Our President and A Supermodel on US Route 6

Atkinson, IL

Last month, President Obama visited the tiny farm town of Atkinson, IL.  Naturally, this being a US Route 6 blog, I had visited the wonderful farm community back in June and was greeted warmly by locals.   When Obama visited last month, he was welcomed with similar graciousness (and lots more of it, of course!) - and newscasters had this to say about his time there:


"President Barack Obama was in the small farm town of Atkinson, Illinois Wednesday talking to locals about jobs, the country's deficit, and regulations put on farmers.

President Obama in Atkinson, IL

He was at a town hall meeting at family owned business Wyffels Hybrids on Route 6.

He arrived at Wyffels around noon and was met by the Wyffel family, U.S. Congressman Bobby Schilling, and State Senator Mike Jacobs.

The president proclaimed as he took the podium it's good to be home. His main purpose there was to talk to folks in middle America about his plan for the future and answer their questions."

Along with many other pertinent issues, Obama had the following to say about Lisa's Place, an Atkinson restaurant I visited and wrote about here.

"I want to thank Lisa of Lisa’s Place.  Where’s Lisa?  (Applause.)  Is that Lisa?  Because Secret Service had to shut down the road and do all this stuff, I know some of you guys have not been able to enjoy her outstanding food.  So as a consequence, my staff has been I think trying to eat up as much as possible.  (Laughter.)  My understanding is I’ve got a pie coming.  Is that correct?  (Applause.)  What kind of pie?  Coconut cream and a cinnamon roll?  (Applause.)  I’m very excited about that.  (Laughter.)  Coconut cream is one of my favorite pies.  So thank you."


Yes, Route 6 plays a large part in our county's history and present - a thoroughfare that spans our country from East Coast to West Coast, bringing Bold Faced Names and the rest of us "Little People" through large cities and small towns. 


And sometimes, when a president shows up, or a supermodel drives too fast, US Route 6 becomes ancillary news.


According to yesterday's report out of Barnstable, MA: 

Barnstable Pottery
Barnstable, MA

"Gisele Bundchen (jih-ZEHL' BUN'-chen), supermodel and wife of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, was stopped for speeding and given a verbal warning by a Massachusetts state trooper.
State police spokesman David Procopio says Bundchen was going about 70 mph in a 55 mph zone on state Route 6 in Barnstable when she was stopped Saturday."

AP

FILE - In this June 9, 2011 file photo

Yes, Gisele was stopped and reprimanded - but unlike the rest of us, that simple warning made national news.  I can honestly say I kept within the speed limit while on Route 6 in Cape Cod, but I can't say the same about the rest of my cross-country drive.  I, too, was clocked going 70 just east of the Colorado line in Nebraska.  But unlike Gisele, I was issued a hefty fine rather than a slap on the wrist. 

FILE - In this June 9, 2011 file photo, Gisele Bundchen arrives at the taping of "TV Land Presents: AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Morgan Freeman" in Culver City, Calif. Bundchen, supermodel and wife of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, was stopped for speeding over the weekend and given a verbal warning by a Massachusetts state trooper. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File) Close