An Unexpected Trip to Chicago Day 2 - 5

I drove straight threw Missouri and ended up in Carlinville Ill at a very nice Best Western that when I pulled up I thought was going to be much to pricy for me but it was well under a 100 bucks. It was a very nice hotel almost like a resort. Here are some of the shots.

A shot of the swimming pool.


A shot of the atrium.



A shot of a boat they had hanging by the ceiling.


I am quite tired and decide to take more pictures in the morning. I had dinner at the hotel which was only fair and they did buy me my second beer so all is well.

Now today is the 17th and here are some more shots of the grounds around the hotel.

Here is a shot inside the hotel pointed towards the bar and restaurant.


I go outside and they have these little streams running around the hotel that seem to be recycled.




Here are a couple of shots of a river boat they have in this “pond”. Looks like it is used for parties or meetings.


Here are a couple of shots of the pond.




Back inside to the pool area.



From the pool area.



Well time to go so off I head up the Route 66 way. Here is a couple of shots from a Route 66 rest area.





Across the hall from the Route 66 stuff was an area dedicated to Lincoln.



I get to Dads house at about 430 PM. The weather so far has been great and even though Illinois is so flat I wish I had more time to take more pictures.

Day 4 & 5 start here. --------------------------------------------------------

Trip to Chicago day 4 & 5

The next two days were rather draining as this trip was for my Uncle Bob’s funeral. I have now lost 4 uncles and you really begin to reflect on life in general when you have lost so many that have been so close to you.

While Patt was getting her hair done, dad and I found this little Oasis behind the shop. So we stopped, sat, and just reflected on our memories.





The next day was actually the funeral so afterwards Dad and Patt both did not feel very well no doubt so we did not go to the little reception after the funeral. On the way back to Dad and Patt’s house they decide to try to having something to eat to see if it would make them feel any better. We stopped at a child hood BBQ place for both dad and I called Russels. Unless you have acquired the taste for it, you may not like it. It is nothing like what we are used to in Texas. I did get a shot of the two of them before we left.



We thought about going back to the reception for a short while but we all felt tired and had a bit of heart burn so we all took naps and I started getting ready for my trip back to Texas.

We did go to dinner later that night at a really cool place called “Old West Steakhouse”. You would think you were back in Texas again. Do not even ask me where we were.





Once inside there was this Indian staring off into the distance or actually upwards so I shot a picture of dad next to it.



Here is a shot of Dad and Patt inside at our booth.



As with all things the day ends and I must get on the road tomorrow.

__________________________________________________________________________

We all get up and have some coffee and donuts together and I start to pack seriously. I bring the truck around and back it up their driveway. Now to think of it, I wish I took some shots of their house. Anyway, Dad and I get the bike loaded and strapped down with the straps he purchased for his bike but has since sold his truck so no longer needs them. He felt the ratchet mechanisms were better then the ones I had, and you know how it is to argue with your Dad. After we get the bike loaded I continue to load up the truck and Patt packs me a bunch of munchies for the trip and off I go to have lunch with Mom Drezen and Theresa before actually getting out of Chicago. It is at the lunch that my camera takes a dump so now I need to buy one on the road and I did not get a shot of Carol or Theresa. Oh well, if that is the worse thing that happens on this trip no problem.

I get done with lunch and take off for Normal Ill as my first night stay. I did not get on the road out of Chicago until about 2 or 3 PM so I knew I would be stopping in Ill. I did not take any pictures until the next day as it was not until my stay in Normal that I found a Wall Mart so I could buy a new cameral.

The next morning I took off and then stopped in this Rest Area that the next picture depicts a family at a road side rest area having a picnic. According to a little plaque, family picnic’s at rest areas started some time in the late 19th century.



Here is a shot of the Van and bike at the same rest stop. Notice the storage silo in the back ground. You see a lot of those in Ill.



I got down in Springfield Illinois and needed some gas and I noticed these smoke stacks just puffing away. Not sure what they were burning or what energy they were producing but they sure put out the smoke.





I then stopped at another rest area before heading out of the state and decided to see if I could capture the little yellow flowers.





I stopped in Missouri over night and then headed straight home the next day so this is it for the pictures.

An Unexpected Trip to Chicago

An Unexpected Trip to Chicago

I will be writing this in Chunks as to not make it one real long read. I will identify each posting point.

I guess I need to start of with some history here since folks will be asking. My Uncle Bob came down quite ill a few weeks back and it turned out to be cancer. At first we expected to be able to see him in that it was reported as a slow moving cancer. He was in getting some tests done and then was again hospitalized but it was expected he would return home. I had even talked with my aunt on Saturday and though the prognosis was bad there still seemed to be some hope that he would recover enough to go home and get hospice or some type of similar comfort care. Well I got a call Sunday from my dad that Uncle Bob had indeed passed on to go to a better place. So it was time to start making quick plans to get up to Chicago, Des Plains to be exact. Since my Uncle had worked all of his life for the town and its people I thought I best mention the exact town, city. Anyway I was told that I needed to get up to Chicago by Thursday so it was pack it up time with a planned departure time of Monday afternoon as I had some loose ends and work to tie up. I spent most of the day Sunday getting ready and a bunch of friends stopped by to help and just talk and such.

Here is a shot of Brett with his bike and in the back ground is Denis’ bike that was standing in the garage with me. He plans to see if he can sell his bike. I hope that it works out for him, but then I shamefully hope he does not sell it so he can keep riding with us. Him and CC are a lot of fun. Anyway you can see I am loading up the Van.



It looks like someone else grabbed the camera and took a shot of Philip and I next to my Van.



Val decides to get into the action and sits on one of the bikes. As I am writing this I am in Lebanon Mo, and I sure do miss her.



Paul comes over to say hi before he and Philip go for a ride. I need to get back to work on loading and such.



Come Monday the 15th I took off at 2 or 2:30 PM and made it to the Comfort Inn in Muskogee Ok. It was a full moon but most of the folks did drive fairly well despite the full moon. Not sure what the complex is in the back ground and the picture does not do it justice but here is the shot anyway. The hotel was nice and clean but a bit pricy for what you get in my opinion.



The next morning now September 16th there was a lot of moisture in the air.



Later in the morning as I was getting ready to leave I found this old Ford. Not sure of the year.





Here I am at a rest stop in Missouri.



This is the first posting point. -------------------------------------------------------------------

A short ride to find Oswald's Grave

A Ride to find Oswald’s grave

First it was a pleasure to meet a new rider Lori who is a friend of Courtney. She has a nice Harley, not sure of the Model at this time as I am writing this quite sometime after the ride took place. This ride occurred September 6th. Here is a shot of Philip and Lori.


Here is a shot of Courtney and Philip.




We really did not have any specific route planned so we just headed towards the south. We took Green Oaks and just rode it to River Legacy Park. After leaving the Park we ended up at Rose Hill Cemetery off of Division “old Hwy 80” as Philip took the lead for awhile and wanted to see if he could remember where the grave was. We did find it and here is the grave stone. I wonder who is putting flowers on it.



Here is a shot of Lori and Courtney.


The next shot is across the street to help me get my bearings incase we ever ride back there again.



We then head over to River Bottoms Pub and then break off from there. It was a nice day for a ride and it was great meeting Lori and riding with her. I realized her and my riding style is very similar. We quite often shifted at the same time and our style just seemed the same. Welcome to the group Lori, hope we can ride together more.

Pj