Today we head out from Eay Claire with destination : Chicago. We’ll make our first few miles on the Motherroad today and we’re excited about that! The morning is the same old : miles and miles of Interstate 94 and later on 90. But on these interstates we make splendid progress and we find ourselves in the vicinity of Chicago around 2pm. It takes us another full hour and some searching to find a parking garage right underneath Milennium park. Having parked the car safely (we hope), we first walk around the Millennium park a bit, specifically to the Cloud Gate sculpture.

This is a truly remarkable piece of art and it’s great to have seen it with our own eyes. We wander on and look at the famous rail system above the streets, known from many movies and novels.

And then it is time for our main goal : the start of Route 66! We find the locations but really any signs or other special items. Except for a type of hotdog stand with the R66 logo.

A bit disappointed we head back to the car, and after some turning left and right manage to come right to the same point, the start of Route 66. And lo and behold! This time we see a (small) sign on the OTHER side of the road as from where it was supposed to be, marking this as the start of Route 66. I manage to take a (maybe unclear) picture with my phone. It is actually strange and a bit sad that the start of this iconic road is so…. unmarked. Just a very small sign on a street corner. But maybe, if I think some more about it, that is perfect. Route 66 is special, in every way, this included. Not many people will venture all the way to the start with their car anyway, I guess.

Jonathan is driving, straight from the very center of town, on Route 66. With a smile he sits behind the wheel and we soon leave downtown Chicago behind us. We travel along Adams Street and then Ogden Avenue. Initially we had planned to go by train to the starting point from the outskirts of town, and we would have missed all of this, so we are very happy that we took the car! We even find the famous “Castle” carwash building, and can take a very nice picture with the car in front! Rumor has it that Al Capone himself hid here when he was on the run for the police.

After that, it’s on to Joliet (these names might sound familiar if you’ve seen the Blues Brothers movie. I think we drive past the prison where Jake or Elwood was released (I think I recognize it, should have taken a picture but oh well, will watch the movie again :-). We sleep in Joliet today, and tomorrow will be our very first day on Route 66. Looking forward to that!