We start the day at Lou Mitchell’s restaurant on Jackson St., the original alignment of Route 66. Lou’s opened in 1923, three years before Route 66 was commissioned. The breakfast is hearty and delicious. And the Route 66 atmosphere is just right.
It is starting to rain lightly as we drive out of town. Our first stop is the Route 66 Museum in Joliet. It is mostly gift shop, but I find a good guide book that is better than the old ones I have been reading. Next stop is Wilmington and a photo-op with the Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad Café.
We follow the old road as much as possible as we continue southwest toward our destination of Springfield. Here and there, we spot old buildings that were formerly functional along the route and are now abandoned. And we spot others that have been lovingly restored to their former glory. The Illinois Route 66 Association has done a great job of putting their brown and white “Historic Route 66” signs along the road to let you know that you are on-track. They even tell you when you are on the 1926-1930 alignment or the post-1930 alignment. Sometimes, both are available. Neat.
We arrive in Springfield at 6:00 pm to discover that our hotel has been invaded by 100 or so Irishmen who are riding rented motorcycles (mostly Harleys) down the Mother Road. They are friendly and talkative and I take some photos of the throng of machines parked in the front of the hotel. Tomorrow, we are off to St. Louis via an old stretch of The Road.
It is starting to rain lightly as we drive out of town. Our first stop is the Route 66 Museum in Joliet. It is mostly gift shop, but I find a good guide book that is better than the old ones I have been reading. Next stop is Wilmington and a photo-op with the Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad Café.
We follow the old road as much as possible as we continue southwest toward our destination of Springfield. Here and there, we spot old buildings that were formerly functional along the route and are now abandoned. And we spot others that have been lovingly restored to their former glory. The Illinois Route 66 Association has done a great job of putting their brown and white “Historic Route 66” signs along the road to let you know that you are on-track. They even tell you when you are on the 1926-1930 alignment or the post-1930 alignment. Sometimes, both are available. Neat.
We arrive in Springfield at 6:00 pm to discover that our hotel has been invaded by 100 or so Irishmen who are riding rented motorcycles (mostly Harleys) down the Mother Road. They are friendly and talkative and I take some photos of the throng of machines parked in the front of the hotel. Tomorrow, we are off to St. Louis via an old stretch of The Road.
1 comment:
Wow, I love the tiny 'begin' sign amidst the city.
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