A Quick Trip on Historic Route 66

By Gary Osborne

Without any trips planned from our regional group due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several of us decided to just take a ride down to Pontiac, Illinois, along the Historic Route 66. On Sunday October 11th we gathered at White Fence Farm to begin our ride.  It was a small group that included Ron and Colleen Steck (1941 Ford Super Deluxe Station Wagon), Tom and Judy Buscaglia (1951 Ford Custom Tudor), Joe Serritella (1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88), and Gary and Dawn Osborne (2008 Ford Mustang).  The weather was perfect, so we were looking forward to a great ride.

The group followed Route 66 through Joliet, Wilmington, and into Gardner.  There we stopped and viewed an original two cell jail, and a restored streetcar diner.  Then we proceeded to Odell to take photos in front of a restored 1932 Standard Oil Filling Station. From there we finished the drive into Pontiac for our lunch.  Bernardi’s Italian Restaurant was our choice, and it turned out to be a good one.  The food was exceptionally good.  After lunch we walked around some, eventually ending up in the Route 66 Museum, and the adjoining Military Museum.  We had been at these museums before, but it is always good to see what might be new in their collections. We all had a great time on this drive just talking and laughing together with friends. Hope we will be able to do more tours of this type in the future.