My Summer Vacation -- Day 4

Tuesday August 4--

Finally, the day has arrived for the drive home! Been waiting a few months for today. I need to get back to my roots and ground myself again. The time in March helped, but I need more Chicago in my system!

We hit the road at 7:55 am and dropped off Meesha, mom and dad's dog, at the kennel on the way. We croosed from Tennessee into Kentucky at 8:48 am. The went into Illinois from Kentucky at Paducah at 10:18 am. Dad drove that first leg. We stopped at the Metropolis rest area to walk around and stretch. The temps are warm and muggy.

We got back on I-24 and merged into I-57. We exited at Benton IL and drove through town to Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery where my great-grandfather, Antanas Vozgirdas, is buried. He died in March 1927 and is buried in an unmarked grave. We have talked about getting a marker for him, and did so again. The monument company is right outside the cemetery gate. My great-grandmother, Petronele Nasvytaite Vozgirdiene, is buried in Belleville IL, acroos from St. Louis. They lived in East St. Louis IL and she died in 1910. Antanas and my grandfather, Mike, walked the railroad track to Benton after she died.

We were back on the road and saw a backup on the other side of the interstate that went about 7 miles. Glad it was southbound instead of northbound! Have to check to see if it is still only one lane when we go back. If so, I'll take a side road from Mt. Vernon to Benton or West Frankfort to avoid the traffic.

We stopped at KFC Buffet in Mt. Vernon IL for lunch. Mmmm...chicken livers!! Back on the road to Sigel and the Moto Mart for gas. Always stopped here on the trips when we still lived in Chicago. Station is still there. We got unleaded for $2.48. Everywhere else was more than $2.65. Here in Chicagoland the average price looks to be $2.79. When we got out of the car the temp felt like 65! It really cooled down. That felt great!

Stopped for a stretch again before Champaign IL. The skies were overcast and a few sprinkles. The temps stayed cool, but as we moved closer to the city, it started warming up again. We had just missed the bad storms that came through Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

Finally, we exited I-57 at 159th St. We drove through my old hometown of Midlothian. Drove past our old house. Wow the houses on the block look great! Even ours has gutters now! Drove through the business district and tried to remember what was where. A lot has changed.

NExt we had to get to Oak Brook from the Southwest suburbs at 5:00pm--rush hour. I decided to go west on 143rd to Wolf Rd. And then Wolf north to Cermak (22nd). I figurd it would be less congested the further west I got. I just didn't know if Wolf went all the way through. So we wound through Midlo and then Oak Forest. Passed by Batchelor Grove...the most haunted spot in Chicagoland.. Went through Orland and finally hit Wolf. It worked from 143rd to 123rd. The I had to backtrack as Wolf dead-ended. Went less than a mile before I hit 108th Avenue. I got on it and it was a great drive through the forest preserves. Very nice, shaded, few cars. Took it to Ogden, then Ogden back to Wolf and Wolf to Cermak and Cermak to Windsor and WE ARE HERE!!!

We unpacked and registered. Then since it was almost 8 pm, we decided to get something to eat. We went back to Cermak and Wolf to Buona Beef and got good ol' Italian Beef Sandwiches. They hit the spot! I had the combo--Italian Beef and Italian Sausage. Then came back to the hotel and went to the bar area and sat and jabbered with my fellow Knights. I finally ahd to call it a night because I had the trip to Springfield and the Lincoln Museum and Library to go to. I had to be up at 5:30 am to be ready to go at 6:30 for a bus departure at 7 am. So I finally amde it to bed after 11:30.

What a full day! And I go to bed happy to be back home!