Route 66 - OFF LIMITS - Joliet Road in McCook, Illinois. Aerial video of Vulcan quarry

[@grandpakevin3354]

I remember when.... I traveled route 66 with my father back in the 60's. I found out that my father traveled the entire length of route 66 back in 1929 with 3 of his high school friends. Then most of the road was dirt. Then in 2012 my son and I traveled on motorcycle from St. Louis to the California coast covering as much of the original route as possible. A trip I will long remember. We spent 3 weeks and just over 7000 miles. What a trip.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

That's amazing. Are there any photos of yours or your father's trip?

[@grandpakevin3354]

Roamin' Rich I will look through my photo albums for any photos with my father. I have a very large photo library of the trip with my son in 2012. Both stills and GoPro videos. I will see if I can select a few to send.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Awesome. Any from 29 would be of particular interest

[@captfenway9979]

It's amazing the state of Illinois allowed this quarry to mine that close to the road. They sure were asleep at the switch.

[@sagesavage4690]

Captfenway 99 Illinois is always asleep when it comes to everything i cant wait to move! Going to Washington

[@brianleeper5737]

@@sagesavage4690 You think Illinois is bad, try Virginia. This place is in a coma.

[@wheresbicki]

It's no surprise. This is right on the border of McCook, IL, which is notorious for corruption.

[@jamesb8305]

@ck yup. Someone padded their wallet.

[@JUNIORMICH]

Cus money lined the pockets of the assholes in the government and permissions were granted.

[@spinman1972]

If this road scares you, maybe you should check out I80 where it goes through the Thorton quarry.

[@GeneralElectricCNC]

Thanks, and glad you didn't need me to bail you out!

[@V01t2]

As an ex-trucker, I've always been fascinated with the mother road. Thanks

[@riverwizard22]

I worked there, road was abandoned because it started to SLIDE off into the quarry on one side...! And separate !!

[@WAL_DC-6B]

I'm a retired Soo Line Railroad locomotive engineer. I use to run Soo transfer trains over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad past the Vulcan quarries in McCook and of course this includes passing underneath the old IL Rt 66 bridge that spans the IHB tracks in McCook (a little east of the Electro Motive plant). Nice video of an abandoned part of the "mother road." Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work of documenting unknown parts of old Rt 66!

[@ChicagoTRS]

Thank you for the video. I grew up a short distance from this section of Joliet Road, crossed it 100s of times. It was truly a unique piece of roadway when it was open for traffic. Famous for drag races, high speed runs, and the occasional lost or drunk person trying to cross it on foot. The view from the quarry bottom of the road is equally impressive, tunnels run under the road to connect the quarries, 100+ feet sheer cliffs for much of the road. In my youth spent many a Sunday swimming in the quarry ponds(lakes)...thanks for the new and updated perspective.

[@billarmstrong6277]

ChicagoTRS I just found you're channel, love it, I worked at MCcook quarry for 20 yrs, Ive all ways been a roadie, worked for Vulcan in ky, Pontiac,all over rt 66 ,

[@vixapphire]

I drove it in the 90s; the views of the quarry right beside the road were mindblowing - the first time especially, as I didn't know there was a quarry there before I was driving right through it for all intents and purposes. So neat!

[@jeg5gom]

"Don't see any 'NO TRESPASSING' sign so, I'm going in!" I love it... 👍

[@2012turok]

ANY PART OF ROUTE 66 THAT IS CLOSED IS SO SAD . I WOULD LOVE TO GO THERE ,, I KNOW I NEVER WILL , BUT I CAN DREAM . GREAT VIDEO.....

[@kevinzawarus726]

I remember when it got shut down. The actual reason for it being shut down was the road section did start to fail some. There were visual separations in the pavement, some as much as 6" wide was reported, shortly after it got shut down. For decades, that narrow stretch was fine, and they never did (that I know of) determine what the cause was

[@debc9112]

I thought they closed the road because the safety of the road was eventually compromised due to frequent blasting. The homes nearby on East Ave have got to have permanent structural damage!

[@KytkaHilmarJezek]

Wow! I so appreciate you documenting this. It's incredible to see it "dangling" as you say, from above. Thank you!

[@MattPrego]

I remember when I was a kid i could feel dynamite blasts from this quarry while at the movie theater in Countryside. I remember driving this strip of road and trying to peer off the side to see what the quarry looked like. I never got a good look through the trees and brush that lined it. Thanks for taking this video!

[@lindazima1459]

Thanks for sharing. Right place, right time.

[@JeromeAz57]

Great video! I remember that detour when I did Route 66 last year. Kind of threw me off getting back on Route 66 heading West.

[@fredgardner2870]

loved the drone shots. glad cop was cool.

[@lkendrix7782]

Spectacular view! Wish you had more footage! Before this sliver of the road was closed I drove from downtown Chicago to St. Louis. I had the pleasure of driving this route sometime in the 90’s. I wish I would have taken pictures!

[@TedNewkirk]

Nice work. Absolutely amazing to see how high the highway now stands above the quarry!

[@northboundvideo9711]

Amazing views Rich, another great video

[@JustinHaglerMusic]

Amazing video!!! Great job capturing this footage!!!

[@vivoyeur]

That aerial view was freaky. 😊 Thanks. I sure hope the GPS doesn't send us that way when we start our trip this Spring. I live very close to Joliet & always driving there, yet I didn't even know that part of the road was there. Thank you. 😊

[@thomask4836]

Thanks so much for the drone video. I like to use the satellite view of Google maps to check in too when they get new photos. Pretty amazing. Great Job Rich!

[@joeynuggetz]

Nice one, Rich. I drive that detour mostly every day to hit the target and home depot and I've been dying to send my drone over the quarry but never got around to it. I had no idea that section of Joliet road was that narrow. Very haunting.

[@sietafak]

I pass by the closed off section quite often. Always wondered how it looks from up above, thanks!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Glad to help!

[@miguece15]

Nice rich👍👍 great video of hat lil piece of route 66

[@richardschindler8822]

Now that's one scary section of road. Enjoying your videos !!

[@chantalbernard]

Very beautiful. Glad you were able to get such nice footage.

[@RustyNail5856]

Great video Rich, thanks for sharing,

[@scottkesul8300]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Thanks very much and GREAT TEE SHIRT!!

[@MarkShannonroad_videos]

Very surreal for sure. Very beautiful shots of the old road with the quarry operations on ether side of it. Very cool! On a side note I visited that closed bridge in 66 in Missouri. I hope they decide to repair it instead of demoing and replacing.

[@jeffmorris739]

As short as it was it is one of the best I've seen very cool thanks so much.

[@edwardtripp9549]

I went on a tour of the quarry and seen the large tunnel bores that connect the 2 sides

[@00mondeoman]

BUSTED , LOL !!! Another great video . Almost surreal-looking there in the middle. Your drone footage is pretty interesting for sure. Thanks for posting !

[@Lady-gd8zl]

Great video with an amazing view. I love the stories of Route 66. You’ve got a new subscriber.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Thank You!!!!

[@richhand3469]

Thanks for all your great insights. Good Job!

[@matttrotta57]

I work at the quarry when all this went down. Nice video.

[@spaceystacey9963]

That’s awesome, I’d risk getting in trouble to walk that and get pictures, but I totally understand why you didn’t. Thanks Rich

[@HookedOnRoute66]

I walked it. Worth it.

[@chooch1995]

I believe you’re the first to do the aerial video! Much appreciated! Gives a great perspective!

[@lvfreeAdventures]

nice view from above.

[@martyjoseph9507]

For a few years I've been wondering what I would be missing on this section. Thanks for this video as my idea was to chance it on the motorcycle.

[@dcampbell7683]

being a diehard fan of the ol' 66, I really appreciate your video on that old piece of road... keeping the memories alive... great job bro...

[@daveh893]

Great video! I did travel this road a couple times before it was closed. If I knew how precarious it was then I would probably have considered an alternate route.

[@cathiepoia4754]

Hey Rich. Great job. Wish someone would do this to Romeo Beach in Romeoville.

[@avidvideo]

Fascinating as always! Thanks for sharing!

[@browngreen933]

Abandoned roads are cool and exceptionally fun to drive on.

[@Ryan-sz9fk]

Grew up right by the entrance of this stretch of road. Always wondered what was beyond the fence. Nice video!

[@jtkm]

What's great is that there is absolutely no dislikes on this video, and I'm happy because you have great content! (I hoped I didn't jinx you, I gave your video a like)

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

1 year later there are 6 losers.

[@CricketTimes]

Great job and good footage!

[@KotoriHabane]

Thanks rich! I have loved your videos for a long time and I one day decided to make a map on google maps of Route 66, one problem: google wont let me go on Joliet road. That was a mystery to me until July 26, 2015 when the amazing roamin rich showed me something I never thought I would see, just like with the chain of rocks bridge. Anyway I love your videos and I know a lot of people that would be very interested in the stuff you have on this channel.

[@paulfeetz]

Great video, very cool. Sad that part of the original road is unusable and can't be seen except the way you did it. Good idea.

[@kat8canary77]

I thought about you today Sir. I am driving from Oklahoma to California on vacation soon and am calling tomorrow to book a room in Holbrook Arizona at the Wigwam Motel! Sadly we will mainly be taking I-40.

[@KingSlimjeezy]

so this is a genuinely useful resource of legitamate first hand documentation of the original route 66, which as a st louisian at least has always been curious of which on of the many claiments were the real one

[@HookedOnRoute66]

There are multiple real alignments. Just like rings on a tree the road grew and evolved

[@KingSlimjeezy]

@@HookedOnRoute66 nice, never thought of it that way but makes perfect sense.

[@SmittysPlace]

Double R, that was an awesome Ariel shot.!!!

[@chooch1995]

Smitty's Place - ‘aerial’.....Ariel is my mother’s name.....

[@anthonyc1883]

The presence of those utility lines above the right edge of the road must mean servicing crews occasionally venture out there with trucks for maintenance or repair.

[@homeagainonroute66]

So interesting! The road just perched on the ridge they left....bazaar.

[@davidnelson5100]

A number of years ago, upon reading Tom Synder's Route 66, traveler guide to road side companion, he talked of a place by Sayer, OK where you could see three different alignments of Route 66 at one time. We drove our Mazda 6 along the oldest section, the highway dept was using it, in places, to store gravel and other road material, so we had to maneuver around that, there also were trees that bushed against the car as we drove. Have you seen that section of 66? Would love to see what it looks like today

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Yep. It's been a few years

[@GlynRobinson]

it's been a few so i thought i would watch again!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

+Glyn Robinson thanks! Please share!

[@desertfoxx1823]

Nice road, too bad the quarry operation shut it down. I wish you would of done a fly by of the sides of it from the quarry so we could get a great prospective of whats left of the hill where the road stands. It looks immense..........thanks for the great video!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

It's not too late. I could always fly over it again next time I'm up that way.

[@chooch1995]

Rich - great idea here! Maybe talk with the quarry people. See if they’d let you down to the bottom for a view looking up at the route!

[@geoffmackley]

Awesome !

[@marksmith3870]

Great video Rich! I really liked the aerial shots! 110% as always! I guess I could see why it's closed. That original road bed appears to be well elevated! Thanks as always for sharing this! Mark in Iowa.

[@josephscanaan637]

Thanks a lot Mark! I really enjoyed that flight beyond the fence. One can make an emergency landing on that deserted rode in a small plane . But he must be extreamly careful from the wires and electric poles on the sides of the rode. In the past I used to be a crop duster where I was always looking for spots to glide to and land in case of an engine failure 😉

[@Zalis116]

I knew about this closed section from the guide at historic66, but never knew it was a tiny strip between sheer excavated cliffs. I guess Google Satellite didn't quite do it justice the way this video does.

[@lkendrix7782]

Still breathtaking! Any updates?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Not that I'm aware of

[@gkett001]

Thanks for risking going to the crowbar hotel to get those shots, I love that drone.

[@Chicagodog-tu1ek]

I can tell my future kids that i traveled on that road before it shut down. It used to be such a shortcut to get to Midway Airport for us. I wonder if destroying the current road to make one big quarry, and then making a big bridge to go over it would be an option?

[@a.m.brashearsr.5013]

Makes sense ! 👍 Thanks !

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

Thank you.

[@josiahbahuaud2294]

Some nice fortifications, and this would be a good safe spot from zombies.

[@TheSuburbanHippiePhotographer]

This was really cool!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Thanks

[@johncalvin378]

The road was open to traffic into the 1980’s with a greasy spoon restaurant the truckers mostly used at the far west end on the north side of the road. Word was Vulcan wanted to mine the remaining limerock under it but I am unsure if that is fact. They still haven’t so far.

[@alansklenar2848]

Just before they closed the road,you could drive I'm guessing northeast and feel the drop in the pavement

[@amyallen3500]

Rich, this is a fabulous video. The road looks lonely.....so abandoned. I'll bet it has some great stories to tell if it could talk. Thanks for sharing.

[@ExploringWithCF]

WOW!!!!!! Pretty cool!!!!

[@Urbaned]

nice video!

[@bfg9000d1]

Anybody Interested should look at US Route 67. It's overshadowed by Route 66 of course. A lot of it has been modernized as well but it's a very interesting drive if you run the full route.

[@papawoody7352]

There was a little gas station at one end on the right back in the 1970,s. I remember dad going there when i was a kid as i thought it was cool driving past the quarry. clark G.S. ?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

papawoody probably on the west end

[@boristheamerican2938]

Been a bit longer than the 15 years which would date it to 2000. I use to drive over that bridge quite a bit in the 1990s and then one day I was driving on it and it looked like something shattered it. I was very scared and grateful I was able to go across safely. I remember I was driving my 1995 Saturn and it was summertime so it would have been 1995 or 1996 because I traded it in fall of 1996. It was closed off shortly after that.

[@p.z.arnott2329]

If it's a no trespassing zone, hthen why was there no signs about you can't trespass with an unlocked gate?

[@2themoon863]

Curious why there are so many streetlights still standing in the abandoned section-why not take them down and move them to the detour route or put them up in places that could use them?

[@pedrof830]

Rich, great view from above, I just wonder if the no trespass rules apply to your drone flying overhead, as long as you stay outside the fenced area, can your drone fly into private or closed off sections of the Route?

[@roobahfox2815]

pedrof830 Depends on who owns the road. If the city / state still own it, you're probably good to go. If the quarry purchased or was deeded the road, you are probably trespassing. That's where the magic FAA rules kick in. Above 500 feet AGL, you are subject to FAA rules and better let the FAA know you are there or you will be facing problems with them instead (worse than a trespassing fine). Below 400 feet, there aren't really any air rules, YET, for hobby flying unmanned vehicles, but there is that "expectation of privacy over private property" rule for filming and taking pictures. UAVs are new and they haven't quite figured out what to do with the "under 500 foot" intrusions yet. Expect national laws to soon take care of that. For now, you probably got the friendly warning because the officer knows technically it's a gray zone when it comes to enforcement. Great video. The historical context gives it lots of value.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

It's all unclear at the moment. That's why I'm scurrying to get as much footage as possible, now.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

No clue at the moment. I saw no trespassing signs. I don't think anyone can do anything.

[@ericplaysbass]

I would think that a gate or fence implies private property wether the gate is open or not.

[@tabithalohuis8200]

WOW Beautiful

[@jameschanin876]

2007 My girlfriend & I rode my motorcycle around the cement barriers, That fence was not up yet.

[@ocsrc]

Great video especially like the Drone Can you post or message me what the model drone you have is I'm looking for something that has a movable camera and it looks like yours moves at least up and down I'm not sure if that's what most of them do or if there are ones that have the ability to point right and left as well Any help would be appreciated Thanks Bill

[@HookedOnRoute66]

This was 3 drones ago. It was a Yuneec Q500. My recommendation is to buy the most expensive drone you can handle losing... Yeah.. if you can stomach losing $1,500.00 then go buy a phantom 4 pro. I say this because everyone crashes or loses one at least once. I have lost or crashed 4 of them.

[@ocsrc]

Roamin' Rich thank you for your help. I will look at what I can afford. The q500 says it uses the Android to control it. Did it have a remote as well? How tough was using the Android app to control it ? I am thinking I should get a 70 dollar drone and learn how to fly first before buying a nice drone. Did you start out with a higher price drone or did you start with a cheap one to learn how to fly ? Thanks

[@HookedOnRoute66]

You can get a nice new Q500 4k for around 300 or 400 dollars. They are great. The controller has an android based screen built into the remote control. These are the easiest to get started with. Honestly, I miss my old Q500.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

I did a compare video between the two Q500 models. Search my channel and you'll find it.

[@AdhamOhm]

All of these old, unused roads would make good sets for post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows. Now does the quarry own this part of the road or is it still technically state DOT property?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

I believe it's still state owned

[@trustysteeringwheeltray7392]

Especially this one, and looking east, you get a really cool juxtaposition with the Chicago skyline vs. the old, abandoned chipping road.

[@mrclean28h]

Cool stuff I would love to fly my drone there

[@moscasucio1686]

A movie was filmed there about 6years ago. It actually shows that part in the film.

[@Dior444L]

Mosca Sucio movie?

[@KevinMajka]

What drone are you using? Great handling and video! I grew up in LaGrange and Brookfield - nice piece of history shown here.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Yuneec Q500

[@KevinMajka]

Thanks Rich!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Q500 first version

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Q500 first version

[@leahsaucier6997]

Nice!

[@tomfields3682]

Was this stretch the original alignment? It's so straight and it's 4 lane.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Without looking at my notes I'm not sure but I believe it is.

[@madcanic9632]

can i make it through on a dirt bike or is it tightly blocked on each end

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Hmm.... I'm sure you could be creative.

[@rjmcallister1888]

Figure in a few years the utility companies will be asked to move their lines and abandon their rights-of way, along with IDOT, and Vulcan will drop that section of old 66 into the quarry. Good to have pictures documenting it now. Too bad it's soon to be gone.

[@calimaxwell]

Great stuff! what kind of drone are you using?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

That was a Q500

[@TheBamaPrinceable]

As a railfan, this would explain why the nearby junction has been off-limits for so long. Shame to, it's one of the busiest in all of Chicagoland.

[@ramonrhodes5609]

About 25 years ago, railfans used to hang out at the crossing and crossed in front of trains too many times. So the area around it was closed off.

[@themeaningoflife38]

I'm curious while you are flying the drone do you have a screen on the controller to see what your are filming?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

+PrisonEarth yes I do.

[@C.A._Old]

omg, why america that road close it ? that crazy

[@wynder15]

Rich what type of drone do you fly? Beautiful rock-steady photography. Very well done Brother.

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Yuneec Q500

[@GreenJeep1998]

+Roamin' Rich Those are good machines, used to sell them. Always loved that you not only had US based customer support, but aince Horizon Hobby carried their stuff, you could even talk to somebody right here in Illinois for help!

[@captainmalibu43]

what brand and model drone do you use, and also what camera?

[@HookedOnRoute66]

This was a Yuneec Q500. I think it was the 4k model. It's been a while and have had a variety of different drones.

[@anthonyc1883]

Nice work. Super-friendly comment here, but it would've been nice of you to pilot the copter substantially to the left or right of the road instead of always being pretty much straight above it. A brief side view would show the elevation above the quarry, a tunnel, etc.. Perhaps that wasn't allowable due to private property restrictions or similar? Thank you.

[@Halflife5555]

Where in Joliet is this place located? Or which road is this near? I want to photograph the outside of this place. It's so post-apocalyptic like!

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Look for the giant crater in McCook Illinois.

[@Halflife5555]

Ok sweet! Will do

[@AlarakTheHighLord]

Fun fact in Illinois if there is no consistent no trespassing signs you can only be asked to leave! If there is only one sign you will only still be asked to leave but if they are spread out and you can see multiple then you can be arrested

[@HookedOnRoute66]

Zergling that's kinda the same in Missouri too. Although, if you put an ad in the paper here in Missouri you are creating public notice and therefore any trespassers can be arrested and charged. Kinda scary, eh?