Cruisin' the Lincoln Highway in Illinois-- Part 2

Saturday, May 18th.

Finally found a car wash in Dixon (after finding one in Morrison too busy and one in Sterling closed).  We had picked up a lot of dust in Clinton that had been marked with a smattering on rain.  We must cruise the Lincoln while looking good.

Also got gas, which was up from $3.68 Thursday to $3.80 thanks to the most recent gas gouge.

We were too late for the mural dedication in Franklin Grove and the car show was breaking up.

Drove on through Rochelle to Creston and stopped for a drink at Smokin' Harry's.  Met the tour group which was having dinner at the Creston Opera House (imagine a town of less than 900 with an opera house).  We had been too late in getting signed up for the tour and ate instead back at the Iron Skillet Restaurant at the I-39 truck stop.

Then, we went back to Creston and heard  Mr. Headon talk about his town and Lincoln Highway connection.

More to Come.  --RoadDog


TOO PUNNY:  I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger.  Then it hit me.

Road Trip to Franklin Grove, Illinois- Saturday

Finally got out on the first road trip of the summer, thanks to Big Oil's Greed and my desire NOT to make them any more wealthier than they already are.

We left Spring Grove Saturday and drove to Franklin Grove, Illinois, a small town of under 1000 population about 90 miles from us, that at one time was the National Headquarters of the Lincoln Highway Association, but now is the Official Tourist Center after we were able to get a full-time national director who is based out of South Bend, Indiana.

The reason we went there was to meet and greet with Michael Wallis and Michael Williamson who are on a coast-to-coast book tour for their just published book "The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast from Times Square to the Golden Gate."

They gave a short talk and then signed copies of the book. I also had Michael Wallis sign a copy of his Pulitzer Prize nominated book "The Mother Road" about Route 66. He is probably the best known Route 66 author and served as an advisor in Disney-Pixar's "Cars" movie last year. He was also the voice of the Sheriff on it. He has authored about 15 other books.

Michael Williamson is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning photographer for the Washington Post and he took the pictures.

As an added bonus for us, another noted "road" author was there as well. Brian Butko is one of the foremost authorities on the Lincoln Highway and roadside attractions. I had him sign two books, "Greetings from Lincoln Highway" and "Roadside Attractions."

Boy Am I Getting Some Culture. What Next, Opera? --RoadDog

Hittin' the Road-- Part 1: Lincoln Highway in Illinois

We're heading out for a cruise on the Illinois stretch of the Lincoln Highway. Plans call for a stop at the Franklin Grove, Il., LH visitors center and then we'd like to see the covered bridge I just found out about near Morrison. I'd also like to check out Dixon's 1930s swimming pool and Logan Park.

Planning on catching Clinton Lumber Barons game. That'd be Class A minor league baseball, where the players definitely aren't millionaires. You might say it's real baseball.

The Lincoln Highway is the nation's oldest transcontinental road and dates back to 1913, some 13 years before Route 66.

--RoadDog