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American
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| exit # | community | exit # | community | |
| 1-10 | Rock Island | 112 | Morris | |
| 1-10 | Moline | 130-137 | Joliet | |
| 19 | Geneseo | 137 | Mokena | |
| 45 | Sheffield | 148 | Tinley Park | |
| 73-77 | Peru | I-294: 3 | E. Hazelcrest | |
| 90-93 | Ottawa | 155-160 | Harvey | |
| 161 | Lansing |
» I-80 State Index «
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I-80 and ILLINOIS |
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Good
Bye Great Plains - Crossing the Mississippi River is almost
like crossing into a different country. Much is divided as "east of
the Mississippi" and "west of the Mississippi" but these clichés
usually refer to social behavior or physical location. Geographically,
the area of the continent occupied by the U.S.A. is also split into east
and west. If you are eastbound, you've seen that the Great Plains is not 'flat'. It frequently appears that way from the distance because the undulations have been created by erosion. As you travel east of the Mississippi - at least well south of the Great Lakes at first until you get to Ohio, the undulations are foothills of mountain chains - many of them. Illinois is a 'between' state. It has the incredible fertility of the Great Plains but mixed with debris from the glaciers of the ice age. The rivers flow more quickly but not as much so as Indiana and Ohio. But we'll come to those states later. Geneseo's
Chamber of Commerce is located at the corner of State Street and
Main (US-6) at 200 N. State. Just follow the IL-82 highway signs, when
you exit I-80 at exit 19, and you'll be lead right to the Chamber. Phone
1-309-944-2686. Hennepin Canal
- Illinois, particularly Chicago, needed an economical means of
transporting large quantities of goods between the Mississippi and
Illinois Rivers. Eventually a canal was created (dug and dredged) and
opened for business in 1907. This, the Hennepin Canal, wound up being
"a dollar short and a day late' because by the time it was ready -
after nearly 80 years of talking about it, the railroads were fully
entrenched and were carrying goods for less than the costs by barge.
Plus the canal wasn't big enough to accommodate the newer, larger barges
being used by then on the Mississippi. Bad news for some, good news for
us. This is a prime recreation resource. Now folks come here to glide in
up and down the canal in canoes and kayaks, etc., in safe, secure
waters. |
Ottawa Scouting
Museum - If you were ever a Girl Scout, Boy Scout - or Camp Fire
Girl, etc., you will undoubtedly enjoy a visit to the Ottawa Scouting
Museum. Founded to promote and preserve the colorful and proud
traditions of Scouting, they have collected a large array of memorabilia
- including uniforms, badges, equipment, etc., all on display. For
anyone who has been in Scouting - or has kids in Scouting - the place is
fascinating and heart warming. What a program! We have not stopped in at any of the attractions in the Chicago area. We have contacted many of the Visitors Centers and a few Chambers of Commerce (in communities that do not have both organizations) but that is not the same as actually viewing the attractions yourself. Plus, we have found, the 'directions' are sometime not sufficiently accurate. So from Joliet, Illinois to Lake Station, Indiana, we try to make it as non-stop as possible. Maybe, someday, we'll find a volunteer to review that section of I-80 (no one here at the Institute is interested). Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce - The gentleman, there at 63 N. Chicago, said that Joliet has: "...shed its industrial attire and is now tourist oriented." He referenced their web site (see: Joliet Chamber) which we had already reviewed as part of our preparation for this trip. Very pretty but not too informative. Response: "We're working on it." Phone: 815-727-5371. Just down the street, at 81 N Chicago, is the Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitor Bureau. Their task is to attract visitors - especially groups who can be hosted in the Joliet area for conventions and exhibits. They, too, have a web site (see Heritage Corridor) but it is more oriented to current and near-future events than to places to see and visit. Our interest is in things people can stop to visit without unduly interrupting their trip assuming that Joliet is not their ultimate destination. Phone: 815-727-2323. At exit 155 of I-80 you leave the 'free' Interstate and enter the Illinois Tri-State Tollway ('Tri-State' because it runs from Indiana, through Illinois, to Wisconsin). Fortunately, you only have 5 miles of it because, when you are joined by I-94 at exit 160, you are back to freeway again. Lansing, at I-80
exit 161, has an excellent complement of hotels with rates starting
around $50 (not bad for the Chicago area). One (Comfort
Suites - our favorite) has in-room whirlpools (great after a day
of driving), an exercise room and an indoor pool. If you're into gaming,
they also offer free transportation to the Riverboat Casino. Their room
rates start at about $70 (a little more for a room with a
whirlpool). |
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