ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Well this past week end we were on the road again, looking for some new images for our fall release.  The above photo was taken on Saturday 5/3/14 while driving in the Effingham IL area.  We enjoy traveling these back roads and seeing the people who are just enjoying the simple life.   

As we drive along, people in their yards wave to us. Just a nice gesture as you pass by. Not only the neighbors wave but other drivers as you pass each other.  We found towns with a population of 100.  We saw homes with wash on the line.  Saturday was a great day, nice and sunny with a nice breeze blowing.  I remember my mom putting wash on the line and can remember the smell of fresh sheets on the bed.  Thinking of putting a clothes line in my back yard.  

We also traveled through Amish country in Arcola and Arthur IL.  Their farms are usually smaller and mostly painted white.  Very well kept.  We want to get some farm photos of their farms and property.  

Also, as we stop along the road we pull off as far as we can so we can take our photos.   As what usually happens while we are taking photos, is other cars on the road will stop to ask if we are ok or need some help.   How nice is that?

We have to share with you an incident that happened on Saturday afternoon.  We heard that there was a wonderful covered bridge in the area.   Well we went to the laptop and found the bridge and instructions on getting to it.    Off we went.   Well of course, we were having difficulty finding the bridge.   In our travels through this one town we found a city park that had a covered bridge in it.  Not the bridge we were looking for, but it was ok.  So we took a few photos of this bridge.   There was a lady at the park and she had her dog with her and was just sitting enjoying the day and reading.    So Cindy asked her if she knew where this bridge was that we were looking for.  Oh she says, I sure do.   "You go down here to the cemetery and follow the road next to the cemetery and then you turn at this spot, don't remember the name of the road."   "Do you know where the cemetery is?"

The bridge in the park.

Our reply of course was "No we do not as we are not from around here"   She then proceeds to say, "well it would be much easier for you to follow me"   She and her dog head to her van and us in our car.   We then follow her and of course after several turns we get to the bridge.   I start thinking that we are glad we have the GPS and hopefully it will find a way to get us back to our hotel.  The lady and her dog stayed with us the whole time we took some photos of the bridge, and then said she would take us back to the park so we can find our way home.  You just can not believe the hospitality of the people in these small towns.   We got back near the city park and she tooted her horn and waved out the window.   We of course tooted and waved back.   I had thought that we would offer to go to the dairy queen for a cone or something but thought that the lady just wanted to get back to her book and enjoy the day.   

We love the small towns and back roads!  We will keep you updated on our back road travels.  Thanks for riding with us.