If you’re looking for a way to spend your time before, after or during Bears practice, here’s a list of things to do if you’re a fan visiting Bears Training Camp for the first time:
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Before practice
Play the “Am I in Bradley or Bourbonnais” game: Few people that live here actually know where Bradley ends and Bourbonnais begins, so out-of-towners may really be confused. To help you out, Olivet Nazarene University is in Bourbonnais; Northfield Square mall is in Bradley, but has a Bourbonnais mailing address. I’m not sure how you would find where you are, unless you commit a crime and see which police chase you down.
Grab a copy of The Daily Journal: We’ll have plenty of news from camp, along with rosters, photos, trivia and other fun stuff.
Tailgate the untraditional way: Since Olivet doesn’t allow alcohol on its campus, you have to do things a little differently. You can grill up some burgers, brats or dogs and still have a good time without the booze. Just remember — root beer!
After practice
Try to get autographs of every Bears player: The best time to get autographs is after practice (coaches frown on getting them during practice), so be prepared to stay awhile afterward. You may also want to develop a sob story to help you in your quest or bring a small child, perhaps one with a sob story. The players tend to like to give autographs to kids.
Take the Blazin’ Challenge at Buffalo Wild Wings: After practice, head north on Route 50 to Buffalo Wild Wings and bring your appetite. Tackle the Blazin’ Challenge, which consists of downing 12 traditional wings with BW’s hottest Blazin’ sauce in six minutes. Sorry, no drinks, no dipping sauce and no napkins.
Walk the trails at the state park: Head west on Route 102 to get a little exercise, especially if you do the above challenge. For fun, jump on the walking bridge so it gives you the funny feeling in your belly. (That could be the hot wings fighting back also.)
Visit area haunted locales: Head south on Route 45/52 to Watseka to look at the Watseka Wonder Roff house or go a little farther south for Lantern Lane. If you don’t want to go south, head north on Interstate 57 to Manteno’s Diversatech campus.
Go to TJ Donlins on Illinois Route 102 for Bears sightings: Cross the street to go to the bar where most of the Bears like to hang out when they get a little time off. Play bags with players or just hobnob. Most players are more than willing to talk and allow pictures, especially if you are buying.
Play 18 (or 36) holes of golf: The area is overrun with real golf courses, but for my money, it’s not golf without a clown’s mouth or windmill. Play the miniature golf courses at Hidden Cove or Aspen Ridge to really challenge yourself. Can you get through a round without flinging your putter and uttering profanities? Keep it to yourself; it’s a family atmosphere.
Great places to eat
Nothing against the chain restaurants, but why go to those when you can try something new?
• You like Mexican food? Try Tacos Del Norte (7 Village Square Shopping Center, Bradley).
• Pizza Buffet? Chicago Dough Company (545 S. Main in Bourbonnais, within walking distance of Olivet)
• Homestyle? Blue’s Cafe (1190 W. Station, Kankakee)
• Italian? Armenise’s Eighteen 75 (1560 N. Illinois Route 50, in front of Northfield Square mall)
• Chinese? Great Wall (1545 W. Court St., Kankakee)
• Brewery? Brickstone (557 W. Latham Drive, Bourbonnais)
Wind down at
• Paramount Theatre (213 N. Schuyler Ave., Kankakee) —Its big screen theater is like stepping back into the ’60s.
• Perry Farm (South on U.S. Route 45 out of Olivet) — Walk, walk, walk while the kids play.
• Splash Valley (1850 River Road, Kankakee) — Water park fun.
• Kankakee County Fair (South on U.S. Route 45) — It only runs through Sunday.
Tim Ahrens can be reached by e-mail at timahrens@daily-journal.com or by phone at 815-937-3393.
In the know:
• Water stations have been set up.
• Clusters of portable toilets are posted around the practice fields area, and these come with hand-washing stations.
• A special gate area is available for disabled fans, and shuttles will run on campus to assist with their access.
• A trailer will be moved onto campus for Riverside Medical Center staff to provide medical care for fans.
• The lightning detector used on the field must be calibrated to a 5-mile radius. This means if there is a cloud-to-ground lightning strike within a 5-mile radius, an alarm will sound, sending players inside.
• Tents, fencing, ropes, and temporary power and lighting have been brought in.
• Painting and lining the five practice fields has been completed.
• The university-maintained Web site for training camp has been abandoned. All fan communication will be coordinated through www.bearscamp.org or www.chicagobears.com.
Source: Information provided by Craig Bishop, director of public safety for Olivet Nazarene University, and Matt Whitis, director of physical plant at Olivet, and Gary Griffin, director of alumni and university relations
