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.

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.