Merry Christmas!

Tree, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Kicks, etc.

Kicks, etc., a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Originally a two-lane road, Route 66 needed some upgrades by the mid fifties, as America's newfound mobility meant more and more people were traveling by car for that family vacation. This was done by simply paving two more lanes parallel to the existing road, separated by a grassy median-hey presto, two new lanes!

As we all know, eventually Route 66 was superseded by the new interstate system, the paved superslab being better suited to higher traffic levels and higher speeds as well. In most places, old Route 66 reverted to two lanes, usually the newer two, and the old pavement was left to sit, or removed altogether.

In a lot of places you can still see these original stretches of road, parallel to the current alignment, cracked and crumbling, weeds growing through the gaps, markings faded. This one's in Illinois, just outside the town of Dwight.

West-Wind Motel

West-Wind Motel, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Old school neon sign in West Chicago, Illinois. It still looks pretty good, and the glass is all intact, but I don't think it's lit up anymore (at least, I haven't seen it turned on in recent memory).

Too bad-it looks pretty good lit up. You can see it for a few seconds in the film "The Blues Brothers"-the West Wind is the motel Twiggy* is waiting at, near the end of the film.

*the chic lady in the Jaguar convertible that the boys meet at the gas station.

Ferris Wheel

Ferris Wheel, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

We saw this in the daytime last week.

International

International, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

This excellent set of ghost signs is tucked away in a back alley in Aurora, Illinois. This building used to be a warehouse and dealership for International trucks and implements, but I have no idea when that business moved. It has been in the process of being converted to other uses for about three or four years now. It seems they only got about as far as bricking up some windows and putting new glass in a few others.

The Collinis At Home!

Lincoln Highway, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Please drop in for cocktails! You'll find us someplace along the Lincoln Highway!

One of the original 1929 concrete markers that were strategically placed along the Lincoln Highway. This is one of four that stand along a one-mile stretch of the old road in Illinois.

The quote is from the old Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz film The Long, Long Trailer. The picture was iPhoned to look old and nostalgic.

What'll Ya Have?

IMG_0330, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Vintage Pabst Blue Ribbon beer sign. It's hung on the side of a former liquor store or bar (I think it was a restaurant, as it has a drive up window too) in Rochelle, Illinois. It's an antique store now, but this old sign is hanging in there.

Shot with Hipstamatic, with a side trip through the Lo-Mob app for extra texture.

Barn

Barn interior, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The hayloft at the farm.

Corner Station

Corner Station, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A 1950-ish hot rod Chevrolet pickup truck. It's signwritten for a fake garage (note the "KL5" phone number: it translates to "555"). It's parked in front of an old filling station that now sells vintage gas pumps and other petroliana. The owner parks it out front to draw attention to his business-and it works pretty well.