Day 20 – Circling Chicago (detailed update, as promised)
Hit the road at 6:30 on route 12 out of Detroit, which took a while through the urban sprawl. Drove past several huge Ford plants and one GM plant. Passed one UAW hall that had a sign that said “No foreign vehicles allowed on this property!” Rumor has it that they can get smashed.
Met long ago friends Pam and Joe Watts from Lansing at Harolds restaurant on Hwy 12 for breakfast and had a short visit. While at the restaurant a senior gentlemen asked if the coupe was for sale and we both said “today yes!” Two miles down the road, lo and behold there was a ’30 coupe for sale, we wondered if it had a working overdrive. Check with John and Judy for an interesting writeup on it.There was road construction everywhere. Countryside was pretty, and we drove through a lot of Amish and Mennonite farm areas. Actually route 12 is like a scene out of the fifties. We saw vintage roadside parks, drive-in theaters, drive-in restaurants with bellhops, and all the downtown areas actually had stores and looked prosperous. And we now know where lots and lots of motorhomes and camper trailers are manufactured, passed at least 4 large factories.
Route 30 bypassing Chicago was tough, endless towns and redlights. When our clutch legs gave out, and the temperature and humidity became too high, we stopped for the night at Joliet, IL. Hopefully, it will be country driving from here.
Jack C. and Don S. checked in, they are in Port Washington, WI. When I asked how did they get there, they said they had taken the interstate through Chicago and Milwaukee. Jack said “it was very competitive.” I think they were pushing the hell out of that little roadster. Tomorrow they are visiting a cycling buddy in Wawona, WI and then pushing west to rendezvous with us in Keystone, SD.
Bill R. has landed back in Chicago and when we talked to him, was searching for his car, I think he needs a GPS.
San Jose East side gang is in Laramie, they are making such good time, they may be in to Keystone 2 days early. Looking forward to meeting up with them on Friday.The little black coupe is running well without overdrive, I even gave it a bath tonight. Included picture is of a dump truck with so many wheels (42) that it looks like a centipede. They must have stringent axle load laws here.
6 comments:
Bob,Pat,John,Judy,
Gald all is well. It sounds like you had an adventure todaqy. Keep on trucking. We had a good day here. Weather fair, had a few thunderstorms and rain but nothing major. Back on the road early tomorrow and try to get through Chicago best we can. Keep the faith and we'll catch up on your adventure on the site tomorrow.
Will,Karla, and of course Chris
Hi guys. Good to hear you are safely by the "Big City". As Will said, we had a down day.
Per Bob H., Master Model A Mechanic, we retarded timing tonight and will see if that makes a difference tomorrow. We also purchased some old-fashioned STP to put in the oil, with the hope of increasing oil pressure just in case the bearings are a little looser than when we left friendly CA.
Tomorrow will be the test! We get further from Bloomington (and help) after tomorrow so will have to make serious decisions if things get worse.
Dave & Susan
Thanks Mary-Mia for keeping us updated. Wouldn't want to lose track of that band of adventurers! What a time to be away, 104 in Los Altos today!
Janet
Happy to hear you're still rolling along, albeit a little more slowly. It sounds like the whole group of adventurers are developing material for a great seminar! Either that or we're going to have to have a special picnic just to listen to 'war stories'.
They say that the weather is going to break any day now. Of course we have been listening to "they" for a week now. CA has had 10 consecutive days with the state's avg. temp. over 100 degrees!
(OK Bobby, we know we're wimps when it comes to hot weather).
Good truckin'! Al & Mary
Day 20....
This travelogue will not go out tonight for reasons we will explain later.
The Sleep Inn we stayed at last night in Lincoln Park was a real nice hotel in a light industrial area. I think there were about four other normal families there, and a group of dimwits that were having a seminar next morning on dimwitism. Following plan X, Bob & Patti left at 6AM for the grand experiment. Could they go the distance, boxing the south end of Lake Michigan on secondary farm roads without hitting the frantic interstates, avoiding kamikaze truckers, traveling at the speed of SLOW? We bid them goodbye, in true touring fashion, and watched them leave alone…sink or swim, friends! We both munched another croissant as they headed out into the first dirty light of a Detroit morning.
It’s too complicated to detail the convoluted route we took to avoid the Interstates. We ran through some punishing roads trying to flee Detroit…in fact, that’s the best aspect of Detroit…when it’s in your rear view mirror. No Dearborn Museum this time. After forty nine traffic lights, we were out of there, and flying down the two lane highway…well, maybe not exactly flying. Ypsalanti, Saline, Irish Hills and then… wait, a black ’30 Model A Coupe sitting on the grass to our left with a “for sale” sign on the windshield…have Bob and Patti seen the light? We’re going so fast, we just honk at the old car like idiots…and who pops up from behind the car? Come on… guess. Jack and Don. It is the Twilight Zone, where reality bends around the corner…for your consideration. We suffer a few construction delays, and spot a neat A&W-type drive-in diner…again we’re going so fast, I overshoot the place, and Judy yells, “I WANT A SUNDAE!” “Yes dear” is my new mantra, as we make a swift U-turn and go back to join Jack & Don for a final reunion before they head off for Green Bay. We’ll see them again at Rushmore…but who knows? They show up in the oddest places…
Reluctant to circle the Lake on interstates 90/80, we boxed the route, dropping down on 13, over to 6, down 421, then over to 30. We saw some serene Amish country, undulating farmland, and picture perfect farm houses. Then we dumped into Chicago Heights. The historic Lincoln Highway cuts right through Chicago Heights. Don’t go there, just take my word for it. After 153 traffic lights, we finally caught up to Bob & Patti just outside of Valparaiso, and we thought we might make it 75 more miles to Aurora. We tried, but collapsed outside of Joliet. Patti spotted a little motel in New Lennox, Illinois…Judy helped her inspect a room, they both ran the nose test, with A. C. MANDITORY, and declared the rooms passable. The rooms are usually rented by the construction crews temporarily in the area…I could tell, because there’s some left over stop signs and flags propped up in the corner of our room…
New Lennox, Illinois
John & Judy and Patti & Bob going really slow, but GOING
Ps: the Wayfaring Workingman’s Bide A Wee Motel does not have a phone, no high speed wireless connection, and no continental breakfast. But the mirror works.
Day 20....
This travelogue will not go out tonight for reasons we will explain later.
The Sleep Inn we stayed at last night in Lincoln Park was a real nice hotel in a light industrial area. I think there were about four other normal families there, and a group of dimwits that were having a seminar next morning on dimwitism. Following plan X, Bob & Patti left at 6AM for the grand experiment. Could they go the distance, boxing the south end of Lake Michigan on secondary farm roads without hitting the frantic interstates, avoiding kamikaze truckers, traveling at the speed of SLOW? We bid them goodbye, in true touring fashion, and watched them leave alone…sink or swim, friends! We both munched another croissant as they headed out into the first dirty light of a Detroit morning.
It’s too complicated to detail the convoluted route we took to avoid the Interstates. We ran through some punishing roads trying to flee Detroit…in fact, that’s the best aspect of Detroit…when it’s in your rear view mirror. No Dearborn Museum this time. After forty nine traffic lights, we were out of there, and flying down the two lane highway…well, maybe not exactly flying. Ypsalanti, Saline, Irish Hills and then… wait, a black ’30 Model A Coupe sitting on the grass to our left with a “for sale” sign on the windshield…have Bob and Patti seen the light? We’re going so fast, we just honk at the old car like idiots…and who pops up from behind the car? Come on… guess. Jack and Don. It is the Twilight Zone, where reality bends around the corner…for your consideration. We suffer a few construction delays, and spot a neat A&W-type drive-in diner…again we’re going so fast, I overshoot the place, and Judy yells, “I WANT A SUNDAE!” “Yes dear” is my new mantra, as we make a swift U-turn and go back to join Jack & Don for a final reunion before they head off for Green Bay. We’ll see them again at Rushmore…but who knows? They show up in the oddest places…
Reluctant to circle the Lake on interstates 90/80, we boxed the route, dropping down on 13, over to 6, down 421, then over to 30. We saw some serene Amish country, undulating farmland, and picture perfect farm houses. Then we dumped into Chicago Heights. The historic Lincoln Highway cuts right through Chicago Heights. Don’t go there, just take my word for it. After 153 traffic lights, we finally caught up to Bob & Patti just outside of Valparaiso, and we thought we might make it 75 more miles to Aurora. We tried, but collapsed outside of Joliet. Patti spotted a little motel in New Lennox, Illinois…Judy helped her inspect a room, they both ran the nose test, with A. C. MANDITORY, and declared the rooms passable. The rooms are usually rented by the construction crews temporarily in the area…I could tell, because there’s some left over stop signs and flags propped up in the corner of our room…
New Lennox, Illinois
John & Judy and Patti & Bob going really slow, but GOING
Ps: the Wayfaring Workingman’s Bide A Wee Motel does not have a phone, no high speed wireless connection, and no continental breakfast. But the mirror works.
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