The first place we actually stopped for any length of time along the way was Dixie's Truck Home in Mc Lean. Trucker Heaven! Me and all those truck drivers :):):) The first truck stop was founded here in 1928 and it is always open, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. It was closed only one day due to a fire. We wandered through the museum part of the stop, talked with a few of the patrons for about a half hour rest and then hit the road again. Often after that we would drive I-55 and get off at the towns to drive through. We'd stop for an ice cream or a coke and chat and head out. Many of the towns no longer had the interesting gas stations or motels from the Route's era. We cruised around Springfield and took a peek at Lincoln's home from the car (because it was too late in the afternoon to tour). Then back to on and off on and off I-55 - partly because US 66 was washed out or gone or covered by the freeway and partly because we could see the highway and could drive faster on the freeway :) One of the sites we really wanted to visit was the Chain of Rocks Bridge at the boarder of Illinois and Missouri into St. Louis. Constructed in 1927, it is a remarkable bridge (so I have read) with a 135 degrees turn in the middle, closed to traffic, accessible on foot only, although locals do not recommend it out of safety considerations (there had been a few rapes and a murder there). It was starting to get dark but we wanted to see it so we started searching. We drove down the Chain of Rocks Road....we crossed the freeway....we found the water....we returned to the freeway....we drove down the Chain of Rocks Road.....we backtracked.....we repeated everything. There were Chair of Rocks Bridge motels and tourist courts.....a restaurant named after the famous bridge......but we could not find the bridge. As it was now pitch dark, we gave up and crossed over into St. Louis to find a place to sleep for the night. We found a cozy little place in Eureka near a Stake 'N Shake (we had been told it was great food by the reliable Lapis and so we ate there. We came to the realization that each of us has our own definition of "great food." This same person probably loves White Castle burgers even without being drunk.......) and nestled in. Heading on down the highway: Missouri
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