September Summer Review ... road style

[Guest]

We have reached September 2011 already...can you believe it?!
A month ago ... I was on my Nor'Easter Trek Road Trip.
A YEAR ago ... I was on Route 66....


In response to my "Road Ahead ... Perspectives" thread, Mary (Duffey) mentioned that events that take place along roads you travel also influence your perception of those roads.

So ... instead of the usual "what did you do this summer?" ... the query is:
From this past summer (or farther back), what experience(s) on what road(s) will stick with you?


For me....

IL Route 47 (which crosses US Route 20, the Lincoln Highway, and US Route 66)...:
Every time I travel this road, whether up here west of Elgin IL while driving my Monte Carlos in the summer months or heading south towards US Route 24 or I-74 en route to TN, I'm reminded of my return home from my November 2007 road trip and how icy the road was. I remember a couple sections, including one south of the RR tracks in Elburn IL, where I thought sure I was going to slide off the road or into oncoming traffic ... but, luckily, I never did.

Moose Range Rd (northwest of Burlington IL)...:
The day before the final MidSummer Chitown Gathering, the Chicago area had record rainfalls. Now, each time I travel this road, I will associate it with those record rainfalls and scenes like this, heading north:

Cort | 36.m.IL | 5 Monte Carlos.1 Caprice Classic | pig valve.pacemaker * Rt 66+northwestUS, 2011?
MCs.CC | models.HO.legos.CHD.RadioShows | RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"The years go by and time just seems to fly, but the memories remain" ... Daughtry ... 'September'

 

[Duffey]

Long story, Cort!

Long story, Cort!

GIJanet has heard this tale.
We have made the trek to north central WI almost every summer. My first trip was in 1957. I was five years old. At that time, the only interstate was around the Chicago area. The rest of the drive took place on old, two lane highways. The 735 mile trip was a long one.

By 1977, there was interstate as far north as Bloomington, IL. Then we had to travel 125 miles, along very heavily traveled highway 51 (I believe) to Rockford where the interstate was again available.
We were living in St. Louis, so the fourth of July week-end, we packed up the car and took off with our 3 year old in tow. The night before I put the mail out for the mailman; we lived in a 4 unit apartment building and all the mailboxes were downstairs. For some reason, probably because I was a trusting soul, one item of mail I put out was our savings account passbook. We use to mail it back and forth with deposits and withdrawals.

So . . . . . we fought traffic from St. Louis to Bloomington and then headed north through Illinois corn country. It was hot, we didn't have air conditioning, and everyone was cranky. I don't know why, but I suddenly remembered that when we left the apartment that morning . . . very early morning . . . the item to be mailed (savings account book) wasn't sitting out. We realized immediately that someone had removed it during the night.
What to do? We were in the middle of nowhere, no cellphones back then, no phone anywhere in sight, hot, tired and suddenly dealing with limited funds. We kept driving until we reached the first little town-- El Paso, Illinois. It was one of the most desolate looking places I'd seen. I vaguely remember finding a phone booth, spending almost an hour trying to contact someone back home who could call the bank for us on Monday, and listening to an unhappy child crying in the back seat.
Gee, I hated that stretch of road and the town of El Paso.:frown2:

Today, the interstate bypasses El Paso. The trip North is much easier. We access the interstate a mile from our home and travel all but the last thirty miles on newly built, four lane highway. No need to ever journey through El Paso.

There's more to the story. . . lo and behold, we met a native of the town via VR.com!
Gijanet's husband, Don, grew up in El Paso, IL. He was living there when we made our unscheduled visit. We didn't catch the connection until many years later when we met Janet, Don, and valve recipient, Katie, on a trip to Texas in 2005. It's strange how events unfold. Now the exit ramp to El Paso evokes only pleasant memories of the meeting we had with fellow valvers. I guess the moral of the story is, Keep on driving, Cort. One never knows what the journey will bring. Some good, some bad, sometimes one dissolves into the other.:smile2:

 

[Eva]

I love it everytime we go North and pass by Carmel or Monterey! The views, the breeze, the washed streets (due to rain or dew which we lack in So. CA.), the peacefulness of the nature fills me with great tranquility and good energy.

I will try to find a nice street photo and upload later.

 

[Guest]

There's more to the story. . . lo and behold, we met a native of the town via VR.com!
Gijanet's husband, Don, grew up in El Paso, IL. He was living there when we made our unscheduled visit. We didn't catch the connection until many years later when we met Janet, Don, and valve recipient, Katie, on a trip to Texas in 2005. It's strange how events unfold. Now the exit ramp to El Paso evokes only pleasant memories of the meeting we had with fellow valvers. I guess the moral of the story is, Keep on driving, Cort. One never knows what the journey will bring. Some good, some bad, sometimes one dissolves into the other.:smile2:

It really IS a small world! How cool is that? Sometimes those type of connections can be surprisingly sweet.


And, Eva ... any photos, by chance?



Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |* Chicagoland Meets, 2011?
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I may lose the battle, but I love the fight" ... John Schneider ... 'Love, You Ain't Seen The Last Of Me'

 

[Eva]

Oh! my short term memory!! I completely forgot about this. Will look for some right now!

 

[Guest]

LOL! Did you find any, then?



Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Don't you remember?" ... Starship ... 'We Built This City'