Day 12

Day 11 and 12

Last day in Oklahoma.  A lot of driving in the past two days.  There were a few stops.  And a loooonnngg distance between them.  I think I drove about 300 a day.  I thought Oklahoma would be more flat.  Not true.  Lots of hills and they're bright red.  Absolutely amazing to see.  I stopped to see the Mohawk Lodge and Indian Trading Store.  It's in all the guide books but you really have to look for it.  It's been around since 1892.  It looks just like a regular house.  I really wasn't sure I was there but I rang the bell and waited around a few minutes.  Patricia Henry and her husband run the store.  I believe they said that we were technically in Indian territory.  They are both super friendly and had a lot of stories to tell.  Their whole front parlor is packed tightly with authentic Indian made gear.  They have a great relationship with the local Indians.  Really high quality wares.

Made a quick stop into the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum still in Clinton, OK.  Neat stuff.  Mostly more of the same creepy wax figures with old cars.  Signage and stuff.  Nothing really stands out here.

Only one more stop yesterday.  The National Route 66 Museum in Elk City.  A lot of interesting things but I was kinda expecting more for a National Museum.

That was it for yesterday.  It doesn't seem like a lot now but the drive between locations was quite long.  It was a pretty full day. 
Today was even longer.  I think I drove about ten hours today.  At least half of that was within the city of Amarillo.  I won't go into it but I need to work out some kinks in my planning. 
Left Oklahoma and entered Texas.  Shamrock is the first real stop in Texas.  I saw this iconic building that you'll probably recognize from Cars.

Went to another museum in Shamrock called the Pioneer West Museum.  It was.... interesting.  I'm still digesting it I guess.  So many mannequins. 
The last stop before Amarillo was the Devil's Rope Museum.  This museum is dedicated to barbed wire.  I had no idea there were so many types.  Most of these museums had a display of different barbed wire but this place pisses on them.  A whole warehouse of barbed wires.  There was also a display of Route 66 things.

So I get into Amarillo and spend most of my day driving around to different spots in the city.  The road layout is pretty neat.  Other cities could take a page out of Amarillo's book.  Ate at the famous Big Texan.  I didn't go after the 72 oz steak challenge.  I know myself.
Saw the Amarillo Muffler Man too.

Got to the hotel which was so close to the awesome Cadillac Ranch.  I was going to see it the next day but I thought I had time.  Got there just in time for sunset.  Here's some sweet pics that made the rest of this long day worth it.

 Yep.  That's it for today.  I like this picture to finish it off.

Day 10

Day 10

Today I went left Kansas and entered Oklahoma.  If I didn't spend the night in Kansas I probably would have passed through in about five minutes.  66 only goes through a very small corner of Kansas.  They're proud of it though.  All those businesses have 66 in the title.  The first stop in Oklahoma was the Afton DX Station.  It was pretty awesome there.  The lady that ran the place was super friendly and talkative.  She let me take a look at two showrooms of old restored Packards. 

I drove quite a lot today.  I got to see one of the most iconic stops.  The Catoosa Whale is included in just about every book or guide about Route 66.  It has been restored and is being run by passionate volunteers that just want to see it open.  It's a giant blue whale in a small pond off the highway.  You used to be able to walk in his mouth and slide out the side or jump of the tail.  Not anymore.  The pond is filled with snakes.  I saw quite a few slithering around so I didn't feel like sticking around for more than a few pictures.  The volunteers there want to restore an Ark in the back lot as a sort of museum to the man who created the whale and ark.

Next stop Tulsa.  This whole city seems to be under construction.  I know there have been some tornadoes recently and idk if that had anything to do with this.  It took forever to see just a few things.  First of all I couldn't help myself but stop and see my own park.  It was pretty disappointing.

Then the State Fair Grounds to check out a muffler man on steroids.  The Golden Driller.

Easily two to three times bigger than any of the other muffler men.  Next was a couple of drive in theaters.  Not much to look at really.  I'll save internet space by not posting pictures a blank screens.  The Skyliner Motel sign. 

Last thing before I stopped for the day.  I stumbled upon the Pops station.  I was looking for it I just didn't expect to find it where I did.  It's a giant Coke bottle sculpture / gas station / restaurant / souvenir shop.  It's neat.  The food smelled really nice but I didn't stop to eat.  It looks cool at night too.

That's it. 

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.