Northern Illinois - Not Chicago

Third day of week three.  Time to bid farewell to family and head north.  We're expecting a cooler climate.  The cooling off process usually means less sunshine.  Boy, was that true today.  Rain, rain everywhere.  At least we got loaded up and on the road before it started.  Of course, it hit before we hit Starbucks.  We sat in a rest area on the north side of Springfield IL, enjoyed our coffee and watched it rain.  We thought someone may ask, "Why?"  We thought we'd answer, "Because we could."

Then we were back on the rain soaked road.  A couple of hours later we were near Bloomington IL and ready for lunch.  We had lunch (homemade, in the RV) at the Dixie Truck Stop (truckers parking); McLean IL.  If you've ever driven Route 66 before the Interstate Highway System, through Central Illinois, you've seen the Dixie Truck Stop. Dale recalls having stopped there a number of times as a kid when his family would make the trip to suburban Chicago to visit maternal grandparents, aunts and uncles - circa 1959.  "Back in the day," truck stops were the place to eat when on the road - good, inexpensive food and family friendly.

We ended the day under cloudy skies at the Hickory Hollow RV Park; Utica IL.  It is cool enough that we have opened the windows of the RV once again and turned on one of our vent fans.  Cooling down nicely.  Hope to see tiny Utica IL tomorrow and drive through the Starved Rock State Park.  Dale hopes to see deer on his morning walk.  We'll spend the next couple of days visiting friends in the area.  Next stop, Madison WI area. More friends to see.

141 miles today.

Dale Behind the Wheel - Lots of Electronic Gadgets

A Lot of Rain just outside Springfield IL

#rainydays  #justbecausewecan  #dixietruckstop  #hickoryhollow