World United States Illinois Granite City

Sharon's RV Travels Route 66

Springfield to Granite City, IL Sep 22, 2007

Raised my blinds this morning and I wasn't alone at Walmart...4 RV's and 2 tractor trailers. This portion of the trip was on rough roads paralleling the interstate. In Mt. Olive, I pulled into a Dollar General to get change for the donation collectors at the stop sign. Turned out there was a young man sitting outside the door collecting. Also, a lady selling caps for the highschool. I visited with them for awhile. Next door to the Dollar General was Russell Soulsby Shell Station, circa 1926...looked in the windows at the old relics. In Staunton, I stopped at Henry's Rabbit Ranch. I spent about an hour with Rich Henry and his black rabbit Montana. Rich and Montana authgraphed a postcard for me. Montana's autograph is bite marks. When I got my camera for a picture...she froze. Rich says that she has learned what cameras are and holds still for photos. Rich's dad was a trucker...Phillips 66 Humpin to Please. There is a 57 year old picture hanging on the wall of Rich in the truck and his dad standing beside the truck. Rich has a couple of the old trucks in the yard along with much other memorilia inside and out. In Hamel, I stopped at Scotty's for lunch, building circa 1937. I had their house specialty...hamburger on texas toast topped with french fries and covered with cheese (I think it was Velvetta). I'm in Granite City, Il for the night...right at the bridge to St. Louis, MO. Bridge traffic was backed up for miles due to bridge repair. I wanted to walk across the Chain of Rocks Bridge 1937-1960, Rt 66 Mississippi River crossing (over one mile). I wasn't sure that there would be a place for me to turn around so I stopped at a KOA for the night (about 1/4 of a mile from the bridge). The gals in the office said that there's not even a place to park a car. Well, I turned around at an business near the canal that is just before the bridge so I'm going to park there in the morning (Sunday and the business will be closed) and walk the bridge. Then off to St. Louis before bridge traffic builds.

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