2014 – 09 – 06: Day 46 - Road Trip Across the USA - Route 6 East - Leaving Illinois, through Indiana and into Ohio

Route 6 east

From  Joliet IL  through Indiana to Napoleon Ohio

Distance  220 miles

I was up early and had some time to catch up on some of my travel notes.  Then it was time to pack the car and once again on the road.  

As usual I-80 is nearby. Avoid the sign and moments later I am following classic route 6 road.  

Joliet - Bridge over Des Plains River 

Here the road hugs the edge of the Des Plains River.  This is my first close up view of the river that is instrumental in linking Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River via the Chicago Canal.  

And why is this on my mind?  

Number 1, because of the Asian Carp, and the news stories I have been reading about the danger of these fish making their way into the Great Lakes.  

And secondly because I have been on a boat cruise on the Chicago Canal and it is always fun to imagine the various waterways that I have visited and how they connect.  Of course this reminds me that I want to do a Mississippi River adventure and this water flows that way, toward another possible adventure!

I continue to be pleasantly surprised that route 6 is always well marked, even now that I am traveling to urban centres.  

Joliet - Route 6 and Route 66 converge for a short stretch 

For a short stretch of road I pass the same streets of Joliet that I saw during my journey west on route 66. Here for several blocks route 66 and route 6 converge. 

Joliet - Busy rail yard 

I experience a moment of "deja vu" as I pass the Joliet city center parking lot.  I follow the twisting and turning streets through the old parts of Joliet and across the overpass by a huge, still busy, rail yard. 

Traffic in Orland Park 

I am no longer the solitary vehicle on the road.  I am in the suburban reaches of Chicago, a strange mixture of urban and farmland interspersed with the wetlands of Spring Creek.   The Spring Creek Trail beckons for a return visit with a longer stay to explore the area.  The Orland Park sign, population 56,800 tells the tale that I have left rural Illinois behind. 

A patch of remaining farmland near Orland Park 

Now I am driving through suburb after suburb, some older with mature trees and others carved freshly out of farmer’s fields urban sprawl at its finest.  Here and there a random farm clings to life, until it too is paved over to make way from more homes and more sprawl. 

Oak Forest, Markham, then Harvey and South Holland, Calumet City, each with their character stamped by economic station.  Mercedes Benz dealerships and used car lots tell the story of wealth or poverty in a neighbouhood. From million dollar mansions to the ramshackle ruins of abandoned buildings,  here is the class segregation of the USA spread out before me.  From huge shopping malls where the rich play to the street corner fruit stand where the poor eke out a living.  It is all here. 

And there in Calumet City route 6 temporarily ends, merging with Intestate 80 to cross the state line into Indiana.  Finally at Lake Station I can get off of the high speed road and back to exploring old route 6. 

New Chicago, Hobart, South Haven, more suburbs and more urban sprawl; chain stores and franchises make them all blur together like assembly lines towns.  And then I turn a corner and I am back to greenery and rural roads. 

 

Westville correction centre is sandwiched in there between the junk yard cars and the fields of crops.   

Harvested fields tell the story of approaching fall 

I am starting to see the first early signs of fall, fields of stubble, a reminder of harvest time, and here and there the golden browns of autumn. 

Kingsbury to Walkerton and on to Bremen; I am back to vintage charm and the individuality of small town flavour and in between the farmlands of Indiana.  

But there is something that feels uncomfortable here.  This is a stretch farmlands that illustrate that farming in America is facing hardships.  Poverty is clearly visible.  The pristine rows of crops stand side by side with run down homes attesting to the fact that there is scarcity. Growing food does not guarantee an adequate income!

Near Nappanee 

Then startlingly, all that changes, when around Nappanee, I cross into Amish country. This area feels prosperous, and I wonder what it the difference?  Is it the lifestyle of the family farm or the culture of these people?  This shift is reflected in the town itself and in the surrounding country side as well.

Brimfield 

Why do some small town prosper and look healthy and others are hardly more than a few houses left with maybe a church.   Many don’t even have a gas station.  Some have all the old town buildings boarded up and deserted.

Ligonier to Wawaka, Brimfield, all the way to Kendallville there is that same sadness of quiet desperation.  Will small town America be able to survive? 

Kendallville 

Kendallville seems to be a small urban industrialized centre.  It is the first industrialized smaller city that I have seen in a long time.  I stopped for coffee at Mc D's and used some wifi time to catch up on my email messages. 

near Curunna 

Long stretches of farmland, dotted with rundown farms and barns, through Curunna to Waterloo, and Butler  and then I cross the state line into Ohio.

near Ridgeville Corners

Egerton, Ridgeville Corners, another drive through country side and I crossed the next time zone to arrive in Napoleon Ohio, with the sun setting and casting lengthening shadows.

Napoleon 

What is this place Napoleon?  The historic centre looks inviting but the outskirts are seedy and run down.  

Not a single budget motel in sight.  And the one I do finally find is more like a flop house....I quickly retreat. 

The only quality hotel I find nearby is at the off ramp of highway 24, the Holiday Inn Express which is very expensive.  My solution, I park at the far end of their parking lot just as it is getting dark and get ready for some urban car camping.  Dinner and walk about in the grass verges by the parking area and then settle into my comfy car bed for some reading and then sleep time.

Renate Dundys Marrello

2014 – 09 – 06

View more photos of the day 

Reflections Facebook Page

2014 - 09 - 05: Day 45 - Road Trip Across the USA - Route 6 East - farmlands and small towns of Illinois

2014 – 09 – 05

Route 6 east

From  Moline Illinois to Joliet Illinois 

Distance  152 miles

It rained overnight,  the parking lot was all wet, so I made a good call to stay in a motel last night.

After waking up, I spent a little bit of time posting some pictures and working on my notes and then I was back on the road. 

The weather was rather strange today.  It started cloudy and overcast, then it got brilliantly sunny hot and humid.  The about 3 pm it started to get really dark with evil looking black clouds. I arrived at the Days Inn in Joliet just as it started to come down heavy!   Like buckets!

Today's adventure took me through the farmlands and the small towns of Illinois along route 6.

Farmlands on the route to Geneseo

 Leaving Moline along highway 6 was a simple matter of following the road signs.  Soon I was driving through colourful pastoral landscapes toward the town of Geneseo.

Historic Main Street Geneseo 

Here there was a most picturesque historic district where I enjoy a pleasant stroll down the main street.

In the newer part of town there is of course the college campus and all the student amenities like coffee shops.

Back on the road through unchanging farmlands and several look a like smaller towns, I paused to consider, why do some small towns prosper while others seem to fade into a forgotten time zone. 

Parkette in Atkinson 

For example in Atkinson this new parkette speaks to continued development.

main street in Annawan 

Whereas in Annawan, if it weren't for the modern cars, I could imagine that I had stepped back into the 60's.

In Sheffield the "historical society" is busy at work restoring the 1880's the first Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church. 

Hennepin Canal - Lock 21 

Near Wyanet I stopped for a walk about at the Hennepin Canal Parkway - Lock 21. Here I learned about the canal that joined the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers for a "shorter" waterway route.  The novel construction methods used here were later used for the Panama Canal. This was the first canal built with poured concrete! 

Town Square in Princeton 

In Princeton I found this lovely old green town square for a quiet rest from road noise.  I was surrounded by pretty gingerbread cottages and vintage church towers.

Lovejoy Homestead in Princeton 

Princeton is also the historical home of the Owen Lovejoy Homestead, a part of the underground railway and a shelter for runaway slaves.

Bright red barns create a visual distraction during the miles and miles of corn fields.

Main street in Peru

And the cornices and steeples of Peru gave some vertical interest after long stretches of wide open plains. 

Cornfields, as far as the eye can see, are interspersed with towns that bear witness to the French explorers and a past connection with European ancestry. 

The towns of LaSalle and Ottawa and Marseilles are now just places with odd sounding names to any who have forgotten the names of early explorers, or far away French cities.   There is no evidence of this past, nor markers commemorating that time in history and I am left feeling vaguely sad for the loss of connection with heritage and history. 

Just before entering Morris 

As I was approaching Morris the skies started darkening with storm clouds.

I drive through Seneca, Morris, Channahon, more examples of small town America along the route.  Flat farmlands as far as the eye can see between the those mileage signposts.  The horizon remains mostly unbroken to the point where sky meets land.  

My eyes grow weary of the unending sameness.  And yet this is what our pioneer ancestors that settled in this area faced day in and day out.  And this is the vista that greats the eyes of those hardy folk that choose to call this region home.

I arrive at my motel for the night just as the black clouds begin to release their burden of rain.

I am soaked through to the skin in the few moments it takes me to unload my luggage to my room.  

It is good to have the shelter of a roof over my head tonight. 

Renate Dundys Marrello 

2014 - 09 - 05  

link to more photographs of my adventure 

Reflections on Life page 

2014 – 09 – 04: Day 44 - Road trip across the USA - Route 6 east, Farmlands of Iowa

From  Waukee Iowa

To Moline Ilinois

Distance Traveled  212  miles

I awoke up to heat and humidity.  It is interesting that all the time in the desert heat did not bother me…but back in the humid heat and I am feeling it big time.  By the time I finished packing up I was covered in dampness.  It was so wonderful to take a morning  shower before leaving to freshen up.

A quick stop in Windsor Heights, a suburb of des Moines, at Sam’s to top up the gas and then it was time to do some exploring.

Des Moines River as seen from Prospect Park 

I stopped at Prospect Park for a view of the Des Moines River and then another stop at McHenry Park for a short walk to see a pretty view to the Des Moines skyline

Des Moines Skyline seen from McHenry Park 

Kellogg Museum in the town of Kellogg 

After a short stretch on the interstate I once again found the exit for highway 6 with all the scenic roads and quaint historic towns. 

The small town of Kellogg has some interesting exhibits on their historic main street but I was the only one on the street and everything was closed. 

Rolling hills, roads and fields
 the blowing grasses along the road side 

I am driving though more farm and corn country interspersed with quaint towns. The heat is climbing and climbing

Grinnell 

Following the historic route 6 markers is easy and small town Iowa is very picturesque.  

Most of the streets are lined with trees and the houses have that historical wooden cottage look.

Brooklyn Iowa

Some towns felt like I was stepping back into another time.  If not for modern cars things remain unchanged over the years. 

crocked barn near Homestead 

Exciting changes of scenery were barns like this one with quaint crocked walls and a distinct "un-symmetry." 

Wondering what is keeping this one up!

Or others barns that were almost ready to topple over with neglect.

Sturgis Ferry Park 

I stopped in Iowa City at McDonald’s for coffee and wifi break before pulling off the road to see the river at the Sturgis Ferry Park

After driving all day I stopped in at Davenport Sam’s Club to top up the tank once again. Now it was time for the big decision, do I camp out in the heat and suffer another night with the discomfort of uncomfortable sleep or head for a motel.  Some research and I found an Motel 6 nearby in Moline and that made my decision easier….cool air conditioning it is.

Bridge over the Mississippi River 

Crossing the Mississippi was grand!   

Sun sparkling on the Mississippi River

The late afternoon sun was sparkling on the water and the bridge was an older classic design.  Unfortunately there were no nearby waterfront parks that I can stop at for a closer view.  

It was really nice to settle into a cooled AC room!  Heavenly!  After a long drive today it was pleasant to relax, spend some time updating my notes and enjoy some time on the phone with Mel. 

Renate Dundys Marrello 

2014 - 09 - 04 
link to see the rest of the days photos

feel free to visit my facebook Reflections page

all photos copyright to Renate Dundys Marrello