You may have noticed that I haven’t posted for a while.  The big reason for that is we were away for three weeks fulfilling a dream we have had for a number of years — to drive Route 66 all the way from the start in Chicago to the end in Santa Monica.

If you wait until you have the time and money to make a trip like this, it will never happen.  For me, the final catalyst that spurred us into seriously planning the trip was the 2016 wildfires in California.  The famous Summit Inn, which had been a Route 66 landmark since 1952 was a casualty of those fires.

We knew every year we waited we were gambling our chance to see these places.  Whether fire, demolition, vandalism, or neglect, Route 66 icons only disappear more with the passage of time.  The best time to do Route 66 will always be “ten years ago” when more things were standing.  We didn’t want to wait any longer.

So, this will be the first in a series of video posts highlighting our trip down the Mother Road.  I hope you will follow along with us.

Today’s episode starts in Chicago and we head out towards Springfield, Illinois.