Route 66 – Day 4

We are starting to get the feel of Route 66. How it’s marked (or unmarked), in what condition it is most likely to be found, how tight those corners really are. Basically, if there are no painted lines, no shoulders (or shoulders that are six inches+/- higher than the road) two or fewer narrow lanes, rough concrete with potholes, with a nice helping of gravel, then we know we are on Route 66.

Our motto: If it’s easy, fast, and smooth, we ain’t on the road.

Today started in Springfield, Missouri with a quick photo op of our rental car, who we named “Our Chum Jum” since he has an Oregon license plate (yay!) and the letters on it are JUM.

 

Next up, we met George, who runs the Gary’s Gay Parita Gas Station, a nice stop full of artifacts and memorabilia of the road, a gift shop, office with pins for visitors to stick in the map (we stabbed one in there for Salem, Oregon!), free coffee, soda, water, several nice old vehicles, photo ops and a garage stuffed full of cool things. This place has been in the family for over 50 years. It’s great. 

I asked how many people stop by in a year and he said from March 1st this year, he’s seen over 7,500 people. I was boggled. I told him there hasn’t been anyone on the road with us. He told me that’s what everyone says.

(Note: one thing the Route has over any freeway: zero traffic jams.)

Then five cars showed up. The people were from Russia, another few from Germany, and a group of about six people from Europe. I guess George was right!

We found a couple bridges:

We got breakfast:

We found a few old friends:

Stopped in to check out the show:

Saw this neat old place:

This sign, of which I fully approve:

And then we said good-bye to Missouri and hello to Kansas. Kansas has only 13.2 mile of Route 66, but we had our BEST cup of coffee (mochas) and a fab. homemade cinnamon roll at the Streetcar Station Coffee Shop. The fella behind the counter was a delight to chat with. 

We dilly-dallied, then wandered on out of Kansas and into Oklahoma. This is literally an old gas station built into the wall of a building.

Art deco style building. Love!

And then we found the whale. The Whale!!

Yes. I knit a blue whale hat just for this stop.

(see tiny me on the tail?)

Okay, we had too much fun with that whale. 

Here’s an arch from both sides (uh…we were only a little lost) 

To end the day, we went big. Like tallest-free-standing-statue in the world big:

It was a good day. Mostly because I have such a wonderful person with which to share in the fun.