesteryear.
I can see as clear as if it was yesterday the old man chewing on his cigar as he went to fill up my Grandma’s pick up. Walking up to the drivers window he would ask “fill’er up with Ethel?” and she would nod yes. As the tank was filling he would hand wash the windshield and check the oil . When the pump clicked off he would tell my Grandma how many gallons it took and she would write it down in her little book so she could track it for tax purposes. I also remember the station, a Phillips 66 by the way, had the loudest air compressor and would scare me every time it fired up. Even though I grew up on the farm and didn’t live far from Grandma and Grandpa spending the summer staying with them was a the highlight of the year. Ah those were the days!
Sadly even that little station is gone today. While on my 800 mile weekend last summer I rode to my old home town of North English just to see it again but not even the building was left. In fact about the only thing left in this town are the two bars, with one having still the best homemade tenderloins and onion rings, and the Casey’s store. Every thing else is gone, much like so much of America’s simpler times.
So such is life. But I want to thank Ms. KT Did for allowing me to travel back in time yesterday and bring you this photo. Besides it was a great day for a ride and this was the perfect destination. Before anyone asks. Yes there really is a town in Iowa called Jamaica and Madrid (pronounced Mad Rid). Jamaica is about 60 miles or so from here and guessing has 3 or 4 hundred people that live there. Kind of a cute little town in its own way. Maybe this summer I’ll go back there and bring you along for the ride then too.
fasthair
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6 comments:
Ahhhhhh....Wow! The two columns are there on the building still. Good try though!! Just wish more were working and still around. When you get to Madrid pick me up a cool poncho:)
Very cool, fasthair!
Yep, you can just imagine in your mind what it all looked like back in the day. Great stuff.
Ms. KT Did: I was a little bummed out when I got there and the pumps were gone. I wanted you to see them so bad. In my best Frank Zappa impersonation... is the a real poncho or I mean Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho?
Ms. Ann: Thanks. I thought it would be cool and why I went to Jamaica. Even the name of the town sounds warm.
Mr. Joker: Can't you just see it in your mind? Right down to the thermometer hanging on the post. I don't think it works though. It said it was -40 yesterday when I was there. I'm tough SOB but even that would have been too cold for me to ride in.
fasthair
All three ponchos will work. I'm not picky. But I loved your post. Its good to know the memories we love are the ones that home grown so to speak... Thanks for keepting that going too! Phillips 66, Ethel...fillerup! I love it... miss it a lot too.
Obviously, you picked a good time of year to visit Jamaica. Most of the time it's pretty hot and humid.
I think these kinds of things show how important it is to keep memories alive in our minds and hearts. Then pass them along. Otherwise they're lost for good.
How many times have we driven by a new high rise, for example, and totally forgotten the old family store that used to be there?
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