Runnin on Empty: Day 2 - Shelbyville, Kentucky to Breese, Illinois

I got on the road, still nervous about how boring the next town could possibly turn out, especially on a Sunday night. My original vision of cool little motels and roadside bar full of locals seemed to be fading. But once I got on the highway I immediately regained the excitement of the first day and realized that I really wanted to do this trip. I crossed into Indiana, then into southern Illinois, at which point I got off the interstate for the first time and headed down Route 50 west, thinking I could probably find some more interesting towns off the major interstates. I was absolutely right.

I pull into Breese, IL and immediately found a cool looking little motel attached to a restaurant. I check in, get dinner, and walk down the street to a bar that I had noticed earlier. I open the door and see 6 guys drinking beer. I walk up to the bar, take a seat, and look to my side to see the men, who look a bit puzzled by my presence. The bartender walks over and asks for my ID. I give it to her, and she looks at it like it was written in Chinese. “Virginia? How the hell did you end up in Breese Illinois?” I tell her about the trip, and from that point on, she and the other patrons were fascinated in what I was doing, they were so curious about my trip, and even more so how I ended up in their small town in the middle of nowhere. My first beer was the only one I had to pay for. Everyone else bought me drinks all night. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. This is exactly what I was originally picturing, but even better. Most of these guys were either farmers or construction workers, and were either born or had lived in this town for a long time. I really hope I find myself back in this town someday.