Thursday, July 12. Under sunny skies I headed off. I was happy to escape the Super 8 in Normal. No wireless, the room reeked of smoke & no ½ & ½. I shan’t go back there. – I drove back to Towanda to check out the alignments & do the walk along the no longer used 2-lanes of old 66 at Wesley Boyd Park. I could drive the very last segment of the walk. Well worth the effort. – I wended my way thru Normal & Bloomington stopping at the McLean County Museum of History. I could have spent more time there. – The Maple Sirup of Funk’s Grove is better than advertised. I bought a bunch of ½ pint containers to be used as bribes when I stay with friends. 
I also checked out the old, cutoff segment of 66 across the stream just before Funk’s Grove. Interesting. – I had a good lunch at the Dixie Truck Stop. In Atlanta I checked out the “Giant.” It is a very nice small town. I had a delightful chat with a 91 year old youngster who told me about the coming of 66 thru Atlanta. This was in the small, but neat, Rt. 66 Park in the center of town. – I then pressed on to Springfield where I met up with a friend & his wife. I have known Terry since 1968. That much of the 60’s I DO remember. He took me out for a Horseshoe! Yummy!
Friday, 13 July. I went back to the outskirts of Atlanta before heading down 66. – At Lincoln I checked out the buildings which often date back many a year. Then there was the spot where Abe Lincoln christened the newly established town of Lincoln with a cup of Watermelon juice in 1853. I checked out some 66 that disappeared into the woods. I can see a car driving down the road and fading away. Theme from the Twilight Zone is now heard! I also found some 66 which might double as a tank trap. – In Broadwell I visited the site of the Pig Hip Restaurant & Museum which sadly burned down a short while ago. Ernie Edwards is a delight. He told me stories for about 30 minutes. I had to buy his book about his life on 66. – After taking pictures of the giant silos in Elkhart, I was hungry so I drove into the village & had a nice snack in the Bluestem Bake Shop. I recommend the place: Good food & service. – I drove thru Williamsville & found the answer to the Scavenger Hunt Question. There are a couple of alignments here.
