206. Route 66 Part 1 - Chicago to Oklahoma City - From Chicago's Edge to Oklahoma's Dusty Dreams

206. Route 66 Part 1 - Chicago to Oklahoma City - From Chicago's Edge to Oklahoma's Dusty Dreams guides you along the first unforgettable stretch of America’s Main Street, blending history, food, and practical travel tips for road-trippers. We start at the iconic Route 66 Begin sign at Adams & Michigan in Chicago, cruise past the Gemini Giant in Wilmington, and dig into a Cozy Dog corn dog in Springfield before soaking up the Gateway Arch and the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis and snapping photos at the Blue Whale of Catoosa. Highlights include these five stops plus hidden two-lane segments, classic diners and neon motels. Travel tips cover best seasons (spring and fall), how to navigate GPS vs. old maps, where to gas up for long rural stretches, and when to reserve museum tours. Expect recommendations for barbecue in St. Louis, pie and malt shops in small towns, and offbeat roadside attractions that make Route 66 a bucket-list drive. This episode was prepared with the assistance of AI tools, giving us more time to travel and bring you even more destinations. Travel Is Back -- over 200 episodes covering destinations across America and beyond.Some episodes use AI for research, writing assistance, and occasional voiceover when Johnny Mac is unavailable. His point of view, and his insistence on finding the best local taco remains entirely human.