Thursday 29 August 2013

Following the mother road towards Utah and its parcs

Hi all! Thanks again for your patience! We have been searching for a good time to write a blog post!

Last time we spoke, we were at the Niagara falls on the American Canadian boarder. Since then, we moved many many miles/kilometers.

After the waterfalls we moved direction Chicago, passing the Great Lakes. These lakes are so enormous that they look more like a sea. We were completely surprised by these and were happy to see that they even have beaches for us to relax on! Via these lakes ( mainly Lake Erie and Lake Michigan) we head into Chicago for a one day city trip. Arriving there we park ourselves and decide to use the bikes to go through the city. Great idea! On only 6 hours we passed through the city center, passed the harbor and next to the beach area of Chicago!

Nearby the beach, we prepared for our next big part of our voyage through the states: route 66. This route was a popular route between Chicago and Los Angeles between 1900 and 1950, when the interstate highways made it obsolete. It was mainly used by people to move to the west in search for better economic conditions (movie cars is based on route 66!!)

Now, we are not going to write to much about the route 66. It is mainly a driving route and although it was very interesting for us, it is not something to write a lot about. What can be said is that it is a very interesting way to pass the USA, as you travel slow and get the opportunity to talk to a lot of people. In the beginning the route is very alive, with plenty of old buildings restored. Further to the west, passing Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, the route becomes more abandoned, with ghost towns and little traffic on the road. After 7 days on the route we are in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is a lovely town and one of the oldest cities in the USA and it really looked like we were in Mexico! It actually looks so good, that we didn't believe it was real in the beginning- Alex didn't believe ;)- , but it appeared to have some buildings over 300 years old!

As the Route 66 has been very exhausting for us (many kilometers, small roads and getting lost several times a day) we are looking forward to leaving the route for a moment (as advised by a couple we meet in the road and affirmed by a second couple! Thanks to both!! :) )we will go into Utah to visit some of the natural parks, after which we'll go to the route again to go direction Santa Monica, Los Angeles, the finish of the marathon roadtrip of 2200 miles (if you don't get lost)

Please enjoy the pictures, there are again many! We have put a question in there, if you want to guess, please use the comments!!

Lots of love to everyone in the VanBaelenGuillot family,
Alexander and Mireia

Going to a beach nearby our camping at Lake Eary

The helmets could take a break together with us ;)

Next to lake Michigan, also part of the great lakes, we found this beach. We couldn't believe it was actually a lake!!

A big shinny bean in Chicago makes for great views of the city

Chicago is the actual birthplace of the skyscrapers!

And Chicago also has a beautiful beach next to lake Michigan, another surprise for us!


Preparing for the next part of our trip. Any idea what we'll do?

Does this hint help you?

Now you must know what we'll do next!!

What a beauty!

Oh my god!

This is one of the first things to see on the route 66 - a rocket man

The route is filled with authentic gas stations which have been restored! we did pics of all of them!

Explorers need a good breakfast

It is important to know how to read when you go swim

Body shops along the route have some creative ideas for future models

A copy of a later route 66 vista - see later

Stopping for some BBQ - we were not hungry for a few days after this meal!

The longest pedestrian bridge in the world - an old route 66 bridge crossing the Mississippi river

The famous St Louis arch in memory of the economic expansion towards the west

Another old gas station and souvenir shop

Can anybody guess what this is? It can be found next to the route 66! Add your answer in the comments!

The route is very known for the neon! You can find everywhere!

Apparently they know how to speak Catalan here (Benvingut)

This section of the route is referred to as the sidewalk, only 9 feet wide, as the state of Oklahoma did not have the budget for two lanes

Lucky Luke?

Totem pool park - 30 meter high concrete totem made by a non-indian

A big blue whale relaxing in a lake

Great shot!

If you look carefully you can see a skin disease often seen with people on the road - the trucker arm

The route brought us in contact with great people! John and Heather are Land Cruiser fanatics and helped us with the rest of our trip through the USA! Thanks! 

After a few days we see much more abandoned buildings

A route 66 classic: Cadillac Ranch

Mireia uses here old rebel graffiti skills to further decorate the cadillacs

Result: additional publicity for Van Baelen Guillot- can you see it?

Temperatures have been high and without air-conditioning the feet need to hang outside for refreshment

Santa Fe in New Mexico is one of the oldest cities in the USA and this museum is almost 100 years old

We need a hat?

Great city with a nice atmosphere

Surprise surprise: A lost lens from Mireia was found after 5 days on the car!

See you all in the next post!!! hope you enjoyed the picss!!!

10 comments:

  1. waaawwwww!!! pivonsss!!! i think they are pop corns jajaja :)

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    1. Hahaha nosaltreq vam pensar en brocoli!! ;)

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  2. Quines fotos més maques! I... quina sort trobar la lentilla (una agulla en un paller)!!!!
    Un petó a tots dos i ja tinc ganesde llegir un altre capítol de la vostra aventura americana.
    Mamà

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    1. GRACIESS :) jajaj una pena que l'agulla estigués seca! :)

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  3. Molt interessant! Seguirem amb interès cada post d'aquest viatge.
    Very interesting! I will follow with interest each post of this trip.
    Laura G and L'avia

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  4. The mysterious picture?

    The Meremec cavern in Missouri

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  5. What a nice new 'header' picture!
    Where is the 'Like' button?

    Can you tell more where this was?

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    1. Hi Kris,

      They are in the route 66! Meramec!

      Groetjes!
      Alex&Mire

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