The first two days
Thomas Wolf (not to be confused with the younger) aptly observed that on “can’t go home again. The first day of our journey was not so much intended to disprove this, but rather simply if I could dig up anyone from the old days.
Day one would be noon start. We could pack and load and only have to get to Champaign, Ill. It would be an easy five hour drive and I wanted to make sure we would have time to stop in Yates City the next day before catching the train in Galesburg. I remember eating at Alexander’s steak house and wanted to return. The night’s lodging a La Quinta was based on price not performance. It was a clean well-lighted place as Ernest would say.
Alexander’s is one of those Midwest oddities. Indeed I have only seen them in Illinois and Iowa. They feature a fridge full of steaks and chops with a huge open pit grill. They typically serve the salad and beverages, you prepare the food. It had been twenty years since we had been to such an eatery and I just wanted to relive that experience.
The next morning we rose in leisure. My first duty was to get coffee for She Who Must Be Obeyed and then had breakfast at Denny’s. Not exactly Tiffany's but good hearty Midwestern pancakes for SWMBO and a very good spicy sausage for me. The staff were all decked out in Illini gear even though they had fired their coach Beckman the previous day. Having been born in the Land of Lincoln there was a special affinity to the Orange and Blue because a former coach of my High School, long before my time , took our colors and our song and made them work for the University of Illinois. Perhaps the only instance where a high school rendition became the rallying cry for the state institution.
The two hour drive west brought back memories of the trek made twice a week during my first year teaching. I drove over to Bloomington to attend library classes at Illinois State to obtain my librarian’s certification. Then in 1980 I began going to Rosary to get an accredited library degree. All those wonderful skills William Urban and Richard Lever gave me at Monmouth College were put the test. I have always loved learning and library skill was not the struggle it was for some. Cruising I-74 reminded me of the early road warrior routine.
As a rookie teacher I had worn this route to death between Elmwood and Normal obtaining 33 of 36 hours towards a Master’s Degree in School Librarianship form Illinois State that I never finished. It did provide the credit I needed for a School Librarian's Certificate. I switched gears getting a degree from Rosary - a degree accredited by the American Library Association. The stops along this road were a well-worn memory.
The Peoria By Pass was a big deal when they built it but we chose to drive through the middle of town on a Saturday morning. I think it is the first time I have ever been through there sans yellow cone or any remnant of construction. It is a striking view when you clear the top of the hill and the river valley dominated by the World Headquarters of Caterpillar Tractor command the presence as they once did the local economy. Living in Elmwood in the 70's everybody worked at Caterpillar.
The Apartment in Elmwood, Second floor on the right
Forty years ago I took my first job in a school district with 300 kids K-12. In hindsight it was kismet. Yates City opened my eyes and taught me a gazillion life lessons. We lived in the next town over Elmwood, and because I only made $11K per year – and only got nine paychecks – I worked on a gas station on weekends and drove the school bus and coached five girls’ sports. What did I need free time for anyway?
The house on Elm Street In Elmwood - Becky's first house
West of town the rolling hills had not changed. My first mission was try to find the Miller Clan. A long time ago I had coached their eldest daughter to a Grade School State Championship in the high jump. I had the privilege to coach a lot of great kids in Yates City and to find the Miller's and thank them for the wonderful memories was in the design of this adventure.
Turning off I-74 my memory was they lived on County Line Road so I came down Ill 78 to where i thought they lived. Venturing south for three miles then heading west again for a mile then south again I was having no luck. SWMBO wasn't thrilled with the Dorothy and Todo-esque clouds of dust we raised. Finally in desperation I stopped a north bound pickup truck and asked the driver if he could help.
After listening to my description he knew exactly whom I was seeking. In even greater irony I had taught his daughter Deanna as well and he served on the school board after my departure. He offered to show me the way and as I followed him it was ironic that I had been a quarter mile away on my initial approach.
Just south of the homestead two men and a boy were sawing timber into boards. I pulled into the driveway under there cautious stare. I got out of my car asking on approach if indeed this was the Miller abode. With a nod of acknowledgement I asked if he was Dennis with another positive acknowledgement. I explained who I was and he didn't have a clue. Inquiring if his folks still lived in the house he confirmed but when I asked if I might say hello he indicated they weren't well enough to see visitors. I asked if Tracy were still in Eureka, the last place I knew where she lived. No he said, she had moved on to Champaign. I left my card asking him to have her email me the next time he saw her.
My daughter Rebecca Ann was born there. Dale Crozier owned “Dale’s Standard Service”that gainfully employed me on Saturday and Sunday. We had our Christmas Party in July because we had the only wrecker for twenty miles and the need for a wrecker at night was far less likely in July than December.
Dale's Standard Service now houses the True Value
I lived above the laundromat next to the gas station then moved a block away to a quaint little run down two bedroom hour with a yard for Becky to play in. A serious Tornado ripped through the town in 2010 and changed it drastically. It changed the landscape, although they appear to have recovered in style. When I lived there Dale’s Standard Service was on the western corner with Daly insurance and a laundromat. Dale’s is now a True Value Hardware Store and Daley has moved to the Eastern corner.
Jordan’s Mobil Gas Station was still catty-corner from the new True Value and I stopped in. It was still owned by Dave but run by his son. One of the locals informed me Danny Crozier had died about five years ago from Cancer. I understood all too well what cancer could do.
I drove the hop – skip and jump over to Yates City. IT didn’t’ appear to have changed much and although the kids had been gone from the school for decades the buildings still stood.
It was a simple life full of work and watching the kids grow up. That is my moist poignant memory. Kids came in as ugly little ducklings and learned and grew up into self-sufficing, and for the most part, pleasant adults. Chuck Herridge was the superintendent, and was one of my great mentors. Willie Wise was the principal, and ended up being a good friend.
I took a look one loop around town and headed west on Illinois 8 headed west for Galesburg and Amtrak. While living there once a month we would drive to Galesburg which was the “big city”. They had a decent grocery and a Sears and JC Penny. It was only fifteen miles from Monmouth where the College in the Middle of the Cornfields was my alma matter. Becky was born on Seminary Street just up from the train station.
Driving the gravel roads made a mess of the Tahoe so the first thing we did was find a car wash. A clean Chevy is a happy Chevy.
Galesburg for a long time was rather unique. For a town of it had both BNSF (CB&Q for the Old Timers) and an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad depots. The old CB&Q had major rail yards in town and it was the first place freight was ever humped and as early as 1885 employed five hundred with more than 850 folk now. Amtrak still uses it as crew change point.
When the railroads merged in 1996 they moved all passenger operations to Seminary Street and four Amtrak routes use the facilities. Amtrak claims more than 100,000 people use it every year. I use it because I can detrain there and drive home before the Cardinal leaves Chicago. Conversely I can get the best part of the day off westbound journeys. Did I mention the parking was free?
We got to the station at 3 PM an hour early for the departure. The new structure is nice, don’t get me wrong, but I also fondly remember the old one, particularly the CBQ. My memory is the owners of the structure, on Mulberry Street just tore it down in the middle of the night during the 1980’s. On my list of Crimes Against Humanity.
We had yet to have lunch, and on the advice of other TA folks we gave the Packinghouse, which is only a good five iron north of Amtrak station, a try. SWMBO was amazed by the Poor Boy and my Reuben was very good but the dish that stood out was the black bean soup. Arriving at the station in plenty of time the baggage got checked. There are new limits beginning October 1 and they were hardcore about enforcing the current regulations. One of the bags came in at 43 pounds -7 under the fifty pound limit. The other three were under 40. I was hauling a lot of photography gear and a spotting scope the three fairly heavy tripods.
When #5 arrived on time, the walk out to the train was pretty long, with car 531 almost to the end of the consist. There we met Robert, who would be our gracious SCA for the journey. He was a very pleasant and efficient man who had plied the trade for 23 years. We settled into the Roomette and smiled as we passed through Monmouth. Many a time I had taken this destination, no longer a stop but grateful for the education they provided.
#5 (28) Westbound California Zephyr
Rolling across the mighty Mississippi you have to be impressed with the power of the river. Its broad expanse made me wonder about those who had crossed it before. Coming down into Burlington I remember out honeymoon trip so long ago where we hit a car and lost almost two hours. We had the last dinner seating well on our way to Osceola when we were seated. The Amplastic lacked the romance of china but the steak wasn’t up the usual quality. SWMBO enjoyed the Salmon. The service was good and what a pleasure it was to just roll across the country.
Next Stop:Burlington
