Day Two: June 7, 2010

Day two was really great! We had breakfast at the Dixie Truckers Home and drove back to Funks Grove to get some sirup. Debby Funk was a gracious host and even let me behind the counter for a photo. Then it was off to Atlanta and the second Gemini Giant. Downtown Atlanta is beautiful. The murals are amazing, as is the library and the famous clock tower.

Then it was off to Lincoln and the old/dead-end alignments. We found one end of the one lane alignment on Kickapoo Street and could see that it headed west toward the 66 Bypass, but we couldn’t find the western end on the bypass. Off of the 66 Bypass south of Lincoln, we found an original brick alignment that led to a cemetery on the west side of the road. We climbed over the road closed sign and followed the old alignment on foot to the “Ghost Bridge” that once carried 66 over Salt Creek. The supports are still there, but the road bed is gone. We also found the alignment on the south side of Salt Creek.

We stopped at the Pig Hip Restaurant Museum in Broadwell, but it looked like no one was home. Frank was at Die Cast Auto Sales in Williamsville, and we got to hang out with him for a while and get a photo with him. Then it was on to Sherman and the old alignment on Old Tipton School Road and the other “Ghost Bridge” in Carpenter Park. We hopped another road closed sign and walked the old alignment to the Sangamon River.

Route 66 followed many different alignments over the years through Springfield, but Mike and I managed to hit most of them. We drove by Shea’s Route 66 Museum, but it is closed on Sunday’s and Monday’s. We found the Lauderbach Giant on Wabash Street and visited President Lincoln’s Tomb, then made it back to South Sixth Street and ate supper at the Cozy Dog. We are spending the night at the Route 66 Convention Center (the former Holiday Inn on South Sixth Street. Tomorrow it’s on to Saint Louis!

Pictures from Day Two