Route 66 blog
Sunday 22.09.13 peterbrownroute66. Get Your Kicks On Route 66
Another good day travelling Route 66 this time we've rode through Auburn, Farmersville, Litchfield, Mount Olive, Taunton, Edwardsville. We have left the state of Illinois and now at St Louis which is in the state of Missouri, and has a stainless steel arch which is the nations tallest monument reaching 630ft and depicts the gateway to the West. We have been up to the very top of the arch via a small capsule and the views from the top were fab. Now checked into a great hotel which includes a happy hour with 3 free cocktails and hot snacks which by American standards has filled us both up so we will not be dining out for the next two nights.
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| Red brick road is a 1920s segment of the old Route 66 |
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| Just come across this and it looked good |
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| Old filling station at Mount Olive |
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| The old chain of rocks bridge that spans the mighty Mississippi River |
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| 1 Mile long opened in 1926 at a cost of $2.6 million. The toll was 5 cents |
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| Stainless steel gateway arch completed in 1965 |
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| View from top |
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| Mississippi River |
Route 66 blog
Monday 23.09.13 peterbrownroute66. Get Your Kicks On Route 66
Had an easy day today which started with quick trip on the bike back to Illinois to get a better shot of the arch. Then it was a river cruise on the mighty Mississippi. Afterwards we visited the old court house and Cathedral Basilica which apparently is a replica from one built in Ireland. While we were saying a prayer for Bertha we got a parking ticket.
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| Nearly got the moon in the middle |
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| View from inside the court house |
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| Cathedral basilica |
Bike update
I had some good news off Dave this morning to say that the engine has arrived and its the next job on the mechanics list, and we should have it back on the road before weekend. ( Plan D ) is to go on a little further to visit Meramec Caverns then start to double back and stop possibly at Springfield, then head for Milwaukee which would take us to Wednesday night and it would be really really nice if the bike could be ready at some point on Thursday. ( I hope your reading this my best mate Dave ) if so this must set a Harley record of doing all this in just over a week.
Route 66 blog
Tuesday 24.09.13 peterbrownroute66. Get Your Kicks On Route 66
It was nice to get back on the road today, we had a 70 mile ride further west to Meramec caverns. Most of the Route 66 had been tarmaced over with the interstate 55 and 40, although there was some nice stretches that still existed. We even found an old abandoned bridge along the way. Meramec caverns was definately worth a stop even though the tour took over an hour. We then started our return journey back to Milwaukee and are now back at Springfield.
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| Abandoned bridge on Route 66 |
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| Meramec River which flows towards the Mississippi |
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| Inside Meramec caverns |
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| Pictures don't do it justice |
Bike update
Dave at Milwaukee Harley Davidson gave me a call to say that at times there are three men working on Bertha to try and meet our deadline, but he had some other issues that needed sorting and I gave him the all clear to order more replacement parts. It looks like Bertha will be like a new model by the time these guys have finished with her.
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| Now which way round did it go? |
Wednesday 25.09.13 peterbrownroute66.
We were both up early so had a good start back to Milwaukee via the interstate. If you were to travel Coast to Coast all you would see is tarmac and wagons and these boys can motor. It takes nerves of steel when passing several at speed as when you start to pass you get blasted with wind from the turbulence they give off, then it vanishes so you feel you are being pushed forward then at the end you get another blast and all the time you are conscious that they may not have spotted you and decide to switch lanes. Anyway we got to Milwaukee in one piece and had no sooner checked into our hotel when we received some great news off Dave at Milwaukee Harley Davidson to say that Bertha was ready so we headed straight there.
I carn't praise these guys enough they have been fantastic and kept me informed every step of the way, they even gave Bertha a shampoo and blow dry and she's looking and riding like a new bike.
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| Looking good |
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| It's many thanks to these guys |
Thursday 26.09.13 peterbrownroute66.
Had a very very long day riding and after 9 1/2hrs and two sore butts we are just past St. Louis with 405 miles under our belt. The reason it took so long is we have had to run the new engine in, so I have been taking it very easy and kept the revs between 2 to 3,000 rpm. For the first 150 miles I came off at every other intersection to get to very low speeds, not to mention the stops to let the engine cool a little. Any way it seems to have paid off as she's running like a dream. We are not sending any pictures until we are back on track which will now be on tomorrow's blog. Over all the delay has added 900 miles and 2 days into our itinery which I will easily claw back ( so plans A,B and C have paid off ).
Friday 27.09.13 peterbrownroute66, Route 66 blog, Get Your Kicks On Route 66
We have travelled all day on Route 66, and it's been brill, the road has also been of good quality and very well sign posted. We have been through Sullivan, Cuba, St James, Rolla, Waynesville, and now at Lebanon for an overnight stop. Cuba is a lovely little town with plenty of murals similar to Pontiac and also has the largest rocking chair in the world. We then headed for Devils elbow with an old steel girder bridge that crosses the big piney river and dates back to the early days of Route 66. Whilst riding I was thinking how lucky we were with the bike breaking down in Milwaukee because if it had happened in some of the remote places we have already been through then it would have been another story.
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| Travelling along Route 66 |
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| Murals at Cuba |
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| One of the posher houses |
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| Giant rocking chair at Cuba |
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| The sign says it all |
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| Steel girder bridge at Devils Elbow |
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| Pam's feet humding more than Charlie's |
Saturday 28.09.13 peterbrownroute66, Route 66 blog, Get Your Kicks On Route 66
We have had another good day on Route 66. The scenery is now green fields, rolling hills and wooded areas. Our 1st stop was fantastic caverns at Springfield where you are driven through it in a small jeep and as the name says it was fantastic. We thought it was better than Meramec caverns but the pictures don't do it justice. On route to our overnight stop we visited the Sinclair station at Paris Springs. Just after that the rain started and continued with us to our overnight stop at Joplin, but we have not let it dampen our spirits and are having a fantastic time.
That completes our week 3. Click on newer post on the bottom left to get to week 4. And by the way as Neil Diamond song we are only 24hrs from Tulsa.
Don't forget to comment 1st please
Get your kicks on peterbrownroute66
16 comments:
Re picture 2 I thought you took Pam with you??
I can't imagine how they built that arch
Take care,sorry I can't meet you in St Louis!!!
I can't understand how u went to the top of the arch, it doesn't look wide enough to house a capsule. I saw a programme today that showed a place in Arizona calledThe oatman bar & restaurant & it's also known as the dollar bill bar, where there are over $85,000 $1 bills stapled to doors, walls etc & it started from mining times & has carried on now & people who visit sign $1 bills & attach them to the walls too. I didn't know if you knew about it but it looks pretty cool & I didn't know if u would want to go when your in AZ XX
glad you are getting some good news at last
i cant imagine how you got to the top of that arch[any photos of the capsule]
take care
We are calling at oatman and will pay it a visit, money is getting short I think I may need take some off the wall to help pay for the holiday
the caves look incredible
bertha is looking rather sorry for herself [get well soon]
Hello! It looks like you're having an amazing time. Apart from the bike breaking down and all that.
The updates are brilliant, I read them at work and they help pass the time.
doris\scott
Awesome, feels like I'm there with u, hopefully the yanks do a better job with the bike!
Hi Charlie I hope Steven is looking after you. These guys have done a fantastic job and think we will bring the bike here when it needs a service
bet you bought those boys a pint!
what is your itinerary now
take care
No hes not, he thinks a walk is to the pub and back!. you can bugger off going back there for a service! im sure you told everyone to hold off with the tenders till you go on holiday! 12 tenders in 2 weeks!!!!
Excited for more pics tomorrow xx
Looking good so far, glad you are back on Bertha for the rest of your trip. Did you get the text I sent of Doris's new hair do? Xx
was that a real ammonite in the shop?ibet where you are going there will be plenty of fossils and dinasour bones take care and enjoy yourselves
you are only 24 hours away [from tulsa]
So glad that you have Bertha back, she is looking great. The caverns look absolutely brilliant, I wish I could be there to see them. It looks like you are having a great time, Pam looks really happy on the photo's. Take care and carry on having a safe journey.
Lots of love
Pauline and Duncan
Hi you 2 hope your trip is going good and no more problems. by the way a motorbike with a English number plate
was the last thing I thought id see in Rockford yes lol im the English guy who stopped to chat to you in the Canadian
truck remember me. GERDI like I said hope alls well iv traveled most of route 66 and when you get to the west of flagstaff
in arazona its real pretty good luck
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