SVM_Lake Lifestyle_Oct 2022

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A herd of horsepower rolls in to Lake Carroll EPC fullback puts his beast foot forward There’s a two-for-fun special on Day Trips Trailblazers scare up some fun for Halloween

OCTOBER 2022

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By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media

s August began to wind down this year, and preparations began to ramp up for another Lake Carroll Club Cham pionship, golfers were wondering: What golfer would be able to boast that they’re the best?

This year’s bragging rights belong to two golfers who needed to clear more space on their trophy cases to squeeze in their newest accolades.

Doug Wagner added to his golf honors twice this year: He not only won the Senior Club Championship in June, but also bested a field of younger men as well with his five-

stroke win to claim the primary Club Championship, on Aug. 20 and 21.

Joining Wagner was Tracy DeCrane, who won the women’s flight of the Club Championship for the first time since 2017.

Wagner, DeCrane and the rest of the Club Championship field had to concentrate not just on their game on the first day of competition, but also the weather: They had to deal with a little rain to start with before they played in better conditions on the second day.

Wagner praised the course’s team of head profes sional Jason Hill and maintenance supervisor Tim Throop for working extra hard to make the second day go smoothly, and allowing the fun on the course to continue another day.

“I want to compliment both Jason and Tim; the course was in really good shape, even after we had that rain Friday night and Saturday morning,” Wagner said. “They do a nice job.”

DeCrane also complimented the course crew on a job well done. The ladies had each day’s first tee times, and were the first to play on the course after the maintenance work was done between sessions.

“They guys do an awesome job putting it together for us,” DeCrane said. “It was kind of a miserable [first] day to play, but we still had fun. By the time we were done, it was nicer and we sat on the back deck and watched everyone else come in as we were drying out and talking with each other.”

Competition involved a mens championship flight of 10 golfers, an A Flight of 12, a B

Flight of three, and a C flight of four; plus the wom en’s flight of seven with net scoring — which factors in each women’s course handicap — used for play.

After the first day of mens competition, Wagner led all golfers with an 80 on the par 72 course. Mark Sturtevant, who was with Wagner in the championship flight, and Don Vock and Trey Sturtevant, both on A Flight, had the first day’s second-best scores with 81s. For the ladies, DeCrane led after one day with a 72, with Angie Thompson and Deb Scheidegger tied for second with 75s.

Wagner’s first tee-off on the second day didn’t start out well, with the ball landing out-of-bounds. However, he made up for it on that very hole with a 40-foot putt for double-bogey, and it was all upward from there. Wagner finished the second day with a 79, the only golfer to crack the 70s on the men’s side of event.

“Being 60 years old and playing the blue [tees], it feels pretty good,” Wagner said. “I was one stroke better and putted well both days and just wanted to keep it in the fairway.”

Wagner, along with Jeff Allspaugh, Mark Sturtevant and Chad Johnson, were the fi nal foursome of golfers to compete, and by the time they got to No. 18, they had the largest crowd of people — on foot and on cart — to see them putt in their final shots.

“It was really a lot tighter match than what the final scores wound up,” Wagner said. “Chad had a tough No. 17, Mark had a tough back nine, and I just played well enough I guess.”

No. 18 also was where the women gathered after their round concluded on the second day, and there was plenty of “Woo-hoo’s!” and happy hollerin’ in celebration after another year of friendly competition and fun.

DeCrane, Thompson and Scheidegger all shot better scores the second day, and DeCrane held on to her threestroke lead after the first day to win her first club champi onship in 5 years with a 141. Both DeCrane and Thompson finished their second days with scores of 69; Thompson was second with a 144, and Sandy Bogusevic had an eight-stroke improvement in the second day to tie Scheidegger for third as both finished with 148.

“I played to my handicap both days, and it just worked out,” DeCrane said. “It feels pretty good. It’s good company and a lot of fun.”

Doug Wagner and Tracey DeCrane were the winners of this year’s Lake Carroll Club Championship, held Aug. 20-21. Wagner also won this year’s Senior Club Championship on June 26, and DeCrane won her first title since 2017.

Don Vock, who shot 81s on both days to win the A Flight, had the field’s second-best score with a 162.

Mark Miceli, the runner-up in the A Flight, shot an 82 and 81 for the field’s third-best score. Tom Frieske (85-82— 167) beat Bill Green (84-83—167) in a tiebreak for third place in the flight.

Marty Chinderle (90-95—185) and Rich Anderson (92-93—185) won B Flight and C Flight, respectively; both flights were made up of only one group. Anderson’s win comes a year after he lost in a playoff for the top spot in the flight; he, like Wagner, also won his flight during the Senior Club Championship with a 91.

Participation was down this year from last year’s event: There were 29 men and seven women playing, down eight men and two women from a year ago. Defending champions Casey Fritz and Diane Schipkowski did not play this year.

Senior Club Championship

Larry Buettner and Marty DeCrane each finished one stroke ahead of Wagner for the next-highest scores in the Senior Club Cham pionship. Wagner finished with an 81 in the 1-day event, and Buettner edged DeCrane for second-place honors in a tiebreak; both had scores of 82.

Jaime Melville won the La dies Flight over Marve Fuecht in a playoff, both shooting scores of 67; Sheri Moutrey was third with a 73.

RJ Howland won the A Flight with an 82, while a tiebreak also was used to determine a runner-up, with Andy Thompson edging Rick Curia with scores of 83. Ken Clay ton had the event’s lowest score as the winner of the B Flight with an 80, followed by runner-up Joe Payette and third-place finisher Chinderle.

Lincoln Highway Tournament

Lake Carroll’s top women golfers took to the links in the Lincoln Highway Tourna ment on July 9-10 at Deer Valley Golf Course in Deer Grove. The event is the oldest bestagainst-bogey womens tournament in the na tion, as part of northwest Illinois’s premier golf program, with the men facing off the following weekend (Lake Carroll does not participate in the men’s event). This year’s tournament was the 98th played.

Jason Hill records scores from Day 2 of the Club Championship. Hill and maintenance supervisor Tim Throop earned ku dos from players

Golf

things on course after rain dampened the event.

compliment both Jason and Tim; the course was in really good

after we had that rain,” Doug Wagner said, a sentiment echoed by fellow golfer Tracy DeCrane: “These guys do an awesome job.” CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

The Lake Carroll women placed seventh out of eight teams, with a combined score of -9. Kish waukee Country Club of DeKalb, longtime tourna ment powers, won the event with a +142. Emma Norton led Lake Carroll with a +20 and was runner-up in the first flight, followed by Deb Scheidegger’s +9 for runner-up honors in the fourth flight; and Sandy Bogusevic (+2), Tracey DeCrane (-9), Jamie Melville (-14), Sue Pfaff (-17), Athena Peterson (-19) and Sheri Moutrey (-36) also competed.

Norton tied for seventh-place overall with Jan Nissen of Kishwaukee.

Katharine Marshall of Kishwaukee, a senior at Kaneland High School in Maple Park, shot +29 as the individual champion, while Kishwaukee teammate Mya Groza was +28 for the runner-up spot.

Lake Carroll first participated in the tournament last year at Rock River Golf and Pool in Rock Falls. New teams to the Lincoln Highway Tournament always host the event during its second or third year, and that will be the case for Lake Carroll, tentatively scheduled for July 8-9, 2023.

The event at Lake Carroll next year comes 100 years after the first Women’s Lincoln Highway was played at the then-Dixon Country Club (now Timber Creek Golf Course). The women’s portion of the event was cancelled on two occasions, in 1974 due to inclement weather and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Mens Club Champion

Doug Wagner ............. 80-79—159

Championship flight

Mark Sturtevant ............81-83–164

Chad Johnson 83-81–164

Marty DeCrane ............. 83-84–167

Josh Heinrich ................ 89-80–169

Jeff Allspaugh ................. 81-92–173

Rick Curia ......................... 88-86–174

Mark Melville .................. 89-87–176

Andy Thompson............89-91–180

Sean Guerin 92-99–191.

A Flight

Don Vock 81-81–162

Mark Miceli ...................... 82-81–163

Tom Frieske 85-82–167

Bill Green.......................... 84-83–167

Ryan Clayton................. 84-84–168

RJ Howland ..................... 88-82–170

Trey Sturtevant ............... 81-90–171

Mike Lindsey 90-83–173

Ken Clayton ..................... 90-87–177

Andrew Doty ................ 100-83–183

Dick Allen ..........................94-91–185

Don Robinson...................... 84-WD.

B Flight

Marty Chinderle .......... 90-95–185

Ron Hennings .............100-88–188

Tom Bogusevic 98-106–204

C Flight

Rich Anderson 92-93–185

Jerry Heinrich 98-89–187

Steve Hoeft 138-117–255

Jeremy Allen 115-WD.

Ladies Club champion

Tracy DeCrane ................ 72-69–141

Ladies Flight

Angie Thompson ......... 75-69–144

Sandy Bogusevic ........ 78-70–148

Deb Scheidegger ........ 75-73–148

Barb Curia.......................... 77-77–154

Jaime Melville ............... 86-69–155

Sandi Hoeft .................... 83-92–175.

Mind if I play through? Lake Carroll Club Championship players had an unexpected guest on No. 1: a deer that wandered through the side of the woods near the green. Maybe the woodland wanderer thought it was at the John “Deer” Classic.

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

omething old, something new, something classy, something cool … they were all on display Aug. 29 during the Lake Carroll Car Show. The show drew entries from Lake Carroll, Carroll County, and northern Illinois, courtesy of the owners who polished their chrome, shined their tires and drove over to The Clubhouse parking lot.

Cars, trucks, motorcycles — even a custom golf cart — were among about 30 vehicles on display during the show. Ninety years of automotive history, from 1931-2021, were there, along with proud owners who were happy to chat with visitors about their vehicles.

Some of the classics on display stopped rolling off the lines decades ago, like the Edsel and DeSoto that stopped by, while others had less history under the hood, but just as much pride from their owners.

Best of Show awards were given, as well as Top 20 designations. Local vendors also set up at the show, and Candlelight Inn had a food tent.

Carousel Sound of DeKalb set the wheels in motion and coordinated the show; Carousel has hosted and coordinated car shows throughout northeast Illinois since 2001, and Lake Carroll’s was one of the few shows it’s held elsewhere in the state. Carousel has four shows remaining in its 2022 schedule, all in October: the Fox Valley Kickers show on the 8th in Oswego; Calamity Jane’s Cruise Night on the 11th in Sugar Grove; the Odd Fellows Halloween Cruise on the 12th in Plano; and its annual Halloween show on the 16th

in Plano. Go to carouselsound.com for more information about the company and its remaining events.

The car show was one of several events held this year as part of Lake Carroll's 50th anniversary celebration, and they continue right up to the stroke of midnight that rings in 2023. The Ski Club will host October Fest on Oct. 15 with beer, brats and live music; and a Turkey Trot 5K fun runand-walk will loop around Lake Carroll on Nov. 19.

In the meantime, let’s take a look back at the some of the rides that rolled into Lake Carroll for the show — they may not have gotten their kicks on Route 66 that day, but they had a pretty good time on Ironwood Boulevard.

Left: Bud Gaulrapp of Lake Carroll shows off his 1956 Chevrolet 3100 pickup, which has a 1963 327 Corvette engine, 400 turbo transmission and a Ford rear end. The restoration project he didwith Randy Kloepping of Lanark took 2 years. Right: Rich Anderson brought his 1965 Chevy C10 truck, which advertises his family farm, and his 1965 Corvette (see page 16).

Inset at left: Paul Thompson of Lake Carroll, with his 1979 Corvette. Bottom left: Lake Carroll Maintenance Manager Patrick McQuilkin’s 1999 Corvette.

Above: Rich Anderson of Lake Carroll brought his 1965 Corvette. Below: Bill Jahnke of Lake Carroll drove his 2021 Corvette C8.

Lake

Top left: This custom golf cart was modeled after a 1967 Ford Mus tang is owned by Dave Newcomb of Lake Carroll. Below: David Pacione of Lake Carroll brought his 2005 Ford Mustang GT. Far right: Steve Marx of Lake Car roll shows off his oneof-a-kind 1969 Ford Mustang. Of the 299,036 Mustangs in the 1969 line, 14,598 were con vertibles, and only one is lime gold with standard bucket seats and its own GT equipment group package.

Right:

Above:

Right: Terry Heflin of Lake Carroll brought his 2000 HarleyDavidson three-wheeler and his 2001 Harley

Only 5,746 of this 1960 DeSoto Adventurer were made, and Jesse and Daniel Bashaw of Lanark own one of them. DeSoto ceased production in the following year.

Edsels didn't last very long on the car scene, and were a notorious failure for the Ford Mo tor Company, but this one from 1958 has well outlasted the brand. Owned by David Meile of Baileyville, this Edsel Pacer has a 390 Ford engine.

B.J. Miller and wife Deb bie, of Lake Carroll, are the proud owners of this 1937 Ford Cabriolet. “Cabriolet” is French for “convertible.”

Joe Vi dinich of La nark brought his 1991 Chrysler TC, a car manufactured in joint de velopment with Italian luxury carmaker Maserati.

The oldest entry in the Lake Car roll car show was this 1931 Ford Model A owned by Don Nowviock of Sa vanna.

Justin Moore (rear, wearing hat) of Lake Carroll chats about his 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye.

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21Lake Lifestyle | October 2022 SM-ST2016639 Carsten Wade of Lake Carroll brought his 2005 BMW

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Eastland High School senior Maddux Hayden

CODY

By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

addux Hayden is looking to make it big in his final season of playing high school football.

The Eastland High School senior from Lake Carroll wants to see better days on the gridiron for the EastlandPearl City Wildcatz co-op than what hap pened during last year’s one-win season.

That left a sour taste in Maddux’s mouth, and everyone else on the team as well, but he and the rest of the squad are determined to get bet ter this season and make their way back into the upper echelon of the powerful Northwest Upstate Illini Conference. Maddux, 17, is a 5-foot-11, 205-pound fullback on offense and is the Wildcatz’s leading ball carrier returning from last year’s campaign, when he led the team with seven touchdowns scored and rushed for 401 yards on 77 carries. He also is at the center of the team’s linebacker corps, and that’s an important task, with nearly all of the conference’s nine teams playing a run-oriented game. In fact, Wildcatz head coach Jared McNutt said that defense is going to be the big key to success for the team this season, and he’ll have Maddux at middle linebacker against those smashmouth running offenses.

Want to see a Wildcatz game with Maddux in action? The team’s remaining regular season games in October are at 7 p.m. Oct. 7 in Lanark with West Carroll; 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at Fulton; and 1 p.m. Oct. 11 versus Ches ter in Tremont. If the Wildcatz qualify for the Illinois High School Association Class 1A or 2A postseason this year, the first round begins Oct. 28-29.

Maddux also competes in wrestling for the Polo High School co-op, in which East land is a part, and is considering playing baseball for Eastland this coming spring. Outside of sports, Maddux is participating in a student entrepreneurship program that only a handful of Eastland High School students have had the opportunity to be a part of: as a student in the Sterlingbased Whiteside Area Career Center’s Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program. It’s a select class designed to teach students about entrepreneurship and business.

With football season in full swing, Lake Lifestyle recently caught up with Mad dux to talk to him about his time on the gridiron …

What do you enjoy about playing football?

Really, it’s just a sport where you can express yourself when you can’t in other sports. You give it your all 100 percent of the time, and in other aspects you can just prove your worth to yourself and your teammates.

It’s not about yourself, but it’s about showing yourself that you are for your team. It’s a good time.

What is your earliest football memory?

I enjoyed playing fifth- and sixth-grade football, and that’s when I started. We used to have this one drill — the Oklahoma drill — where we went up against each other, and I’m pretty sure that’s what made me like football a lot. You just lay on your back head-to-head, and flip over as fast as you can, and just smack into each other and try to push each other. Little 10-year-old me enjoyed that a lot.

As a fullback and a middle linebacker, do you favor one position over the other?

None in particular. They’re equal, and I have equal motivation for both.

Have you always played just those positions?

I was a center my fifth-grade year and after that I’ve played the same positions since. I knew I had potential playing them.

What does it take to be good at playing both fullback and middle linebacker?

It’s really about just staying focused. It’s the little things that matter in the end. For being a linebacker, it’s making sure you take your read steps, knowing what’s going on, knowing where people are going to be at. One little error could mess up the whole entire down, so it’s just getting those little things down.

For playing fullback, it’s about not be ing scared. If you see a hole, you hit it. Sometimes there’s not a hole, but you still got to hit and bust right through there.

What’s been the biggest difference in your football playing since the first time you played for EPC your freshman year?

I’d have to say my mindset on things. My freshman year I was real timid and afraid to talk, and afraid to show what I can do more or less. With 3 years under my belt, I now can show everyone what I have finally.

How did last season go exactly, and what’s it going to take to improve upon that?

We weren’t overly satisfied with last season, and that’s just based off of our record.

Other than that, we saw many positive things. Moving forward off of that, we are improving even more with the core values of our team and our relationships as team members are getting stronger and stronger than we’ve seen since I’ve been here. We have that team aspect this year, and with that, the overall mindset and results from this year will be better than we’ve seen in a while.

Maddux (right) also competes in wrestling for the Polo High School co-op, in which Eastland is a part. Here, he squares off against a Morrison wrestler during a match earlier this year.

EARLEEN HINTON/SHAW MEDIA

Maddux (right) takes a handoff from quarterback Kaden Henze in the first quarter of the Wildcatz’s season-opening game against Lena-Winslow on Aug. 27, 2021 in Lanark. Hayden is the team’s top returning ball carrier this year.

What are some of the fun things about being a part of this team, with both Eastland and Pearl City high school kids, that perhaps people elsewhere may not know about?

It’s more than just playing a sport. It’s a brotherhood. Not many people see that. We go home, we all text each other, we’re friends outside of the sport. We’re there for each other. We’re all pretty close-knit with each other, it doesn’t matter what school you’re from; when we’re all on the football team, we mesh pretty well.

Is there anybody who inspires you in athletics?

I look up to a lot of people. ... [Former NFL running back]

Marshawn Lynch. The whole “beast mode” thing. My uncle, Dustin Hayden, is a coach for us and has drilled that quote into me since as long as I can remember. “Beast mode” — rip somebody’s head off. It’s not exactly the most family-friendly thing to follow, but it’s something that’s stuck with me and something that I want to be, to be “beast mode.”

With football, there’s a lot of hitting and contact, and there’s somewhat of a stigma lately of the sport not being all that safe. What do you say to people who are concerned about that sort of thing?

You got to have what it takes, really. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you. You can’t go out for the sport and not expect that stuff sometimes. Injuries will come with any sport; you can play golf and roll your ankle. It’s got to be something you’re willing to risk.

What do you enjoy about living in Lake Carroll?

It’s nice and peaceful. Everybody there, they’re all-around good people to be around. It’s a good spot to be for everything.

Is there anything else you want to share about this football season?

I’m just excited to show and go out and prove our worth as a team. We’re tired of kind of getting looked down upon, and I’m excited to be climbing that ladder to show who we are again.

TROY TAYLOR/TTAYLOR@SAUKVALLEY.COM

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays of the year for the children of Lake Carroll. Which costume will give people the creeps? How much candy can you possibly fit in one bag — and how are you going eat all that candy?

The Lake Carroll Association’s activities department has special Halloween events planned throughout October, including the annual Trunk or Treat at the Campground. Some residents even have their own special Halloween events, and a new one has become a special memory for one Lake Carroll resident.

Pam Richards shared one of her favorite Halloween memories with Lake Lifestyle, about a Haunted Trail that kids enjoyed last October:

“A couple at Lake Carroll had a Halloween Haunted Trail event last year at their property, which is two lots of woods and prairies.

T.J. Janopoulos spent months creating spooky cemeteries, heads along the route, several scary characters such as “Death,” complete with scythe, a “good witch” guide, a chain saw “massacre ist,” a murdering farmer’s wife at the shed with an actual moving cow, and many ghosts and body parts along with many scary monsters jumping out from the fields.

T.J.’s wife, Becky, was a swamp monster appearing at a corner near their pond and hand ing out candy. They had a fire pit at the exit to keep warm.

The couple plans another different Halloween Trail event this year with even more family fun, including movie showings and roasting marshmallows. It should be SPOOKTACULAR!”

Thank you, Pam, for sharing your memories of life on the lake!

Throughout the 50 years of Lake Carroll’s history, there are sure to be some interesting stories and mo ments worth sharing, so let us help share them.

While celebrating Lake Carroll and the people who make it possible, we here at Lake Lifestyle would like to honor you by giving you a chance to share your memo ries and special moments of your time in the community.

Our goal is to have a story in the remaining months of the year with holiday reflections that, we hope, is filled with interesting history and tales.

If you have any memories or photos, email them to ccutter@saukvalley.com — and don’t be shy: Your story can entertain, enlighten or even inspire others to share their story.

While we welcome any and all stories, here are some themes for the last two months of the year that we’d like to put together ...

November is a time for reflection: We give thanks for our blessings, and we salute the service members who’ve answered the call. Do you have a favorite Thanks giving memory or tradition at Lake Carroll that you’d like to share? Or maybe you’re a veteran at Lake Carroll with a story to tell? Let us hear it. (Deadline: Oct. 11)

Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, December is a time to celebrate. Do you have any favor ite, festive memories from the holidays at Lake Carroll? Or maybe some holiday traditions? Tell us about them. (Deadline: Nov. 4)

PHOTO COURTESY OF BECKY JANOPOULOS

By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

he leaves are turning and fall is in the air, and that means winter isn’t far behind, but there’s still plenty of time to get out and enjoy a day trip to one of the communities around Lake Carroll.

Here at Lake Lifestyle, we like to put you in the driver’s seat and send you on your way to see what the area around Lake Carroll has to offer — wine shops and cheese shops, big movie screens and little museums, breweries and burgs … the kinds of destinations where you’ll see new places and meet new faces during your day trip.

While there’s a lot to love about Lake Carroll, northwest Illinois, eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin have a lot to of fer, too, so whether you’re new to Lake Carroll or have called it home for years, we encourage you to get to know the sur rounding areas by seeing the sites and sounds they offer. This month, we’re headed south, to Sterling and Rock Falls, a pair of sister cities separated by a river but brought together by a shared history.

First Avenue Bridge carries state Route 40 over the Rock River. It’s one of two bridges that connect Sterling (background) and Rock Falls (foreground).

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

They may be called the Twin Cities, but identical twins they’re not. While the two towns have much in common, each has proudly carved out its own identity in the nearly 200 years since their shared family tree put down roots near the Rock River.

STERLING (POPULATION 14,750), the larg est city in Whiteside County, was known for many years as the “Hardware Capital of the World” as home to a host of hard ware companies.

Northwestern Steel and Wire, National Manufacturing and Lawrence Brothers were Sterling’s “big three” factories that made products such as steel coils, nails and door hinges, just to name a few. Those companies have since closed, but the city’s proud tradition of blue collar determination and innovation continue today, as other manufacturers have stepped up and continue to build products such as steel ball bearings, hair clippers, con veyors and more.

The city’s long history of hard work also gave rise to parks and recreation facilities for its residents, and tourists, to enjoy. It’s downtown has evolved considerably over the years, and is home to a host of small busi nesses and restaurants. Recreation has been a point of pride in recent years, with a series of improvements and additions to its parks, as well as top-notch facilities for high school sports: Sterling High School’s Roscoe Eades Stadium, where both the Golden Warriors and Newman Central Catholic High School Comets

play football on a turf surface, and Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse both have been recognized in the Illinois prep sports media for vibrant atmospheres and aesthet ics comparable to suburban Chicago schools.

Founded in 1832 by Hezekiah Brink, Sterling took on its current name with the merger of Harrisburg and Chatham in 1838. In recent years, the town has billed itself as “City of Murals,” for its celebration of history, heritage and local culture in larger-than-life paintings on the sides of downtown buildings.

ACROSS THE ROCK RIVER, ROCK FALLS (POPULATION 9,300) shares the blue-collar heritage that helped forge Sterling. Founded about 30 years after Sterling’s beginnings, Rock Falls has recently stepped up its tourism focus to include a revital ization of its riverfront, and avenues for musi cians and artists to show off their talent. RB&W District Park features an amphitheater and art sculptures, and pub crawlers and bar hoppers can find a mix of music at taverns along on West Second Street downtown during the weekends.

Unlike Sterling, Rock Falls is accessible direct ly from Interstate 88, which connects the Chicago metropolitan area with the Quad Cities, giving the city more lodging opportunities for travelers who want to make the Twin Cities a multi-day destination with a stay at one of the city’s hotels, both downtown and off the interstate.

Boating access to the Rock River is available at Lawrence Park in Sterling, at the mouth of the Hennepin Feeder Canal in Rock Falls, and at Oppold Marina in Sterling, where the Rock River is at its widest point within Illinois.

Notable people from the Twin Cities include jazz drummer Louie Bellson, fantasy author Terry Brooks of “The Sword of Shannara” series, actor Frank Harts of Fox’s “Prodigal Son” and REO Speedwagon’s original lead singer Mike Murphy. In addition, one of Japan’s most famous female singers, Mariya Takeuchi (“Plastic Love”), attended Rock Falls High School in the early 1970s as a foreign exchange student.

To get to the Twin Cities from Lake Carroll, take state Route 73 to Lanark, Benson Road south for 7 miles to state Route 40 south through Milledgeville into Sterling; Route 40 crosses the Rock River into Rock Falls.

While there are plenty of things to do in the area, we’ve narrowed it down 10, but we invite you visit the area and see all that it has to offer.

By the way: The Twin Cities has been the lifelong home of Yours Truly since 1986. Have fun and enjoy your stay!

Situated on riverfront property once home to a longtime nut and bolt factory, RB&W Park is the centerpiece of Rock Falls’ ongoing riverfront revitalization efforts. The park features a walking path along the Rock River, bike rentals, and art displays from local and regional artists. An amphitheater hosts concerts.

The greenspace has given the city an opportunity to increase its tourism opportunities, with carnivals and special events close to its downtown. One of the more popular events at the park is Food Truck Fridays from June through Au gust, where dozens of food vendors come to town to share their unique cuisine.

The name of the park is a nod to the area’s history. The factory that was previously located on the park’s site was Russell, Birdsall and Ward, later known simply as RB&W. When the park opened, the acronym remained but the mean ing changed; it’s now known as Run, Bike and Walk Park.

For nearly 50 years, Twin City residents and guests have enjoyed the convenience of keeping fit and playing their favorite sports indoors. This three-building complex, which is even available during overnight hours Tuesday through Friday, has spaces for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, tennis, racquetball, wallyball, indoor turf for soccer or football, and a 200-meter track ring. Batting cages for baseball and softball, as well as a golf net, also are available. Westwood also has a fitness gym with training equipment, free weights and stretching areas; a smoothie drink station with whole fruit and vegetable-based recipes; and a kids gym. The smoothie bar and tennis courts are not open during overnight hours.

Drop-in fees vary by the sport; membership rates are available.

LET

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Did you wake up this morning and trim your beard? Or maybe you stopped by the local barber for a quick clip and cut? Chances are the buzz you heard came from a Wahl Clipper product. Wahl Clipper is a world leader in personal and pet grooming products. It dates back to 1911 when Sterling High School senior Leo Wahl designed a vibrating electric motor for a medical massager. Since then, countless grooming products have rolled off factory lines in its 100-plus-year history. A collection of them is on display in a large room next to the company’s corporate offices and near its assembly lines. In addition, Wahl’s history in evolving the hair care industry also is told through historical displays.

In 2020, Wahl’s clippers were named one of the top four “coolest things made in Illinois” in a contest by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. Inventions from Wahl include the first the first vacuum clipper in 1965 and the first cordless beard and mustache trimmer in 1984.

Vintage fire trucks and firefighting equipment from area departments are on display in a building that once served as Rock Falls’ own fire department. Historical pictures of fire departments, major fires and apparatuses of the past also await the curious or the youngster who wants to be a firefighter when they grow up.

The museum is operated by the nondenominational Firehouse of God Ministries church of Sterling, whose pastor was a Rock Falls firefighter.

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The Twin Cities has long had a history of embracing its rich Hispanic and Latino culture, beginning when immigrants came to work at Sterling’s manufacturing businesses in the 1930s and 1940s. Since 1937, sans the years of World War II, Sterling and Rock Falls have joined together to celebrate Fiesta Days every September. In addition, the Taste of Fies ta is another annual local tradition — held the week before Fiesta Days — where Hispanic and Latino cuisine tempt the taste buds of residents and visitors alike.

This years’ Fiesta events have already passed, but you can still get a taste of the area’s heritage and history year-round at Mexican grocery stores and restaurants throughout Sterling and Rock Falls.

Grocery stores include La Laguna Market (301 Ave. G, Sterling), which also has a restau rant; as well as El Vaquero Food Market (1221 W. Fourth St., Sterling).

Other restaurants include El Tapatio (1100 First Ave., Rock Falls) and El Jacalito (1225 W. Fourth St., Sterling) – both of which have extensive menus of Mexican dishes; as well as Willy’s Restaurant (3210 W. Fourth St., Sterling) and Taqueria El Carbon (1104 W. Fourth St., Sterling).

Food trucks such as Brito’s Grill and Mr. Elote also set up throughout the Twin Cities on occasion, including special events.

Find each place on Facebook for more information.

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Before railroads criss-crossed the country, wa terways were America’s industrial highways, moving cargo from place to place. The Hennepin Canal was constructed well after the first railroads were strung through Illinois, from Milan to Bureau Junction — and that line was fed from Rock River traffic on a feeder line that began in Rock Falls leading down to the main line near Sheffield.

The feeder portion of the canal carried traffic from 1907 to 1951, and a walking path runs parallel to it for its 29 miles. Smaller, hillier paths run parallel to the walking path on portions of its length within Rock Falls’ city limits; those hills are made of ground that was dug out to build the feeder canal.

At the starting point of the feeder, part of the lock system is still visible under the Second Street bridge, and the walking path extends across the Rock River to Martin’s Landing in Sterling (near the aforementioned Dillon Home Museum).

Only canoes and small boats are allowed in the water these days; boat access is available at the state Route 40 bridge over the canal on the south edge of town.

Go to illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/HennepinCanal for more information about the canal’s main line, which also has walking paths and remnants from locks from end to end.

Unlike seasonal farmers markets, Sterling’s has been open every Saturday since 2005, all 52 weeks of the year (except Christmas). Vendors sell locally raised meat, eggs, fresh baked breads, sweets, jams and jellies, seasonal produce, and assorted craft goods and artwork, and more.

When the weather’s nice, additional vendors set up outdoors at the nearby Sterling Marketplace, which opened in 2020.

This two-for-one spot is a rich repository of local history: The Dillon Family ran Northwest ern Steel and Wire — one of northwest Illinois’ largest factories — for more than 100 years, and its first two chairmen lived at the stately 1858 Italianate home during their years in charge. Washington Moorehead Dillon founded Northwestern in 1879 and his son, Paul W. Dillon, operated it until his death in 1980. Artifacts from the Dillon Family’s life in the house are on display.

The backyard of the Dillon Home has a 1929 Baldwin steam engine that was the last such engine in operation in America for industrial use. Long after diesel engines became common throughout manufacturing, the Dillon Family continued to use steam engines until the Baldwin No. 73 was retired in 1981.

The Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society is housed inside the Dillon Home’s carriage house. Artifacts include many from the towns’ manufacturing heyday, glimpses of Abra ham Lincoln’s visit to Sterling in 1856, and exhibits on the Hustler Toy and Prince Castle companies.

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Reading a new book to a child has a different experience to it when they roam through Storybook Trail. Pages from books, which rotate on occasion, are displayed on posts along the trail. Kids can even act out scenes from the stories if they want.

According to Rock Falls’ tourism department website (visitrockfalls.com), Storybook Trail “is a very creative way to entice kids to read while being active outside. Studies show that when children spend time outdoors, they reduce feelings of anxiety and depression; concentration and performance in school improvement and they gain an appreciation and love of nature.”

When the children are done reading, the playground at Kiwanis Park is just a short walk away.

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The days of flashing lights, brag ging rights, and high scores have seen a resurgence in recent years, and the games have become bigger and better than they were in days gone by. Whether you grew up with a case of Pac Man Fever or you discovered the games after stumbling across your parents’ Atari in the attic, there’s a place to flex those fingers at Twin City businesses. Ready, player one? Ready, player two? Here are three arcades where you can test your skill ...

BUGSY’S ARCADE AND GAMING Northland Mall, 2900 E. Lincolnway, Sterling; gambling machines for adults also avail able, snack bar, “Happy Hour” arcade game discounts; find it on Facebook or call 815-677-2307 for more information.

COCHRAN’S PUB — 223 W. Second St., Rock Falls; gambling machines for adults also available at this bar; must be 21 or older to play; find it on Facebook or call 815-718-4970 for more information.

AUBREE’S FUN WORLD: 707 First Ave., Rock Falls; two stories of arcade games planned for both children and adults; more information, including opening date, available on its Facebook page.

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