Day three began early at Charlie Parker's Diner in Springfield, one of the Route 66 corridor's most beloved breakfast stops. Housed in a distinctive World War II-era Quonset hut, the diner has been serving travelers and locals since the early 1990s and has become famous for its massive 16-inch pancakes and Springfield's signature Horseshoe sandwich. National attention arrived in 2008 when Guy Fieri featured Charlie Parker's on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, introducing audience

Today was the day we had been planning for years. After flying into Chicago yesterday, this morning we would finally put tires on Route 66 and begin our journey west. We started the day at Lou Mitchell's, a Chicago institution that has been feeding hungry travelers for generations. Sitting in a booth over a hot breakfast, it was easy to imagine the countless road trippers who had begun their own adventures from the very same spot. The anticipation that had been building for y

Every great road trip starts with a journey, and today ours began long before we turned the key. We traded the mountains of Western North Carolina for the skyscrapers of Chicago, flying from Asheville to Midway and heading to the birthplace of Route 66. After landing, we skipped the rental car and rode the CTA Orange Line to downtown, watching Chicago's skyline emerge as we approached the Loop. After settling in, we spent the afternoon exploring some of Chicago's most iconic