With our bellies full from that good breakfast at The Little Brick Inn, we were holding out for having late lunch at The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma, another restaurant featured on The Food Network. Unfortunately, when we got there, we discovered that it had been damaged by a fire. The person at the gas station across Route 66 from it said that it had happened two months ago and the owner (the real "Sally") was waiting for the insurance money to rebuild the cafe.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Steel Truss Bridge, Sapulpa, OK
It took a bit of doing because of road construction, but we made it to this steel truss bridge over Rock Creek west of Sapulpa. It was very hot and lying down on the red brick pavement was a dangerous proposition in more ways than one!
Blue Whale, Catoosa, OK
We almost missed this one, but we backtracked to visit. It used to be a swimming hole with a diving platform off the whale's tail and slides from the sides of its head.
Totem Pole Park
A few miles off the route at Foyil, OK, is Totem Pole Park. We looked around, took pictures, and bought some souvenirs to support the park.
"Sidewalk" Highway
Making our way through northeastern Oklahoma, we drove on the really old sections of "sidewalk" highway. In the 1920s, they had only half the money they needed, so they only paved one lane.
The Little Brick Inn
We stayed at the Little Brick Inn in Baxter Springs, Kansas. It is a bed and breakfast and it's on the second floor of an 1870 bank building. The bank was robbed by Jesse James in 1876. The Cafe on the Route on the first floor was featured on The Food Network. Breakfast was so good, we didn't need to eat lunch/dinner until after 5PM!
In Oklahoma City
We made it to Oklahoma City after some detours and a disappointing discovery. More about that tomorrow morning.
We had fun at a minor league baseball game for a change of pace and now it's time to sleep.
We had fun at a minor league baseball game for a change of pace and now it's time to sleep.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Day 4 (and a bit about Day 3)
On Day 3 we made it to Baxter Springs, Kansas. We went to look for the spooklight, but we didn't have any luck.
Today, Day 4, we will be heading to Oklahoma City. If we get there in time, we might see a minor league baseball game.
Today, Day 4, we will be heading to Oklahoma City. If we get there in time, we might see a minor league baseball game.
On the way to Joplin
On a very old abandoned section in western Missouri, we came across this gas station after crossing a narrow bridge. We were making our way to Joplin in the waning daylight hours.
Plano, MO
On a long straight stretch away with little interaction with the interstate, we read the section on Plano just as we were passing through. We read the part about an old vine-covered masonry building right next to the road just as we arrived here.
Arlington, MO
We took a side trip to Arlington, MO, on the old route. The route through town was cut off by the interstate. This is a section of the old road near the decaying John's Modern Cabins site.
Bourbon, MO
Our first photo op once we got on the road (after going 3 miles off the route to see Meramec Caverns) was Bourbon. We had to get a picture of the water tower labelled "Bourbon".
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Barn ad for Meramec Caverns
We made our way along Route 66, zigging and zagging across I-44 in order to follow the old route. As we got closer to Stanton, Missouri, the ads for Meramec Caverns became numerous. We managed to get a picture of one without stopping on our way past Stanton to reach Sullivan.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
After crossing the Mississippi River into St Louis, Missouri, and visiting the St Louis Arch, we were in the mood for some frozen custard. So we found Route 66 again and, voila!, we found Ted Drewes Frozen Custard which has been on Route 66 since 1941.
After a long battle with the GPS -- it really wanted us to head to the interstate and it calculated a new way to send us there every time we took a "wrong turn" to stay on 66 -- we finally convinced it that we really wanted to be on Chippewa. Unfortunately, we could not convince it to say "CHIP - a - wah" it could only say "chip-PEW-uh"
Chain of Rocks Bridge
Our efforts to "Escape from Illinois" lead us to the Mississippi River. We visited the Chain of Rocks Bridge, which is now open only to foot and bike traffic. We walked near to where it makes a sharp right turn in the middle of the bridge.
Henry's Rabbit Ranch
It's hard to miss this roadside attraction near Staunton, Illinois. Henry even had a "Mater" truck and a metal sculpture for "Radiator Springs" (with, well, a radiator and some springs).
Old abandoned section
We stopped to take pictures on an old original abandoned section of Route 66 on our way out of Litchfield, Illinois.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Jam-packed day
We made it to Sullivan, Missouri. We saw a lot of stuff today but details will have to wait until morning.
Day 2
What's on the menu for today? Well, hopefully we'll see the following:
Staunton -- Rabbit Ranch
Staunton -- Visitor center
Hamel -- signs (Burma Shave, Meramec Caverns)
Chain of Rocks bridge
St Louis Arch
Cathedral
Ted Drewes Custard
Times Beach
St Claire -- hot and cold water tower
Meramec Caverns
Bourbon water tower
But first, a swim after breakfast to get rid of extra energy that is not needed in the car...
Staunton -- Rabbit Ranch
Staunton -- Visitor center
Hamel -- signs (Burma Shave, Meramec Caverns)
Chain of Rocks bridge
St Louis Arch
Cathedral
Ted Drewes Custard
Times Beach
St Claire -- hot and cold water tower
Meramec Caverns
Bourbon water tower
But first, a swim after breakfast to get rid of extra energy that is not needed in the car...
Muffler man in Atlanta, IL
We found another muffler man in Atlanta, IL. This time, instead of a muffler, he was holding a hot dog. A sign in the Route 66 park here proclaimed that Atlanta is the midway point in Illinois on Route 66.
Barn ad for Meramec Caverns
Near Cayuga, IL, there was a turnout especially to see this barn ad advertising Meramec Caverns. Good thing, because we would have not have seen it until we had passed it. Hopefully, we will be near Meramec Caverns by the end of today, our second day.
Gemini Giant
We stopped to see the Gemini Giant at The Launching Pad Drive In, Wilmington, IL, but we continued on in our quest for lunch.
Ogden Ave Sign
Heading out of Chicago, this is the first Historic Route 66 sign we spotted. Berwyn had Route 66 flag on their streetlights.
Buckingham Fountain
Before driving, we walked around a little. Buckingham Fountain was right by our hotel.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
First day on the route
Today I got a cowbell!
We started in Chicago near the start of Route 66. Before driving, we walked around Millennium and Grant Parks. We found a bike race near our hotel and got an ING cowbell.
After extracting ourselves from downtown, we followed the route southwest. The brown Historic Route 66 signs started appearing.
More about our first day later. Now it's time to sleep.
Location: Litchfield, Illinois
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
We're almost on our way...
We are making our last preparations, gathering our stuff, and getting ready to go!
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