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slowdriving.us 2004 Trip Nashville N36 09.7946 W86 47.0231 to Paducah N37 04.7536 W88 40.9676 Day nineteen Thursday May 6, we drove 313 miles.
There was some traffic as we left downtown
Nashville, Patty was looking at maps for Amish quilting towns, she wanted to see
their quilts. I turned off on highway 12 instead and headed toward Clarksville.
At Clarksville we took route 79 to the Land Between the Lakes National
Recreational Area which is located between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The
road is called The Trace. The following history is from Kentucky Lakes
Information.
TVA
recognized the geographical uniqueness of the Kentucky Lakes Area when Lake
Barkley was created in the 1960s. This led to the creation of the Land
Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. The first campground, Rushing
Creek Campground, opened in 1964. Over the next four years, TVA would be
relocating thousands of individuals from the 170,000-acre area to other places.
This meant abolishing the town of Golden Pond, which in 1960 had about 200
residents. Golden Pond was a thriving community located on US 68 in the
middle of LBL. The town was abolished officially in This is good farm land, I can understand why
many of the original settlers were mad when the Government took it from them.
These Elk seem to know that they are on protected land.
As we drove through, the animals continued to eat.
This animal looked at the car the same way some people do.
It was funny, we were looking at the animals and they were looking at us. We continued on to Paducah where we stayed for the night. We had a good meal in their new redeveloped downtown area. We watched as a freight boat came to dock and looked at the old train engines on display on a siding.
Paducah N37 04.7536 W88 40.9676 to Arcola N39 40.7893 W88 17.7228 Day twenty Friday May 7, we drove 147 miles
From Paducah we went west to Cairo and crossed the Ohio river, then the Mississippi into Missouri. Then turned around and went back across the Mississippi. Then we turned north on highway 51 and drove a short distance until we were on I-57. By now Patty was tired of either ridding in the car or me. She wanted to get to Rockford and then Chicago where she had a reservation to fly back to San Diego. I wanted to hurry so we both could drive all the way back to California.
Late spring high water in a low lying field.
Interstate 57 through Illinois is a very good road, there are nice rest stops. The first one was a Welcome to Illinois Visitors Rest Stop. We got a free map, and good history of the region. Also information of places of interest up ahead. One of the places we decided to stop at was Abe Lincolns place. It is east just before you get to Mattoon. Abe wasn't home but some of his friends showed us around the place
We found a nice information center with a video theater, and all the information you could possibly want.
The buildings have been repaired, but they claim these are the buildings he lived in at one time.
The furnishings are of course not from this home but are like what was used at that time.
The master bedroom is in the main room, and the loft is for the kids.
Paul said goodbye to Mrs. Lincoln our guide and interpreter, and we once again headed off on our adventure.
We drove back to Matoon and on north to 133 where we turned off to Arcola. The Welcome to Illinois people told Patty that Arcola was a good place for quilts as there are a lot of Amish in the community. This is where we stopped for the night.
Arcola N39 40.7893 W88 17.7228 to Rockford N42 16.271 W88 58.2951 Day twenty one Saturday May 8, we drove 252 miles.
After a good nights sleep we went for a drive around Arcola and Arthur.
We saw many horse drawn buggies and wagons. When they saw us hold up a camera the occupants would duck so not to be in the picture. Their beliefs prevent them from enjoying pictures or being in them.
Another horse drawn boxed wagon.
These guys could not hide, as they were on a wagon with nowhere to go.
I saw these horses and buggies tied up at the bank. I parked the car and Patty took a picture. We learned from a fellow later in the day, the buggy owners would not leave the bank building until we had taken our camera and left. Some of the Amish are progressive, they will talk to you on the street, they respect your way of life and ask you to respect theirs.
While looking around town we stumbled upon a museum for Raggedy Ann and Andy.
Out toward Arthur we found Rockhome Gardens an educational amusement park with old farm machinery and blacksmiths. Children can go for pony rides. They have stores, and Patty found one full of quilts. Some of the quilts were not sewn together very well, but she got a tip of where to go and find better quality work. We found the place and Patty ordered a custom made quilt. Now it was time to leave if we were going to make it on to Rockford tonight.
On the way north to Rockford, we stopped in at Streeter to visit Patty's sister-in-law Kathy's relative, who is a Fireman there. The truck was gone when we arrived so I parked the car in the station door and Patty took a picture. The building is at least as old as the car.
From Streeter we drove into a strong quartering head wind that slowed the car down considerably. Now on Illinois 51 then on 52 we headed to Dixon. I wanted to drive the Rock River Scenic route. As we were leaving Dixon Patty saw this covered bridge.
I had to drive through it for a picture. Soon after we stopped at the covered bridge darkness fell and the rain started to fall. We continued on through the on and off rain to Rockford where we got a room at the Red Roof Inn.
Rockford area Day twenty two Sunday May 9, we drove about 125 miles
I had not called ahead to any of my relatives, as I never do. But I was hoping I could find my Aunt Gladys and her friend Ken walking at the mall or at Logli's having coffee. They were not at the mall but I found then at Logli's. In the picture is Myself, Gladys and Ken.
Gladys got a hold of her boys and we all met at Dennis's house. Pictured are from the left, Doug, Bob, Dennis and Paul. In the car are Dennis's two kids, Caitlin and Josh.
This is Bob's car.
Lilacs and Caitlin.
Patty and I drove through the City Park that Doug works at. It is a nice well kept park. I had no idea how much work there is to keeping a park looking nice. But Doug and his crew stay busy.
Sunday was Mothers Day, so Patty and I drove to the Cemetery in Durand to visit my mothers grave. I left her some flowers, she always liked flowers.
After visiting the cousins and the cemetery we went out to the farm to visit with my brother. The lilacs are in full bloom all over the area.
Aron is collecting some type of vegetable from his no till garden. Aron lives off the land.
He is living in the farm house that my mother grew up in, and lived for many years. It was built about 1910.
The buildings are in poor condition. Aron is a subsistence farmer, and has no money to repair them.
It is really too bad, some farmers that did not get good paying jobs in the city are struggling to make ends meet. The land can be rented out for cash, but rarely brings in more than the cost of property taxes.
Rockford N42 16.271 W88 58.2951 to Stockton & Back Day twenty three Monday May 10, We drove about 170 miles
After checking out of the Motel Patty and I went to say goodbye to Gladys and Ken, Then we drove to Durand to say goodbye to Aron on the farm. Aron's friend Lee was there too, that is Lee and Aron with Lee's old Oliver tractor in the garage.
Once in town we stopped at the newspaper office to see if cousin Curtis was in, He was, and is pictured here with the old car and me. I was anxious to get going as I had convinced Patty to come on along with me all the way back to California. I told her if we didn't get back in time she could call in sick for a day or two.
Patty and I drove west on route 75 to Freeport, then continued west on US Highway 20. It started to rain in Freeport, and the engine began to sound different. We continued to drive anyway. When I got to Stockton I had to stop, there was something wrong with the car. We pulled into a closed bank drive through and parked, a lot of oil was dripping from the rear of the engine. A short walk took us to the gas station with a coffee bar and booths. While we drank a cup of coffee and waited for the rain to stop, I was trying to figure out how to continue on. After some long thoughts I decided to end my attempt to get Patty back to California, we decided to go back to the farm. I walked down the street and purchased four cans of STP to add to the engine. My theory was that the heavy oil would cushion the bad bearing and stop it from making so much noise. Patty said she was glad she did not cancel her airplane ticket. She could still fly out of Chicago as scheduled on the thirteenth. We drove back to the farm with the worst shaking, loud rattling engine I had ever heard. There were times I had to push in on the clutch because I could not stand the noise any longer. I was happy when the farm showed up over the hill and I drove into the driveway. I asked Lee to move his tractor to the machine shed so I could put the car into the garage, which he did. Patty and I rode into Rockford with Lee to get a motel room for the night.
Working on the Car Day 24 Tuesday May 11, The car did not move
I called a rental car office just down the street
from the motel, and got them to come and pick us up so we
could then rent the car. After getting the rental car we went back to the motel
and checked out, I don't mind the place but it is old, and Patty wanted
something in a better part of town. Do you remember that back in Jacksonville, I got distracted while changing the oil, and started the engine with no oil in it. Well, several hundred miles later the engine is not working anymore. It was all my fault. I returned to Rockford and began to look for someone who could repair the engine. I called all the places in the phone book that said anything about old cars, but none of them did that work and did not know where to send me. I suggested to Patty that we go to the Rockford Library and get on the internet and search for a shop. She liked that idea, as she could also check and send email to friends. I did the search and found someone in the area
who belonged to the Rockford Model A Club. I called him but got no answer. I
would try later. I called truck rental places, and car haulers, none of these
were going to work out. Their prices were as much or more than a new engine. After a short walk around the Sinnissippi Gardens Park we headed for the same motel we had been when we first came to Rockford, and then out for dinner. We went to the Machine Shed Restaurant for dinner, the chef runs the restaurant in Durand too, and recognized me. So he made me up a plate of beef stroganoff, the same as I had the last time I was at his restaurant in Durand. It was good.
This picture of the Rockford Peaches, the all women's Baseball Team that was formed during World War Two. The movie " A league of their own" is about that team.
Behind the Rockford Library is the Rock River, and this nice bridge.
There is a nice park with benches along the river. It is a nice place to sit and relax on sunny days. Patty and I went there while we were trying to figure out what to do about the car.
Rockford Day twenty five May 12, the car did not run.
I called the number I had tried yesterday and got an answer, (Wendell Anderson, of the Rock-Ford A's) said he would help me. Patty and I drove over to his house and rode back with him in his truck pulling a trailer. When we got there Aron and Lee helped tie the car down to the trailer. Aron seemed to be unhappy to see the car go away.
A broken car riding on a trailer to Wendell's farm. When we got to Wendell's farm he and I began to remove the engine. Patty and Wendell's wife, Sharon stayed out of our way and talked in the house. Once the engine was out of the car and opened up, he agreed that the engine would need to be replaced or overhauled. Wendell knew of one shop in Chicago. I called the shop and he said to bring it in.
Rockford to Skokie & Back Day twenty six Thursday May 13, the car did not run
Patty was scheduled to leave Chicago on an early morning flight. I dropped her off at the bus station in Rockford. And waited for the car rental place to open so I could trade the car in for a van. Then I went to Wendell's and loaded the engine into the van and drove to Skokie, just north of Chicago. I got there in the afternoon. Richard removed the rear main cap and agreed the engine would need rebuilding. Richard does Babbitt work and also conversions for inserted bearings. The price would be about the same either way. I decided to go for the inserted bearings, that way I could change them while the engine was still in the car. Richard agreed to expedite the job and have it ready in early June. That was far enough away I calculated it was no more expensive to fly back to San Diego than to rent a car and pay for a Motel room. I hurried back to Rockford in a pouring rain and slept at the farm. The old farm house is not in good shape, and Aron has so much stuff packed into the extra bedrooms I thought the van would be just fine. I had a cot and sleeping bag. I set it up in the back of the van and had a good nights sleep.
Inside Richards shop.
Richards car.
Rockford to San Diego Day twenty seven Friday May 14, the car did not run
I awoke early and went back into Rockford had breakfast and waited for the Rockford Library to open. When it did open, I went in and used one of their computers to book a flight to San Diego. I was able to get a flight late this afternoon. I quickly went to Wendell's to let him know what I was planning to do. He agreed to let me leave the car there until the first of June, but he wanted it moved into the old dairy barn. He towed it to the barn where several members of his club parked their cars. I thanked him and went on my way.
The flight to San Diego I returned the van to the rental place and asked them for a ride to the bus station. I went into Chicago on the bus and got off at Midway Airport for my flight to San Diego. I had not been a passenger on an airplane since before things changed after September 11, 2001. After getting my ticket with no check-in baggage, I went to the waiting area. I enjoy looking out of the windows at the planes coming and going and the hustle about them as workers prepare them for flight. The windows at Midway were painted white so no one could look out. I remarked to the fellow next to me the reason for the painted windows must be so we cannot see them beat unruly passengers, or when they steal items from our bags. The line for the metal detector and scanner was moving very slow. I noticed that several people were walking through along a roped corridor. I used the logic I learned many years ago, and said to myself, why stand in this line that is not moving, when I could use the line with no one in it. I walked over to the roped corridor and followed it around the corner to another check point and scanner. To my surprise that line was for airport and airline employees only. After some quick questioning they discovered I was not either an airport or airline employee. I was grilled as to why I tried to sneak past security. My reply did not amuse them when I said, I did not sneak past security, I'm right here at security. After a thorough search of myself and my one little carry on bag I was allowed to continue on to the boarding area.
San Diego to Rockford Day twenty eight Tuesday June 1, The car did not run. The flight to Chicago It took eighteen days to get the engine rebuilt and for me to get back to pick it up. Patty dropped me off at the San Diego airport on her way to work. I checked in and headed to the security check point. They had a maze made out of theater rope to control the line. As I was winding my way through, a woman came up and ducked under the rope, showed the security person her ticket and went on. I used the same flawed logic I used a few weeks earlier in Chicago, why should I follow this maze when I could just duck under the rope as someone else just did. I ducked under and stood in front of the security woman with my ticket in my hand. The security woman told me to go back and walk in the right way. I refused, why go back, I'm here now in the same place I will be if I go back and walk in again. She yelled something to the guys at the scanner, when I got there, they pulled me aside and gave me a special pat down search, and asked me what I did to deserve a pat down search. When I told of bending under the ropes, they thought it was rather stupid to make me have a pat down search for that, and sent me on my way. Landing at Chicago was uneventful, I knew the routine now, get in the right line, and shut up. The bus took me to Rockford, where I called the rental car company and got the same van I had just a couple of weeks before. It was late so I could not make it into Skokie before closing time. I drove out to the farm and slept in the van again. When I opened my check-in bag, I noticed a slip of paper telling me that my bag had been searched. The new dipstick for the engine was on top of my clothes. I guess the scanner is not programmed to allow a dip stick through without looking at it. I'll bet they could not identify what engine it was for.
Rockford to Skokie & Back Day twenty nine Wednesday June 2, I drove about 50 miles.
Today I left early for Skokie, and arrived as
Richard was opening the shop. The engine was done. We loaded it in the van, I
paid for it, and away I went, back to Wendell's farm. I stopped along the way to
get oil and shop towels. Arriving at Wendell's before noon. Wendell was ready to
help me get the engine installed. We towed the car out of the barn and back into
his shop. The engine went in with out any problems, we both have done this
before.
The car is out of the shop and ready to go.
Wendell, who rescued me in Rockford.
A good productive farm has nice buildings, they are not all like my brothers. This is the view out Wendell's driveway
Silo's have always been a descriptive address for a farm. When giving directions, often the number or color of silos is used to describe the location. The one in the foreground is made of precast concrete blocks held together with steel bands. The one in the back is newer and all steel. They are used to hold chopped green forage, commonly called silage. They stand as a monument to the days when a family farmer could make a living with milk cows on the farm.
Wendell drives my car to the Car Rental location.
Rockford N42 16.271 W88 58.2951 to Durand N42 25.1868 W89 17.3533 Day thirty one & two Friday & Saturday June 4&5, I drove about 67 miles.
These two days were spent at the farm with my brother, he and I don't get along very well. So I didn't get in his way as he was working about the farm. I also did not spend much time in the house as it bothers me to see an old house left in disrepair. I offered him a ride in the car, but he was too busy to go.
I stopped in on Curtis again and took him and his wife Marcia to lunch up at the Lake.
Curt and Marcia's house used to be a one room school house that my Mother went to when she was in grade school. The stone part, is the original building and is made from Lime Stone quarried near by.
After driving to the farm I noticed the throttle linkage was not installed correctly, I could not get full throttle. To get to the rear engine bolts holding it, I had to remove the seats and front floor boards.
Some of Aron's Goats
A day old Goat Kid.
This Kid likes it in the tire.
Aron also has Ducks.
and Geese.
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