Route 66, Seligman, Az. 1991 (Photo by Dave Hoekstra)
Any doubts about the emotional power of Route 66 are cast to the wind when you read the road letters of my friend Ilse who is motoring west from the Great North Woods to a photo conference in Albuquerque, NM. Her words are butterflies, the modest car she calls Isabella is her net.
Ilse is 86 years old.
She has been to 140 countries. She is traveling Route 66 alone. (For details read the previous two posts on this site.) I asked her to stay in touch with us. Here is an essential take-away from her note of Thursday, Sept. [...]
Sleep in a wigwam; Route 66 California, 1991 (Dave Hoekstra photo)
Route 66 is one of America’s most historic common denominators, but because of the road’s accessible depth each traveler sees it in a different light. My friend Ilse has set foot in all seven continents and 140 countries but she had never traveled the Mother Road until this week.
Ilse is 86 years young.
The German-born roadie is driving alone in her “Isabella,” a camel-colored Hunday that is named after the Queen of Spain. Ilse has attended a couple of National Hobo Conventions in Iowa where fellow hobos [...]
Route 66, New Mexico, 1991 (Photo by Dave Hoekstra)
The gentle tones of the dispatch were from another time, one of car hops and flat tops.
Ilse e-mailed me about a week ago after reading Route 66 stories on my website. On Sunday, Sept. 21 she embarked on an eight day trip down Route 66 from Chicago to the 76th conference of the Photographic Society of America in Albuquerque, N.M. Ilse is driving her “Isabella,” a camel-colored Hyundai that she named after the Queen of Spain. She will listen to classic country music on satellite radio and German folk songs. She likes Johnny [...]
Syl Johnson in his garden, August, 2014 (Photo by Paul Natkin)
Syl Johnson digs deep for his soul.
Last month I visited the global rhythm and blues singer at his home, studio and garden on the south side of Chicago.
I’ve known Syl for 30 years and have great memories of his late 1980s days as owner of Solomon’s Fishery, a chain of soul fish restaurants in the Loop, west suburbs and Gary, Ind.
Syl was likely the first African-American chain restaurant owner in downtown Chicago and no one has disproved that statement.
Syl will tell you that when he appears with his big [...]
