July 19:
I was beginning to be comfortable with living away from home. Unlike the other visits I'd had, I wanted to be alone and tried to get away from Mom and Dad often. My mind was on Nebraska, my bicycle, and Karen. I'd finally planted seeds of life outside of Evansville.
July was a big month for the hillbillies in Evansville. Every
year it hosted "Thunder on the
Ohio" unlimited hydroplane races on the
Ohio River.
It's a huge event - sometimes crowds
near 100,000. We hosted the Gold Cup
in 1982 and received national television coverage for it. These were the fastest boats
in the world, hydroplaning across the water at speeds in excess of
200 miles an hour. Below is a photo Darrel