Time to complete the Bucket List

As the chorus of the 1988 Prefab Sprout song King of Rock n Roll said “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque”, I was wondering as we drove into Albuquerque whether the chorus had any relevance or was just poetic licence. Time would tell.

It was Memorial weekend when we arrived in Albuquerque and the receptionist at the historic El Vado Motel told us that most restaurants and shops would be closed including those that were part of the motel. This seemed rather strange by current day standards as businesses normally take advantage of the extra available consumers to make money on public holidays. Not in Albuquerque where we only found one pizza restaurant open that day. The El Vado Motel is situated on the historic Route 66, opened in 1937 and was one of New Mexico’s first motels to greet Route 66 travellers. Although updated, the buildings still have that retro feel.

The next day dawned and, as Albuquerque is not a walking city like Santa Fe, after some research we decided to take their equivalent of the Big Bus tour. This tour goes around the three principle areas of the city being the old town, downtown and Nob Hill.

The old town is the principle area where tourists congregate as it is a mixture of shops and restaurants with a few strategically placed local First Nations people selling their knick knacks. It has a plaza at its centre and is a nice area particularly when the sun is shining as it does for 300 plus days a year in Albuquerque. Being in the desert, Albuquerque cools down over night and can be chilly in the morning, but at this time of year gets up to 31 degrees Centigrade by the time the sun starts setting in the evening. Our tour bus guide pointed out the new developments around the old town, many of which were still feeling the effects of the Covid lockdown, and the museums that were in the area. We decided to visit one of the museums later that day being the Rattlesnake Museum and would have looked in at America’s only nuclear museum if it hadn’t been 12 miles out of town. One of New Mexico’s claims to fame is that the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project to produce the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in WW2, Little Boy and Fat Man, did so in the state at Los Alamos and Albuquerque.

The Rattlesnake Museum was very interesting and opened our eyes to how many different types of rattlesnakes there are and just how poisonous some of them can be.

Between the old town and downtown was an area called ‘country club’ (see photos below) where there were some very nice houses. This area if often used by film companies for big budget productions and many film stars have lived in, or stayed, during filming in the area. One of the claims to fame was the Breaking Bad series which was filmed in the area and around locations in Albuquerque.

The downtown area was less interesting and seemed to be only populated by homeless people, as very few people were walking on the streets. One interesting thing about downtown Albuquerque is that it has the only crossroads where Route 66 crosses itself.

How could this be you ask? It seems to stem from a political controversy in the 1920s between politicians in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. There was an attempt in 1927 to move Route 66 out of Santa Fe which had to do with the gubernatorial election held in 1927. Then Governor Arthur T Hannett lost his bid for re-election and he directly blamed the Republican politicians in Santa Fe for his defeat. In one of his last acts in office, before the new governor would be sworn in on January 1st, Hannett ordered construction to begin immediately on a bypass taking Route 66 to Albuquerque by bypassing Santa Fe altogether. That bypass cut circa 100 miles off the original route via Santa Fe and cut all the business that Santa Fe gained from the Route 66 traffic. So the crossroads in Albuquerque are where the old route via Santa Fe and new route now meet in Albuquerque.

Nob Hill was more interesting and, we understand the area is named after its namesake in San Francisco. We were shown some very strange houses built by architect, Bart Prince. Make up your own mind as to whether you would like one next door to you.

We also visited the Aquarium and Botanical Gardens which were opposite the El Vado Motel and both were interesting although not really Route 66 related.

Next we go to Monument Valley at the heart of the Navajo Nation which is a 6 hour journey and a divergence from Route 66.

Copyright: Words and photos John Cruse 2022

Whereas the Inn of the Five Graces was a fabulous place to stay, Santa Fe was a bit too touristy for our liking and was full of arty shops selling over priced knick knacks. Santa Fe is not too big so most attractions are within walking distance except for some of the museums which are on the outskirts some 1.5 to 2 miles away.

We boarded the open-sided bus that is Santa Fe’s version of the Big Bus Company taking tourists around cities all over the World. The guide was very entertaining and the tour was worthwhile, but what he did say about his city was that much of the good looking adobe brick buildings were fake. Rather than being built in the traditional style, they had just been rendered to look authentic.That said, they did look nice, and close to our hotel was the oldest house in Santa Fe that was built in the mid 1600s and is now a small museum.

The oldest house is next to the oldest church structure in the USA, built in 1610 by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico under the direction of Franciscian pardres.

One thing worth seeing outside of town, in the museum area, is the sculpture called ‘Journey’s End’ by Reynaldo ‘Sonny’ Rivera portraying the lead wagon of a trail caravan as it makes its final approach into Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe Trail was an historic 19th century transportation route across southwestern North America connecting Missouri with New Mexico. First used in 1821 by William Becknell, it served a a vital commercial and military highway until the arrival of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880. Initially it was an international trade route between the United States and Mexico and served as the 1846 US invasion route of New Mexico during the Mexican-American war. The old Santa Fe trail is the city street that roughly follows the wagon path.

The next morning we left Santa Fe for the short drive (only 63 miles) to Albuquerque and on the advice of the hotel concierge, took the pretty route which went via small towns off the interstate. As it is currently Memorial weekend in the USA, many Americans were enjoying the extra day off so the scenic route was full of Harley Davidson’s, Dodge Vipers and more ordinary holiday traffic. When we got to the small but nice town of Madrid, about half way to Albuquerque, many of the travellers had parked up and were enjoying the food and drink on offer.

Madrid had some ‘antique’ shops just like Santa Fe, selling all those things you never knew you wanted but a bit less polished and it even has its own cannabis shop, as it’s legal in New Mexico.

After enjoying the delights of Madrid, we drove on to the El Vado Motel in Albuquerque which is situated on the old US66 historic road close to the old town. Tomorrow we see what delights Albuerque has to offer.

Copyright: Words and photos John Cruse 2022

Ooh, I think we have arrived in Heaven. Today’s 300 mile journey has led us to Santa Fe and The Inn of the Five Graces. The majority of this rather small town (compared to the sprawling metropolises we have so far seen in the US) comprises largely red-coloured adobe buildings.

The Five Graces is no exception, but its point of difference must surely be the exquisite interiors – the work of owners Ira and Sylvia Seret, whose paths crossed when both were in Afghanistan in the 1970s when times there were less troubled. In common for both of them was their creativity and interests in, amongst other things, weaving, embroidery, beadwork and clothing. Today the couple runs two businesses: The Inn of the Five Graces hotel, and Seret and Sons – which they say is ‘an emporium of museum quality textiles, rugs, furnishings and architectural elements’.

Some photos of our room (or should I say suite) interior follows, which remind us of a chance visit to a building in Colombia a few years ago, called the Casa Terracota built by architect Octavio Mendoza and worth checking out online if you have a chance.

But our trip today was not just about our surprising hotel on arrival. John had highlighted several Route 66 points along the way from Amarillo to Santa Fe. First up was the Amarillo border line shown by a large sign stating ‘You are arriving (or leaving) Amarillo, depending on which side of the fence (actually, the sign) one is standing.

Then on to Cadillac Ranch, west of Amarillo, which proved much fun for children and adults alike who could purchase a spray can and add their artistic prowess to the tilting Cadillacs. The ‘artwork’ comprises 10 Cadillacs half-buried nose-down in a field. The cars dated from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville.

Then it was on to some deserted buildings and towns, all as a result of interstate roads replacing the old Highway 66. This included the 1947 Vega Motel which had burgeoning trade until 1976; and yet another ghost area, being the town of Glenrio.

Today saw the halfway point of our journey, both in duration and distance. What better way to celebrate than visiting the ‘Midway Point’ at the town of Adrian. This was very popular with Route 66 travellers when we arrived and we got to meet a French couple travelling the same route as us on a motorbike. That is not easy considering the amount of driving rain we have had, and now the blistering heat and strong winds.

Also up for the journey, travelling the opposite way to us from Santa Monica to Chicago, were two women, one of 90 years young and the other 82. The latter said this was the time she wished she was 20 years old and on the back of a motorbike with a handsome chap in front. I reminded her that it was never too late!

Then onward, onward, we travelled (a further 230 miles) until we reached Santa Fe. Tomorrow we get ready to discover what this area has to reveal.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Is this the way to Amarillo? Well, you would never know if you didn’t have a SatNav – it has proved to be an absolute essential for this trip. Today we left the state of Oklahoma and headed for Texas.

John fixed up several eye-catching destinations along our route. First up was Lucille Hamons’ Route 66 filling station at Hydro. It was built in 1929 and extended in 1934 to include overnight tourist accommodation. In 1941 it was taken over by Lucille Hamons, who for the next 59 years served fuel to passing motorists. The site is now an historic monument.

Then we travelled on to our first ghost town, Texola, and yes it was rather ghostly. The town is sited on Route 66 and dates back to the early 1900s, originally being named Texokla or Texoma. By 1909 the town had successful corn and grist mills and several businesses. The population grew up to the 1930s, but gradually dwindled when the town was bypassed by the speedier Interstate highway I-40. Business declined and the population reduced from a peak of 581 in 1930 to 31 in 2010. Today it is listed in the National register of Historic Places.

We then headed to Shamrock to see its water tower. Many of the businesses had an Irish theme, but the personnel in the cafe we visited had no idea why. A bit of research enlightened us to the fact that ‘Shamrock’ was suggested for good luck and courage by Irish immigrant sheep rancher George Nickel in 1890 when he applied to open a post office in the area. The name was accepted, and good fortune followed when in 1902 the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway came to town and with it an influx of people and prosperity. This led to a need for a reliable source of water.

Until this time residents got their water from two wells or hauled it to town in barrels on wagons. In 1911 residents of the growing town realised that a more permanent water source was needed and agreed to a water tower and reservoir to be installed, achieved by 1915. Today it remains one of the tallest water towers in Texas.

We moved onwards and now John, getting an obsession for water towers, took us on to view another, in Groom. This was a tilting water tower and was not the result of some later subsidence, but a deliberate attempt to attract sightseers to the area. It obviously worked… hence our visit.

Our destination, some 300 miles from Oklahoma City, was Amarillo, and a rather plain town it appears to be especially considering the attraction of the Neil Sedaka lyrics about the town and his sweet Marie, famously sung by Tony Christie. Perhaps we too will see her, but unlike Sedaka and Christie we will not be staying long for tomorrow we head to Santa Fe in New Mexico.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Oklahoma City, it’s oh so pretty, as Bobby Troup’s 1946 Route 66 song lyrics told us. So the town had a lot to live up to for our arrival at this leg of the journey.

Well, according to our discussions with local folk, Oklahoma City was far from pretty at the time of the song and for many decades later, prior to much investment and redevelopment. But what we have found from our stay at the 21C Museum Hotel in the Arts District is that many of the personnel are ‘oh so pretty’ and delightful. This establishment clearly goes out of its way to employ a diverse range of people: well presented wine waiters with trouser hems finishing 6 inches above bare ankles, waiters with short hair one side and long curly hair the other, nose bones, lip jewellery, extra long false nails, see-through tops for the men and Dr Martens boots for the women. The creativity has been a joy to view, as has our hotel.

The hotel building was once the most successful assembly plant for the Model T Ford car from 1916, designed by industrial architect Albert Kahn. By 1924 the Oklahoma City site was producing 200 automobiles a day, and employing several hundred workers. The Great Depression that followed from the 1930s hit the automobile industry hard and the decision was made to change production to small car components. This continued under the Ford Motor Company until 1967 when employee Fred Jones took over the building, running it as a wholesale parts distributor for Ford. By 2013 the Fred Jones Manufacturing Company vacated the premises and it became abandoned.

But all has not been lost. The 21c (21st century) Museum Hotel chain took over the building, retaining much of its original design, including its huge metal windows, brutalist interiors, industrial lifts that once transported completed vehicles, concrete columns, exposed painted brick walls and concrete ceilings. These features have been successfully combined with luxurious, light, bright, boutique guest rooms. It is now on the US National Register of Historic Places.

To complement this, the hotel has continually changing modern art displays, most of which are designed to make viewers think and, on occasions, move out of their comfort zones, such as the taxidermied chicken wearing an angora rabbit fur, by artist Sarah Garzoni. But this all sits well with the ethos that lets the staff express their artistic nature too.

When not touring around the inside of the hotel, we took ourself off to explore some areas of this vast Oklahoma City, some 621 square miles. Many of the visitor locations were spaced wide apart and we chose to view the nearby Botanical Garden. The indoor plant area was closed for renovation but the gardens were nicely planted with ‘right plant, right place’ advice helpfully placed around the walkways. The flowing waters made this a restful place to be around.

So taken were we with the water that we moved on to the nearby manmade canal, for a boat ride. This had been dug to 4 feet deep purely as a visitor attraction and we found out it was just a small, but attractive, part of a multi-million dollar investment in the town to turn the city’s fortunes around. From 1993, residents agreed to invest in the city via a MAPS project (Metropolitan Area Projects) which comprised a ‘penny sales tax’ which would be used to fund transformational projects, all debt free. More than $3 billion was raised by 2018, and the scheme continues today.

During the 45-minute canal ride we passed some of the most impressive sculptures we have ever seen, and later went for a closer look. The sculptures represented the first Land Run and comprised 45 larger than life bronze sculptures by artist Paul Moore.

The notorious and chaotic Land Run of 22 April 1889, saw 50,000 people rushing across unassigned lands of Oklahoma territory to stake their claim, via small hand-held flags, for free land. At the sound of a cannon blast at noon the prospective settlers surged forward on horses and in wagons to make their claim. For some it was not a good result, people were crushed in the melee, horses toppled and wagons turned over. This was the first of several Land Runs in the area over the years. The excitement and chaos has been so well represented in Paul Moore’s huge display.

Tomorrow we head for to Amarillo, some 300 miles from Oklahoma City.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

We are now in Springfield, Missouri, and it has to be said – that’s 24 hours from Tulsa. We have never been to Tulsa, but we have been 24 hours from Tulse Hill (that’s in South London for our overseas readers). But we are not alone. According to British DJ Tony Blackburn who interviewed the singer of that memorable song, Gene Pitney had never been to Tulsa either!

Our journey today was 250 miles, taking some six hours. We took the main I-44 interstate highway for much of the journey, but thanks to SatNav we were able to head over to Route 66 to view the Big Rocker in Fanning. Many things along Route 66 are big, and this did not fail to impress.

The Big Rocker (rocking chair) was created by a guy named Danny Sanazaro to attract people to his archery and feed store. He had heard of a 34-foot-tall rocker in Franklin, Indiana, called Big John and he thought it would be a fun idea to beat this.

A friend, John Bland, designed the chair and the owner of a local welding company, Joe Medwick, created it. The end result was a 27,500 pound rocker, 42 feet high and painted red. It was erected on April Fool’s Day 2008. Some say it cost $78,000 to produce.

Once a year Sanazaro would hire a hoist to lift visitors to sit on the chair’s 20-foot wide seat. To be granted a Guinness World Record the rocking chair had to rock, but it soon became clear that this rocking could have disastrous results and hence it was welded in place so it did not tip over with visitors’ exuberance.

By 2015, a 56-foot rocker was established in Illinois, and since then the Fanning rocker has fallen into second place.

Sanazaro subsequently sold the site, and today (now painted black) it sits alongside a pleasant snacks and souvenirs store with most welcoming staff, some attractive artistry, the largest selection of popcorn flavours we have ever seen, and rather tasty fudge.

So tomorrow it is on to Oklahoma City via Tulsa, more than 300 miles. We are hoping the torrential rain which made driving so difficult in the latter part of our journey today may have lifted.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

After our day visiting the Amish we left Springfield to drive the comparatively short 100 miles to St Louis, Missouri. On the way we intended to visit the famous Chain of Rocks Bridge which is just down the river (approx 12 miles) from St Louis and was part of the original Route 66.

The Chain of Rocks Bridge is no longer open to traffic but is a cycling and walking route across the Mississippi river. The state border between Illinois and Missouri runs down the centre of the river so the bridge spans both states. We set the SatNav as best we could as the bridge did not come up as a point of interest but when we arrived we crossed the river on the new bridge and could see the old bridge but could not find how to access it at either end. After driving up and down the riverside road a couple of times on the Missouri side we pulled into a gas station (as they call it in America) and asked some locals how we could access the bridge. Although helpful they seemed to have no idea, even though they worked in sight of the bridge, but one customer thought you could access it just before you crossed the new bridge. We drove off back towards the new bridge and found no such access so ended up again on the Illinois side of the bridge where we took a chance on taking the first right turn and again, by chance, found the way to Chouteau Island where the eastern end of the old bridge is. After all that effort it was disappointing to find that the bridge was closed (notwithstanding the sign below) which also seemed to surpise the local people who turned up to take a walk.

We drove the remaining 12 miles to our hotel in St Louis and thought we would check out the downtown area so went for a short walk to the Gateway Arch National Park (the smallest National Park in the USA and the only one in a city). This was a good move as we were able to book for the next day our tickets at the Arch visitor centre for a boat ride down the Mississippi river and a timed ticket to go up to the top of the Arch on what they call the “Tram”.

The next day dawned and we boarded the boat, the Tom Sawyer, for our 1 hour trip on the Mississippi river. The running commentary told us about the industrial history of the city and its waterside and how that had evolved over the years particularly since the railways came to St Louis in the mid 19th century due to the construction of the Eads Bridge which carries cars and trains, although now only local metro trains. The river is still heavily used to transport fuel, soya and corn in barges down to the Gulf of Mexico where it is transferred to bigger ships for export.

We then went up to the top of the Arch on the Tram. The Tram comprises 8 small pods that hold 4/5 people each and are specially designed to climb the Arch like a lift but have to deal with the curved shape of the Arch. It takes 4 minutes to get to the top and 3 minutes to get back down. The views from the top on a good day, that we were lucky enought to have, are worth the trip and it is estimated you can see for 30 miles.

After the top of the Arch we saw the 45 minute film put together by the National Park Services, which manages the Gateway Arch National Park, about the building of the Arch in the 1960s, which was designed by architect, Eero Saarinen. The film is worth seeing as it gives a concise view of the challenges of building a structure of its shape.

Next we leave for Springfield, Missouri and the next leg of Route 66.

Copyright: Words and pictures John Cruse 2022

I’m moving! Yes it’s official. When I have been asked over the years which countries in which we had travelled I would wish to live, I would always answer “the UK”.

That view changed when we travelled to Australia as the pandemic struck and our positive experiences led me to decide upon Oz. As of today I am widening that choice to… Arthur in Illinois, USA. I think life amongst the Amish could be a rather good choice. I am not saying I would request to become part of the Amish community, but to live within Arthur could be idillic.

We spent our fourth day 70 miles from Springfield, Illinois, at the spacious town of Arthur housing 5,000 Amish and 2,300 non-Amish. We had booked a trip with local guide, and previous head teacher, Danny – a youthful 75-year-old, non-Amish who had lived in Arthur all his life. Our journey was to take us by schools, into farmsteads, lunch at an Amish-run restaurant (and subsequent mint, I might add), and on to a horse-drawn buggy ride.

We found out that each Amish community is headed by bishops and deacons who make the rules, which could be different according to different communities. Amish life is not based on religion as such (although they are religious) but on a way of life.

Amish families are usually large, with up to 10 children. The father is the rule setter within the home (although I am sure mum plays a major part in that). The children can be educated in Amish schools, or ‘public’ schools where the rest of the community attends. Both get along without any animosity, as do the adults. Amish children are educated to eighth grade (13 years old) and at that stage either leave to work within the community or can opt to continue their education at a ‘public’ school and later go on to university if desired. Teenagers from around 16 years are also able to take time out to experience the wider world (called the Rumspringa) and then opt to be baptised into the Amish church or leave, although not necessarily the area. About 30% choose not to return to Amish life.

Some might choose to leave later in life, not as a direct disconnection with the traditions but for business reasons. One lady, for example, who went on to run a burgeoning restaurant and store found that the Amish traditions put too many restrictions on ways to trade and so, whilst continuing to live and work within the community, needed to withdraw from Amish life.

Our brilliant guide, Danny, showed us one of the local schools which, rather than having car parks instead of playing fields as in the UK these days, housed sheds to stable the children’s ponies during school hours.

The Amish mode of transport is the horse, and we were delighted during our visit to take a ride in a horse-drawn buggy. In this area they do not have cycle lanes but buggy lanes (honestly)!

We also called in at a family’s homestead – a house with extensive sheds housing ponies, hand-raised deer (to ensure they become domesticated – they are pets not lunch), ducks with their numerous hatching broods, endless cats and tiny kittens, dogs, and large numbers of goats. To top it all, Verne the owner had 7 daughters and 2 sons aged 21 to 6. One child every two years is quite common in these parts.

Lunch was at Yoder’s Kitchen, a success story for a young lady who started working as a waitress at the restaurant after her eighth grade education, and later went on to become the owner of what now is an extensive restaurant, catering and gift shop business.

A lot of eighth graders start out in a similar way. When visiting Verne’s homestead we met her 14 year-old daughter who was just experiencing working life in a furniture-making company, doing the sanding. Youngsters often start at just 3 days a week and take on extra responsibilities and days as they progress. Sanding, she told us, was not her ideal job. But it would lead her on to more advanced things in time and likely give her a job for life as she progresses. Furniture making is big business amongst the Amish.

Many Amish are practical people and some have gone on to produce very successful businesses. One company started to produce up-and-over garage door systems and eventually sold this for millions of dollars. Some others are involved in farming their lands which can stretch as far as the eye can see. The Amish do not have electricity but rely on propane gas and solar power. This limits some aspects of what they can do, so they hire the ‘English’ (a term for anybody, regardless of place of birth, who are not Amish) to come in with their sophisticated gps-system combine-harvesters to carry out some of the work.

As part of the visit I had asked if it was possible to visit a fabric shop. I understood there were fabric shops in the location and I was curious as to what would be stocked for this conservatively-dressed community. Arrangements were made for me to do this.

The Amish make their own clothes. The colours are mainly subdued, but all outfits are conservative. There was very little patterned fabric, apart from a few children’s nightwear materials. The full range of fabric was, unusually, of just one fibre – polyester. I was told this prevented the need to iron the intended garments. Well, with all those children it is no wonder they wanted to make life a little easier. I was also told that buttons and clasps were only allowed on men’s garments. Women’s garments had pins to fix where buttons would be used. It seems this was the tradition rather than any practical reason.

It was refreshing to see young children so respectful, with girls in their little bonnets and long dresses, and boys with bobbed haircuts and braces holding up their trousers. We were allowed to take photographs, as long as they did not include faces, which we respected. We noted how many men had beards, and were told that once married men grew beards, but not moustaches which were considered somewhat aggressive. Ladies too wore black or white bonnets and long dresses.

Our trip was completed with an unscheduled trip back to our guide’s home – a beautiful house with extensive land for stabling and exercising his five horses and huge trailer. The trailer was used for holiday trips with his wife and housed a shower, kitchen, queen-sized bed and three horses!

Life in Arthur, Illinois, is different to what we know in the UK and, it seems, very safe. Nobody has need to lock their cars. A trip in a buggy (the Amish’s only means of transport apart from bicycles) shows life at a much slower and more comfortable pace. Those who are not Amish, the ‘English’, can enjoy their technologies, computers and streaming services. Both Amish and non-Amish live together in harmony, from cradle to grave. From our visit I think they might have just found the answer for a near perfect life.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

An early start this morning as we had to pick up the car by 9am at O’Hare airport which was a good one hour in the traffic. It is worth mentioning that the conventional taxi is not easy to get in downtown Chicago these days, as many just don’t want to get stuck in airport traffic, and therfore Uber or Lyft are the best options. The valet parking man at the front of our hotel very kindly got us a Lyft cab on his account for which I paid him cash.

Another post Covid change that has occurred with hire cars in the United States is that the rental companies will now not rent you a Satnav so either you take your own or use Google maps. Luckily we found this out before going so took our own Garmin loaded with the North American maps.

Even with the Satnav we eventually found our way out of the airport and onto Interstate 55 South that goes towards St Louis with Springfield being the first major city on the way. It was roughly 200 miles to Springfield. Our guide book told us that we could go off the Interstate and drive on parts of the old Route 66 going through towns like Joliet and Wilmington, which we did, but this only proved to be partially successful as we hit a diversion and due to lack of road signs could not find the old road so reverted to the Satnav and found the I55 again.

For those who have not driven in the US, they have some very nice rest areas on the side of the Interstate roads where travellers can use the rest rooms (as they are called in the US), buy snacks from vending machines or picnic at tables and chairs provided (photos below). The one we stopped at even had a small Route 66 display and it was nice to have a break and sit in the sunshine. It was up to 31 degrees centigrade today so the weather has taken a turn for the better.

We reached Springfield at about 2.30pm and found the Abraham Lincoln Doubletree hotel. For those who may not be aware, Springfield’s claim to fame is that 16th US President Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield and bought his one and only house here in 1844 which he left in 1861 when he becane President. He never returned as he was assinated in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth, a southern confederacy sympathiser.

A few minutes walk from our hotel was the site managed by the National Park Service where the house of Abraham Lincoln and the houses of his neighbours have been restored to thier correct periodical condition and can be visited.

We then rounded the day off with a meal and, of course for the driver, a beer.

Tomorrow we are driving to Arthur, Illinois, to vist one of the oldest Amish communities in the United States.

Copyright: words and photos John Cruse 2022

We have finally arrived and resume our travels after a two year hiatus.

As the United States currently requires those entering the country to declare their Covid vaccination staus and have a negative result from a PCR test, we had to get tested and complete the attestation required by the US Authorities on the day before flying. This was fairly painless, once you get the hang of what’s required, but of course comes with a finacial cost that was not part of travelling pre the pandemnic. When we got to the airport, Terminal 5 at Heathrow was busy but not back to pre pandemnic levels as far as I could see.

After a good flight, we got a taxi to our hotel and then set out to find our bearings in Chicago. Chicago is located on the banks of one of the great lakes, Lake Michigan, which is the only great lake that is entirely within the United States. The other lakes, of course, stradle the border with Canada. Chicago is known for its skyscrapers that line the Chicago River which runs through the centre of town and originally ran into Lake Michigan until the flow was reversed to help deal with the sewage pollution problems in the 1880s. The waters from the river now finally empty into the Gulf of Mexico via many rivers including the Mississippi.

The river is crossed by many drawbridges, some of which are double deckers, the current ones were built in the first part of the 20th century for traffic and pedestrians to cross from the north to the south side of the city and, notwithstanding their age, these bridges are opened on Saturdays and Wednesdays to allow yachts and other vessels with tall masts to pass through and into Lake Michigan. We were lucky enough to witness this event and it did play havoc with the traffic but delighted the tourists. There had been bridges across the river prior to these current ones as far back as the 1830s which had been made of timber.

To get a different perspective on the river and buildings that sit along its banks, we went on an Architectural Boat Tour. The guide pointed out the various buildings, who designed and built them and for whom they were built, and gave some history on what was there before. This tour lasted 75 minutes and seemed to be very popular apart from the day we went on it when it rained heavily.

Luckily the sun came out the next day and we went on a Chicago Favourites Ultimate Food and Walking Tour that lasted for 3 hours. Along the way, our guide pointed out many of the tourist highlights of the city, like the Chicago Theatre and Millenium Park with the Anish Kapoor “Cloud Gate” (or as the local’s called it, the bean) and we made four food stops for Chicago deep pan pizza, hot dog, beef sandwich and brownie. They all tasted very nice, surprisingly.

That’s all we had time for in Chicago so we pick up the car now for the first leg of our Route 66 journey.

Copyright: Words and photos John Cruse 2022