After two recent posts about researching in getting the maximum ‘Bang for my Buck’ I have had to surrender to the fact that America is ginormous.

If I had unlimited days and dollars then it will be simple to achieve the target, on this trip anyway, of stepping foot in three states but the square peg will not fit into the round hole on this occasion.

My international flights are booked in and out of Chicago so I decided that I should concentrate on North Dakota and Nebraska and save Utah and New Mexico to 2024 or 2025.

I am meeting up with my daughter in Chicago and we are either doing Route 66 to Springfield and then onto Omaha, NE or just driving via Davenport and Des Moines. That decision is yet to be made which will be more comfortable for us both.

After my daughter heads for the UK if we didn’t go to Springfield, I will do Route 66 along I-55 to at least see a Muffler Man and the start sign in Downtown Chicago. The rental car will be returned towards the end of my road trip and I have booked a return flight from Chicago to Fargo ND.

The cost of airport area hotels in Chicago with shuttle is expensive and although hotels are advertising breakfast is included most of them offer one of those ‘grab bags’ which are useless. I have reserved one hotel that Hotels.com called for me to ask about the shuttle service and for what ever reason only known to the hotel stops operating at 15.00.

My flight returns if it is on time that is at 12.45 so in theory should be fine but I will have luggage to collect and my fear is that I will end up having to get a taxi which will defeat the object entirely. I have tried to contact the hotel to discuss via email but I am learning that email replies from hotels in America is not that easy to get a response from

It will be more driving than we originally planned and my Amtrak plans just didn’t work out but states 46 & 47 are within reach now.