US-20 in Illinois-- Part 2

Like I said, US-20 is a great drive through the farms from Marengo, and then goes to four lane at Belvedere and continues four lane until west of Freeport. Imagine a town in the middle of Illinois with the name Freeport.

There is talk of making a four lane by-pass all the way to Dubuque to alleviate traffic and I'd be all in favor of it as long as they keep the old two lane as well. The traffic, especially the trucks, is the only drawback of the drive.

Just watch your speed, especially around Freeport, AS THIS STRETCH IS PARTICULARLY WELL-PATROLLED. I once got a speeding ticket the first time I took the old 1967 Firebird convertible out for a cruise. We almost always see at least one police car.

AS pretty as the first part of 20 is, once you get to Freeport, it just continues to get better and better. We have one stretch of what I call a rollercoaster road, where it goes up and down a series of hills.

Once through Stockton, you start climbing and then get some fantastic vistas and looks "down-in-the-valley."

Then, you get a tunnel drive through Tapley's Woods, and then comes...GALENA.

Who Says Illinois' All Flat? --RoadDog