Day One Continues On The Mother Road Route 66

Last Updated: November 24, 2021. Earlier today, I began my Odyssey on Route 66, The Mother Road.  This is a great country, the greatest one on Earth. It is wonderful to see a celebration of freedom leading up to our country’s birthday on July 4. All along as I travel Route 66 Old Glory is on display.

Old Glory in Odell, Illinois

Is that Fabulous McCook, IL coming up?

McDrivin’ in McCook Illinois with #IDroveTheMotherRoadRoute66

Remember, You Can Trust Your Car To The Man Who Wears The Star, That Big, Bright Texaco Star!

Texaco Is Alive And Well in Dwight, Illinois

I look around and discover someone who is really haulin’ the mail here in Illinois:

Haulin’ the Mail on America’s Main Street

Pontiac, Illinois Has At Least 2 Alignments of Route 66. I Took the One From 1930 – 1939

My Pontiac was ill in Pontiac, Ill.

Driving through Pontiac, I pulled up to a stop sign, stepped on the gas and … nothing. The transmission fluid had blown out, all of it. Contemplating spending the weekend in Pontiac, IL, I pulled out the GPS and began a search for ‘auto parts’.

But it got better with help from the guys at NAPA in Pontiac, Illinois

How lucky! It could not have happened at a better place, better time or a better day! I walked 2 blocks to NAPA and explained what was wrong to the counter guy. He directed me to an assortment of spring clips and came up with 3 gallons of tranny fluid, Wolf’s Head, no less. Plus, I had help getting those 3 gallons back to the car, courtesy of the NAPA courtesy shuttle in Pontiac, IL. What a great country!

Saturday afternoon in

Pontiac, Illinois,

I was lying under the Pontiac Palace, one leg up on the case of Wolf’s Head tranny fluid, t-shirt off, cussing along with little thought to bystanders. An old guy drove up, parked next to me and walked into the store I was parked in front of. He came out as I was wiping my hands after getting out from under. “Kind of hard working on them, ain’t it?”, he said, through the remaining half of his teeth. The “Sonny Boy” was more or less implied, but he left it off in deference to my age. I said, “Sorry for cussin’ in front of you”. He shuffled into his car and away he went.

I gathered up all the empty quart containers, used paper towels and other junk, then walked across the street to throw it in the garbage can at a gas pump. Starting the car, I put it in “R” and it moved backwards; put it in “D” and it moved forwards. Test passed, time to hit the road.

Update: Made it all the way home to Arizona via Santa Monica Pier and the transmission is still working well!

Update II: If you have the 4T65E automatic transmission in your Montana, Lumina or other fine car, be sure to fill up with Dexron VI! It’l shift smooth as snot on a dill pickle.

An hour lying under the Mystery Montana, a little cussin’ and I’m back on The Mother Road.

I sort of got lost  found The Mother Road west of I-55 near Normal/Bloomington. As I traveled through a housing development, there was a guy jogging while wearing an orange Route 66 t-shirt, so I figured I was good. Then a right turn at a school in the middle of nowhere & Route 66 is nowhere to be seen. I pull out the map & GPS and set a course for Shirley – not the girl, the town of Shirley, IL. Then on through Funks Grove. Don’t miss the turnoff for Atlanta, Il., because you don’t want to miss –

HotDog! There’s a Muffler Man in Atlanta, IL

There is also an unmarked cop car, black, and the speed limit in downtown Atlanta is 25 mph. Don’t say Ol’ Buzze didn’t warn you!

There are also a few other Neat Things in Atlanta. Worth the stop. To remain on Route 66, keep driving straight past the Hot Dog Guy and straight out of town.

Somewhere around

Lincoln, IL

Old Route 66 appears to have moved to the east side of I-55. I’m not certain that I moved with it. Then, north of Springfield, I lost it. Not my mind, Route 66. How anyone could lose something that big, I’ll never know. Sitting in the parking lot of a greenhouse slightly northwest of Springfield, I was feeling tired and puzzling over the map & GPS when one of the owners walked up and gave assistance.

I turned east into Springfield, then south and finally wound up back on I-55 S. From there on, I made tracks on I-55 toward St. Louis. Prior to hitting I-270, though, I was able to get off I-55 on the west side and followed some 2-lane.

As the day drew to a close, I must be tired because I think I’m seeing pink elephants:

Is D.T. setting in? A Pink Elephant on Route 66!

Can you see it in the picture above, off to the left? Not the Pink Elephant, but

what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a Muffler Man in Harley Davidson gear!

Harley Muffler Man on Route 66 in Illinois

Three Muffler Men in one day. This is a new record for ol’ Buzze.

What a great First Day on Route 66! Driving in Chicago was easy. Following Route 66 across, or should I say ‘down’ Illinois worked pretty well. What is Illinois, a crossword puzzle?

I got lots of pictures for this blog and even had time to get online and get the first Route 66 post active. A transmission failure that would have stopped lesser mortals in their tracks was easily surmounted with help from NAPA. What a full day! Walk Proud, Buzze!

Perhaps tomorrow I should enter St. Louis faster than a speeding bullet, stop a powerful locomotive and leap over a tall building in a single bound!

On second thought, I’ll settle for getting OUT of St. Louis.

The First Day closed at the Flying J along the ‘Slab in Pontoon Beach, Il, sacked out in The Pontiac Palace.

Mileage today was about 400.

Thanks for ridin’ with Ol’ Buzze as I Drove The Mother Road Route 66 on Day One.

Day 1 Part1 on #Route66

Day 2 on The Mother Road #Route66 is here.

Buzze A. Long,

traveling Route 66

#IDroveTheMotherRoadRoute66.com