Richard and Suzanne and Duncan's Big 2010 Road Trip
Stage 1 - Sixty-Six in Twenty-Ten
Phoenix, AZ to Chicago, IL


Day 1 - Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Phoenix, AZ to Holbrook, AZ
229 miles

This long-anticipated day began early, with fervent hopes of an on-time departure leading to hours of fun on the open road.

The reality, of course, was a realization that even with all that previous preparation, we'd still have n+2 hours of things to do in n hours before we could sneak out the door. So it came to pass that we zipped up the suitcases, de-cluttered the family room, finished the computer backups & configurations, ensured the puppies & kittycat had several weeks of provisions, and otherwise prepared for more than three weeks traveling the highways of the United States.

Oh, so where are we going? The plan is to head up to Flagstaff, then cruise historic Route 66 all the way across the mountains and plains to downtown Chicago, where several days of meetings await. Then from there up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to see a Great Lake and some of Suz's folks, and then to the Twin Cities for more relativity and thence homeward.

Finally, about 2 PM, all was packed and prepared, and we strapped in and counted down as the engine roared to life and we turned out of the driveway northward as the DMI started counting (and the odometer decided to take part of the afternoon off). A relatively uneventful merge onto Interstate 17 and up to cruising speed, and then a routine scan of the instrument cluster showed all systems nominal - but is that a slightly high reading from the coolant gauge?

As we began climbing the steep grades leading up to the high country, what was originally seeming like a minor anomaly was now looking like a serious problem. In all the 22 years we've owned the Truckasaurus, overheating was blessedly never really a common affliction. Today was different, though, as grades typically surmounted with barely a blip in the temp gauge were today sending the readings into dangerous territory (on one of the hottest days of the year, of course).

We didn't even make it to the top of the first climb when we were forced to shut down due to overheating on the busy freeway - which had us rather heated-up as well. Contingency plans were initiated, and calls were made to our mechanic for consultation. We were eventually able to get rolling again, and were even able to turn on the air conditioning again (yay!) as we plummeted into the Verde Valley. But no amount of careful driving was able to keep things cool under the hood on the long climb to the piney plateau, and so the final miles of climbing were done with the heater running full blast and the windows rolled down, as we anticipated cooler times ahead. As for Duncan? He slept through most of this heated activity - with a blanket snuggled across his sleepy form.

We made it to Flagstaff after a few stops for additional mechanic-directed diagnosis ("OK, pop the hood & have her turn off the engine, and watch the fan clutch") and enjoyed the slightly cooler weather as we saw the smoke from the uncomfortably close Schultz fire that has ravaged so much of the nearby woods. A quick stop at Mickey D's for a snack and a bit of Dunc play (look! it's the human Happy Meal toy!), and then time to get some work done, documenting locations for new National Scenic Byway signs along the route of Historic 66.

This led us out of town and onto I-40, where the road leveled off, we rolled up the windows, & cranked the A/C full blast - just because we could. :) A piece of speedy driving brought us Winslow way, where we cruised old 66 thru town and logged more locations for those red, white, & blue "America's Byways" signs as the sun set most redly behind us through the massive clouds of smoke from the Flagstaff-area fires. Then on thru Joseph City, passing the ruins of some former 66 attractions, and on toward Holbrook, noting the many locations where recent high winds have toppled the large freeway signs that Richard & his colleagues had spent so many hours designing & constructing (OK, next time, we're using bigger posts!)

A nearly-full moon was out over the canopy of the Wigwam Village Motel as we pulled in to register. It was nice to see many of the Lewis gang, and Kirstie the desk clerk was exceptionally friendly as she signed us in. But we needed nourishment, and so we rolled a few blocks down 66 to Joe & Aggie's Restaurant for some late-evening chow, including some honey-laden sopapillas and a tootin' good Navajo taco, and some friendly chat with Christopher & the other helping hands. Then back to the tepee for sleepee, as Duncan enjoyed having a futon all to himself as his parents shared the historic bedding.


Day 1 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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Loadin' up to go!
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Hot under the hood - not good
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Conked out in the back seat
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Cavorting at Chase
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Our new Happy Meal toy!
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Forest fires threaten Flagstaff...
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...and spew smoke for many miles
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Wiggin' out at the Wigwams
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Ride 'em Mobo!
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Mobo rides again!
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Elinor Lewis is too generous!
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I'm behaving - really!
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Hanging out with the Lewis family
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Thank you, Elinor!
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Fun at Joe & Aggie's
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Helping(?) out the staff at Joe & Aggie's
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Dinner time on 66
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Gotta new Lego light!
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Snoozing in our cozy cone
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Wigwam #11 on a quiet night



Day 2 - Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Holbrook, AZ to Tucumcari, NM
415 miles

At precisely 4:33 this morning, as the first light began to change the hue of blue on the eastern horizon, a little bird perched on the sill of our wee Wigwam window and began singing a bright and cheery song to greet the impending day.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find its "snooze" button.

OK, now that we're awake...

Richard proceeded to pop the hood on the Truckasaurus and perform that thermostat transplant that (we hope) will cure our overheating blues (or greens - it uses "old fashioned" coolant). Fortunately, that part sits right on top of the ol' V-8 engine, and so it was a simple job to replace - if you define "simple" as removing the air cleaner, belt tensioner, and a few other in-the-way chunks. And of course, the backup toolbox with the correct set of sockets was buried under 6 layers of stuff in the back. But after a while and a few choice words, the new part was installed, the coolant refreshed, and everything reassembled.

Duncan also decided to awaken early, and use his new toy truck & bucket (a gift from Elinor!) to rearrange the rock landscaping in front of the wigwam ("no - I was _selling_ them!" - Duncan) Once that was done, he located a few interesting items from the area (look! dinosaur bones!) and brunged them back to the tepee, and otherwise rearranged things as required. Once everything was de-rearranged, it was time to roust out & load up from our happy temporary conical Holbrook home and head out for another day of adventure.

He rolled eastward on I-40 across the plateaux and mesas of eastern Arizona, passing the numerous trading posts and tourist traps dotting the exits of the Interstate, as occasional concrete dinosaurs 'fiercely' guarded their entrances. Traffic was flowing smoothly as the cars with their vacationing families made their way around the large trucks hauling goods and other important items that keep our nation's (and other nations') economy going. One suggestion, though: don't get too close behind the hog haulers - especially right after breakfast...

An hour or so of driving led us to the edge of AZ, where the Painted Cliffs stand right at the state line. We looped into the welcome center to say goodbye to our home state, while Duncan wanted very badly to climb the cliffs - in spite of the numerous signs saying "don't do that". He & his dad settled for exploring the arroyos and rocky back areas instead, finding neat-colored stones & the occasional interesting insect.

Then back in the truck to zip past the big yellow New Mexico welcome sign and a gallop around Gallup, while remembering all the happy times enjoyed there on other expeditions. We continued onward for another hour or so; however, the big billboards announcing the ice cream at Bowlin's Bluewater Junction place brought us to a momentary halt for some brain-freezin' goodness, which we thence worked off with the obligatory stop at the happy little park a few miles down 66 in the center of Grants. The heat of the afternoon necessitated a deployment of the squirt bottles, and our little squirt was quite the squirter as he merrily scampered around the slides and across the grass in order to keep a thoroughly dampened Dad in his crosshairs (not that that dad was complaining or anything :)

Our post-Grants moseying took us on around the canyons and casinos of western New Mexico, and the red rocks gave way to the up & downhill into the valley of the Rio Grande. A quick stop in Albuquerque for $2.59 fuel, and then a climb up back out of the basin through Tijeras Canyon along winding old 66, passing Zuzax and the Turquoise Trail turnoff while keeping a close eye on the coolant gauge (so far, so good - so far).

As we crested the grade just west of Moriarty, we gazed out on the rolling tablelands, feeling a bit relieved that we were done with the mountain-type driving until our return trip several weeks in the future. We entertained ourselves along this stretch by discerning shapes and figures in the billowing cloud formations in the wide-open New Mexico skies ("hey - that one looks like a shark eating another fish!") as the driver watched the roadway and the mileposts rolled upward.

We stopped at a genyoowine Stuckey's out 'round Santa Rosa way, and welcomed ourselves to the reassuring view of wonderfully kitschy merchandise and odd items. However, although pecan log rolls were in abundance, we were a bit disappointed that no yummy GooGoo Clusters were to be seen or had. But the stop did help us stretch our legs and relax our attitudes, and we continued on with no complaints.

It was about this time that Richard remembered that he had critical correspondence to send off in the mail (nothing important - just the annual life insurance payment :), and we knew that the small towns along 66 would likely have a post office to fulfill this task. So we consulted our Route 66 EZ-Guide (written by the wise & knowledgeable Jerry McClanahan) and followed the bumpy old road through Cuervo and Newkirk, where the multiple doggies surrounding the mailbox were satisfied with a sniff of the hand and a pat on the head to let us through to complete our postal duties.

Overheard from the back seat: "I want to talk to myself - I don't want to talk to myself."

It's a long way to Tucumcari, and we were somewhat pleased that the sun was still in the sky as we rolled into town. While we've enjoyed past stays at the historic Blue Swallow, and have heard good things about the Safari Motel, we decided to be economical (and a bit adventurous) by trying the Palomino Motel, another classic 66-era property. After forking over 33 bucks, the friendly owner escorted us to a spacious 2-bed room complete with swoopy Googie-era chairs, which Duncan immediately declared to be his sleeping location for the evening (hey, knock yerself out, kid.) Then once everything was stowed inside, we made our way a bit east to the green expanses of Wailes Park for some twilight play on the swings and the dizzily spinning merry-go-round, as other folks showed up and proved you're never too late to have a happy childhood. Darkness brought out the neon charms of this town, and the red tubes of Del's Restaurant across from the Palomino enticed us inside for a most satisfying late meal. Then a short waddle back across 66, and a restful time indeed, with each parent getting their own bed, and the lil' guy snuggled in that modern furniture for some sleepybye.


Day 2 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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Wigwam on a sunny Holbrook morning
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Working on the Truckasaurus
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Performing a thermostat transplant
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Rearranging the rocks
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New toy trucks doing hard work
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Rocks for sale!
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Our friend the Wigwam dinosaur
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Newly discovered treasures
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Big winds = blown-down signs
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Exploring the wilds of Painted Cliffs
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Old US 66 in New Mexico
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Yum!
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Play time in Grants
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Our little squirt...
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...squirting the other kids too
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Stuckey's time!
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Newkirk store & post office
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Tucumcari merry-go-round
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Full moon over Tucumcari
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Full moon zoom
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Neon-bedecked Del's Restaurant
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Palomino Motel in the moonlight
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Palomino Motel at night
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Trying out the swoopy modern chairs
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Dunc's mostly modern sleeping arrangements





Day 3 - Friday, June 25th, 2010
Tucumcari, NM to Stroud, OK
442 miles

At first light, Richard saddled up on the bicycle for a spin, riding up old US 66 on by Tucumcari's many classic old motels and other landmarks, and then back down old US 54 through a downtown area that still evoked ghosts of busier times. A Union Pacific freight train thundered by the old railroad depot, echoing off the storefronts and murals on an otherwise very quiet morning. Then back to the room to accomplish some bicycle-borne donut delivery for the rest of the gang at the motel, and then time to hang up the bike & prepare for a long & busy day.

We said one final goodbye to the Palomino and the playful pet goats in the side yard, and began the day's drive with an enjoyable trip down old 66 toward San Jon. Then under the impressive new overhead signs at the state line, and it was time to say howdy to the big state of Texas (and goodbye to another hour).

We rolled up the escarpment and onto the high plains of the panhandle, and soon spied on the horizon the grain elevators of Adrian, a small town that always gives us an outsize welcome. For here is where the Midpoint Cafe can be found, sitting halfway between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Michigan, with Fran Christina, Tommy, and the others again welcoming us by name as we walked through the doors just as if we'd been by yesterday. We sat down for an excellent (as always) late-morning meal and caught up on all the things that had happened since last year's visit, while Duncan kept wandering away from the table to look at all the cool cars & other fun stuff in the gift shop. And of course we couldn't leave without a couple slices of their famous Ugly Crust Pie - in fact, we decided to take a whole chocolate & peanut butter masterpiece along with us.

After filling up on food & friendliness, we finally finished our time with all the folks at the Midpoint, including tourists from all over the US and around the world. Then back in the truck and on east along the busy highway toward Amarillo, where the tailfins of the Cadillac Ranch waved to us on our way into town as the National Guard air tankers practiced their flying skills impressively overhead. Didn't have as much time to do everything we'd liked to have in this interesting city, but we did pop in to see our good friend Becky at the Big Texan, who took a few minutes out of a busy day to bestow some big hugs on Duncan was he again marveled at her extensive collection of "Cars"-related memorabilia and playthings.

Donley County. Gray County. Donley County. Gray County. Donley County!! Gray County!! Through a quirk in geography, it seems this stretch of highway runs right near the dividing line between the two jurisdictions, and so any zig, zag, wiggle, or swerve in the alignment of the roadway brings you back across that boundary and another set of Texas-size signs.

The sight of the giant cross in Groom brought back vacation bible school flashbacks for both Duncan and his mama, and a cruise along old 66 through the town of Alanreed, where old gas stations, longhorns, and even the occasional deer made for interesting yet picturesque scenes.

It was 103 degrees on the streets of Erick, Oklahoma as we rounded the corner of Sheb Wooley & Roger Miller Boulevards and parked out front of Puckett's Grocery, where the friendly air-conditioned comfort inside led to some cookies and other useful items. Duncan thought that the outside of Puckett's was fun as well, as he showed off his "high wire" (well, actually "medium-size curb") act to impress his parents. Then on up the road to give our salutations to Sayre, and spend the next couple hours alternating between the busy Interstate freeway and some soothingly bumpy and quiet stretches of 80-year-old highway.

1, 2, 3... 36, 37, 38!!! One of the treasures of historic route 66 in western Oklahoma is the classic old bridge made up of a seemingly-endless series of trusses, and the whole family had fun counting them down from start to finish. Then a break at the Cherokee Trading Post, where Duncan adopted a set of colorful quartz crystals which he dubbed his "baby rock monsters", in honor of a scene from the "Clutch Powers" Lego movie he'd been watching (over and over and over again) on the iPod in the back seat.

The very late afternoon sun was at our backs as we entered the area of Oklahoma City, and we pondered our options. Plan A was to get a room here, have some fun, and shoot for an early start tomorrow. And so we pulled in to the Carlyle Motel looking for a place to rest. However, in spite of the classic old sign and the large rooms, the utter unfriendliness of the manager (including rudely raising the rates as we spoke) quickly had us deciding to head out of there in a hurry. Fortunately, 66 Bowl was just a block up the street, and so we adjusted our attitudes in a very fun way by spinning some balls and knocking some pins around (yay! a strike!) Unfortunately, this classic Route 66 establishment will be closing before the end of the summer - but we're glad we had the chance to experience it before it was too late.

A full moon was rising in a clear night sky as we navigated through the Oklahoma City metro area, and several miles of driving led us onto old 66 and the impressive sight of the brightly-lit soda bottle of Pops, where Duncan danced his way around the colossal container along with many other kids also illuminated by the multicolored glow. Then some more driving along the hilly backroads until we spied the high-climbing neon spire of the Skyliner Motel in Stroud, where 13 hours of travel wrapped up in a cool and comfy room on a warm and humid night.


Day 3 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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Morning at the Palomino Motel
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Old US 54 coming into Tucumcari
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Old Ranch House sign with old truck keeping it company
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Super-size Tucumcari windmill (used by the college for training)
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Welcome to Tucumcari!
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Quiet downtown Tucumcari
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Sad sight of a burned-out building
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Tucumcari murals
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The old railroad depot
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Union Pacific freight rumbles through Tucumcari
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Donuts!!!
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Greeting the Palomino goats
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Tumbledown station in San Jon, NM
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Happy to see Midpoint friends again
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So how's things been?
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Rummaging for cool 'Cars' cars in the tin tub
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Orange you glad to have breakfast at the Midpoint?
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A slice of chocopeanutbutter heaven
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A small token of our friendship to Fran
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I love this new Cars case! Thanks!
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Happy smiles at the Big Texan
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TANG KC-135 practicing touch-&-gos in a blue Amarillo sky
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That is quite the cross
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Western Hemisphere's largest cross beckons the faithful
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Quiet old service station in Alanreed
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Resting from its years of "superservice"
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Texas longhorn in its natural habitat
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Puckett's Grocery on Sheb Wooley Blvd
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The daring Duncan wowing the streets of Erick
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iPodding through Oklahoma
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The near-endless string of pony trusses across the South Canadian River
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New 'rock monster eggs' at the Cherokee Trading Post
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It's always time for bowling!
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66 Bowl in Oklahoma City - an endangered landmark
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66 Bowl interior decor
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66 Bowl celebrates the historic highway
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66 Bowl neon
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hurling the spheres
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Ready to roll!
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Multi-generational bowling action
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OK, we're not quite ready for the PBA...
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The super-colorful bottle of Pops
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Pondering Pops
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Dancing around the bottle
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Happy to be at Pops
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The Skyliner sign points skyward
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Happy to be here for the night





Day 4 - Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Stroud, OK to Carthage, MO
228 miles

We arose from our slumber in Stroud (which had been occasionally interrupted during the evening by the horns of the trains rumbling through town) and prepared for a morning get-together over at the famous Rock Cafe with someone who is somewhat famous along Route 66. A couple days earlier, Jerry McClanahan, the author of that Route 66 EZ Guide that has steered us so well along our trips for the past several years, contacted me and said he'd like to meet if we're in his area. Turns out that we're only a few miles away from his place this morning, and so Jerry and his story-spinning dad met us at the Rock for a very good breakfast as we compared experiences and swapped amazing tales of road trip misadventures. A busy Dawn Welch popped out of the kitchen for a few seconds to say hi (nice ladder, Dawn! :) and then a farewell to the McClanahan clan and back to the room to get ready for more travel.

We turned east on Oklahoma highway 66 to start the day's drive, and noted the large number of American flags displayed by the roadside. Turns out that a motorcycle procession was planned to honor our veterans and for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, and a couple miles later the roar of many hundreds of motorcycles filled the area around 66 as they rumbled by in the westward direction.

Although we'd enjoyed the many charms of Tulsa several times in the past, today we thought we'd try a different path, and veered onto the Creek Turnpike looping around the far south and east side of the metropolitan area. However, complications soon ensued, as we discovered the seemingly-staffed tollbooths were actually unoccupied, requiring exact change for passage and precipitating a desperate search for loose change in the truck's cushions, cracks, and crevices so we could keep our journey from coming to a premature end - which could be giving a new meaning to the phrase "up the Creek without a quarter." We finally accumulated just enough coins to toss at the unforgiving tollgate, and exited onto route 66 again just outside the big city.

A short drive northeast of Tulsa is a famous celebrity of Route 66 - the Blue Whale of Catoosa. This cerulean cetacean sits happily in his pond, welcoming travelers to walk into his mouth and enjoy his watery wonder - and Duncan was more than happy to walk down the planks and scamper up the tail fin. There were a couple of folks fishing off the whale's sides, and our son got a slimy thrill or two getting to touch & handle the squirming seafood before they were tossed back in to swim another day. It was getting rather warm, so the squirt bottles were again deployed, and whoops & shrieks of happiness echoed off the whale's blue flanks as Duncan hunted his dad (and vice versa). Then a stroll down a densely wooded path near the water's edge for some impromptu exploring had Dunc in touch with his inner Tom Sawyer, and then back in the truck and over the precarious Verdigris bridges (hope they get fixed up right soon) to more adventures.

We jumped on the turnpike for a bit of speedy cruising, and soon spied a large arch (no, we're not in St. Louis quite yet...) This bright yellow arch supported what is alleged to be the "world's largest McDonalds" high over the busy whizzing lanes of the Interstate. We exited for a few moments - didn't bag any burgers, but did enjoy some big scoops of Blue Bell ice cream as we watched the cars & trucks zoom by underneath us.

A few more miles of driving brought us back onto old 66, here paired with US 60, an old friend of ours from back in Phoenix. We rolled into the diagonal streets of Afton and up to the parking lot of Afton Station - just in time to see Laurel Kane, the proprietress of this interesting place, locking up for the day. Stopping her in mid-keyturn, we quickly caught each other up on all the recent doings & excitement, not wanting to delay her from important appointments elsewhere. Even though the visit might have been abbreviated, it was still nice to see her & Ron for a few moments before we meet again.

Historic 66 runs for a whopping 13 miles in the state of Kansas, and one of the highlights is the "Four Women On The Route" in the town of Galena. Unfortunately, three of the women had to leave early that day to go to the hospital to see their most senior partner, who was in critical condition at the local hospital {and most sadly, Betty Courtney passed from this highway to the next early Sunday morning.} Even though the store was locked up and our thoughts were with Betty, Melba, Renee, and the rest of the extended family, we still appreciated the chance to spend a few moments out front with "Tater" the tow truck and for Duncan to sign a nice note for the ladies.

Crossed our third state line (or was it our fourth or fifth?) into Missouri, and rolled into Joplin, where we pumped some gallons of $2.43 unleaded at the 66-themed mom & pop station, and then wandered next door to the dollar store for some educational books and a few useful tools. From here we finally had a chance to follow winding old 66 through Webb City and Carterville, thanks to Jerry's EZ-Guide and some relatively new signs put up by the department of transportation (nice signs - but shouldn't they be brown?) A couple miles west of Carthage, we saw the most imposing white and red backside of the screen of the 66 Drive-In Theater, and thought just how much fun it would be to see a movie in such a fun and classic manner. This line of conversation continued to the east side of Carthage, until finally the pleadings of a small child and his mother coerced, er, forced, er, persuaded Dad to make a U-turn back westward.

We found a large comfortable room at a good price at the Guest House Motel, and a very good steak dinner at the Pancake Hut just down the street from the imposing facade of the county courthouse, and as the sun drooped below the horizon we placed our truck in the long lines of old & new vehicles on each side of 66 to make our way by the glass & neon entry booth and park (after a couple tries) for our movie-watching spot. Duncan made a beeline for the boisterous playground to see-saw and spin, and other than a slightly skinned knee from an early unplanned departure from a very fast merry-go-round, a good time was had by all. Then back to the truck, where the speakers performed at almost-THX quality as we lined up side by side in the front seat to watch the remake of "The Karate Kid" (which in the interests of truth in advertising should be called "The Kung-Fu Kid", but we won't complain ;) A full moon rose over the patrons raptly watching the motion picture (at least I think they were watching in some of the cars :) and when the first film concluded well after 11 PM we considered staying for "The A-Team" double feature, but realized that sleeping through Missouri the next day probably wouldn't be a very good idea. So we wended our way through the darkness back to the room 'round midnight, and rested up for another day of travelicious fun.


Day 4 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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Morning sun greets the Skyliner in Stroud
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We're at Sally's place!
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Jery McClanahan's dad - a most interesting person
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Duncan with the McClanahan clan
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McJerry & Dunkie messing around
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Playing on the Rock
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Rockin' at the Rock Cafe
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Nice new ladder, Dawn!
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Our Rock restroom grafitti from last year's trip (on the ceiling)
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Motorcycle rally honoring our veterans
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Welcome to the Blue Whale!
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Biggest whale in Catoosa!
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Blue Whale in green foliage
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Fun to be at the Blue
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Happy family on the Blue Whale's back
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Walking the Blue Whale's planks
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Getting inside the whale's head
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Slide to sliminess
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Does the fish feel squishy?
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Spray bottle battle at the Blue Whale
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Squirt bottle fight!
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Watery duel on the whale
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Little squirt on the tables
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Spraying at the whale's place
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Lil' squirt
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On the attack!
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Ain't I cute!
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Gotcha!
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Taking cover with Big Blue
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Backwoods whale trail
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The intrepid explorer
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What's up, dock?
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The "world's largest" McDonalds over the turnpike
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Turnpike traffic cruises under us
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Rest stop incarceration - another useful service!
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Laurel locks up at Afton Station
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Old Afton hotel
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Glad to be in Galena
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Hangin' out at the Four Womens' place
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Doodling on the tables
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Drawing a picture for Tater
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See my picture?
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Sitting in Tow Tater
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Can I drive it?
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Fun with Tater
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Tater is fun!
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Quiet old Missouri 66
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Pancake Hut in Carthage - good eats
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The band is jumping!
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The 66 Drive-In is ready for another crowd
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Twilight falls on the drive-in
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What's playing tonight?
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A popular place on a Saturday night
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Six bucks a head for a double feature - quite the bargain
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Parked and ready to be entertained
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Pre-feature fun
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Superspinny drive-in fun
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Round & round we go...
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Full moon over the feature film
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Good night, Carthage!





Day 5 - Sunday, June 27th, 2010
Carthage, MO to Meramec Caverns, MO
222 miles

We groggily tumbled out of our beds after the previous evening's theatrics, with breakfast consisting of assorted leftovers from previous destinations (chicken fried steak from Del's, pie from the Midpoint) - unorthodox, but yummy.

We waved farewell to the motel's management, circled the Carthage courthouse, and set out eastward along historic US 66. "Repent!" shouted the roadside signs on this quiet Sunday morning, and the numerous Bible verses and quotes had our minds on the ecclesiastical as we motored across the Missouri countryside. Then on into Springfield, where we saw a merry-looking wedding party rushing from one building to another at the convention center, and all the "Havens" we'd stayed at in past visits. We stayed on old 66 as we left town, pleased that the drive-thru animal park we enjoyed so much several years ago was back in business. We moseyed on through Marshfield and cruised through Conway, listening to the rhythm of the thumping of the tires of the pavement in syncopation with the "splut" of the bugs on the windshield.

As we followed 66's swerves around the alignment of that newer interloper I-44, suddenly we were faced with numerous giant billboards bearing the unnaturally happy visage of the ball-capped and bulbous-nosed mascot for Redmon's Candy Store & World's Largest Gift Shop. As we all know, it is required under bylaw 113.A.7c of the Roadtripper's Code that a traveler is required to stop at all locations that possess a combination of overabundant billboards, wacky mascot, and/or the term "World's Largest" in name or sign (unless excused by a previous stop in the same day at another location qualifying under the category of "trap, tourist" under subsection (d) above), and so we did our duty by pulling on in and loading up on a rainbow array of saltwater taffy and other obviously mission-critical items.

After looping through Lebanon, we rolled into Rolla with rumbles of hungriness in our bellies. We spied the distinctive red & white logo of a Maid-Rite restaurant, and stopped for a spell to enjoy the savory goodness of some "loose meats" on a bun, along with some soft-serve dessert delights. Then onward eastward over the oscillations of the Ozarks, passing barns & billboards bearing a "hole-y" message - one might have "deep" meaning to us.

And so it came to pass that we turned off 66 in the vicinity of Stanton and stopped at the face of a steep Ozark cliff, and bravely made our way by the gift shop, entry turnstiles, and bright neon sign of Meramec Caverns. Duncan and his parents spelunked around the stalactites and stalagmites, and were led by the tour guide farther and farther into the underground undulations, feeling the drips & dribbles from the ever-forming formations. And when the guide tripped the switch, we were plunged into a darkness comparable to any that might be found in the inside of a cow or at an unstudied final exam.

Speaking of darkness, when we finally emerged from the mouth of the cave we saw that the skies had opened and were dumping prodigious amounts of moisture, accompanied by sparking sheets of lightning and echoing thunder. Given our disinclination to try to drive long distances in such adverse conditions, suddenly the motel by the mouth of the cave looked very inviting indeed. Fortunately, a room was available, and so we slopped and sopped our stuff within to shelter from the storminess and hope for sunnier skies on another day.


Day 5 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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66 really glows in Missouri!
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Rolling through the Ozarks
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And check the tires while you're at it!
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Holiday Theater sign in Springfield - seen better days
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How can you not stop?
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It's the world's largest!!
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They wrap gifts! We take silly pictures!
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It's really big. Really. Duncan says so.
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Going wacky for taffy!
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Rolla-ing in for loose meats
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Off (or under) our rocker in Fanning
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It's big, too
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There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!
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So why didn't it go off?
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Great way to stay in shape and keep your yard trimmed
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The blue (blue?) signs of Historic US 66 in Missouri
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Moo-a-mec barns...
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...leading to...
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...a really big hole in the ground!
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Diagramming an underground labyrinth
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Surprised in the Loot Room
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The vast-seeming expanses of the Mirror Room
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It's more than a ceiling...
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Stalactites hangin' out
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Baby stalactite gets its start
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That's Mr. Stalagmite to you
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A cavernous view
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Now in red...
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...and green...
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...and blue too!
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Natural wonders enhanced by vivid lights
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whether subtle
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or wild
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We're 'grapeful' for the view of these amazing formations
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Wine table - or sinister rock monster?
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Curtain call!!





Day 6 - Monday, June 28th, 2010
Meramec Caverns, MO to Atlanta, IL
237 miles

We awoke from our motel-induced snoozing to a bright sunny morning, and engaged in convenient in-room dining by demolishing another layer of leftovers from the 12-volt cooler (Midpoint pie at the Meramec - 66-themed yum!!!) Then a brief return visit to the yawning maw of Meramec Caverns to visit a Metal Typer machine that we'd seen there. Understand that these rather rare coin-operated mechanisms have a special place in our hearts, as one of these machines on the other end of 66 on the Santa Monica Pier created the token of affection that resulted in an 11-year marriage (and the fun you're reading about right here). We created a couple of message-laden circular coins, and then finally turned the truck up the hill and back onto 66 to resume our journey.

On this morning, the stretches of old 66 we were traveling were actually faster than the Interstate, due to a combo of heavy traffic and summer construction on the superslab. We passed by the caves in the hillsides of Pacific, and then on beyond the tall towers and sinusoidal roller coaster tracks of the Six Flags amusement park, resulting in a most unhappy small child who couldn't understand that spending time there would result in Dad not making his important meetings in a couple days. As we entered the St. Louis urban area, we tried to distract Duncan by telling him about the wondrous metallic arch we were soon going to see. Now we may have overstated things a bit when Duncan asked, "Is the arch bigger than the whole world?", but as he spotted it when we neared downtown he was sufficiently impressed.

We hadn't been down to the St. Louis riverfront in about a decade, and remembered that the easiest place to park a vehicle the size of ours was right by the water's edge. So we turned down an access street - and noted by the disappearing pavement and the submerged signs that there was a bit more water than usual in the ol' Big Muddy. Then ensued a stress-inducing steer down the narrow one-way streets of Laclede's Landing to try to find a place where our truck would temporarily fit, and after a try (or three) parking was obtained and we could relax for a bit.

We ambled into the noontime crowds surrounding that signature St Louis landmark signifying its role as the "Gateway To The West" (although we personally consider anything past the 100th meridian as "back East") and made our way under its parabolic curves and gleaming stainless steel exterior. Then down the stairsteps to the edge of the encroaching river for a bit of splashing in the dark-colored current, and back up to the plaza to note the long lines leading to the visitor center. So instead we were satisfied with the view from the base, and then back to the truck in a leisurely manner as Duncan and his dad swashbuckled with makeshift weapons formed from twigs fallen from the shade trees. This went well until a slash by the son was met by a overexaggerated parry by the dad and resulted in a very slightly lacerated cheek - and mom put a stop to the boys' fun in a _real_ hurry ("don't you scar my baby!")

We eased onto the old and stately Eads Bridge for our trip across that fully flooded Mississippi River and out of our Missouri, and skirted downtown East St. Louis as we wandered up to Chain of Rocks Road and the alignment of 66, occasionally halted by the long trains rumbling around this busy multimodal freight crossroads. Then on through Edwardsville and into the cornfields of rural Illinois, where we welcomed the sight of open roads under blue skies.

US highway 66 followed several different alignments through the years of its existence, and the state of Illinois has attempted to do a diligent job of signing each alignment option. However, sometimes this led to snap decisions to take one road or the other, which at the moment seemed like a brilliant idea but a mile or two later incurred a bit of reconsideration. After one of these impromptu turns, we realized that although we were still on 66, we were heading away from some interesting towns. But even wrong turns can have right results, for just as we were thinking that we'd made a bad choice, we spotted the yellow-hued happiness of a giant ice cream cone-shaped Twistee Treat stand on the outskirts of Livingston. Not only that, but the Twistee Treat was accompanied by a bright pink elephant, a super-size fiberglass dude, an alien spacecraft, and other amusingly amazing artifacts. We sat down for a few to enjoy a nice cold snack on a hot Midwest day, and then a quick peek into the adjacent antique mall (in the old school gym) unveiled many interesting items. But we had miles to cover, and so back in the truck and over to the other alignment of 66 for an appointment with some old fuzzy friends.

As long-time Road Trip readers remember, our last visit to Rich Henry's Rabbit Ranch in Staunton was a near-disaster turned into a exceptionally good experience thanks to Mr. Henry's hospitality. Today's trip to the Ranch was a very good one, as our little one got to meet Rich's new member of his happily hopping staff - Big Red, a king-size bunny with a remarkably friendly disposition. We petted Red and a couple other soft-furred and long-eared Ranch residents, chatted with Rich about recent road-related experiences, and then one last ear-skritch and back into the truck to continue toward our destinations.

More driving brought us through the interesting small towns along one of IL's segments of 66, and although our political tendencies are definitely not in accordance with the ones she espoused, it's still nice that Mount Olive has a memorial to Mother Jones. Then northward thru Litchfield and Farmersville, a missed turn and a bit of maneuvering in Glenarm, across a big blue lake, and on into the state capital of Springfield for a date with batter-dipped and wooden-sticked destiny.

The happy wiener couple on the sign out front have been looking down on 66 for decades, and as we parked in front of the Cozy Drive-In we knew that we'd have a good diggety dog meal within. We were not disappointed, as the food and the decor (including several touching tributes to the sorely missed Bob Waldmire, a relative of the proprietors) combined for a uniquely excellent road trip experience. Then up to the north side of the city to indulge one of our son's desires - you see, ever since seeing the movie "Night At The Museum 2", Duncan has been slightly obsessed with Abe Lincoln, and especially with anything involving ol' Abe and big stone structures (in fact, when we visited DC in January, Dunc kept looking for a giant stone Mr. Lincoln to be strolling the streets, just like in the film). And so we paid our respects at the tomb of our 16th President, respectfully pausing in our journey to reflect on his deeds and his legacy.

Unfortunately, our way out of Springfield did not go as well as the trip in. Some deceptively-worded detour signs had us following the road to the far north edge of the area - only to find out that we'd have to go ON A TEN-#$%&*@-MILE DETOUR ON I-55 OUT OF OUR WAY just to make it a measly mile farther north - made especially more galling my the alarmingly fast descent of the sun in the western sky. We barreled by Broadwell, and the happy visage of the smiling water tower of Atlanta brought a grin to our faces - which became even broader when we saw the hot-dog-enhanced Mr. Bunyon statue in the center of town as the final daylight disappeared. Then a fillup at the local gas station as the Amtrak train tooted by, and an assessment of our lodging options brought us out to the freeway and a rather good room from the very friendly folks at the American Motor Inn. But the night wasn't over yet - as a desert dweller, Duncan is unfamiliar with many forms of wildlife found in moister climes. But when he saw his first fireflies, he just had to stay up late with the net and the "bug bin" chasing the little glowing flyers around the nearby fields until he was happily worn out and had collected a few new friends to keep him company overnight.


Day 6 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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Goofy cave guide
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Some old one-armed bandits - and a two-armed Metal Typer machine!
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Good Luck!
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You can go thisaway, or thataway
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Don't tip the truck!
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The Mississippi is feeling a little big for its banks these days
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Parabolas appear above the treeline
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Gateway to the Midwest
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Arching over the St. Louis waterfront
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Big arch, little guy
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Big smile in front of the big arch
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Gotta keep it stable...
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Down by the water
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Ankle deep in the Big Muddy
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Downtown St. Louis
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The very experienced Eads Bridge
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Twistee Treat on Route 66
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Seeing life through rose-colored elephants
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Big big wheel
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Little boy & teenier bug enjoy ice cream
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Riding the really big rabbit
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Backwards bunny
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Rich Henry, proprietor of the Rabbit Ranch
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Meeting the fuzzy ones
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Big Red looks friendly
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No matter what they tell you!
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Big Red working the crowds
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Red and his best buddy
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Oncoming traffic on old 66
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The corner of 66 and 66 (turn right at 66, or 66?)
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Happy dogs atop the Cozy sign
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The Cozy Drive-In, Springfield, Illinois
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Happy to be at the Cozy
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Stick-borne food is served
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Hot-doggety yumminess
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The tomb of the well-known President
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Happy to be visiting Lincoln
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Showing his respects
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Rub Abe's nose for luck
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Amtrak rolls through Illinois
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The shiny happy yellow water tower of Atlanta
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The big buns of Bunyon
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Making a little rock solar system at the motel





Day 7 - Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
Atlanta, IL to Chicago, IL
183 miles

It's 150 miles to Chicago. We have a full tank of gas. It's bright outside, & we're wearing sunglasses.

Hit it.

We waved again to the buns of the Bunyon and began our final outbound day of touring historic US 66 across the prairies of Illinois. We peered through the trees of Funks Grove and moseyed around McLean, but bypassed Bloomington & Normal, as we'd had an opportunity to thoroughly investigate those cities on a previous visit. Then on into the curves and swerves of Pontiac as the Amtrak trains sped in the opposite direction, and a stop at the local oil company for a quick break & a top-off of engine coolant. Then on into Odell to get a glimpse of the nicely restored Standard Oil station, and continued our cruise physically adjacent to yet mentally far away from the busy traffic of I-55.

Out Gardner way our back-seat occupant started to get a bit ornery from being cooped up for so long, and we briefly considered incarcerating him in the historic 2-cell jail. But we thought up a slightly better way to adjust everyone's attitude, and so we parked under the teal & white canopy of the Polk-A-Dot Drive-In in Braidwood for some lunchtime levity. We mingled with the locals from the nuke plant & other neighborhoods, along with tourists from far-flung lands, and munched our burgers & sipped our shakes on the outside patio as the kids cavorted, our experience marred only slightly by the rather high-decibel traffic on the nearby streets (mufflers must be optional around here...)

Filled up and ready, we took a few more wacky photos of ourselves in the Polk-A-Dot's funhouse mirror (we didn't eat that much, did we?) and then continued toward Chicago, saluting the Gemini Giant in Wilmington (also a good place for food) and the historic buildings of Joliet as we maneuvered up the scenic streets. We noticed that the semi-urban development was starting to envelop the open areas near the picket planks of White Fence Farm, and then onto I-55 for a short while to introduce ourselves to the bustle of the Windy City. Exited onto old 66 again when we could, and veered around the quarry-induced detour and on by the locomotive manufactuing plant as the block numbers got smaller and the traffic got a bit heavier. A diagonal turn onto Jackson Boulevard to count down the final minutes of our 66 experience, then under the looming bulk of Sears, er, Willis Tower and the El lines, on by the neon facade of Lou Mitchell's, spy the brown & white "END" sign at the corner of Jackson & Michigan... and our many days of journeying along historic Route 66 are complete.

OK, now to the hotel. About a mile more. No problem, right?

Easier said than driven.

OK, hotel location is plugged into the GPS. Go. Turn left, up a block, avoid the Taste of Chicago hordes, then rightrightrightnow, go 2 blocks, uh oh, looks like that building in our way isn't going anywhere any time soon, OK left, now whatdoyoumeanaUturnonthatrampbehindus, wait for recalculation, now left, right again no here not there, now across the bridge, up 2 blocks and then right, and then 3 blocks...

And there was the hotel, only a few yards away horizontally - but with the entrance about 25 feet below us on a completely different level.

Oookay. GPS off, we're on manual. U turn in the roundabout, then right, and right, and a... darn, missed it again. Full power, circle around, try again. Turn... oops, back there. Now turn again, and a hard left, and another - and we finally pulled into the narrow driveway of our home away from home for the next several days.

Loadout time. Explain situation to understanding valets, wriggle the truck back & forth a bit to try to get it out of the way, set brake. Grab folding cart from tailgate. Load up cart & all available people. Proceed to checkin - whaddaymean 3 levels up? Get room. Get dirty looks from others waiting for rooms. Locate elevators. Go up up up. Down vertiginous walkway. Stick keycard in. Try over & over until green light. Get distracted & miss the lock opening time. Try again. Enter room. Unload.

Repeat.

OK, are we finished driving yet? Nope. Turns out that the daily on-premises parking charge is equal to 0.72 Skyliners, or 0.86 Wigwams, or 1.45 Palominos - if the truck would even fit underground, that is. So we instead inched up the diagonal dealmaking of Milwaukee Avenue, while being passed by hundreds of bicyclists sharing the streets (hey guys, that light was red - hate to see your fixie get bent by other traffic) and dealing with the peculiar sociopathy of certain Chicago motorists who insist on passing in locations where their car (and ours) won't fit.

Our battling through the traffic jams eventually brought us to a suburban stripmall containing the showroom of American Science & Surplus, an emporium of strange and fascinating items - nearly all at bargain prices. Although we could have easily filled up the Truckasaurus with all the fasciwackynating devices, we managed to constrain ourselves to select only a chosen few edifying and electrifying objects to improve our minds and lives.

By this time the munchies from the Polk-A-Dot were but a dim memory, so we continued a short distance on Milwaukee Avenue until we beheld the frankly frankfurterous wonder of the neon-bedecked Superdawg hot dog stand. The smiling carhop delivered a trayful of excellent eats, and we chewed contentedly while watching the aircraft climbing away from a very busy O'Hare Airport.

As noted, we were only a few short miles from the vast expanses of relatively inexpensive parking surrounding O'Hare. However, our prepaid reservation was for a lot adjacent to a completely different airfield: the mile-square of Midway - on the south side of town. So, we had the chance to see many more variegated neighborhoods as we cruised down Cicero, and eventually nosed the vehicle into its resting place for the next several days.

The shuttle van gave us a extremely detailed tour of Midway's terminals and facilities, and dropped us at the elevated train station for our trip back to the hotel. We jumped on the Orange Line train as Duncan pressed his nose to the window to watch the lights of the Loop get closer and closer, and then a trudge down quiet streets amid scattered weeknight revelers to rest up in our suite for a long week of meetings and sightseeing.


Day 7 pix!
(click on 'em to open a larger version)

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A happy morning at the inn in Illinois
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The great bug hunter bags another prize
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The restored Standard Oil Station in Odell
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The ruins of the Riviera
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The proud sign of the Polk-A-Dot
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The Polk-A-Dot Drive-In on Route 66 in Braidwood
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More satisfied Polk-A-Dot customers
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They're on a mission from God
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Playing at the Polk-A-Dot
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Happy Polk-A-Dot folks
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Dispensing regular and extra bubbly
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The jukebox is spinning the hits
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Even has an AASHTO-standard shield inlaid in the floor tile!
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The Mirror Of Fun at the Polk-A-Dot
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He's feeling a bit big-headed these days
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Your bangs look great!
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The family that stretches together...
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Gemini Giant guards 66 in Wilmington
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Ogden Avenue brings 66 into the big city
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The final mile of eastbound 66
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The Sears, er, Willis Tower - 108 floors up
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Cactus man wants to see the very end of 66
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OK - it's done!
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Barely fitting in the short-term parking
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Living large just north of the Loop
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This room can be yours if the price is right!
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Rush-hour bike traffic on Milwaukee Avenue
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American Science & Surplus - an emporium of odd items
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Shopping for wild & wacky stuff
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The Robot Uprising begins!
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Superdawgs!
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Silhouetted Superdawgs
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Drive up and chow down under the neon
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Flaurie & Maurie glow contentedly
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Superdawg in the twilight
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Little pup at Superdawg
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Riding the El back to the hotel
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Moonrise over Lake Michigan






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Latest Historical Revisionism 06 July 2010

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rcmoeur@aol.com

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