Chuggabug Tour Day 8: Springfield, MO to Springfield, IL

We normally try to avoid chain restaurants but a US road trip just wouldn't be complete without a breakfast at the Waffle House. We stopped at one in St. Robert, Missouri and it didn't disappoint. A friendly Viet Nam vet helped us map a route over the Mississippi while avoiding the bulk of traffic through St. Louis. Route 30 was a great choice and we made good time. We diverged off the Interstate Highways driving along various alignments of Route 66 in both Missouri and Illinois. Nothing matches the bump-thump of Portland Concrete and the brick road near Auburn, Illinois really channels the ghosts of Route 66.