Leg 10: Springfield to Springfield
Visiting the Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Illinois.
Springfield, Missouri to Springfield, Illinois
GS II - Leg Ten
The Mother Road is like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna get. Much like Forrest Gump in Winston Grooms novel, “I reckon we done live a pretty interestin’ life, so to speak.”
This leg began with the BMW MOA National Rally, held in Springfield Missouri. This years theme was “Wander Farther” which most of the 4500 plus bikers had to do to reach Americas Heartland. Motorcyclists by nature are rugged individuals, so how do you connect with a gathering of introverts? Leave it to John. Within a day, we had a group heading out to Uranus to taste it’s fudge, thus, the box of chocolates reference. Rich and Chris of 2WBL @twowheelsbiglife had cameras rolling, so it is certain to make it to their channel in the future and we will share the link. Great to see them and the Gillens as our paths will continue to cross.
Rally over… The Grand Shamrock is now strategically parked on the bank of the Mighty Mississippi in St. Louis with the Gateway Arch as our backdrop for an inspirational week. This modern marvel is truly magnificent, towering directly over The Mother Road, it stewards travelers East to West by tarmac and North to South by water. 🏗 🛤
The Chain of Rocks Bridge is no longer an option for 66, so the Eads Bridge is by far the oldest path to cross the Big Muddy. Completed in 1874, we felt sufficiently comfortable that we that we didn’t saunter past our goal of experiencing history.
We arrived in The Land of Lincoln, Illinois, our eighth and final state! Old Abe will not make it easy on us... 1926-1930, 1930-1940, and 1940-1977 sections of the road sculpt the prairie here.
With the help of Apps and Maps, GPS and ESP, we attempt to locate all of the eclipsed sections of 66. 😳 We take the I-55 thirty three miles up to Staunton (1926 -1930) and the Henry Rabbit Ranch. The sign hanging in the window said “Taking the bunnies to the Vet: be back at noon” so we hopped on our bikes and bounced over to Litchfield (1930-1940).🐰 Rabbit puns come easy to us as our son Duncan had an ’84 Wolfsburg Edition.
The Litchfield Wecome Center and the Ariston Cafe are directly across from each other so you can check both boxes here. ✅✅
It has been said Tucumcari by night, so why not Springfield by lunch? The Cozy Dog Drive-In is gilded in 66 history. Little has changed in the process Ed and Virginia Waldmire created in 1946 or to the loving embrace of the dogs on the rotating sign that welcomes you in. We enjoyed the classic drive-in fare and the art work created by their son, Bob Waldmire, perhaps the route’s most famous artist.
Illinois capitol of Springfield shines bright compared to most of the locales that we have visited on this journey. The connection to the sixteenth president is observed everywhere as we check out his first law office, straighten our gear with his likeness, and head to his namesake town for the last stops of the day: The Mill and The Giant Railsplitter. The Mill, according to it’s caretaker, was known for the schnitzel and underage drinking back in the day. Now, it is classic 66, juke box and all. The Giant Abe Lincoln (Railsplitter) perched atop the covered wagon has us laughing as we turn back towards St. Louis.
Our ride home does not disappoint as we cross this amber prairie. The red brick road and turkey tracks are just two of the highlights as we head back to “The Lou.” 🦃
The Mother Road is like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna get. Much like Forrest Gump in Winston Grooms novel,
“I reckon we done live a pretty interestin’ life, so to speak.”
Travel safe and we will see you on the final stretch to Chicago...
Caroline and John 🍀
