Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Day 21: Field of Dreams

We left Joliet, IL at 6:00 am with a half hour head start to pick up Bill R. in Aurora, IL who we thought was about a half hour down the road. After 10 miles we were enmeshed in an incredible traffic jam. We called on the cell and told John and Judy to avoid route 30 to Aurora at all costs. We actually turned around found some country roads around the mess. Bob followed his nose and two hours later we arrived on the other side of Aurora. About 2 ½ hours to go 45 miles. We finally caught up with Bill at Lee Center crossroads 2 hours later, J and J about 10 minutes later, and we all had breakfast. Interesting crossroads out in the middle of the farmlands, an implement dealer, a restaurant, and a motel and that’s all, looks like it would be a good place for a gas station. Did I mention that it rained for the first two hours on the road?

TDSCF5583To Chuck Christensen, we have spent considerable time on the Lincoln Highway (route 30 in this part of the country), we know this because it is well marked. We stopped at a Harrah’s casino in Joliet (of all places) to try to find a wireless connection to post on the blog from the parking lot, but no luck. Stopped in Sabula, IA (on the Mississippi) at a one room schoolhouse (converted to a welcome center) where we bought some handmade crafts and a bottle of local cranberry wine (drank the wine this evening, not bad).

Bob filled the transmission again on the little black coupe and then checked Bill’s transmission and added a bunch of gear lube to it also. I think we can be trailed across the country by following the oil drops.

TDSCF5588 TDSCF5585

Next stop was on route 20 at Dyersville, IA where we visited the Field of Dreams. The white house, the baseball field, the bleachers and even the corn were all there. It was getting hot and late so we targeted Waterloo as our destination for the day. Had a little miscommunication problem, Bill R. was following John, lost sight of him, didn’t pick up on the fact that he was no longer in front of him and ended up a 100 miles down the road from us tonight. Bob found out that the little black coupe does not like to sit at long traffic lights in hot weather, gives it a touch of vapor lock, until a little speed is reattained.

Sally and Andy Vano (friends of ours from way back when) drove down from Alexandria, MN to meet up with us tonight. They are going to shadow us for a day or so. We have heard from all our friends on the road tonight, Ray and Linda, Bob and Shirley are approaching Keystone, SD already from the southwest. We won’t be there for two more days. Dave and Susan, Ted and Susan, Will and Karla are in Rockford, IL tonight. Dave still has a bad noise under load, everybody has their fingers crossed on that one. Jack and Don are in Waupaca, WI. They had a problem with the roadster today. It did not want to start. Took 5 ½ hours to get it going, changed about everything that could be changed, and still not running 100%, but they are heading west. Never did figure out exactly what the problem was. Maybe it didn’t get enough sleep last night.

4 comments:

Stacey T. said...

I think you should post about how much luggage you have with you and what you are doing about laundry!!

Anonymous said...

Day Five, July 26, 2006/ Day 21

We saw Bob & Patti off at 6AM again this morning. Bill flew into Chicago yesterday to pick up his car and continue the ride home with us. It was nice to see him again behind the wheel of his Model A. It rained on us mercilessly for most of the morning until we all converged at a little diner in the middle of nowhere, Illinois for a nice breakfast reunion. Crossing into Iowa, we followed the road along the Mississippi River, but we couldn’t see the river for the lush tree line. Stopped at the visitor’s center across the border, and bought all kinds of neat local craftwork, then pressed on past Dubuque for our destination, Fort something or other. We didn’t make it anyway. Decided to stay in Waterloo, after Judy & I scouted ahead to Dike, sixteen miles down the highway (don’t even go there), populated by two adults, one child, a dog, and a recently deceased raccoon in the middle of Main Street. No motel, though.

We were all strung out on the highway, at cross purposes, driving back and forth, giving poor Bill mixed messages, when I realized that we were four crazy people, on the road too long, rattled, and unable to find a motel. The more we tried, the crazier we got. Being fresh and sane and able to make a decision, Bill left us behind, in true Model A touring tradition, and calmly drove to Fort Whatever. I’m sure he suspects we’re nuts. I can hear him now: “what’s up with them?” We’ll have to make a real effort tomorrow to make him believe that we can still function rationally and dress ourselves.

I know we’re supposed to get up early tomorrow and drive somewhere, but I can’t think about that right now. I’ll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day…

Four Nuts and one sane guy going West

Iowa

Ps: the little black coupe is a stalwart car, running out there dependably, all day…prayer does work. Got a call from Jack & Don somewhere back there…the roadster won’t start. Bob advised them to stick the backup distributor on…no further word, yet. Dave & Susan ran their coupe all day, but something just doesn’t sound right in the engine. They propose to run it tomorrow and see how it goes. So our adventure is turning into an ADVENTURE. Ray called to report that the California group, consisting of Bob & Shirley in their coupe and Ray & Linda in their sedan are nearly at Rushmore, and they haven’t gone crazy yet. Give them another 15 days…

Pat said...

Answer to Stacey,
We have two small suitcases with us and as far as laundry goes, I'm on vacation...Besides we wear everything rightside out and then turn it inside out.

Pat said...

Bob neglected to say that Sally and Andy came with gifts. Sally made some delicious cookies, gobs! She also realized that we would have a few aching muscles so she brought magic hands, a seat that had rollers for a wonderful massage
for our aching backs. Yes, even John and Judy got a massage.