After leaving Bay City, we officially started our road trip around the USA! Our first stop was Chicago, IL to spend the night with my sister (Thank you sissy!!). After that, we took Route 66 down to Springfield, IL. We made plenty of stops along the way and took our time – it was very relaxing and nice to be able to stop whenever we wanted. I had a guidebook that listed each city in order, with sites (from the historic to the cheesy) along the way. Following the routemarkers along the road, we made our way on the backroads, through cornfields and neighborhoods and along a railroad track. We only got lost once, when there was construction that closed part of the road, and even then we managed to find our way within a few minutes. We had a great time, and yes, we did get our ‘kicks’ on Route 66! Here are a few of the stops along the way that we made:

Dinner at the Boiler Room in Chicago, with my sister and friends

Chicago: we spent the night with Rhonda, and had a great time visiting with her and her friends. We ate dinner at the Boiler Room, sharing 3 large pizzas, before heading back to her apartment to watch Murphy and Kelly practice their first dance for their wedding in a couple of weeks. The next morning, we ate at Lou Mitchell’s, at the start of Route 66. We received free donut holes while we were waiting for a table and a box of Milk Duds as we sat down.

Joliet: our first official stop was at a park with informational signs, next door to an ice cream shop with the Blues Brothers on top as decoration. We then toured the Route 66 Museum and Welcome Center, which had a surprisingly large exhibit on space (random?!).

Wilmington: the next stop was next to an abandoned diner, to view the Gemini Giant – a n old “Muffler Man” with a space helmet and rocket ship.

Oh no, Jon got arrested!

Gardner: uh oh, this is where Jon got arrested!! Just kidding – he only visited the jail! There was an old 2-cell jail built in 1906, which was the size of a modern-day bedroom split between the 2 cells and a very small waiting area.

Dwight: a historic gas station was along our route, the Ambler/Becker Texaco Station. It was the longest-running gas station along Route 66, from 1933 to 1966. Inside, we saw an old Ford Model T fire truck from 1914. We tried to get gas with the Malibu, but unfortunately they aren’t in business anymore!

The Malibu at the Ambler/Becker Texaco Station on Route 66

Pontiac: after a couple of Route 66 drinks – a root beer for me and orange soda for Jon – we walked around the courthouse, near where Lincoln used to practice law and also campaign when running for office. We toured their Route 66 Museum, where we received a free give – a print of some old vehicles along the road. Connected was the War Museum, which housed a large display of uniforms from WWI, WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Bloomington/Normal: around 5pm, we decided to stop for the night. We stayed at a hotel and had Subway for dinner, then did some work – rearranging a few things in our bags, researching our next few days, transferring money, and charging electronics.

A statue of Paul Bunyan holding a hot dog

Atlanta: time again for another large statue! This one of Paul Bunyan holding a hot dog… why? He used to be holding a hatchet and it was replaced for a hot dog when he was moved in front of a restaurant (that served… wait for it… hot dogs!). Also in Atlanta, there was a vintage arcade museum, where Jon played “Monster Gun” and a couple others.

Lincoln: we walked around the courthouse and then visited the site where Lincoln christened the town, with the juice of a watermelon! On our way out of town, we stopped to visit the world’s largest covered wagon, complete with Lincoln sitting in the driver’s seat reading a law book.

Corn dogs and fries at the Cozy Dog Drive-In

Springfield: we had to stop for corn dogs, at the home of the corn dog, Cozy Dog Drive-In. It was invented in WWII, and then launched in 1946. They corn dogs were good, but the fries were even better! We also saw the third large statue of a man, outside a car repair shop (the only one that appears to still be in front of an actual business, rather than just a tourist attraction).

We then spent 2 nights in Springfield, so I will write a separate post all about Springfield! To summarize, we had a fabulous time driving a small portion of Route 66. If you like driving, local history, crazy outrageous statues and stops, then Route 66 might be a fun vacation for you!