Route 66 Begins

This is the beginning of Route 66, a sign high on the post full of graffiti in front of the Panda Express. We begin our journey through the city on Adams street as we wind our way through the urban landscape peppered with stop signs, traffic lights, and construction zones. Above us the city churns to life as the people make their way to their jobs on the overhead trains called the "L", (short for elevated)., the city is in full operation as we motor our way out of town. We stick to the old route 66 as much as we can, until we need to rejoin route 90 to complete our exit.
The city traffic hangs with us as we reach Joliet then begins to trail off.

We make a quick stop at the Joliet Route 66 welcome center, drive past Chicagoland Speedway and continue on the old Route 66.
As we roll out of Joliet the landscape, the road and the feel of the trip begins to change. We are now on the old road, the land is flat, and the we are running parallel to the interstate, as we approach the towns the Historic 66 signs direct us through them, and each one has something unique to offer. We pass "Noel Rd." in Joliet, we see the "Gemini Giant in Wilmington, a 1906 2 Cell jail in Gardner. We approach an intersection in Dwight and come upon the Restored "Amblers Texaco" where we met a great local man about 73 yrs. old who told some great stories. In Pontiac Ill. we admired the many Murals that are painted the old buildings in town, went to the Pontiac - Oakland automobile museum (full of Pontiacs of course) and lunched at the corner diner called Dulongs and sat in the mini cars out front.

This portion of the trip brought back many memories for me. For a moment I can imagine I am back riding in the family car and pulling into the Service Station, hearing the gravel crunch under the tires, listening to the bell ring that alerts the attendant when you drive over the rubber hose. Hearing my Dad say "Fill it up" and counting the gallons as the bell on the pump clicks for each one. Running into the office and dropping my nickel into the big red coke machine and then lifting the top and choosing your bottle. Opening the bottle on the front of the machine and hearing the cap fall into the cap holder. All this as the attendant opens the hood and checks the oil, washes the windshield and checks your tires! That my dear friends is the lost art of customer service, I didn't get that service when I filled the tank myself a short time later, and washed my own windows, but the day brought me those memories.
Our last stop of the day on old 66 was Lexington where we walked down "Memory Lane" walking on the old original roads concrete sections with grass growing up through the cracks on the now "Dead End" section. We then hopped on Route 55 to make up some time and reached or stop for the day, Cuba Mo. and the Wagon Wheel Motel around 8pm, and had dinner at the Missouri Hicks BBQ. Noel drove the last hour, taking her first stint behind the wheel.