Springfield Days!

           Saturday, 14 July.  Up and at ‘em in sunny & hot Springfield.  I did some homework & then headed out.  1^st to Cozy Dog for food & photos.  Very good.  Chatted with folk traveling thru & bought some of Bob’s postcards.  –  I drove up the Dirksen Pkwy, 66, back to Sherman.  There I was able to check out the abandoned stretch of southbound lanes.  –  Next was following little bits of old 66 as it entered and left improved ground finally disappearing into the woods.  –  In Springfield I drove up & down, back & forth over the several alignments, including the section posted, but not actually a 26-30 section of 66.  I took some photso, as it wasn’t open, of Shea’s.  It is just packed with memorabilia. –  I was able to get a photo of two “Giants:”  Abe on the Fair Grounds & the Lauderback Giant.  –  I found the abandoned section of Old Chatham Road which ended in a bridge now used to carry a large pipe & be a seat for a young boy fishing.
            Sunday, 15 July.  Another sunny, hot & humid day.  Summer in the Midwest.  –  Today was sightseeing day.  RT & I headed over to the Lincoln Museum.  It is a marvelous museum.  We spent several hours watching the films & looking at exhibits.  One of the sadder ones was “The Civil War” in 4 minutes.  –  The old Capitol Building was next.  Lincoln’s home and the old depot was photographed.   A short by good day.
            Monday, 16 July.  Today I got the royal treatment from Carl Johnson.  He is a noted Roadie & easily proved it to me.  We spent the day driving over much of the same area I had over Friday & Saturday.  However, now I had all the little obscure bits & pieces of The Road pointed out, including a stretch of 1-lane & brick pavement, ghost bridges & alignments not to be found otherwise.  While photographing 66 disappearing into Lake Springfield we had a home owner come out.  She had had some interaction with local government over a downed tree & was concerned.  We assured her we were only after The Road.