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
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.
I am searching for the other side of the next hill where I am certain I will find new recipes, new sights and new fabric.
- Route 66: Navigating New Mexico - November 22, 2016
- Route 66: Touring Texas - November 11, 2016
- Route 66:Over Oklahoma - June 1, 2016