Showers

Here in a northern suburb of Chicago. We've also been following a massive rainstorm across the country, ever since Denver. Got hit by rain in almost every town since. Were a bit worried along the road to Chicago because it was coming down like crazy. But, this morning, the sun is out. It's so cheery.

As Howie said, at Daniel's house, we can finally shower and sleep in a real house. However, I think I'm completely out of clean clothes. The database engineer's wife whom we met in Yellowstone told us how she sometimes has to travel with her husband and his friends (commiserating with me and my situation). She described the process of rewearing a shirt as "going over to the dark side." Still resisting. I've been laughing at Ted, mostly, because well...he's been wearing shirts for few too many days. ;-) all love, ted. All love. (They don't smell...too bad...yet)

Off to play in the Windy City.

| insomniac |

This is Howard, reporting in for Road247.

EVERYONE is asleep, and for some reason I'm not tired. I'm checking in from Daniel Lee's house in Chicago, whose family is nice enough to host us for a night. (They are *SO* nice to be having us here... owe them big) Ted's pointed out that it's been 12 days since we've been in a house, and it sure is nice to settle down for a bit. I'm glad we're spending a few days in Chicago, it's hard to be on the road all the time!

We woke up late, especially because Ted is sick, and Lisa and I are a bit tired too. My knee is also kinda busted; it's my wushu landing knee that's given me trouble ever since, and I managed to bang it yesterday on some metal structure at the City Museum.

So we headed out around 11ish, which is the latest we've ever done, and picked up old Route 66. Our stops included:

* The world's largest ketchup bottle.
* Henry's place-- this was awesome. The guy raises rabbits, and is a huge Route 66 aficionado. So we get in and he chats it up like crazy with us, and gets his rabbit to autograph some posters. Pretty crazy.
* An old diner thing, good food, but wasn't that special
* Abraham Lincoln's old home-- that was pretty cool.
* Cozy Dogs- birthplace of the corn dog. Very yummy and funky looking.
* an dthen it was already 5, s owe decide to truck it to Chicago and skip the rest.
* and Funks Grove Sirup company... sirup is spelled sirup to indicate that it's 100% pure, apparently. tastes really good, it's lighter than traditional maple syrup and not as sweet, but has this really awesome maple taste to it. Even better was the fact that we called way past six to ask if they were open, and she's like "Well... we could just open up for you" So we drive over and we're greeted by Mrs. Funk herself, a really nice lady with white hair and an awesome dog.

So we did get our kicks (however briefly) on old Route 66. I don't fully understand the affinity for this route, because it is *just* an old road. I love the whole mythology of it all, but like Jerry pointed out over the phone, you can't help feeling that maybe it is outdated and a rapidly fading dream.

Speaking of dreams, I should be sleeping. Off I go.