Vacation of a lifetime: Bennett Spring - the Trilogy: Part 2 - Bite #6

Bite #6 – the drive.

Many thanks to Barb at AAA in Orchard Park, NY.  She was incredibly helpful and patient while finding the best places to stay on our way to and from our vacation of a lifetime.  Her recommendations were great! 

Barb at AAA said it was a 13 hour and 49 minute trip – not including pit stops, so we planned to take it in two days, getting to Bennett Spring early enough on day 2 to get in a few hours of fishing. 

The drive was basically uneventful, but it was interesting crossing from state to state anticipating the goal of arriving at the source – the spring head from whence cool water and cooler trout flow!!

But, it was really fun once we crossed the 

Mississippi river at St. Louis. 

St. Louis holds a special place in my heart since it’s the birthplace of Budweiser   --

– the true elixir of life and nectar of the gods.  

Bud was my Dad’s beer and I was weaned on it.  

I enjoy a wide variety of beers – especially those brewed by my nephew John.

Here's a couple of John's Fall Favorites 

 – but I always come back to Bud. 

St. Louis is also known for the Gateway Arch – “The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot (192 m) tall structure built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States.” as stated in Wikipedia.  

We had a good long look at the Arch since the traffic started to build as we got closer to the bridge over the Mississippi. 

Here I am in a photo of me taking a photo of the Arch – you got something better to do stuck in bridge traffic?

Here I am in a selfie with
the Gateway Arch ...

 ... and then it’s gone!
David Copperfield - top that!

He did make the Statue of Liberty disappear, but he had more help than I did.

Click this link to see DC in action - might have to sit through a commercial - blogspot by google couldn't find it to embed in my post.

The truck that helped me make 

the Gateway Arch disappear 

is from Newport Oregon.  

When we lived in Lake Oswego, Oregon we visited Newport and had really great times - 

Fishing for Herring at Yaquina Bay,
Newport, OR

Giant Pacific Octopus at the
Oregon Coast Aquarium at Newport, OR  

Back to St. Louis - 

St. Louie is also known for the St. Louis Blues – both the song 

 and,

The Hockey team 

Finally past the bridge traffic and the Gateway Arch is fading in the rear view mirror –

we were on the last leg of the journey and most of it was on Route 66 - Technically .  

You all know about Route 66 – right?  

TV show about two guys in a Corvette traveling across the country for some reason that escapes right now, but I do remember watching it in black and white on a small TV.

And, the theme song is a classic that most people will remember even if they have no clue why or where they 
heard it.

And then to confuse matters, there’s the Get your Kicks on Route 66 Song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66".  

According to Wikipedia:

 "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" often rendered simply as "Route 66", is a popular song and rhythm and blues standard, composed in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup.

It was first recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole, and was subsequently covered by many artists including Chuck Berry in 1961, The Rolling Stones in 1964, Depeche Mode in 1987, Pappo's Blues in 1995, John Mayer in 2006, and Glenn Frey in 2012.

The song's lyrics follow the path of the U.S. Route 66 highway, which used to run a long distance across the U.S., going from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California.

For Nat’s original click the image below:

Construction on Route 66 was started in 1926 but, production stopped with the Depression - but in 1933, production restarted.

The production helped thousands of unemployed workers, and America's love affair with the car.

The 2,300 mile highway was completed in 1938 with a completely paved road from Chicago to Los Angeles.

For more information on "America's Mainstreet," click these links:

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-info.html     

http://route66.theautry.org/exhibition.

Fortunately for us, the roads had improved greatly since my Dad drove them 66 years ago.  

And, we could actually see the improvement.  

The new "Rte. 66" was renamed Interstate 44 and was built next to the “Historic Rte. 66” so we could see the hills and twists and turns of the 

very narrow 9’ road.

You can see the Historic Rte. 66 on the right
Next to Interstate 44

A few less hills on the new version.

Here's Meghan with the Rte. 66 Sign and standing next to part of the original Rte. 66 as it exists today.

It probably takes more than 6 bites to eat an elephant, but it was just about the right number of bites to plan and make our journey to the source – Bennett Spring.

And now, as I look forward to writing the trilogy conclusion – it’s all really just beginning - as we bonded with each other, the spring, fellow fishers, and of course - the trout.

Here’s number one.

More to follow in Part 3!

And, my Daughter Meghan has informed me that March 1 is the Opening Day for Trout Season in Missouri!

And I haven't finished telling you about Last year yet!

See ya soon!

Dave