Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. 070209

Greetings from Joliet, Illinois. We are now in Central Time so picked up an hour on the road.

Last night we stayed at the Hampton Inn in Lima, OH after staying the prior night at a Hampton Inn just south of Pittsburgh.

A few travelling notes.

When travelling from East to West on a "secondary" but major road like Route 30, you can find a number of national chain motels and inns where the major North/South interstates intersect.

There's good and bad to this. First, it was my intention to stay at independent, mom and pop properties along the way, preferably with an adjacent, or walk-to, restaurant (with adult beverages, preferred). Well, there aren't any. That's an overstatement but many of the places on my Mom and Pop list are no longer open. Sad, but true and a sign of the times.

Another sign of the times is that we have been able to get off the road at about 430 and get a motel room without any problem. So, that's going to be our strategy for a few more days.

Regarding the Lincoln Highway, it sure looks better in the book and on the web than it does here on the road. The reason, I think these guys had months and months to do the trip with an advance team and a guide!

A quick word on last night after I blogged. THAT Hampton Inn was in the middle of restaurant row and we had many choices. No mom and pop, all chain. So off we went to the Olive Garden and had a nice supper. Mark had pizza, like tonight and the night before and one lunch on the road.

This morning we were on the road out of Lima at 710AM and rode until 900 for breakfast just outside of Ft. Wayne, IN. Hash and eggs for me second day in a row.

Indiana, like Ohio, was pretty flat and mostly four-lane until we got to Scheyersville. Then it was two lane and a later lunch at White Castle. It wasn't what Mark thought it would be and doesnt come recommended. We did have a nice conversation with another motorcylclist, though. He had built a custom, but it causes him problems so is looking at an older gold wing for something to really use.

We arrived in Illinois about 2 in the afternoon. Maybe a little later. It was lots of stop and go traffic and lights that makes Route 28 through Yarmouth look like childs play. We stayed on Route 30 right through Chicago Heights. I seem to remember this as being a pretty tough neighborhood.

We headed west and got through Joliet which has a pretty nice downtown and the third or fourth of those scary metal bridges we have encountered. Tonight, we're having takeout and watching a pay-per-view, The International.