Day 09

Day 08 and 09

Back in a WiFi zone lets see what I've been up to.  It's a constant struggle with the GPS I told it to avoid highways which works better but yesterday it sent on the backest of back roads in Missouri.  I missed a few signs I wanted to see along the way but I can't gripe because the real attraction here is the Ozarks.  I'm biased because I come from the flattest place in America but the mountains are insanely beautiful.  Sometimes I forget how beautiful this country is.  It's nice to be reminded.

Oh and I guess all the farmers just rolled up their hay cause these beauties are everywhere.

I missed a few things but it's all good.  I did get back on 66 in time to go through Devil's Elbow.  I really wanted to go through here.  This place kinda reminded me of the first part of Deliverance, the town right before they got on the river.  Here's the historic bridge there.

I was skeptical crossing it.  On my way to my campground I happened to see one of my planned stops that I figured I was going to miss.  I only had a half an hour to spare in my schedule so I stopped into the Museum at the Lebanon Library.  Not too much to see but still glad I stopped.

At this point my day was running pretty late and it didn't help that my campsite was a ways off the Route.  So I checked into the site and set up.  I really could've used a hotel that night.  Despite the beauty of the countryside I was still rather frustrated at the day.  I went back out and saw the Route 66 Welcome Center in Conway MO.  It was a cute little rest area.  All the picnic tables were themed as diners and gas stations and such from 66.

 Most importantly the vending machine here gave me two bags of chips. 

I drove down to Marshfield to see their miniature Hubble Telescope and also saw a neat street mural.

As poorly as yesterday started.  It ended perfectly by driving a really long strip of the actually original Route 66 down to my first destination for the next day.  Man there's not much that beats driving Route 66 into the sunset.

That brings me up to today.  Went back to the Wild Animal Safari that I drove to the night before just to see where it was.  Today I went through and saw a ton of cool animals.

Exotic animals are always cool... and smelly.  I spent the next few hours free from my GPS anchor.  I actually found my way a lot better without it.  I came up on my next stop and almost passed it.  The Gay-Perita Station.  Pretty cool little collection of old cars and gas pumps.  The guy here was nice but I think he was a little under the weather.  I went up to his picnic area to talk with him.  He wouldn't come down to the station cause it was too hot and "the heat [was] going right to [his] balls". 

 Bonnie and Clyde wax

 Makes me want a Fat Tire

I crossed the border into Kansas.  They are very proud to be included on Route 66.  The tiny corner of Kansas that 66 goes through is probably the most vocal.  Every street sign and road and lamp post said Route 66 on it.  So I go into Galena and see another fantastic mural.  I also visit a place called Cars on Route 66.  This place used to be called 4 Sisters but renamed it after the movie Cars.  The guy at Gay-Perita told me to stop here.  The lady here will tell you all about how the truck out front was the inspiration for Mater and the buildings on the street were all buildings in the movie and some guy in town named crazy legs was the reason why Mater runs better in reverse.  Anyway I wish the name had stayed 4 Sisters but whatever.

I found out today that some people actually bike Route 66.  I'm not talking motorcycles.  I mean they pedal a bicycle.  I don't see how that's even possible.  Oh I hit 1,000 miles early today.