On Dancer, On Prancer…….. Let’s head north to Alaska. No wait, just to I-94 will do donkey. I-94 west to PAW PAW, MI and a stop for gas. Time 26 hrs 45min.
1hr and 40 min later Gary, IN was around the next bend. As I was rounding that bend traffic started to slow, then crawl, then STOP !!!!!!!! With bumper to bumper and me in the middle lane. One hour and 35 min later I had moved to the right lane and was at the top of an exit.
Calculating during the SLOOOOOW period I had come to the realization that, it was Over, Fini. Raising my helmet visor, I yelled “I quit.” I hit the button on the stopwatch, turned Marcia to map only, and headed south on the street I was on toward I-80. I decided to go to Joliet, grab a room and sleep, sleep, sleep.
I pulled into the Joliet Budget Inn at 7:40 pm and by 8:00 pm my neighbors thought a chainsaw was running as I was sawing logs. Up at 4:00 am (Habits are a hard thing to break.) At 6:30 am I was down for breakfast. Josie had the morning shift and she listened intently to my tale, or at least she made me believe she was.
It was during the telling of what is sure to become lore in my family that I realized I could still feed my obsession and find my Holy Grail. (KANKAKEE). Back in my room I carefully plotted a route to (KANKAKEE) and on home.
Downstairs I showed Josie the plan of attack and headed off to (KANKAKEE.) As the door was closing I thought I heard these words. “Fare thee well brave knight.” “Slay your dragon if your must and find your Holy Grail.” I packed my trusty steed and headed southwest, I think. Oh well Marcia was programmed right and I was sticking to her like glue.
Olivett came first and I took pics of the entrance the Nazarene College, home of the Bears Training Camp, even though I’m a Steelers fan. Heading west and less than 15 min later it stood like a Beacon on a Hill. (KANKAKEE) Note Kankakee is not on a hill. I was using a Poetic License.
First stop Kankakee Valley Park to slay the dragon. I stopped the first family I saw and asked if someone would take a picture of me listening to Arlo Gutherie’s Motorsycle Song. That done I was off to the Train Station. As I pulled into the station I felt GOOSE Bumps. I parked in the middle of the lot with the Kankakee sign visible from the building roof and looked frantically for someone to take my picture. Ok so the guy was a little inebriated, he could stand straight, sort of. With “City of New Orleans” playing in my helmet and my new best friend trying so hard to snap the picture, I sat upon my trusty steed in all my Glory, a true Knight of the Realm.
As we are now at PT3 and most folks have probably quit reading, I’ll finish quickly by letting you know that I also stopped in Dwight, IL and traveled Route 66 down to Normal, IL before deciding this road trip had to end.
I had no major problems until I caught rain and high winds at the Iowa state line. 50 miles from home a 60 mph gust hit me from the Southwest and I was blown off the road, off the shoulder, down a steep incline and into the bottom a deep ditch. So deep, that I could not see the lights of the passing cars. Nothing was broken on the bike or me. I rode out after finding a less steep spot. Sat under an overpass for 1hr and then made it home around 1:30 am.
For you folks that may be non-believers just tell me I’m one lucky SOB, but for those of us that have been washed in the blood of salvation, trust me, the hand of the Lord and my Guardian Angel saved my life.
Ask me if I’m gonna try again. I Double Dog Dare You.
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