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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Day 3 Romeoville, IL - Springfield, IL 180 miles

Up and on the road at 6:10 with the temperature at 71*. Found and stayed on Route 66 all the way to Springfield, Illinois. That is where we are and have been since 1:30 this afternoon. We only did 180 miles.  We had nice weather all the way to Springfield. The sun was shining and it was around 91*
Notice I said the sun WAS shining....well it got black just as we were about to find a place to eat and the Harley dealer. I blew another headlight and thought I would replace it when we got a motel. It was 3.1 miles to the dealer and it started sprinkling so we found a side street and a dry spot under a nice tree and put on our rainsuits in case the rain amounted to anything. We got about 2 miles, according to the GPS from the Harley dealer and it rained like I have never seen it rain before. Remember, I am 56 yrs. old and I have seen it rain cats and dogs and even stepped in a poodle once. BUT!!!!! I never see it rain so hard. Within 2 minutes of it starting to rain, Susie hollered watch the water and she wasn't kidding. The water in our lane was 6 inches deep and that is probably shorting it a little. I slowed down in a hurry and it was a good thing. At the bottom of the hill was an underpass and the water, I swear to God, was at least 12 inches deep. Guess what? rain suits don't work to well when the water is coming up. The water was flying up over our shoulders. Unbelievable, but true. We pull off the road first chance at a trucking terminal parking lot and set in the pouring rain for about 15 minutes and it was a slight down hill grade. The water was 4" deep running across the parking lot.
Well it quit raining, we got to the dealer, got the headlight bulb. We got back outside and you would never have known it had rain, except we were soaked. A couple pulled in on a Harley with shorts and tshirts, dry as a bone.
We got to the Best Western on Lake Ave down the road a couple miles and got some dry clothes on and headed to eat at the Steak and Shake down the road. Got to the end of the driveway, it started to sprinkle, turned around and parked the bike under the roof. You guessed it..... It started to pour again. Soooooo....we called God Fathers for pizza with salads and had it delivered.
They don't have guest laundry here, which is unusual for a Best Western, but they offered to dry our wet clothes so we didn't have to pack them wet. We took them up to the front desk and the girl offered to wash them too. So we took up the rest of our laundry and she washed and dried them all. Good deal. Susie didn't have to do laundry. :^)
Ok, in spite of the rain, which was an adventure in itself, we had real good day on Route 66 and got a lot of nice pictures.
I think tomorrow we will take I-55 to I-270 and bypass St. Louis and get back on 66 on the other side. We went up in the Gateway Arch last year and nothing else we want to do there.
Ok.....that's enough.  Now here are a few pictures. At the end of the trip, after we get home, Susie will probably post all our pics on her photo site again this year.

21 comments:

  1. I'm having a great time following you along the trek this year. I learned about last year's trip after the fact. So I'm really excited to live vicariously through the two of you. :)
    When you get near Santa Barbara, CA...if you are around on a weekend or near a Friday, say so on the blog and I'll drop a line...maybe the hubby and I could join you for a short part of your ride from Malibu to Santa Maria or something...

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  2. Thanks for following us along Elizabeth.
    Will keep track of when we are going through and see what the plan is. Last I knew we were meeting up with a work pal of Albert's. :)
    Susie

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  3. Looking forward to the future stories ...have fun :)

    Larry Martin

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  4. It's been fun so far and a little over a month to go.

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  5. hah, i LOVE rain. wish i was with you guys! i didn't even notice you in between the spacie guy's legs, he must be huge! And you got to meet jake and elwood, elvis, marylin monroe, james dean(?) and some guy with a HUGE wiener, that was your favorite, wasn't it susie? hahha. and a cute widdle puppy dog, awwe!!!

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  6. OMG!!! I really think this is going to be real exciting this year..LOL I am glad you two are okay rain can be tricky at times..Susie is Albert doing a lot of swearing yet:) LOL Well keep enjoying yourselves and we will continue enjoying your blog. Can't wait til tomorrow night:) Love ya's be safe
    Tammy

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  7. What adventures you guys are having so far. We saw lots of places in Iowa that flooded this last week. They shored up the rr in some places, so that the water would not flood the tracks. It was slow going in some places. Becky

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  8. Fantastic write-up and pictures... Looks/sounds like you both are really having a great time - the rain is only a part of it...

    Forgot to say last night - welcome to CST...

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  9. Peggy (cubbear)
    We are have a good time. Lots to see on 66. You are right about the rain.:^)

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  10. Erica,
    If you LOVE rain, you should have been here. It was so unbelievable. Yup I looked really little in the spacie of that guys legs. :)Nope the WIENER guy wasn't my fav. LOL.
    It was fun doing up those photos and OF COURSE we had to take photos of the pups we see. I think we have another from the other day.
    Thanks for following us.
    Love ya!

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  11. Becky,
    Yup we are having a lot of fun. :)
    Sounds like you have been having fun too. I don't want to see more floods.
    Thanks for following.
    Susie

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  12. Tammy,
    Real exciting but a weird kind of excitement.
    Albert wouldn't be Albert if he didn't swear.
    Thanks a bunch,
    Susie

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  13. You'll dance with anything, won't cha Sus! haha! Gas pumps? Looks like it could do the pole dance with ya!

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  14. You should write a book Albert, you had me laughing telling about the rain...sounds like alot of fun and what an adventure, I love following you and susie.

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  15. That was really nice of the girl to do your laundry, maybe you can work that out all the way there and back, LOL! Albert can give them a little wink, wink , nod, nod and bam it's done!

    Deb M.

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  16. Hi you two.
    sounds like quite the adventure. I have seen it rain really hard in Florida, but this sounds like real serious rain. Have fun. It is fun following you. Love, Aunt Peg

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  17. Julie, Ya I think there is a pole dance pic for today too but we didn't post it. :)

    Kathy, YUP Albert is quite the story teller. :) We love having you following us.

    Aunt Peg, That rain was really something to see. Thanks and glad you are following.

    Susie

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  18. Deb,
    Albert does have a way with people. :)
    Glad you are following
    Susie

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  19. Those are really funny pictures. I laughed when I heard about the rain and Albert looking up the womens dress. I had two of those gas pumps but sold them.
    Love ya
    Dad

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  20. Dad,
    Albert is always a funny guy.
    I thought you would like those pumps. Wish you still had yours.
    Love ya,
    Susie

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  21. Wowwww. I always thought Mr. Mitchem Principal at Bolingbrook was fair and responsible. This is not good news.

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