The second half of our trip is all about Route 66. We are trying to drive along as much of it as possible given our time constraints and the vehicle we are driving. Driving along Historic 66 is a challenge. Much of the road is gone, there were many versions of the road over the years, and what is there varies from dirt to old two lane concrete to highways to freeways. There are some good guides. We used Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers. It makes the trip much easier but isn't perfect by any means.
We are also recording as much as we can using our GoPro camera on time lapse mode. Greg will be putting it together into a movie at the end of the trip.
The good news is that much of Historic 66 is on two-lane frontage roads or byways which are much easier for the FMC to handle than freeway speeds. As we headed across Illinois, the temperature started to rise along with the humidity and we Californians started to feel it!
That's okay, we stopped as often as we could for ice cream and milk shakes. That said, if I were going to open a Route 66 business, it would be an ice cream shop! They aren't as common as they should be.
Signs like this help us stay on track when shuffling through the guidebook gets cumbersome.
Gemini Giant, one of many GIANT ALERTS on the route.
One of many restored old gas stations along the way. Many, like this one, house a gift shop these days.
This statue used to be Paul Bunyon . . . one of the giants of Route 66 . . . but he was moved and re-purposed to hold a hot dog. I have no explanation.
Another GIANT . . . Abe Lincoln reading a book on a wagon. Of course.
Look at this . . . a 1.5 mile section of BRICK roadway. WOW!
Liza got out and ran ahead to get this shot of the FMC on the brick section.
We made it to St Louis on our first day. We stayed at the Casino Queen RV Park in East Saint Louis - camping with a view of the Arch!
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Note: To read about the next day, click the "Newer Post" link below.
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Note: To read about the next day, click the "Newer Post" link below.
I am still fixated on Paul with the BIG DOG!?!?!?!? Great pictures especially of the coach on the brick road - beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThose are old Muffler Man statues, repurposed. See: www.roadsideamerica.com for more bizarreness along American highways. I also really like following the Lincoln Highway, which is US 30 across Iowa and Nebraska. US 50 in Nevada (where you were, I think) is also part of it.
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