Comments on: Black Ice Blues

By: Scott Engstrom

Scott Engstrom — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:39:09 +0000

What a great blog entry. I grew up in the 60s skating on Lake Ellyn, winning enough ribbons to entually join the Glen Ellyn AAA speed skating team, and going on to compete until college. It was so much fun on that lake. We spent all weekend skating down there. I had no idea I was preparing for short track in those many games of tag. You had to be quick and tricky. I also remember going thru the ice once and thinking I was going to die. Another highlight was the toboggan run on the side opposite the boat house. My mom was at an art show in Oconomowoc, Wi in the 80s and saw a black and white painting of Lake Ellyn. It was not labeled as such but she knew exactly where it was. I now have it hanging in my house as a great reminder of those simpler days.

By: Dick L.

Dick L. — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:07:25 +0000

George,

Thanks for the exquisitely written trip down memory lane. My parents built on the last (and closest to Lake Ellyn) lot on Deer Path in 1950. I was 3 then and have also lived the skating culture you described. AAA must have had open meets as I don’t remember practicing with them but I do remember racing on weekends with ribbons etc. My last set of skates, Planerts are still in the basement and the grand kids use them. My early skates came from Paul’s shoe repair, some were white and some were hockey. Memories include; tag, where the tag was a whack from someone’s skate guards, viewing the gold fish under and in the ice at the pier, and watching with amazement while they cleared the ice with a Jeep, which did fall though at least once. I moved back to Glen Ellyn in 1984 and they have drained the lake twice since then, making improvements to the shore line and trying to improve the water quality with inlet alterations? Never being involved with restoration of the Lake, I have wondered why they don’t direct the water straight to the outlet in the winter until the salt is gone then return the water to the Lake the other seasons.

By: katie gAGNON

katie gAGNON — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:34:33 +0000

I remember both as a female and one with weak ankles who was truely a poor performer on the ice many wonderful days and nights of my formable years the culture of lake Ellen transformed into a winter wonderland and those amazing cups of hot chocolate sitting on a bench by the large stone fireplace with a cozy fire blazing.
This is also where I first started noticing boys as potential companions and not just playmates in my own Kenilworth neighborhood.
I have raised my own children in Florida on the Gulf Coast so they have no point of reference when I rememinense, but only vague complaints of sand beaches and lack of snow and snow activites, not able to pass this one down but always a part of my fondest young adolescent memoires.

By: Dale L.

Dale L. — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:26:26 +0000

George, you must be related to George Ball, Ball Nurseries, etc. in GE. Did you graduate from Glenbard? Very interesting, nostalgic look at Lake Ellyn

By: Libby K

Libby K — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:22:35 +0000

George,
I loved the ice skating story. Just beautiful. Could close my eyes and see all those strong kids having a “ball”.
Even though I grew up in southwest VA, we, too, had many icy cold winter games. Kids were always skating or sledding, building snow houses,etc. to see who was the strongest. We loved the outdoors and stayed out for hours playing.
Thanks again for the beauty of our childhood.
Have a Blessed New Year!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:18:50 +0000

Hi, my dad was from Chicago, same area. He grw up there in the 1930’s. He and his three brothers would wait for the field near their house to flood over after someone opened the fire hydrant. They would skate for hours. WHen my dad had his first hip replacement twenty years ago, he put his skates on and skated down a river near their house in Samford, Connecticut. He knew he would never be able to do that again. One year I made a gingerbread house for him . On the one side was a large blue pond, with four boys skating, their dog sitting on the side, watching. THanks for the story. Rachel

By: Brad Jones

Brad Jones — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:39:02 +0000

George,
I was one of those skaters, thanks for the many memories. You did forget to mention the excitment we all got when the jeep which cleaned the lake of fresh snow would at times fall through the ice. I still have my Planerts skates and have on the few occasions when the lake is frozen, returned to skate.
Thank you, George

By: George

George — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:42:49 +0000

Dear WebFabbs-
Tires are an interesting subject. In slick ice, you need to have something between you and the ordinary tire—sand, cinders, salt. Otherwise, either chains or studded tires which are called now “winter tires”. Some are more, some are less “studded” or else sort of granulated with abrasive strips or sections to maintain contact, rather than spinning and slipping. The advent of the “radial” tire back in the early 70s helped lead the way to greater sophistication of snow tires. But, salt has always been required when black ice comes a ‘callin’. Although I have always been a fan of cinders because they always looked so dramatic to me when I was a kid.

Thank you for posting.

By: WebFadds

WebFadds — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:41:32 +0000

Hi – I live in Oregon, near Portland, and people lack the experience to drive well in the snow, since it doesn’t snow here often. Interesting your notes about the improvements in autos. Times are indeed changing.

By: George

George — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:40:14 +0000

Dear Shla-
I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s rose bushes. That is a sad story. There were lots of Swedish and Finnish families in the Chicago suburbs back in the old days, but not as concentrated as you folks up there. And, yes, their kids were among the most physically active. Great athletes—naturals with large hands and feet. Many Hungarian immigrants produced very athletic kids as well.

Thank you for the memories.