US Route 66
As Wi-Fi in old style motels that are spread out in a motor court, seems to not have enough signal strength to connect in the outlying units my reports may be a couple days old as I write them but can’t upload until I have connection. Also as I couldn’t buy the pertinent guides in Ontario & didn’t figure I had time for Amazon to ship (wrong) + that I could buy them once I was on the road (wrong again) I’m kind of winging it using the website (when Wi-Fi works) + my trusty Wallymart atlas as Tommy is proving as useful as teats on a bull! Actually makes for a more interesting trip this way.
Illinois; Had everything planned for the start of this epic road trip on a route built in 1926 to connect the ports of Chicago & Los Angeles, the first highway connecting major cities, thus the name, the Mother Road.
As with all fine adventures, “The best laid plans of mice & men shall go awry.” can’t remember the author of that saying but it’s right more times than not.
Left Canada on “Turkey Day” weekend so expected heavy traffic in the hog town area & Ont in general but was kind of surprised that it kept up across the border however since it’s been years since I traveled in that area just chalked it up to things change.
Was nice to see fuel prices in the just over $3/gal range instead of ripoff’tario’s $4+!
After figuring out TomTom’s error in leading me a couple miles from my hotel, next to Midway Airport in Chicago’s Bedford Park area. Tommy for some strange reason decided to substitute S. Harlem St for Cicero Ave, I used a good old paper map to find the Hampton Inn.
Located the closest Citi Bank on the internet + the easiest way to Lakeshore & E. Jackson, the original start of the mother road however the following morning, after going to the local Walmart to pick up an atlas that has Route 66 shown (read about it on a route 66 forum), as Tommy was proving useless.
Murphy’s Law (if something can go wrong it inevitably will) kicked in with a vengeance, as upon arriving at the bank I found the door locked with a sign on the window saying closed for Columbus Day, oh well the heavy traffic explained. Now it appears that every resident of Chicago goes downtown on Columbus Day as the areas I wanted, Jackson & Lakeshore, even worse Michigan Ave & Adams were right in the middle of the area where celebrations were going to take place, fortunately I was there early enough not to be unduly held up.
Given the fiasco of downtown Chicago I made a spur of the moment executive decision to get to hell “out of Dodge”, found my way back to I-55, which basically follows 66 anyway, & boogied off to Jolliet where I started following the old road.
Had a good lunch at a Route 66 Plaza then carried on, on the historic road, found it to be well signed & not only were the few restored landmarks interesting but also was the glimpse into the economy. All looks well when barreling down the Interstates at 70 mph past the Walmarts etc, but get 1/2 mi away on the old Main Streets of America & you see the closed Mom & Pop stores, the idle small factories. It’s then you realize, all is not well in the land.
Followed the old road to Bloomington, then as it was getting late & the last few miles had been a frontage road for I-55 anyway, I jumped on it to Springfield to spend the night at a Super 8.
As I don’t like driving in cities I just took I-55 through to the mighty Mississippi the next morning, stopping at a Cracker Barrel for a breakfast including sausage patties + Biscuits & Gravy YUMMY!!!
One state down, 7 to go & TomTom still a pain!
Tags: Travel
busman7