Saturday, May 5
Beautiful day for walking downtown Springfield today, and we
had the full Lincoln experience. We began by walking a mile to the Lincoln Home
National Historic Site – two blocks of Eighth Street that include “conditions
that were part of everyday life in the 1800s-irregular boardwalks, surfaces
with loose stones, and narrow and steep staircases”. Lincoln’s home is prominent, and we took an
interesting tour with Park Ranger Gary.
We walked the boardwalks and visited two additional restored homes (of
the dozen or so on the site) and got a real sense of the period. 
After cold drinks and a flatbread at historic
Obed & Isaac’s, we walked the mile back to the Capitol to shoot some photos
of this stunning building (including one of the two of us with a 10.5’ Honest
Abe statue in front) and wandered the main floor indoors. Every Illinoisian should see this building. Then it was on to the Lincoln Presidential
Museum that tells his full story in life size displays (log cabin, slave
auction, general store, law office, White House, Emancipation Proc., Ford
Theatre, laying in state). It was the
most creative, interesting museum we’ve ever visited. After three miles of walking this hot, humid
day, we finally hit the road again. 
No
Route 66 trip through Springfield is complete, however, without a GIANT ALERT
to the Lauterbach Giant on Wabash and a visit to Cozy Drive In – a Route 66
landmark. Anyone who knows me knows I
wouldn’t eat a hot dog if my life depended on it and yet here I am devouring
this corn dog with it’s delicious crunchy coating and juicy dog. Not only do you have to have one, but you
have to visit this historic, kitschy establishment. Great way to end our visit to Springfield. One last must-do around Springfield was to
find a geocache south of town at the Lake Springfield Marina – good find
Caitlin! |
| Illinois State Capitol |
At 5 pm we’re finally on the Mother Road again taking the
historic road (pre 1930) from Chatham to Carlinville where we encounter a 1.4
mile stretch of brick road, zigzag turns on Donaldson Road (some pavement a
mere 15’ wide), and some original concrete pavement (with turkey tracks that you
have to see to believe!) before we land for the night at the Carlinvilla
Motel. Here’s real Route 66
lodging. We visit the picturesque
Carlinville square (not as beautiful as Woodstock’s square but charming nonetheless),
and we celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Sangria and Dos Equis at Angus Bailey’s
on the south side of the square. We
ended the evening with a cold foot soak and some Ethel M chocolates. We’re ready for tomorrow…
Lovin the pics! It's like I'm on the road with you. Actually, I wish I was. Check in with you laterz.
ReplyDeleteGood nite, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite, see ya in the mornin light.
Paula