On the Road - Part 2 Illinois & New Mexico

The last weekend visiting St. Louis we all went to Springfield, Illinois because Chase had a hockey tournament. I left early so that I could do some sight seeing. After I checked into the hotel I drove to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. It is right in downtown Springfield. 

The next morning when the kids went to lunch with the team I visited the Illinois Veterans’s Memorials and the Lincoln Tomb. They were both close to the rink. After that I went to do a walking tour on my own of downtown Springfield and even had lunch at an iconic Route 66 chili place. 

The second day of the tournament I went to breakfast at another Route 66 diner and then to the first game. Between games I found a trail to hike before going back to the rink. I also visited some other Route 66 landmarks. The Route 66 activities were an unexpected bonus on this trip. Illinois is the one state I hadn’t explored yet. 

I then took Monday to get everything packed for the trip home and had lunch at El Maguey with Stacie before hitting the road early Tuesday morning. On the way home I stayed the first night in Clinton, Oklahoma and then drove to Tijeras, New Mexico the next day to stay with Ken and Kristi Meunier. Ken was out of town until late that night so Kristi and I met her brother and sister in law from Las Vegas to go rock hounding near the Rio Puerco. It was a beautiful New Mexico evening and I was amazed at the variety of rocks in the area. 

It was another good trip that involved a lot of Route 66. I even made a point of stopping at one of the donut places I see a sign for every time I drive through Amarillo, Texas. 😄