THE MOTHER ROAD

START POINT IN CHICAGO

THE GEMINI GIANT

LINCOLN'S TOMB

PASS THE KETCHUP, JOY

THE GATEWAY ARCH

WE HAPPY BAND OF TRAVELLERS

I was in the hotel lobby at 7.30am to meet Damien, our group leader and driver, and my travel companions, of whom there were just 3; couple Colin and Annmaree, and Winston. Another couple, Keith and Joy would be joining us that evening in Springfield. Other than Damien and me, everyone was Australian. I hoped they wouldn't be whingers like those poms I keep hearing about.

After an introductory briefing we initially drove to the start point of our 2,200 mile Route 66 trip. Our transport is a white Ford van with a large trailer for our luggage. With 13 passenger seats, the 6 of us would be very comfortable.

We then headed towards Springfield, Illinois where we would spend the night. Along the way we stopped for pictures at the Launching Pad cafe which is publicised by the huge figure of the Gemini Giant in Wilmington. Since the cafe was closed, perhaps the publicity didn't work?

After another stop at Funk's Grove to taste their Maple Sirup (yes, the real stuff is apparently spelt this way), we had lunch at Palms Grill Cafe in Atlanta. Opposite the cafe was 'Tall Paul' another giant at the side of the road.

After our night in Springfield, we visited the pre-presidency home of its most famous son, Abraham Lincoln, and then his Tomb. The latter was impressive and larger than many churches.

We also saw some of the dafter landmarks along the way such as the world's largest ketchup (alternatively spelt Catsup) bottle in Collinsville. Particularly fun was the tour of the massive Budweiser factory in St. Louis, Missouri, especially the beer sampling session at the end.

After a comfortable night in the Drury Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, which unusually provides free food and drink, Winston and I walked to the famous 'Gateway Arch' and associated Museum commemorating the westward expansion of the US. Getting to the top of the 630 foot arch involved squeezing 5 people into a tiny cylindrical elevator capsule. It was only when we got to the top that Winston mentioned that he suffered from claustrophobia.

The group were then driven to Meramec Caverns in Stanton which Jesse James used as a hideout. Since I have explored several cave systems before, I chose to wander around the park while everyone else went down. I ended up chatting to a group of chefs enjoying their day off. Gordon Ramsey hosts a cooking program called Hell's Kitchen in the States. We both agreed how awful he is.

At Lebanon we stopped for a quick look around the Route 66 Museum, but our final destination for the day was Branson, Missouri.

Although Branson has a population of just 10,000, it seemed much larger. It was a bit like a mini Las Vegas with shows and entertainment everywhere. Large signs inviting visitors to go to this show or that show appeared alongside the road well before we arrived in town. Damien had booked us in for an evening performance of Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, which mainly comprised a display of horsemanship performed by riders in Yankee and Confederate uniforms. The audience had to choose which side they supported - we cheered the Yankees and booed the Confederates - but, unlike reality, it was a draw in the end and everyone was happy. The evening finished with a recorded projection of Dolly singing Star Spangled Banner. We didn't see the real Dolly though.