Saturday, 2 May 2009.  Quite early, even though I was up, I got a phone call from Lulu.  She had also read the e-mail from the Dutch couple saying they would meet us for breakfast at nine o’clock.  I had called Lulu and left a message about this as she initially thought they would be meeting her at 10:30. 

I got myself together, packed the car and drove over to pick up a Lulu.  We got to the parking lot of Fat Ricky’s arriving about 15 to 30 minutes ahead of Dries and Marion.  As Fat Ricky’s was closed we headed over to the Family Square Restaurant where Lulu works for breakfast.  The meal was good and plentiful.  As Marion was from Germany I got to inflict some German on her.  We quickly went back to English.

After fond farewells we all went are several ways.  I headed up Illinois 53 all the way north to Grove Village.  The drive was much easier than I expected.  Not only was traffic early light but I seem to catch about half the stoplights as green.  This was nice.  I hung a right on Higgins Road and shortly thereafter found my friendly Motel 6 and checked in.  I also bought a 24 hour wireless card to use.  I’ll get around to using it in a day or two.

I called Lady X, as she prefers to be called, and we arranged to get together for dinner.  I had last seen her towards the end of 1958.  A lot of things happened in the intervening years and we had a few things to catch up on.

We had been corresponding via e-mail and I was looking forward to meeting her again in person.  She had decided on an Italian restaurant not too far from her home.

I was able to easily find the way to her home with her instructions.  The restaurant was quite nice, almost.  The owner had fun telling me I wasn’t allowed in because I had a Cub windbreaker on.  While waiting for a table there was a live group playing and Lady X I joined another couple on the dance floor.  The gentleman was positive he knew Lady X but was mistaken.  Nevertheless the four of us started a conversation and the end result was are joining them for dinner.

The food was excellent, we have lovely conversation and evening was a delight up until the very end.  We’re not sure whether or not the area, which is partly by the bar, was also part of the non-smoking area, I believe you can smoke in a bar in Chicago or Illinois, but in any case one of the musical group members lit up a cigarette and the smoke drifted our way.  This resulted in Lady X. having a mild, if that can be the expression, asthma attack.  As we had already paid the bill and just sitting around talking, Lady X. and I made a fairly rapid exit.

Once Lady X had her breezing under control, we drove back to her place and continued our conversation.  She also brought out a number of books on costumes and fashion as well as a number of Victorian garments.  For a long time she sold period clothing.  In fact some of her clothing “sank” on the Titanic.  The head of wardrobe for the movie had contacted her for appropriate clothing for the actors in the movie.

Finally, we called our first date in 51 years to a close, and I headed back to the motel.  It had been a most enjoyable evening.

A Lulu of a day!

Friday, May 01, 2009.  I awoke too early to a wet Evansville.  It rained quite a bit over the night.  I took my me, exercised my shoulders and worked to my trip diary.  After killing enough time a loaded up the car and headed down the road.

     Deb was still comatose when I left so I left the garage door opener in her mailbox as requested.  As usual she was a great host and I didn’t have too much hassle with her kitty cats.  We were quite cute in their cattish way.

     I didn’t go too far before I stopped for breakfast at a diner style Denny’s.  After coffee and food, I filled up the car and headed up to the Chicago area.

     The weather continued to be off and on bad and good.  I did run into the occasional patch of sun as well as some light rain from time to time.  Traffic for the most part was light and I had little trouble moving up the highway.

     Though I was about an hour late Lulu was not upset as she knows all too well about the problems of getting on the road and driving. 

     I know Lulu from the Route 66 E-group and two years ago she was kind enough to be my local guide what I spent the day in the Joliet area.  We found not only neat stuff related to Route 66, but she took me around some of the locals scenic sites, including a deserted penitentiary, that are often missed if you are just breezing through the area or driving on the interstate.

     We had a nice chat about my trip and all too soon she had to head home to get ready for work.  I spent the next hour or two getting some money from the bank, the area did have a Bank of America and so I can use the ATM for free, the local AAA was open until six so I was able to drop by and pick up a map or two.  I also suggested that they hold the program some evening on Route 66 since it goes almost by the front door and they do get questions about driving it.

     I realize that I had somehow mistakenly thought there is a Motel 6 in the area but it was actually a Super 8.  When I checked in, the front desk noted I hadn’t been there before.  She checked and the dates were when I thought in July of 07.  This is what I started my drive down Route 66 that year.  I joked about the problems with wireless in motel rooms.  She assured me, the connection was good.  Unfortunately, it was terrible in the room she initially assigned me to.  She then moved me to a new room for I had an excellent connection.

     Even though I had a very good hamburger in the middle of the afternoon, I could use a sugar fix.  I then drove over to the restaurant where Lulu worked and had some Oreo cheesecake.  It was quite excellent.

     I did do some work a computer when I got back but soon showered, read and went to sleep.  I would be up all too early the next day.

On the Road again

Thursday, 23 April 2009 up at six o’clock and finished putting stuff in the car. I had my last cup of coffee here at home. I am beginning to shut down the house and looking forward to getting on the road within the next 30 minutes.

After about two hours of puttering about one, loading the car, and having 3 cups of coffee so that I finished off the half-and-half, I turned off the house, double checked everything and headed out.

Today was cool is about 50°/10°C under partly cloudy skies. While it had been spring, according to the calendar for a month, there was very little new green on the trees around Albany.

To start this trip little differently, I followed him the Google directions and turned south on New Karner Road to US20 and followed it to I-88. The drive down I-88 was quite easy, with little or no traffic. However. I did run into some light showers. This was the case for the first several hours of the drive. I picked up. I-81 in Binghamton, and headed down the road to Virginia.

I continue to drive on under, cloudy skies with the occasional sprinkle until I got to the far side of the mountains around Lebanon, PA. Traffic increased, as I approached Harrisburg and continue to be relatively heavy until I turned off of I-81, and on to I-66. Looking forward to driving Route 66 later on in the trip.

After Lebanon, the skies continued to clear up until by the time I reached Fredericksburg. There was hardly a cloud in the sky. The temperatures had also warmed up, until it was almost spring.

After a short drive on I-66 I turned on to 17 and carried on to Fredericksburg. I was looking forward to good conversation and excellent dinner with Don and Peggy Lundry. Some Pepsi and a couple of Swiss cheese sandwiches were my meals on the way down.

While the temperatures were very nice and about 70° in Fredericksburg, it seem that spring was a little late in arriving. Yes, there were screened on the trees and bushes, but not as much as I remember in previous years on my drives down to Richmond.

After a delightful evening with Don and Peggy, I headed south on 95 to Richmond. Even though it was 11 p.m. traffic was fairly heavy. I was able to find my hotel without any problems and calls it a night around 1 a.m.

It was a good start to the trip.

“piñata impersonation”

This is too good!  “piñata impersonation”  –  We were discussing events on the Rt. 66 e-group.  I had made some comments & suggestions about running these events.  This is one response.  The phrase really sums it all up.  –  “Several years ago as the chairman for the Route 66 Fun Run I received an eye opening education about the mechanics of organizing an event. That was my first, but not last, piñata impersonation. The latest is as a board member of the Route 66 Association of Kingman and as chairman for the historic sign committee.”

A look back

Just spent a loverly 5 hours going over my photos from my Rt. 66 trip with a fellow Roadie.  It brought back some great memories.  Oh yes, next time we’ll do MO, as we barely got out of IL. 

Coda!

            Wednesday to Saturday, 26 – 29 September.  Coda!  –  The hassles and delays on the trip finally got to me.  I decided to call it “a trip” and head on home.  My bed and shower were calling to me.  –  After speaking with my cuz in San Diego on Tuesday I decided to forego the trip down there.  She was quite busy.  –  I got to bed early and headed out at a fairly early hour.  –  I listened to most of the unabridged version of TLOTR on CDs as I headed east.  While it was a drive on the Interstate, I did enjoy the passing scenery and the passing story.  It was long drives and good night sleeps.  I normally don’t sleep all that well.  However, I did need some good hours sleeping if I were to be able to drive for as long each day.  Thank you Ambien for some good sleep.  About 2030 on Saturday I pulled into my parking spot in front of my unit.  As Sam said, “Well, I’m back!”  –  My neighbor heard my car pull up or at least Java, her chocolate lab, did.  Uncle Wombat was home and she wanted to come and visit.  My neighbor brought over a couple days mail and I was able to pull Java’s ears once more.  She is a sweetie.  –  Got the hot water cooking, the fridge freezing and then went out to get some groceries for the next morning.  –  Life was back to normal, I guess.  It had been one hell of a trip.  Now to begin sorting my mail and pay some unpaid bills.  –  Until the next trip!

To Santa Monica!

            Sunday, 23 September.  Up early, for me, and off to do the last bit of 66.  My friend lives in Mira Loma adjacent to I-15, which I took up to Foothill Blvd.  –  The interesting thing about 66 from here to the end, both of them, was that it was at least 2 lanes in each direction, if not 3.  The several 2-lanes segments were limited to downtown LA and the earlier routes, sometimes, which were then replaced.  –  The drive along Foothills was interesting for it resemblance to a miles long strip mall.  The speed limit slowly dropped from 55 mph to 45 mph.  There were several businesses which noted Rt. 66 in their signs.  –  The first interesting diversion was circling back to take Foothill Blvd in Glendora.  The main route runs along Alosta, which is also named Route 66.  The drive is thru a residential area.  One cuts back to the newer route on Amelia which is quite pretty.  It is my guess, that as soon as residents along 66 could do it, they got the route moved to a commercial route set aside for it.  –  A similar circular routing took me thru Monrovia with similar changes in the route.  [Aside: I recently did a review of a biography Upton Sinclair.  He spent his later years in Monrovia with his 3^rd wife.  If interested, the book is excellent: Radical Innocent by Anthony Arthur.]   Moving the original route out of residential areas to a more commercial zone.  At least that is how it appears today.  –  By now, even tho it was a Sunday or because of it, traffic was beginning to get heavy.  In Pasadena I made the choice to drive the old, 1926-1931 alignment: Fair Oaks, Huntington, Mission, Broadway.  I  found it interesting that this route goes thru the heart of Chinatown.  Eventually, I arrived at 7^th & Broadway, the 1926-1932 end of Route 66.  I, of course, got a few photos.  –  From here I backtracked to Cesaer Chavez Ave.  I took this west until it became Sunset Blvd.  I navigated the tricksy handoff to Santa Monica Blvd. and took the road to it Official End at Lincoln & Olympic Blvd.  Got some photos here.  –  I then headed over to Santa Monica & Ocean Ave to the Unofficial End and took some photos of the plaque there commemorating the end of the Will Rogers Highway/Route 66.  –  If not all of 66, I did a goodly portion and, I hope, they may well be another day for me to do the eastern portion of CA.  –  As long as I was as far as Santa Monica I headed north to Simi Valley to join a friend, Mary Satlin, for dinner.  We had a delight couple of hours of catching up.  Not wasting my location I met up with another friend living in the area, Laura Freas, for a cuppa before I headed back to Mira Loma.  This is LA I only drove about 200 miles in my trek around the area.  –  The trip has been grand.  It has also been a little bit bizarre even for me.  I’m so glad I did it.  Thank You! To all of you who have dropped by the blog for coming with.  I may not be adding to this category for a while, but there are a few others you might like to visit.  I’ll be glad to have you drop by.

Making it to Mira Loma

            Wednesday, 19 September.  Moving on at last.  After waiting for 2+ days for Saturn of West Sahara to get their act together and add the bits I wanted on my new car, I was able to hit the road again.  –  I have decided to more or less end my trek down 66 here.  I may do some in the LA area, but will have to see how things work out.  It has been fun.  –  I was finally able to hit the road, after repacking my new car, about 1500.  I was at my friend’s home about 40 miles east of LA proper in less than 4 hours.  The new car runs fairly well.  I discovered one minor item to be fixed.  –  The drive took me thru some really pretty scenery even if I was on the superslab.  I listened to some music and relaxed.

Bored, tired & annoyed in Vegas!

            Sunday through Wednesday, 16 to 19 September.   Bored, Tired & annoyed in Vegas.  That may sound a little bit unusual in this is what happens when one is sitting around waiting for one’s new-car.  Saturn of West Sahara originally promised me the car Monday morning.  Whether or not I get to leave today, Wednesday, is still to be seen.  –  Along with all the other delays and minor hassles at experienced from around mid August on, I’m just going to head directly to LA to visit with friends and relatives before heading home.  I will have some time and may drive portions of 66 in California, but this is no longer a prime objective.  I’m just burnt out by the hassles and delays.  –  I have enjoyed the company of my friend in Vegas, but as I was waiting for Saturn to call me this limited my options during the day.  With lots of luck I will be out of here shortly after noon, at least I hope so.  The trip has been fun notwithstanding. –  I hope you will continue to check my blog from time to time and look at the other categories.  I show continued to write here any further adventures down 66.

Smoke, Another Car Hassle & a New Car!

            Saturday, 15 September.  I went out this morning to get some photos of the smoke blowing in from a fire.  It turned out that there is a wildfire in the San Bernardino Mountains.  It was the most impressive cloud of smoke streaming in from a couple hundred of miles away.  As I drove out west of Vegas, I realized the cruise control wasn’t working.  Sigh!  Back to Saturn.  –  About 7 hours later the cruise control was working, it was easily and cheaply [free, under warranty] fixed.  and I had traded it & the rest of the car in for an 07 Saturn Red Line.  Carpe Diem and all that.     –  The car is basically the same as the one I had.  I was going to look for one when I returned.  No need to look any more.  I’ll break in the new car on the way to LA.  I got a bunch of frequent flyer miles as I purchased the car on my credit card.    –  Yes, this trip has been a little bit unusual.     –  I was a little bit dazed by how quickly all this happened.  And the hardest part of all this will be packing my old car and packing the new one.