The Chicago Incident 2011-a blog about our recent vacation

The Chicago Incident July 2011

Day 1 – 08 July 2011 

Today was spent packing and planning.  My mom and Carl arrived around noon to pick up Colton and the dogs and take them back to Fredericksburg.  Colton insisted on pizza for lunch, so I took everyone out to Mangia’s-might as well start everybody out on the right foot!  Colton was excited about going to Gooma’s and happily settled into his carseat when it was time to leave.  I stood on the porch waving as they drove out of sight.  I don’t know why; I couldn’t see them for the tears in my eyes.  I’d spent the previous two days counting the hours until I could have a break from his two-year-old attitude, but when the time finally came, it hurt to watch him go, knowing I wouldn’t see him for a whole week. 

The rest of the day was spent packing my own stuff and getting it ready to load in the car.  Clinton arrived home around six.  We loaded the car and were on the road by 6:15.  We had planned to make it to Chandler, OK to spend the night.  At 9pm, we stopped in Denton and ate dinner at DQ-second dinner for me because I ate before we left, but who’s counting?  Around midnight, we decided to call it a night and stopped just north of Ardmore, OK in Paul’s Valley.  The hotel we chose was Relax Inn.  It was $65/night, so we agreed.  However, I would have felt very guilty if we said no because we obviously woke up the owner when we rang the bell. The bed and shower were clean, and the A/C was cold, so we we passed out till morning. 

Day 2 – 09 July 2011

The next morning, we ate breakfast in a little diner across the street from the hotel.  It was decorated in the traditional ‘50’s style.  The food was plentiful as well as tasty.  After a good breakfast, we set out early on the road to Springfield, MO.  We drove all day following Route 66. 

We stopped along the way at little roadside attractions and marveled at the decaying beauty of eras past.  We drove past many roadside attractions, including the Blue Whale.  We failed to get a picture of this monstrosity, but suffice it to say, it was memorable.  We ate lunch in Claremore, OK at the NutHouse.  It was a cute little gift shop with a deli which served local cheeses and other local products.  I would like to re-visit it on our return trip.  It was that good. 

In Afton, OK, we stopped in a Route 66 museum.  The proprietors had purchased an old service station on Route 66 and turned it into a display of all things nostalgic.  We spent a considerable amount of time looking at the ‘artifacts’ and discussing their significance with the owners.  As it turns out, the owner of the male persuasion was a “car guy.”  He and Clinton got along famously, of course.  He took us into his personal museum of Packards.  One of which had travelled the entire 2400 miles of the Mother Road.  Also in his collection, a 1917 motorcoach, complete with beds, bathroom and kitchen with cooktop and ice box.  I was amazed-I didn’t know they made such things that early.  Once we had re-hydrated (there was limited air conditioning in the station), we were on the road again.  About a mile away from the museum, there is one of the oldest stretches of the original mother-road still in existence.  This particular stretch, called Ribbon Road, was unique because, due to monetary limitations at the time it was built, only 9’ of the center of the highway was paved.  The rest was gravel and dirt ‘shoulder’.  This old road crossed the interstate twice, and I was a little nervous about the bridges.  They held, and we now have an interesting adventure under our belt. 

Ribbon Road

neat railroad bridge over Rte 66

caption for metal bridge pic

see plaque for caption

Largest Rocker in MO

 It was time to move on to Carthage, Mo. 

After a slight, unintended detour along the way where we lost track of the signs denoting the historic highway, we arrived at our destination of Carthage, MO around 5:30pm.  Clinton had heard of a drive-in movie theater there and wanted to attend a movie. 

We’d been to one in Texas, and after a less than impressive experience I wasn’t too keen on repeating it, but Clinton was insistent so I relented.  We found ourselves with several hours till showtime, so we made our way into town to find some dinner.  A place called “Pancake Hut” stood out and we stopped there to eat.  Mostly, it was because they advertised free wi-fi and we needed to search for a hotel room for the night.  Turns out, that was about the only good part about it.  The food was pretty bad and the service wasn’t much better.  I guess that’s the price you pay for choosing local restaurants without knowing their reputations.  After asking for the internet password 3 times, the waitress finally brought it over.  I logged on and we booked a room at a hotel the couple in Afton recommended-The Best Western Rail Haven in Springfield, MO.  We had planned to sit for a little while and drink our tea and coffee and surf the web.  However, after we’d been there about 30 minutes, the waitress informed us they were closing in 10 minutes.  We finished up on the net and skedaddled.  It was 7pm on a Saturday night.  With nothing to do and nowhere to go, we decided to explore Carthage.  We drove around the tiny town for an hour before showtime.  At 8 pm, the drive-in box office opened, and we decided it was time to make our way to the theater. 

When we arrived at the drive-in, there was a line of cars long enough, we couldn’t see the entrance to the theater.  We waited about 30 minutes to get in, inching along the shoulder of the highway until we got the box office.  After finding a place to park and obtaining a soda, we explored a little bit of the theater.  The people there were seasoned drive-in goers.  They brought pillows, blankets, sleeping bags for the kids, camp chairs, everything you could possibly need to enjoy a movie outside or in your car.  There were older couples, families, high school friends and everybody in between.  The group of high schoolers behind us found themselves with nothing to do before the start of the movie, so they brought out their guitars and bongo and had a jam session while another group of teens bumped a volleyball around.  Still more people gathered on the grass where fathers played Frisbee and football with their children.  The playground at the front of the theater was also packed with squealing children and watchful parents.  I would like to mention: I did not see one child with a cell phone, Nintendo, iPod or DVD player to entertain them, and there were only a couple of adults on the phone.  It was beautiful to watch people interact with each other, instead of zone out with their personal electronic devices.  We watched Mr.Popper’s Penguins with undeserved attention and decided not to stay and watch Green Lantern.  It was 11pm and we still had an hour drive to Springfield to spend the night.  As we started the car, the “headlight out” warning light came on in the car.  We decided to try to find a replacement bulb ASAP as it was VERY dark and we had a long way to go.  When we entered the town less than 5 minutes later, in true Strosser style, we were introduced to the nicest young policeman who informed us our headlamp was out.  It would not be a Strosser vacation without meeting at least one police officer along the way via flashing-lights introduction. He issued us a warning and sent us on our way.  (Funny aside: after the other drive-in movie in Texas, we also got pulled over within 5 minutes of leaving the theater.  I don’t remember why anymore-I think we were speeding by accident-but we got a warning then too.  The officer took one look at the 3 month old baby in the back of our bright red SRT-4 with a large wing and apologized for shining his lights in the car and asked us if we needed directions to get home.)  After we got our warning this time, we drove across the street to find a bulb at the gas station.  Of course, there was none to be found there.  A random teenager in the station asked us what we got pulled over for.  Clint held up the bulb he’d since removed and told him.  The teen said, “You’re lucky.  The last time I got pulled over for a brake light, I got a $75 ticket.”  He and the clerk gave us directions to Wal-Mart where we could purchase our bulb, and we left.  The teen got into his black, 90’s model mustang with a modified (read: LOUD) exhaust, marveling at our “good luck” of getting a warning, instead of a ticket and drove away.  We replaced our bulb and finished the drive to Springfield without incident. 

The hotel we stayed in is on the list of registered historic places, and the man who took my reservation was extremely friendly and helpful.  The man who checked us in at 12:30 am was not friendly and looked old enough to be on the above-mentioned list himself.  The room was hot, the shower was not cleaned after the last guest, and the water temperature fluctuated wildly.  However, the sheets were clean, I had a pair of flip flops with me (TTU dorm showers were worse than this) and we were dead tired-too tired to complain, move, or ask that it be cleaned for us.  I had a dream about rattlesnakes coming out of the a/c intake, the cover of which wasn’t secured to the wall in a way that covered the entire hole, and woke up less than refreshed.  The breakfast and coffee they provided were tasty, and the morning staff was friendly.  We were on the road again around 8:30am.

Day 3 – 10 July 2011

We followed Route 66 out of Springfield and headed Northeast, into the rising sun.  We found ourselves mostly following the interstate on the access road.  However, it was still neat to think about the history of the road we were travelling.  Route 66 was designed to connect the Main Streets of the towns it went through, so it’s pretty winding sometimes.  The trajectory didn’t always make sense to us, but we managed to stay on it by following the signs.  We stopped for lunch at a scary-looking place in Waynesville, MO, called Country Café-although the outside sign only said “RESTAURANT”.  The paint was peeling on the outside and the tobacco was thick on the walls inside.  It was recommended in our guidebook so, although dubious, we thought we’d take a chance.  The burger was, in Clinton’s words, “a 9 on a scale of 1-10.”  That’s a compliment when coming from Clinton.  It was a very good burger in my opinion as well. 

We continued on Route 66, taking in the scenery and the sights of bygone opulence.  All in all, it was a very interesting drive.  Around St. Louis, MO, we hopped on the interstate and decided to book it into Chicago.  By this time, it was almost dark so visibility was going to be very limited anyway.  We were both tired and ready to find a bed.  We did stop for dinner at a place in Bloomington, IL, called Lucca’s, also recommended in the guide book.  We had the best thin pizza I think I’ve ever had.  We arrived at our final destination, The Wyndham Garden Hotel in Buffalo Grove, IL, without any detours or other incident about 11:30 pm.  The room was huge, well-appointed, clean and already cooled.  Both of us slept extremely well. 

I would like to apologize, but from this point forward, there are almost no pics because we didn't do any sight-seeing while we were in the 'burbs of Chicago and not much on the way home since we were pressed for time. 

Day 4 – 11 July 2011

We woke this morning to a thunderstorm of epic proportions.  The power in the hotel flickered on and off several times, and the rain was blowing at the window sideways.  It’s been so long since I’ve seen any measurable amount of rain, I was simply amazed.  After we got up and ready, we ate breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant.  They gave us coupons for one of us for breakfast, so I paid for mine.  I had an omlette made to order at the buffet line, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee.  Clinton had a waffle, coffee and scrambled eggs-also made to order (not pre-made and left to turn green in a warming tray on the buffet line).  In the end, it was less than $10 for the two of us for breakfast, and it was the best breakfast I’ve had since leaving Austin.  Very nice.  Clinton left for school about 20 minutes till 9am.   I spent the day trolling on Facebook and watching TV.  Around 4:30pm, Clinton arrived back at the hotel.  We had planned to eat dinner at a local place, but traffic was really bad.  The thunderstorm had knocked out a good portion of the traffic signals, and there were police directing traffic at the major intersections, but it was a freeforall at the smaller ones.  Instead, we chose Fridays which was close to the hotel.  Afterward, traffic had let up, so we drove to a newly-renovated open air mall in Northbrook and saw Super 8 at the theater there.  It was a really good movie, but very emotionally charged.  I always seem to see emotionally charged movies when I’m pregnant and hormonal, so I ended up bawling during parts of the movie-embarrassing! 

Day 5 – 12 July 2011

Clinton had to be at school earlier than yesterday, so we ate breakfast at 7:30 am.  I came back and read for about an hour and took a 2 hour nap, until housekeeping showed up.  I ate PB&J in the hotel room for lunch and didn’t do much else all day until Clinton came back.  It’s so nice to relax and catch up on my sleep.  Travelling like we did on the first two days of the trip (stay one night and leave early) is hard for a pregnant woman.  I’m still exhausted and we’ve been here for two days now.  We ate at a local pizza place with some guys from Clint’s class.  The food and the company was awesome!    

Day 6 – 13 July 2011

Today, we ate breakfast at about 7:30 again.  The waiter seems VERY friendly to us.  It’s nice, but also kind of creepy.  I caught up on some promises I made to friends today and sent out birthday invitation emails for Colton’s party on Sunday.  After Clinton returned from school, we made a trip to the post office to mail the water bill and then drove to a local shopping center.  We visited Barnes & Noble’s and then ate dinner at the Cheesecake factory.  I have to say I was disappointed.  We paid $7 for a piece of cheesecake that was surpassed in quality by TGI Friday’s a couple of nights ago.  We turned in early since we knew we were in for a long day on Thursday. 

Day 7 – 14 July 2011 

Clint’s instructor started class early to facilitate an early release, so we ate breakfast around 7 am.  I returned to the room and packed our stuff.  Then I took a nap for about two hours.  I hauled it all downstairs so I could check out on time and proceeded to complete two crossword puzzles while I waited for Clinton to return.  He arrived at 3:30pm, and we were on the road at 3:45pm.  We made it to Cuba, MO to spend the night around 11:30pm.  We really wanted to spend the night in the oldest continuously operating motor court on Route 66.  However, after 3 unanswered and un-returned phone calls and 20 minutes spent waiting in the driveway, we were not able to reach anyone to help us.  What motel doesn’t take walk-ins?!  Anyway, we ended up at the Best Western Cuba.  It was clean and already cooled, and the proprietor was SUPER friendly, even at that time of night.  Too bad the air conditioner sounded like a DC-10.  It wasn’t all that bad, though.  Once you were able not to concentrate on it, it was easy to tune it out and treat it like white noise.  Maybe that just results from my background in teaching middle school band. 

Day 8 – 15 July 2011

Amazingly, there were cars in the parking lot the next morning that were not there when we checked in, and the SAME woman greeted us to check us out at 7am, just as friendly as the night before.  I’m sure she probably cooked the hot breakfast provided as well.  We chose to eat at a truck stop diner further down the interstate instead, though, because neither one of us was hungry right away.  The food was good and the waitress was wonderful.  The most drama we had in the day was that the guy in the booth behind us at breakfast skipped out on the check.  We offered to pick up his ticket and the waitress declined.  Drive, drive, drive is all we did today.  We made it through Kansas on Route 66, which our previous unexpected detour on day 2 kept us from completing.   

pretty overlook on Rte 66 in Kansas



'Mater in Kansas at a cute little gift shop

Otherwise we took the interstate and ate at standard restaurants.  We arrived home around 11:30pm and spent the night in our own bed.  A thunderstorm at 5:30am was the perfect topper.  We desperately needed the rain!

Day 9 – 16 July 2011

Up at 6:30am and on the road by 7:30 to Fredericksburg.  I ordered the cake and shopped for other party supplies before heading to my mom and Carl’s house to begin the party prep.  Clinton made it to Fbg around 10:30am to spend time at his parents’ house with his siblings.  Garrett and Charla came from Utah, and Betsy came in from Houston.  It was nice to have everyone in one place.  Colton and I met them that evening to Celebrate Garrett’s birthday with cake and ice cream.  Everybody had a great time! 

Day 10 – 17 July 2011

Today was Colton’s second birthday.  (Has it really been two years?!)  We celebrated in style at my mom and Carl’s house with Thomas the train décor and, of course, more cake and ice cream.  All of our family came to help us celebrate.  Colton got lots of awesome gifts and had a wonderful time.  He was asleep in the car on the way home before we were in Stonewall.  It was a great day for all! 

To summarize, we had a great trip to Chicago and back and made lots of good memories together.  It will be nice to return to some semblance of normalcy and get reacquainted with our son—and our bed-I’m exhausted!