I couldn’t wait to get out of the flea pit motel so left fairly early. I was going to take some photos but in the end couldn’t be bothered.
During the night it comes to me exactly where I think I lost the passport so I decide to ride back to Joliet for one last look. I don’t go back via Route 66 as it will be quicker to go via the interstate. Once back in Joliet I stop first for breakfast and when I do I see that one of my saddlebags is open, I forgot to close it. I don’t believe it… I’ve lost my rain jacket and 2 pairs of gloves!!!! Speechless.
Back on the bike and down to the Route 66 centre and along Route 66 to the point where I took the photo of the car on a stick. I think I lost the passport here because I remember something hitting my leg as I got off the bike so am thinking maybe the passport was trapped between the bike and my leg and fell off when I dismounted. I look everywhere around but nothing… Ok so I’ll go into the petrol station and ask if anyone has handed it in. Nope… I have to accept it is gone for good… Damn. Now I’ve got to try and find my wet jacket and gloves…. Bloomin’ eck!
So, back into Joliet to find the i55 down to the flea pit turn off and back up the i55. I am scanning the road both sides, in case the jacket has blown over the carriageways, just as I approach the exit for the flea pit I spot the jacket on the other side… Yippee! What a relief not to have to fork out another load of dosh. I quickly retrieve the jacket and spot a glove a bit further on… Then another glove, it doesn’t match the first one 🙁 though. I look for the other 2 gloves but no luck so I give up.
Now, as you know, every cloud has a silver lining right?
Lost passport – hated the photo so new passport will have a photo that actually looks like me now, not when I was 20+ stone.
Lost gloves – the two I found are opposites so make a stupid looking pair, but who cares when it’s pouring with rain!
I try calling the Irish embassy in Chicago, their phone line is closed, but it gives me a web address so will go online this evening and report it.
Ok Pogs, move on.
I quickly get back onto the old Route 66, (1926-1930), and begin my journey to Springfield where I have booked a room via AirBnB for 2 nights. Will have a ‘rest day’ tomorrow, clean the bike and parcel up some stuff to send home. The keys for the GPS bracket should be there tomorrow so I can fit that too… Will be better than cooking the iPhone.
First stop:
An old jail with 2 cells.
The route now goes through a small town whose main attractions are the old jail above and a preserved diner, below.
It then takes me back onto the main road and more iconic Route 66 stopping points.
and further down the road
are some remants of the original road, which you can drive along. I would love to ride on it but with this heavy bike getting on is a bit of a problem. The entrance is very sandy and on another section where I tried there was a 10 inch drop then onto sand again so disappointed not to be able to ride the actual road.
Next stop… it’s the Fried Green Tomatoes again….
like I said.. you gotta see the film to understand.
and then, randomly, just on the side of the road is this…. the worlds biggest covered wagon with Abe Lincoln in the driving seat!
Just after this I see a text message from the place I am staying tonight asking for an eta. I check the distance and text back that I should be there in a hour. She replies, I don’t think you will get from there to here in an hour, you are in Illinois. I think, yes but aren’t you also in Illinois.. and then the penny drops, there are two Springfields on the route, one here in Illinois and one in Missouri, the next state over. I, of course, have booked into Missouri, which was always part of the plan, but with the lost riding time I am behind schedule and then assumed it was Springfield in Illinois. OMG another cloud, Springfield MO is over 400 miles away. I have to cancel the booking for tonight and try and get there for the booking tomorrow night. That means I will lose my rest day tomorrow for cleaning the bike and sending stuff home.. damn!
So now I have plenty of time so stop for dinner at TGI Fridays… this is the starter!!
Flippin’ ginormous…
I now have to find somewhere to stay, so I continue into Springfield IL and get a booking.com reservation at the Route 66 Hotel.. yay!
So, tomorrow is going to be a very long ride… the iphone is saying approx 360 miles, which is doable, but it will mean fewer stops so I might miss some things I would probably have wanted to see. St Louis is now definitely out of the frame.
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