I'm in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Tomorrow, I'll reach the eastern terminus of Route 66 in Chicago, completing the first segment of my road trip.
Driving on secondary roads has been incredibly rewarding in terms of scenery, history, and unexpected discovery. With interstate freeways, finding your way is nearly automatic. With secondary roads, you have to actively find the road and choose a path. To do that, you have to look at a map. Maps also show points of interest, but I usually ignore them. On this road trip, I'm paying attention.
One of those discoveries was the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Route 66 crossed the mighty Mississippi River via this bridge. This morning, I walked the entire 1.1-mile span and back.
Another discovery, which came not from a map but purely by accident, was the town of Carlinville. While driving, I came across a beautiful rotunda with brick paving. I parked my car, found a coffee shop, and investigated this little town, because it is unusual for Route 66 to have a hidden gem like this. It wasn't even mentioned in any of my guidebooks.
It did not disappoint; the town has a rich history, including the place where Abraham Lincoln practiced law. But more interesting to me were the houses. It turns out Carlinville has one of the largest collections of Sears Mail Order homes still standing and in use today. I don't think Amazon sells home kits, but Sears certainly did in the early 1900s.
Mileage 21,962 - 22,258: 296 miles