Many people have written books, made DVD’s and Youtube videos of their trip across America on Route 66. I have no desire to do the same.
What I’d like to do, however, is invite you into my world as I paint a verbal picture of our adventure. …..
As we take the keys for our rental car my mind is on high alert. This is it, no one is going to remind me how to drive on the opposite side of the road, how to use an automatic instead of a manual vehicle or give me a quick precis of the rules of the road. I’m in the centre of Chicago where my observations have told me that rush hour starts ridiculously early and, therefore, I’m not going to get the benefit of a slow introduction. I can only hope my previous experience of driving in America comes back to me.
Out on the open road with Chicago a spot on the rear horizon, I’m under no pressure. I have the luxury of getting used to Basil, that’s the name we’ve given him, the car that is, he is a Buick, as we follow Route 66 through the Illinois countryside. Around 11 o’clock we roll into Pontiac.
Ok dig deep into your memories and go back to the time when you were sitting in the local cinema watching “Back To The Future” , it would have been sometime around 1985 or thereafter.
Marty McFly and his friend, the eccentric scientist Emmett “Doc” Brown lived in Hill Valley, California. I remember that town. It felt like middle America, safe and cosy. A place where everyone knew each other, where people looked after each other, just a peach pie of a place.
Well welcome to Pontiac. We have arrived on what feels like the set of the film. There is no real connection to where Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd created the story but it feels like I’m there. Little do we know that we are about to learn about the “essence of Route 66”, that possibly indescribable pride people take in living on this famous road west. The friendliness they impart to complete strangers who wander into their town and the deep joy they leave you with when you leave to travel on.
We park up opposite the IL Route 66 Association Hall of Fame & Museum.
Parking is free, after all these are gentle folks who want to invite you temporarily into their community.
In need of sustenance we pop into Pfaff’s Bakery and are immediately greeted by a friendly face behind the counter who welcomes us, tells us the story behind the bakery and allows us time to peruse the wonderful array of cakes behind the counter.
Armed with four Pontiac Danish pastries, two filled with apricot and two with blueberry jam, plus two cups of self poured coffee from a flask on the counter we sit down at one of the tables and start chatting to the gentleman at the next table. He is a local and equally as friendly, enquiring as to our journey thus far and where we are heading next.
The pastries are beyond good and while we are there a steady stream of locals come in to buy pastries and cakes for parties and birthdays. We cannot resist leaving with some cookies, a couple of turnovers (recommended by the young man behind the counter) and a chocolate cake in the shape of a large walnut whip.
The same friendly faces await us at the museum. Rose is only too happy to explain the layout of the museum.
I so admire her fortitude, she isn’t as young as she once was, but she is still there welcoming people through the door. Proudly keeping this place going to introduce the “mother road” to folk like us who are setting out with only a dream and a couple of guide books. What an absolute stalwart of the community.
She also explains to us that if we wish to view the murals for which the town is famous, we merely have to follow the red footsteps on the side walk outside! This town is so welcoming they make it super easy for us out of town folk and paint red footsteps on the pavement to follow!
At the rear of the building Bob Waldmire’s Land Yacht is parked up for viewing. Bob was a stalwart supporter of Route 66. I looked into him a bit more later and found this great video on Youtube which explains more about him “Bob Waldmire’s Ultimate Hippie RV Land Yacht – Route 66 Bus”.
Rose finishes her directions with a quick introduction to the model cars we will also see on our stroll around Pontiac.
Finally downstairs in the shop we find ourselves in a conversation with Robyn. She is a school teacher by trade but whilst on summer break she is working in the shop. We find ourselves chatting about travel and “as a self confessed nomad” she has real life experience of many places in the world she has lived.
Her excitement bubbles over as she explains her plans for next summer. Influenced by the many solo travellers she has met in the shop who are embarking on the mother road alone and also by a friend and her family who are currently out there sharing fabulous photos of their adventures whilst wild camping. Robyn is determined to go it alone next year and get out there herself. I really hope she manages it. Life is definitely for living and if you have the courage, determination and excitement to fulfil a dream, then why not?
A Midlife Adventure 