The Route 66 Chick

One of the fun results of the release of our book, Route 66 in Illinois , a year ago has been all the programs I/we have been asked to do. When we were preparing for the release a little over a year ago, Joe and I planned the program and slide show so that we could do a tag-team presentation with both of us (that's the most fun) or so that either one of us could do the program solo. I've given quite a few solo, due to Joe's work schedule and due to the fact that I have a hard time saying "no" when anyone is interested enough in Route 66 and/or our book to ask! I mentioned at the end of the last post ("We're not in Kansas anymore") that I had to get home from the tri-state area to give a program in nearby Collinsville, Illinois. I did make it home in time Monday but without much time to spare! First thing on the agenda for the Collinsville Historical Society was dinner, and I made it just in time for that. Next they had a brief business meeting and ...

But we were there - for a couple days of work on the new book.  I drove out to Baxter Springs on Saturday to get there in time to spend a couple hours at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center. There, I needed to pick up scanned photos from Museum Manager Linda Kennedy and take another look at the exhibits.  (On our trip there back in April, co-author Joe Sonderman and I enjoyed a guided tour of the museum from Linda. Then we spent hours perusing the exhibits and photos, snapping reference photos, and compiling a list of what we would use from their great collection.) Late Saturday afternoon, after some time at the Center and a visit with Linda, I took some photos of the Fort Blair site on nearby grounds. Baxter Springs has a significant military history, which we'll reflect in the book. Then it was downtown (a whole couple blocks away) onto Military Avenue/Route 66 for some photos and a light supper at Cafe on the Route.  Next was...

R and R. Which can stand for rest and relaxation. Rules and regulations. Or rock and roll.  After the run-up to Blue Carpet Corridor weekend, I was really interested in some rest and relaxation. Also, Steve and I had family reunions the next two weekends (his in Michigan one Saturday and mine in Wisconsin the next Saturday). So we took the week in between off work and headed north.  We took off on a Friday and had to be in Flint, Michigan, for Steve's family gathering on Saturday at noon, so we couldn't do much two-lane stuff. We did take time for a leisurely lunch at the Palms Grill Cafe and some photos while in Atlanta. While at the Palms Grill we ended up running into Bill Thomas and Rachel Neisler, who make things happen in the 66 kind of way in Atlanta. We took a look at the new "high striker" (strength tester, strongman game) installed near Tall Paul. We took a couple photos but didn't do any strength testing. We spent our first evening on the road ...