The Sandwich Life on Route 66: Day One
O.K....overall we had a good time but let me give you a littleadvice....don't go away when most of the family is half sick. Leo wasgetting over a cold when we left and the rest of us seem to have comedown with one since then. So I will spare you how many times phrases such as "o.k.FINE, then we just won't GO" or "o.k. FINE then we'll just turn backHOME" or even "o.k. FINE, then I will NEVER plan a weekend awayAGAIN" flew through the air. I'm not proud....just honest. HA!
There were wonderful moments though and those were the only ones I tried to photodocument.....and yes I'm still crazy about my guys....
Scenes from Day One:
I've been a fan of roads and highways--including Route 66---for a long time now. There's something about the combination of the geography, the history, the mythology and yes, the sadness of time that just gets me. This is the first time I'd ever seen this patch of the original brick 66....... Laugh if you will....but I found it surprisingly moving.
We continued down one of the versions of route 66 to Bendl, Illinois..... Just imagine that sign in lights and going to see Duke Ellington....or the Everly Brothers!
In its heyday, the Coliseum had the biggest dance floor (10,000square feet) between Chicago and St. Louis and featured theorchestras of Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Kay Kyser, Count Basieand most of the other big-name big bands - the megastars of popularmusic from the 1920s into the 1940s.
Situated along old Route 66 (now Illinois Route 4), the Coliseumis said to have attracted crowds that sometimes topped 2,000, fromall over central Illinois and metropolitan St. Louis.
The popularity of the big bands faded, but the Coliseumcontinued to draw crowds for nationally known acts such as theEverly Brothers, Fats Domino, Johnny Rivers and Ray Charles. In itslater years, the ballroom mostly featured local rock bands beforeclosing about a decade ago.
and then.....driving through the country----the breeze was making the grass wave beautifully.....and then the train....well....I'm just a sentimental slob as Ernie says....
tomorrow.....Saturday in St. Louis....