Final Route 66 scenes...

ODell
Route 66 servo and local collection of old Route 66 gas pumps and signs...

Dwight...historic service station with fabulously friendly and helpful locals full of local knowledge and history, plus they gave me a free tootsie pop in the tradition of the original owner (yes I can be bought by candy). Great stuff inside including the towns original fire truck, a must see.

Third long day in a row heading west. Started the day over cast threatening more rain, windy and cold. Rode through prairies, long green grass rippling hypnotic patterns with the wind, which would have been magic if I wasn't trying to fight the wind to keep the little beast straight and true. Slowly changed to rolling hills and blue skies with the wind easing up to just a light gale.

Have covered just under 2000kms in 3 days, now settled into Rapid City, South Dakota, for a few days to explore the local national parks.

 onto the photo catch up...

Atlanta, Illinois - absolute must stop on Route 66.  Tiny town with lots of heart, great diner, little museum with lovely helpful locals, great little local artists collective, and a giant Paul Bunyon all within stumbling distance. For a true taste of the Route 66 revival experience.

Palms Grill Cafe with great pie and excellent atmosphere.

Paul Bunyon taking a lunch break from working with the axe...

The local  street

The last two days have been long days travelling west.

Yesterday, most of the day off the freeways, quiet roads, sweeping bends through forests, around lakes, across and then along  the Mississippi, before heading into the plains and farming country, old tumbling down barns, new red barns, green fields to the horizon, large pretty farm houses, glorious, cool but sunny day.

Today, rain, cold, long miles on the freeway and more rain, and did I mention rain, then more rain and it was wet too. highlight - hot shower at the end.

And now for some more catch up photos.

Final part of Route 66 and a stop in Springfield, Illinois, the state capital and home of Abraham Lincoln.

The old capital building...

The new capital building... Slight increase in size...I couldn't fit it into one photo

Discussing with Abe the finer points of speech writing...

Lunch at Cafe Moxo, I recommend the Turkey and cranberry Waldorf salad.

All up a great little city with lots of history and everything you could possibly want to know on Lincoln , of course you can visit him at Oak cemetery, but be sure to call into the nearby souvenir shop and have a chart with the lovely ladies who work there, they give great advice on local customs and specialties.

'Non-Elvis' Memphis, starting with Sun Studios - so cool where some of the greats were first discovered and recorded... Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf Burnett, the Big O, oh yeah and Elvis.... plus a lot of the tracks of U2's Rattle and Hum album were recorded here... yes one of my favourites, so maybe a little star struck on this visit.

Beale Street where we walked, lunched, listened to blues and drank on-tap frozen cocktails at Wet Willies - oh so fabulous.

These guys were brilliant, excellent blues and the guy on the right could make his guitar sound like anything from a piano to an old dying VW - which he sang a song about, that anyone who had a beaten up first car, much older than themselves, could relate to.

And so we have finished the Route 66 pilgrimage making it into Chicago and having ridden over 4000 kms. There is definitely a feeling of achievement but mixed with a little melancholy at an adventure left behind. A big pat for the little beast that has carried me all this way, so happy with her performance.

The great people we have met, the amazing indescribable scenes, the slow destruction of an amazing history versus the hopes and dreams of those who are working to preserve and restore. Wow it was epic. Would I recommend it - in a heartbeat. Would I do it again - you bet.

Next.

Well we have only completed the first section of our trip. So it time to shrug off any remnants of melancholy and go West across the top to see exactly what someone can do with a mountain and a chisel.

And yes I will get on to catching up with photos...