How's the weather been Dave?

 

It's been nice and cool. No rain.

 

Day 5 - Tuesday April 27th

I left my motel in Latrobe PA and headed west on the Lincoln Highway. I stopped soon for breakfast at a Bob Evans. I usually don't eat the breakfasts at the motels. I prefer a larger breakfast. During covid may motels don't server much more than a snack like breakfast.

Soon I'm into Ohio.



Lincoln Highway follows highway 30. Sometimes there are places where the old Lincoln Highway splits off.





This cobblestone is some of the oldest original Lincoln Highway you can still drive on.
West of Omaha Nebraska is some more of this old Lincoln Highway cobblestone. You can't drive on it there but you can walk on it.



This is between East Canton and Robertsville Ohio.
The cobblestone fades into the woods.





This Lincoln Highway marker and grain silo are in Forest Ohio.



It's 73° today. This is the first warm day on my trip.



I ride into Indiana. Here the original Lincoln Highway makes a big bend toward the north.
Here the Lincoln Highway becomes more of a boulevard instead of a highway as it runs through several town next to each other. The largest of these towns are Goshen, Elkhart, Mishawaka and South Bend Indiana.

Maybe the economy isn't as strong in these towns. The motels I pass don't look as good as I'd like. So I decide to ride into downtown South Bend Indiana for a motel.

I get a motel at the Aloft Hotel. Now this is nice!
I have a great view from my motel room.


After checking in I walk down the street to have dinner at the Cafe Navarre.

This too is nice. I spoil myself for the night. I have lamb.



I sleep good tonight. I rode 516 miles today.

To be continued ....

 

I am sitting here with a HUGE smile on my face. THIS is sooooo enjoyable. It is a BONUS when you can relate to a ride like this.

Great journaling...........REALLY NICE!

 

Lincoln Hwy, Rt 38, goes right through my home town, in Illinois.

Cool idea, looking forward to the rest of the story.

 

Great trip report.thus far..waiting patiently for the next chapter!

 

Great Ride Dave!!

Looking forward to getting some miles in myself.

Have fun, ride safe.

H

 

The link in ur sig has some REALLY nice PIXs. NICE work!!

 

I'm enjoying this.

I rode the Lincoln Highway across Iowa, so really looking forward to that segment of your trip.


Ride safe

 

Day 6 - Wednesday April 28th

When I wake the forecast says 80% chance of rain. From the looks of the storm clouds I believe it. Not far to the west the chance of rain is much lower. For that reason I decide to head out early. I won't have breakfast until I am more likely to stay dry.

I leave my motel in South Bend Indiana and continue on the Lincoln highway. It was slow going yesterday evening and it'll be slow again all morning. I want to stick to the original Lincoln Highway and it's all roads with constant stop lights around here.

I get hit with a few raindrops but nothing much. No need to put on my rain gear.

Here the original Lincoln highway goes around Chicago in all the suburbs. There is an auxiliary route that goes into downtown Chicago and then heads west on what is now I-290. I want to stick to the original route but with a red light every few blocks I get frustrated with my slow progress. This section of northwest Indiana and northeast Illinois is the slowest part of the Lincoln Highway.

After I stop for breakfast I decide I should have taken the I-290 route. I get on the expressway before too long I approach a toll booth. Most of the lanes are for E-ZPass. To the right are lanes for cash.

Then the lanes split again into toll booths. All the cash lanes are closed. The only open lanes are for I-Pass. (not my pictures)

That's where I pull in. I come to a complete stop. No one behind me. No one to take my money. Nothing to do but continue on. I go through 3 toll booths like this but I don't stop anymore. On the third one I see a sign saying I have 14 days to pay on line. That's what I have to do today. As I am writing this I remember I need to find the web site to pay for my tolls or they become tickets.
I found this all confusing. Sure it's easy for those that live in Chicago or are familiar with these toll roads. I guess I should have researched this in advance.

West of Chicago I exit the expressway and head north. Then the Lincoln Highway takes me west.

I go through farmland and small town.
In some towns I see signs such as this one in Rochelle Illinois.


Then I get to the town of Franklin Grove Illinois. This town has the Lincoln Highway National Headquarters.

The place is locked but I see a couple of people inside.



Franklin Grove also has a Lincoln Highway Cafe. (I didn't eat there)


As I continue west I pass through the small town of Sterling Illinois. Here is a park honoring the fact that Abraham Lincoln came to town to campaign for John Fremont who was running for president.



At the town of Fulton Illinois the Lincoln Highway goes down to the Mississippi River where this windmill sits.



There is no bridge here anymore but this is where the original bridge used to stand.

I get back on the Lincoln Highway and cross into Clinton Iowa.





Here in Iowa they grow the corn for your ethanol. When you buy gas it's like, how much ethanol do you want? 10%? 15%? 30%? 85%?

One place I stopped had gas without ethanol. There they had 2 choices. The one with ethanol said it was premium but both had an octane rating of 87. In my mind that can't be premium if the octane rating is the same.

In Nevada Iowa I see signs and a park for both the Lincoln Highway and the Jefferson Highway.

The Jefferson Highway was the first highway to cross the US from north to south. Here the highways cross. They actually take the same route for a few miles.

I have relatives in Omaha I can stay with. I don't see many motels. I guess I'll ride on. I usually don't like riding at night. It takes all the fun out of it. I can't see the scenery and I feel like I just have to get to my destination. Sometimes it's best to ride on. I call my sister and tell her I may be arriving late. She says that's fine and I continue on.

The sun is low as I pass through Carroll Iowa. There's a motel there and I pull in for the night. I call my sister again to say I won't be there tonight after all.

My motel is only $66 and it's nice. Really nice. You don't get prices like this except in a little town like Carroll Iowa where no one wants to go to anyway. (sorry if I offended anyone)

I put on 534 miles today.

To be continued ....