Visited the Illinois Route 66 museum in Pontiac and as we had arrived just as it opened, we were given a personal tour by Pauline, the friendly and knowlegeable guide.
www.il66assoc.org




We found a stretch of old Route 66 roadway closed to traffic and walked along for a mile or so. It was very warm with lots of noise from the cicadas in the trees.



Huge fields of maize on both sides of the road and huge grain silos every couple of miles.

When we reached Atlanta we found another famous muffler man, this time holding a hot dog.

This is our car, a Ford Explorer, at the first stop - the Polk-a-Dot drive in on Route 66. You can see Betty Boop in the background.

Just to show we are on the right road here is one of the signs. In Illinois the directions for Route 66 are shown clearly. There is hardly anyone on the road itself as in this area it runs directly beside Interstate 55.

In the Route 66 Welcome Centre in Joliet I met up with the Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood. Joliet Jake took his name from Joliet prison.

Also in the Welcome Centre, Glenys and I sat watching the video on Route 66 sat on a Cadillac settee.

We were given lots of information by Elaine, a very helpful lady in the centre. Afterwards she asked us to sign her Route 66 shield.

www.jolietmuseum.org

This is one of the most famous sights on Route 66 in Wilmington - the Gemini Giant. He was originally a Muffler Man, advertising exhaust systems in the 50's and 60's but was given a make-over when the US began to explore space.

Along this section of the Route, there are a number of old gas stations that have been fully restored by volunteers. This one is in Cayuga and I am relaxing in the shade.

Tuesday 21st August

Good seats on plane, smooth flight to Chicago in just over 8 hours. Very humid here and 80 degrees. Hotel very cool, plasma TV and all the works.

www.hiselect.com/rosemontil

To Harry Caray's restaurant for tea to set us up for the route ahead.

www.harrycarays.com

Monday 20th August

Russell took us to Leeds/Bradford airport in time for our flight to Heathrow. It was a very quick flight – 39minutes! We took a taxi to the hotel and met Rachael there for dinner.
www.holiday-inn.com/londonheathrow
We checked in to Virgin online so we could beat the queues tomorrow but were given the wrong seats – so we will have to go at the normal time anyway to check in our luggage and hopefully get the seats we booked.

Anticipation is growing as we approach the departure date. We are flying to London on Monday 20th August from Leeds/Bradford, staying overnight at Heathrow and depart for Chicago on Tuesday at 11.15 (protesters allowing).
Maps and books have been perused, especially by Glenys, and hotel reservations made at Chicago O’Hare airport and also for our first night on the road at Bloomington-Normal, 100 or so miles down route 66.