Welcome to my Route 66 Daily Roundups. Throughout the course of my cross-country adventure with Marriott International and vehicle sponsor Nissan USA, I will be sharing the highlights from each leg of the trip. To see all of the Daily Roundups please click here.
To read about the inspiration for this epic drive, please check out this post.
Day 2: Springfield, Illinois to St Louis, Missouri
On our second day of driving we got more used to tracking and following Route 66. Illinois has it pretty well marked, but the guide I’m using has been indispensable. I can’t imagine attempting the drive without it honestly. Day 2 was a quieter day, but still a lot of fun.
The great appeal of driving the Mother Road is discovering small communities that you would never otherwise see, and that was certainly true today. Litchfield, Hemel and Staunton were all highlights of the drive thanks to their warm embrace of the road and those intrepid souls who drive it. At a visitors center I asked the curator if many people stop by and he said that just that morning he’d met people from New Zealand, Spain, Germany, Canada and of course the US. That’s just one morning and it’s only the start of the annual driving season. It warms my heart to see so many people curious about the heart and soul of the country.
Approaching St Louis we stopped at the famous Chain of Rocks Bridge. For years this curious looking bridge was how those driving Route 66 crossed into Missouri. Today it’s a great place to ride your bike on a nice day, or take the dog out for a stroll. After admiring the bridge, we made the easy drive through St Louis to the beautiful Ritz-Carlton. One of my favorite hotels, I couldn’t imagine a better place to call home while I explore the St Louis portion of Route 66.
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