Day 9 Atlanta-Williamsville-Springfield-Girard-Litchfield-St Louis

Route 66 Adventures — Day 9 Left Bloomington, IL around 9:00 AM and headed south on the Mother Road. And as usual, Route 66 did not disappoint! First stop was Atlanta, IL, to check out the old filling station and, because apparently one Giant isn’t enough, there were several of them hanging out on the doorsteps. You just never know what you’re going to find along this road! From there it was on to Williamsville and Springfield, where Abe Lincoln called home for more than 20 years. A little history lesson mixed in with the road trip — always a good thing. Next stop: Motorheads Bar & Grill. The place is in an old Stuckey’s building, so right away you know it’s got some Route 66 history. Add another Giant sighting and a whole bunch of seriously cool cars, and it was definitely worth the stop. Then it was through Litchfield and Livingston, with a stop at the Twistee Diner to visit the Blues Brothers and Elvis. Because apparently Route 66 requires you to meet famous people who may or may not actually be alive. By the end of the day, I finally rolled into St. Louis and got some pictures of the Gateway Arch. Definitely one of those “Yep, I’m really doing Route 66” moments. And then came the most important stop of the night — Ted Drewes Frozen Custard! They’ve been in business since 1929 and have been serving those ridiculously thick “Concretes” since 1941. I’m not saying the spoon stood up by itself, but I’m also not saying it didn’t. Another day on the Mother Road: lots of history, Giants, classic cars, quirky roadside stops, the Gateway Arch, and frozen custard. Honestly, I’m starting to think Route 66 is less about getting somewhere and more about finding out what weird and wonderful thing is around the next corner. And I’m perfectly okay with that!