The Route 66 Chick

You may recall that my new (to me) van, Alice, had a previous incarnation as a State Farm mobile office. She came home with me from DeSoto, Missouri, still equipped with a very large ladder rack on the roof and a heavy desk and attached office chair wedged crosswise in the cargo area. So that I could get to work cleaning, measuring, and planning the interior, (and also so that my neighbors could quit wondering about my new hobby of buying white vans with ladder racks), I was anxious to get the equipment off and out of the van. Alice looks spiffier after the rack removal and a trip to the car wash. Steve Rensberry and his son Ben to the rescue! Last week they arrived one evening armed with a step ladder and tool boxes. After ascertaining that the ladder rack was bolted to the rack rails and so could be removed leaving the rails intact (and not needing to plug holes in the roof), father and son went to work. Steve removed the bolts and together on ladders they were able to slide t

On Tuesday, April 18, U.S. Congressman Rodney Davis (13th District, Illinois) kicked off a two-day tour  of Illinois Route 66 to highlight its significance and importance, and to draw attention to two new pieces of legislation. Illinois Representative Avery Bourne and Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway  staff, Executive Director Bill Kelly and Assistant Director Geoff Ladd, accompanied Davis on Tuesday's portion of the tour.  The Wildey Theatre marquee announced the Route 66 tour. Tuesday's stops included Livingston, Litchfield, Carlinville, and Girard after a tour kick-off under the marquee of the historic Wildey Theatre  in Edwardsville. In Edwardsville, City Administrator Tim Harr, Alton Regional CVB Executive Director Brett Stawar and staff, Wildey Theatre Manager Al Canal and staff, media, and yours truly attended the event. Representative Davis took to the lectern at 10:00 a.m. and was presented with an Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway cap by Bill Kelly. Davis spoke o

Introducing Alice, my adventure van and soon-to-be mini-glam-van-camper! Alice the Van, at the restored Texaco station in DeSoto MO. You know that feeling when you went shopping and came home with the wrong thing? You know, pants that don't fit, shoes that hurt your feet, dress that just looks all wrong? Well, I did that in February with the first van that I bought. A van to convert to a mini-RV was the right idea, but that specific van was not. I had been researching the little Ford Transit Connects for months. I loved the first-generation style of the 2010 through 2013 models, but the majority of them are high mileage. So I talked myself into a 2015 second-generation Transit Connect. Less headroom and not so cute; long wheelbase and low mileage. But that van had one more thing--that "new car" (translation:  chemicals) smell. Most of you know I'm asthmatic, and chemical and fragrance smells and I do not play well together.  I tried boxes of baking soda, a