The Best Picnic Veggie Salad

It’s sumertime at last! And while it’s not the “holiday season”, summer does have its holidays. These holidays involve picnics and fresh fruits and vegetables! Gotta love a good picnic with everyone bringing something to offer and those tables weighed down with watermelon and salads and chips and all sorts of yummy stuff!

Of course, the weather is also warmer and you have to be careful that what you bring won’t go bad in the space of a couple hours if it’s not refrigerated. And you really want something easy to make. And it should be tasty, without detracting from all the other flavors at the table. This salad fits the bill on all counts!

Won’t go bad

You need something that will stand up to the heat of the day and taste just as good fresh from the fridge as later when it’s reached room temperature. Veggies do that for you. You’ll see that the only bottled ingredient is mayonnaise. Contrary to common belief, store bought mayo doesn’t ever really go bad. It’s so processed that there is actually no nutritional value that will allow bacteria to grow. (When store mayo gets old it will separate, but it will never grow mold.) Since your veggies are safe at room temperature, and the mayo is safe at room temperature, this leaves just the bacon to be concerned for. And you needn’t really be concerned for the bacon, either, since the preservatives in bacon will, well, preserve it.

Okay, so if you’re using a preservative-free bacon, cook it extra well and pull the salad out of the cooler just before the feasting begins. And if you’re using your own home-made mayo? Yeah – all bets are off. Bacteria loves the protein in the eggs and will start growing as soon as the salad reaches room temp. For the picnic, use the store bought stuff!

Totally easy to make

This recipe may look imposing with its long list of ingredients, but in reality, all you have to do is walk through the store and grab whatever you want to throw in. No measuring is involved here – use the whole can of beans, chop the whole vegetable, etc. (Don’t be silly – throw away the cores of those bell peppers.) I usually just pile everything in one side of my sink and keep rinsing, chopping and adding till the pile is gone.

Maybe you want to add a can or two of sliced water chestnuts, or add some nuts of some sort. Go for it! With all those cans and veggies, this usually makes a lot more than the picnic will use and gives me plenty of leftovers. And, yeah, cooking up a whole pound of bacon sounds like a lot, but once you start filling that bowl (use that really big tupperware bowl you were given that time – the one that doesn’t fit in the fridge very well), you’ll see that a pound is a good quantity. And, seriously, there’s no such thing as too much bacon!

Once in the bowl, you want to mix these carefully so that you don’t damage the beans. I usually just reach in with my hands and fold the ingredients gently. After I add the mayo, I’ll go back to using a wide spatula and fold till everything is well incorporated.

Very tasty

I developed this recipe in culinary school as part of a larger project. The mayo/dressing actually involved cooking up the bacon with onions and leeks as well as the garlic and pepper, then letting the mayo/bacon mixture rest overnight to let the flavors meld. You can go all out, but these days I’m about making it easy.

You may be thinking that you don’t care for bacon (what a sad, sad life) and you will leave it out. The bacon adds that perfect bit of saltiness and, in my opinion, really completes the flavor profile of this salad without being overwhelming. If you decide to try this without the bacon, I would suggest you sweat the garlic and onion (use fresh onion instead of dried) – maybe even caramelize them – and add them to the mayo. Let the flavored mayo sit overnight and add it just before you leave for the picnic. You might even find yourself using flavored mayo like this on your sandwiches or anywhere else you use mayo.

I love this salad! All those beans and fresh veggies – I’m going back for seconds at the picnic!

Hope this helps make your picnics just a little easier and tastier, too!

The Perfect Picnic Salad

This salad is easy to make, can be made in advance, and it involves bacon. Does it get any better than this? Oh yeah - it's naturally gluten free and dairy free. It just got better!

CourseSalad
CuisineAmerican

Servings	Prep Time
2-3 dozen	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	1-2 hours

Servings	Prep Time
2-3 dozen	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	1-2 hours

The Perfect Picnic Salad

This salad is easy to make, can be made in advance, and it involves bacon. Does it get any better than this? Oh yeah - it's naturally gluten free and dairy free. It just got better!

CourseSalad
CuisineAmerican

Servings	Prep Time
2-3 dozen	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	1-2 hours

Servings	Prep Time
2-3 dozen	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
15 minutes	1-2 hours

Ingredients

1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can great northern beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can sweet corn drained and rinsed
1 medium green bell pepper chopped
1 medium red bell pepper chopped
1 bag carrot shredded
1 medium red onion chopped
1 head broccoli florettes chopped small
1 bunch green onions sliced thin
1 30 oz jar mayonnaise
1 lb bacon chopped
3 Tbsp fresh minced garlic or to taste
3 Tbsp dried minced onion or to taste
3 Tbsp coarse pepper or to taste

Servings: dozen

Instructions

Mix the beans and vegetables in a large bowl.
Cook the bacon with the garlic, dried onion and pepper till well done. Remove as much of the grease as possible.
Add bacon and mayo to the veggies and mix well.
Let sit for a couple hours or overnight.

Recipe Notes

For cooking the bacon, I suggest you chop it up raw and then cook it with the other flavors. This makes it easier to work with.

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Route 66: Kickin’ Kansas

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Jeanne H.

There is only 13.2 miles of Route 66 running through Kansas, but the state certainly makes the most of it!

Galena

The guys from Pixar who made the movie, “Cars”, drove a bit of Route 66 for research and inspiration. Galena is one of the towns that inspired them!

Beautiful little park in town.

When you get out of your car to explore the block or two that comprises “downtown”, you’ll find that a local radio station is being played over loudspeakers on the street.

Wall mural – nod to “Cars”.

This wall mural looks like a giant postcard – and includes characters from the movie “Cars” in it.

Rainbow Bridge

Since I love things that have been saved and restored, I had to drive over Rainbow Bridge. This is the last of three “Marsh Arch” bridges (named for their designer) that used to be in Kansas. The other two no longer exist. This has been preserved.

Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge commemorative marker

In the 13 miles of Route 66 Kansas, there are numerous historical sites. There have been bloody mine worker strikes, murderous Civil War attacks, and there are museums to learn and remember. Kansas is a state worth exploring – but, ah, we have not the time or space to do it justice here. I have moved on.

Ooooooohhhhhhhklahoma is coming up next! Plenty to occupy us there. Farewell, Kansas!

Route 66: Motoring Missouri

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Jeanne H.

What a beautiful state! Missouri was lush and green and, this early in the Spring, there were no bugs! (Mosquitoes and the rest come later.) When you get off the interstate and drive Route 66 through the countryside, you can really feel as though there are no cities, no bustling business. The route winds through neighborhoods and fields. Roll your windows down and breath deeply. The air is clean and filled with the scent of newly mowed lawns and freshly turned earth. People take care of their homes and will wave as you pass. Wave back – you’re neighbors here!

St. Louis

Big cities make my jaw ache from gritting my teeth. I drive with my tour book in my lap and am constantly checking the driving instructions against the signs posted (or not). There were so many things to see in and around St. Louis that I chose just a few and moved on.

This is me too cheap to park and walk up to the Gateway Arch!

You cannot come to St. Louis and not see the Gateway Arch. However, you are not required to pay $25 or whatever it is to park and walk around the Arch. Maybe it’s worth it for you. I used my gps to get this close and I was already tense from the traffic.

Ted Drewes, St. Louis, MO – fabulous frozen custard!

It was a warm day, so one of my stops was to visit Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. It is worthy of its great reputation! It doesn’t have organized lines – lots of people seem to be milling about waiting to order or to get their order. But wow! That was really good!

World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville, IL

Collinsville is a suburb of St. Louis on the IL side. I found it interesting that it was not intended to advertise any particular business. In fact, it is a water tower for the town. Something tells me it never actually held catsup…

Cuba

I could literally feel my shoulders relax and my jaw un-tense as I left the city. My tour books point out a great many closed businesses and ruins that show the by-gone era of Route 66’s heyday. I’m not so into that. But I love seeing businesses that have survived, or perhaps have taken a relic of the route and made it beautiful again. So I was excited to drive a little farther than usual to reach the Wagon Wheel Motel.

Wagon Wheel sign

I’m a bit bummed that I didn’t get a picture of the sign lit up with its neon at night.

Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba, MO

A fully delightful place to stay! Rooms range from the very small up to suites. I stayed in one of the smallest rooms ($69). There was just enough room for my suitcase next to the bed. But it was comfortable and clean. And the entire grounds had a feeling of peace and relaxation with places to sit outside under the shade trees.

Cuba refers to itself as Mural City and it is well worth the time to wander around downtown looking at all the paintings on the sides of buildings.

Awesome murals in Cuba, MO

Fanning

Big alert! The world’s largest rocking chair sits just outside a pretty decent gift shop/trading post. It’s worth the stop!

World’s Largest Rocking Chair, Fanning, MO

Waynesville

Frog Rock

On the side of the road, watching traffic from high on the hill, is Frog Rock just outside Waynesville. I wasn’t able to get my own picture, so I have borrowed this one from here.

Lebanon

It was a relatively short drive from Cuba to Lebanon. Here I checked into another Route 66 classic: the Munger Moss Motel.

Munger Moss Motel – Awesome neon sign!

Clean and comfortable, and spacious enough for my sewing machine. I arrived early enough in the day that I pulled out the machine and made a few blocks. Sewing relaxes me and this was a nice afternoon for me. Munger Moss also has a nice patio on which to relax in the cool of the evening.

I actually did a little sewing at the Munger Moss Motel

Wild Animal Safari, Strafford

So as I left Lebanon, I was feeling as though I may be missing a lot of stuff. The tour books have pages and pages of different things to see and explore, but I was just driving past. I don’t care to snap photos of rusty cars and empty buildings. So when I came across this Wild Animal Safari park outside Strafford, I knew I had to stop in! It was a fabulous couple hours.

Don’t be fooled – the animals aren’t all that wild. Lions and tigers and other dangerous animals are kept in their own pens, but the bus ride takes you through the park where the hoofed animals reside. You are allowed to feed them from the bus (food is available for purchase) and the animals come right up to the bus looking to be fed. It was fun!

The giraffe was so friendly!

Kangaroo photo opportunity!

Watch your fingers – he pecks!

Zebra smile made my day!

More! More!

Feed me, Seymour! Feed me!

Shedding his coat

Carthage

Here I made one my best discoveries! I wanted to stay in Carthage because the next day I was taking a day trip off the Route and this was where I was picking up the northbound interstate. But I couldn’t find a place to stay. My tour book had mentioned Boots Court, but implied it was closed. I drove around, praying that God would show me where to stay. I passed Boots Court, but then I accidentally drove in a big circle and found myself in front of Boots Court again. Finally I stopped and asked if they were open for business. Yes! Of course!

Love Boots Court in Carthage, MO!

It’s a small place, but Debbie, the manager, gave me a tour of each of the rooms, showing their efforts to refurbish the entire property. She shared the history, changes that had been made and fixed, and finally offered me room #6 – the room Clark Gable stayed in before WWII ($66). Wonderful!

Side trip – Hamilton, MO

I was telling a quilting friend about my trip and she asked if I was going to Hamilton, MO. I had no idea why I would, and she pointed that Hamilton is where the Missouri Star Quilt Company is headquartered. This is a fast growing internet company that has actually opened 11 different store fronts down the main street in Hamilton. The company continues to grow, too and they are determined to expand in such a way as to create more and more jobs there in Hamilton.

Day trip up to Missouri Star Quilt Co in Hamilton, MO

While I was there, I got to take a tour of their warehouse. The warehouse is currently 30,000 square feet, being expanded to 100,000 square feet! MSQC currently employs 270 people, up from 15 just 7 years ago – and this will continue to grow.

Thousands of bolts of fabric and shelves and shelves of patterns, books, tools and more! Ah, the quilts I could make with all of this!

It was a 3 hour drive from Carthage up to Hamilton, so I stayed the night at the Home Inn Hamilton, a little bed & breakfast just outside town. It was wonderful! And they had the most comfortable bed I think I’ve ever enjoyed. I highly recommend staying there. Since I was visiting MSQC, they gave me a discount on the room ($70).

On this detour, I decided to take the occasional side trip and explore various places being advertised on all the bill boards I was seeing. Jones’ Boots was not quite the megastore I was expecting from the signs, but they did have the perfect pair of black boots for me! I paid a little extra to have them shipped to my home. I also visited a pecan store and a couple quilt shops. It’s really fun to just do whatever strikes your fancy!

It’s worth noting that from St. Louis through Carthage, the weather was warming up to the upper 70’s and lower 80’s. Driving north to Hamilton, I drove through some pretty heavy thunderstorms and experienced some cooler weather. This is why it is necessary to have plenty of layers of clothing on hand. It all changes so rapidly! Personally, I love waking to a chill, misty morning, driving out through the rain, and ending the day in bright sunshine and warm weather.

Since I’d spent a little extra time in Hamilton, I decided to stay in Carthage at the Boots Court again. Happily, room #6 was available ($66).

And here we leave Missouri, laden down with memories and other treasures. It felt good to get back on Route 66 and continue my primary adventure.

Next up: Kansas!

Route 66: Intersecting Illinois

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Jeanne H.

I’ve been trying to think of the best way to relate my travels and adventures, while still keeping my posts easy to track. I mean, I love being all Miss Creative Writer with “The Dream is Still Alive” and all that, but that’s not terribly organized for you, my reader. So I’ve decided to list out my travels state by state. We’ll see if that helps. Since I started in Chicago, we’ll begin with Illinois! Go figure.

Now, I’ve already had a post about my initial beginning, but for those of you only just joining us, here is the state of Illinois as a whole:

Chicago

Where it begins in Chicago

As you read, you will find that not only do I not care for big cities, but I will actually avoid them at all costs. I couldn’t avoid Chicago entirely, though – it’s the beginning! So I drove to the starting point, snapped a couple pictures of the “Begin” sign, and moved on. I never even got out of my car in the entire city of Chicago. Granted, as far as cities go, Chicago is fabulous! And if I had the time, money and the tour guide, I’d spend some time there. Not this trip, though. Moving on!

Joliet

A very pretty little town and very proud of being what they consider as the start of Route 66. They have a very nice museum there.

Route 66 Museum in Joliet, IL

Personally, I was thinking to myself that I needed to make some miles on this, my first day. So I moved on pretty quickly. But this is a town worth further exploration.

Wilmington – Braidwood – Gardner – Dwight

In Wilmington you can see the Gemini Giant, one of 3 “Muffler Men” giants in IL. The Launching Pad Drive In restaurant, in front of which he stands, is no longer open.

Gemini Giant, Wilmington, IL

But the Polka Dot Drive In, in Braidwood, is still open and dishing up classic burger and fries. It was fun to see some of the characters around the place, too.

Polka Dot Drive In, Braidwood, IL

Characters at the Polka Dot

Elvis and Me

Blues Brothers at the Polka Dot

Gardner

Most of IL had really good markers pointing out Route 66. Gardner is the first place where I saw it painted on the road!

Rt66 is well marked through IL

Dwight

About this point, I had decided to call it a day. After all, I’d actually driven 3 hours from Indianapolis to the starting point in Chicago. I then spent several hours driving and exploring from Joliet onward. I pulled up my trusty bookings app and reserved a room at a motel in Dwight. Here I learned my first lesson: not all motels use the common websites to advertise (booking.com, travelocity, etc). I was a little concerned that I was overspending my budget on my first night out, so I prayed that God would simply show me how to save money moving forward. As I pulled up to my reserved motel, I saw a motel literally across the street advertising half the price! I cancelled the original reservation and got my cheaper room ($46).

Throughout my trip God has guided me so that I have remained safe and secure.

Okay, so the room smelled really strongly of the chemical disinfectant they used. But it was clean, and I just left the door open for a bit to air the place out. I slept comfortably and started off fresh the next day. I even started with a tasty breakfast at a Route 66 diner just down the road.

Great place for breakfast!

Odell

There is an adorable gift shop and photo opportunity. A little pricey compared to later gift shops, but the woman there was so nice and so fun to talk with!

Odell, IL gift shop

Photo op across the street!

Pontiac

Amazing town! They have a fabulous museum (free) and murals on buildings around town. I also got a picture with Abe Lincoln. Every time I started to drive away, I saw something else that I wanted to photograph.

Wall murals in Pontiac, IL

Me and Abe Lincoln in Pontiac, IL

The only photos you will regret are the ones you didn’t take!

Towanda

Towanda!

I didn’t see or do anything particularly notable here. I just like the name. Towanda! Say it loud – with gusto – and throw your hands in the air! TOWANDA!!

Bloomington/Normal

Big city alert! Move along, folks. Nothing for us here.

Funks Grove

Funks Grove

Tiny gift shop, but fabulous Maple Sirup. They explain why it’s spelled “sirup” instead of “syrup”.

Atlanta

It’s another Muffler Man giant!

Paul Bunyon, Atlanta, IL

Lincoln

This town is large enough that I would normally avoid it as a “big city”, but it had the World’s Largest Covered Wagon with a giant Abe Lincoln sitting in the driver’s seat. How cool is that! Lots of other stuff to see and do here, but I moved on pretty quickly.

World’s Largest Covered Wagon – Lincoln, IL

It’s big! World’s Biggest Covered Wagon

Springfield

Our third Muffler Man! He stands outside the Lauterbach Tires shop and he used to hold a tire in one hand. I rather like the American flag.

Lauterbach Man, Springfield, IL

Okay, so, technically, according to my arbitrary definition, this is a big city, too. But I was on the far side of exhausted so I asked around at the restaurant where I had dinner and I was directed to the Route 66 Motel. Room was clean, no chemical smell, but the whole place was overwhelmingly done in a Route 66 motif. Well, what would you expect from the “Route 66 Motel”? $72 for the night.

A fun place to stay

Carlinville

Okay, so this town isn’t even listed on the “Here It Is” map! That’s a shame, it should be listed. They have a classic, beautiful town square with businesses surrounding a park in the middle. They have their nod to Route 66, but it’s not the foundation of the town. I found this place very refreshing! They have this little pizza joint right on one corner in the town square that is fabulous! $7 for their all you can eat pizza buffet. Totally worth blowing the diet for this!

I have a ways to go!

And here we leave Illinois – that is, the next major stop is St. Louis, MO. So that will be the next post. This covers 2 1/2 days of travel. I have not mentioned the beauty of the landscape nor the enjoyment in viewing so many towns and neighborhoods along the way. This is something that must be experienced. Photos just cannot do justice. I rested where I wanted and explored when it took my fancy. This is the freedom afforded by a road trip – and such was the freedom sought on Route 66 by so many since 1926, 90 years ago!

Watch for my next post as we move on to Missouri.

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Route 66: The Dream is Still Alive

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Jeanne H.

The American Dream is all about starting with a little and, by means of hard work and perseverance, turning that little into a lot. Or even just turning it into a comfortable life for your family. Some people drive Route 66 so that they might see the remnants of a by-gone era. They want to see the ghost towns of America – evidence of how the “greatest generation” used to live. And these are certainly plentiful on Route 66. Others want to step back in time and see if they might relive these glory days. They drive down the Mother Road, ignoring the interstate highway thundering past. They might even put on the oldies station and sing along to the radio.

I am neither of these. I am driving Route 66 in an effort to step away from my normal life, to be certain. This is affording me the chance to slow down, to travel without a schedule and with no deadlines. But what I search for is both more elusive and amazingly plentiful. I am seeing Small Town, USA in all its glory – thriving, even. I am seeing that the American Dream is still alive in these towns along the Route. Maybe they no longer rely solely on America’s Main Street for their livelihood. But American ingenuity is strong and well for those that are determined to find a way!

So far I have traveled across Illinois and Missouri. The Route through Illinois is clearly marked and very easy to follow. It’s not as well marked in Missouri, but then, the Show Me state has more distance between towns than IL. In MO I have been relying far more on my guide books. But if you keep your eyes open, there is so much beauty to be seen! Traveling into and through the Ozarks is breathtaking! Pull off the road and take some time to look across the amazingly green expanses around you.

I tend to stop at just about every Route 66 gift shop along the way! Just as I was despairing that every shop had all the same stuff, I came across the Route 66 Visitor Center just west of St. Louis, MO. In addition to the “same ol’, same ol'”, they had a number of very cool, unique gift items. In an effort to save money and space, I’m largely limiting myself to postcards and lapel pins. This shop had unique samples of both that I have not been finding in other shops throughout MO. It also had a very cool display of photos and artwork relating to the history of Route 66. It’s totally worth seeing!

I just love looking at the giants along the Route, and the “World’s Biggest” anything! These are almost always outside businesses and are intended to draw visitors – whether Route 66’ers or otherwise. This is the kind of ingenuity I just love! Here are a few I’ve seen so far.

Lauterbach Giant, Springfield, IL

Paul Bunyon Giant, Atlanta, IL

World’s Largest Rocking Chair, Fanning, MO

Elvis! Oh, Elvis!

Gemini Giant, Wilmington, IL

World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville, IL

I’ve added pictures to the Route 66 photo gallery, here. I’ve visited a Wild Animal Safari park. And I’ve taken a day trip (that took 2 days) up to Hamilton, MO to visit the Missouri Star Quilt Company. (It was fabulous! Every quilter needs to go there!) And any time I see an interesting billboard, I choose to divert my journey to explore. Route 66 mostly parallels the Interstate so it’s easy to see the advertisements designed to entice the interstate traveler.

Yes, the American Dream is still alive – and even this adventure is part of that dream. The cover photo for this post is a water tower in Atlanta, IL. I think it sums us up beautifully!

In my upcoming posts I’ll describe the motels in which I have been staying – great experiences, all! But I must admit that I recommend adding the EZ66 Dining & Lodging Guide to your travel library. I’ll be picking one up at the next gift shop I find…

Happy travels, my friends!

Route 66: Begin Here

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Jeanne H.

It was a dark and stormy night as she set out. She hurriedly glanced about, peering into shadows as though they might give up their secrets. The last of her belongings was shoved haphazardly into the back of her car – she could organize later. For now, she just needed to get out!

Okay, well, it wasn’t night when I left Indianapolis. And my car is actually quite organized. It was raining, though. And I did have that sense of urgency to hurry up, move on, get to where I am going! It’s that excitement of starting a new journey, even in the midst of the journey I am on. Indy is about 3 hours from Chicago, so, after a nice breakfast with my friend, I set off.

I paid a total of $7.30 in tolls coming up to Chicago. Tolls are only on the interstate/highways. Route 66 itself has no tolls.

Chicago

I’m not the greatest techy person, so the fact that I am using Google Maps to give me turn by turn directions is a significant step forward in my technological progress. After an uneventful drive from Indy, I found myself on Lake Shore Drive, heading to Jackson St, the start of Route 66.

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL

The day was quite overcast, but this was a beautiful part of the city. The lake was on one side, Chicago skyline on the other. But the “big city” was not what I was here to see. There was one sight in particular, one thing I was so eager to see, that I was willing to drive through one of the busiest cities in the United States just to find it: the beginning of Route 66!

At the corner of Adams and Michigan

Alas, no selfie in front of the sign. I don’t care for cities and was already quite intimidated by the hustle and bustle of Chicago. And this coming from a girl who grew up in Los Angeles! So I chose not to find a place to park just to walk several blocks just for a selfie. I got this snapshot while at a stop light. I am satisfied!

“A Community United Cannot be Divided”

In Jerry McClanahan’s “EZ66 Guide”, he describes parts of Chicago as being “economically challenged”. Read that as, “don’t get out of your car”. And yet, there are communities that are choosing to make positive change. I loved seeing this mural on a wall beneath a bridge. And, indeed, the community just to the other side was much more nicely kept than the surrounding areas. I’m not sure which suburb this was, but I continued on feeling a sense of encouragement.

Joliet

Route 66 Museum in Joliet, IL

Joliet considers itself the gateway to Route 66. There are a number of Route 66 diners and ice cream shops and such. It’s a nice little town that I might have enjoyed exploring more. But I fell into the “I want to move on, see more, get going” trap. I opted not to go through the museum – but I would suggest that you do. It’s really all part of the experience.

Elwood – Wilmington

Gemini Giant, Wilmington, IL

I’m looking forward to getting more pictures of these “muffler men”! And here I learned a valuable lesson: take lots and lots of pictures! I only snapped two pics of this guy, and the other one didn’t turn out. The Gemini Giant is in front of the Launching Pad Drive In restaurant which is now, unfortunately, closed.

Braidwood

But the Polka Dot Drive In is still open in Braidwood!

Polka Dot Drive In, Braidwood, IL

Oh, yeah – you’ve got to try their chili cheese fries! Friendly service and a fun atmosphere – they have statues of Elvis and others all around.

Elvis and me at the Polka Dot Drive In, Braidwood, IL

Plenty of friends at the Polka Dot Drive In, Braidwood, IL

Godley – Braceville – Gardner – Dwight

I would like to note that so far, Route 66 has been clearly marked and easy to follow. The best directions so far have been in Gardner, where they have painted directions on the streets!

Gardner, IL

I’m glad to have my books and maps as these are helping me look for fun stuff as I travel along. But I seriously need to slow it down. Perhaps it was having that 3 hour drive to get to the starting point, or maybe my urgency to leave the city, but I spent too much time on this first day looking for where I was going next, rather than seeing where I was right now.

Classic Inn, Dwight, IL

So I ended my first day in Dwight, IL. I stumbled across this little motel. I liked the look of it and the price was definitely better than the big chain motel across the street. The room was clean and comfortable, though had a rather strong smell from the cleaning agents they used. Free wi-fi and the basic amenities (fridge, tv, hair dryer). I like that it’s all on ground level. $46 for a double, non-smoking room – two queen sized beds.

Classic Inn, Dwight, IL

In an effort to get myself to slow down, I even snapped a couple “nature” shots – photography is an ongoing learning experience and I am working on improving my skills.

Slow down and smell the pine trees!

So check back with me in a couple days as I update you on where I’ve been and what I am seeing! I have a feeling I’ve missed out on some quilt shops along the way. Time to get out there and amble my way down the road.

Route 66: The Trip to Get to the Start of the Trip

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Jeanne H.

Well, my friends, I am on my way! In the last couple days I have driven about 1,100 miles. As I live in Denver, I have chosen to drive up to Chicago to start my Route 66 adventure. But I am also swinging through Indianapolis, IN so that I may visit dear friends.

A Good Beginning

Me and Jeannie High Prairie Quilts 4-30-16

Jeannie and Me at High Prairie Quilts

My drive begins at High Prairie Quilts in Parker, CO. I am part of the “Last Weekend Block-of-the-Month” group, so I attended the meeting and managed to grab Jeannie, the owner, for a quick photo – she’s on the right. For me, any day that starts with quilting is a good day! My friend, Lida, joined me here and we immediately got on the interstate and headed East.

Weather is a Factor!

A snowy drive leaving Denver

I trust you will forgive a few fuzzy photos. Though the roads were clear – no ice or snow buildup – it was a cold day to be driving. It is not unusual for Denver to have snow well into May, but for some reason we are always surprised by it!

No snow in Kansas!

But apparently Kansas had put up their invisible weather barrier. It seemed the moment we entered KS the snow stopped.

It was still cold, though! Yet, I know that the majority of my trip will be with warmer weather, so my hoodie was sufficient for the day.

Give it 5 minutes – or a couple hundred miles

A beautiful afternoon drive through Kansas

By the afternoon, and having driven across most of the state, the weather had warmed up and the sky was showing picturesque puffy clouds in a beautifully blue sky.

Pretty in pink

As the sun started going down behind us, the clouds lit up with pinks and purples.

Kansas City, MO at dusk

I’m sorry this picture does not do justice to the Kansas City, MO skyline – the cloud cover was thickening once more but the setting sun had dropped below the clouds and lit up the city with the final rays of the day. It was beautiful! Thank you to Lida for taking most of these pictures for me!

The Longest Mile of the Day

It was still a few more hours to reach St. Louis, where Lida and I stayed with her son and his wife. We arrived shortly before midnight. Surely the longest part of a drive is when you are almost there, but not quite! This day involved about 13 hours of travel time and we were both grateful to collapse into the warm beds provided for us.

Setting Priorities

While a vacation is about getting away from home and seeing new places, one must still decide what are the priorities of life. I left Lida with her son’s family to continue on toward Indianapolis, but first took time to worship my great and wonderful God! What a joy to join in prayer and song with strangers who are, at the same time, family. I worshiped at Christ Church, who graciously welcomed me into their fellowship.

Weather is still a factor

Illinois – already green

The drive across Illinois was just beautiful. The weather had warmed up so that I didn’t even need a sweater. This is the time of year the states get started on road repairs, but I was not slowed too much by these.

The states are serious: when the signs say to slow to 55 mph or 45 mph,

do it!

Indianapolis is a fair distance out of the way when traveling from Denver to Chicago, but seeing dear friends is worth it. So it was a joy to pull up to my friend’s house last night to see her and her family. The had a fire going in the pit in the back yard and she grilled a delicious dinner for me. Tomorrow I get to visit with another friend from college who also lives in Indy. This has been a good beginning!

Upward and Onward

And then, when blessed visits are through, I shall drive from Indy to Chicago. If I can find parking, I’ll take a selfie of myself in front of the “Route 66 Begins Here” sign on Lake Shore Drive. And then I’m on the Mother Road! From there I have no deadlines. I will stop as I please, walk into this shop or that, explore as the whim will take me.

Keep checking back with me as I will let you know where I am staying and at what restaurants I have eaten – along with my recommendations. And we’ll see how the adventure unfolds with each rise and dip and curve of the road.