Last Route 66 Entry-April 23, 2007 Litchfield, Staunton, Mt. Olive

LITCHFIELD- The drive in theater recently reopened ( closes for winter?) on a Friday-Sunday basis. It is a Route 66 original. Several years back they were showing older movies for a buck a person. I didn't see what the charge was this year. This year's opening flicks are "300" and "Wild Hogs." I know the critics panned "Wild Hogs" but I enjoyed it. It definitely got me into the mood for cruising those old two-laners.

Drove past Soulsby's Station in Mt. Olive, my third historic station on the Illinois stretch. Shortly after Rt 66 and Illinois Highway 4 (Rt. 66's original alignment through much of Illinois) rejoined each other there is an old roadhouse that, unfortunately, has been closed every time I've driven by.

All sorts of rabbits, both the live and automotive kind, by Rich Henry's place in Staunton. I understand he plans to put the Volkswagen Rabbits nose-down in the soil for our own Cadillac Ranch and Bug Ranch here in the Prairie State. We got lost looking for his place back on our first 66 trip back in 2002 and were told to look for the camels. I couldn't figure out what they meant by camels until we got there.  These were two trucks from the old Campbell's "Humpin' To Please" Company.

On our first end-to-end Route 66 trip this past fall, we missed the turn to the frontage road into Hamel, and ended up in Worden. I found out the reason, one of the few places in Illinois without signage. I mean, Illinois' Route 66 signage is the best we've found, although Missouri's is quickly getting there.

Went to Scotty's in Hamel. This is a classic roadhouse bar with great atmosphere and a friendly crowd. While there, I heard one patron say he was going to go into Worden and raise some hell because the police chief was at Scotty's. The man I guessed was the police chief (off duty of course), laughed and said he'd better be careful downtown because of the shape of the street pavement.

So concludes a one day cruise down part of the old road in Illinois.

Keep on Down That Two Lane Highway. RoadDog