104 Get our kicks on route 66

      Nov 21, 2014
     With trike repairs, Ruthies cataract surgeries and last minute details we got on the road around 1 pm.   A swing down by the Pioneer club for our traditional picture before our ride.   There won't be many pictures until we get in temperatures around fifty degrees or greater.  My co-rider frowns on taking her gloves off to operate the camera.   This year we have a little more of a plan for our winter ride instead of just a general direction.   Our goals, Route 66, Julian pie company and Ruthies relatives in Sacramento California.    The idea to ride Route 66 had been fostered by Willie and Bev on last years winter ride (see post 71 thumper Biscuits.)  They like "ride for the relay" an organized ride on route 66 to raised money  to cure cancer.

Ruthie, what a trooper!

    The song was recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946.   Bob Troop wrote the song and was married to Julie London, besides song writing he appeared in many TV roles.

So below you see our travel guide.  The lyrics lay out the towns you pass thru from your starting point in Chicago on your trip to the West coast.

  If you ever plan to motor west,

  Travel my way, take the highway that is best.

Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

It winds from Chicago to LA,
More than two thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

Now you go through Saint Looey
Joplin, Missouri,
And Oklahoma City is mighty pretty.
You see Amarillo,
Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona.
Don't forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino.

Won't you get hip to this timely tip:
When you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

Won't you get hip to this timely tip:
When you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

     It was 26 degrees as we pulled away from our little prairie home.  Cutting across #42 we joined interstate 90 just south of Eyota Minnesota. It will be interstates until we hit warmer weather not only will we be able to travel faster the separation from oncoming traffic gives us a little safety cushion with the potential of ice and snow covered roads.  We had a very strong wind coming from the South and even with a face mask the cold was uncomfortable.  Reaching interstate 35 by Albert lea we headed South, this would be our general direction for some time.  There was a TA travel stop a mile down the road and we were ready to warm up and get some food in our belly's. While I filled both tanks Ruthie went inside to get the chill out of her body and get her order in.  Unlikely as it seemed (that's sarcasm) she seemed like her and the waitress were old friends.  Donna was almost insistent on calling her husband to bring Ruthie her electric gloves.  Ruthie chose the all you can eat clam chowder.  I on the other hand seen the hot roast beef sandwich, mashed potatoes and gravy, I used my chill as an excuse to chow down  Delicious, I consumed every morsel.   Donna was unable to reach her husband but tried one more time.  Evidently she had rode in cold weather and was determined to protect us from the bitter winter that lay outside.  "If you get down the road and you get cold turn around, come back and stay with us.  I mean it." Concerned souls seem to find our path and we are thankful for them.  The Gold Wing quit twice at this stop and it was a little disconcerting.  Back on the road we rode as far as Williams Iowa, by the time we stopped the temperature had climbed to 34 degrees, maybe we were on the right path.

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An older but well kept motel they offered a matching free drink in their lounge.  Couldn't pass it up, they had a fire place and a warming drink.  Only two people in the lounge, the truck driver asked if we were the ones on the trike.  He figured as much (what! Is it written on our foreheads?). He was on the phone with a trucker buddy when we pulled by.  "You will never believe what I just seen as he sent him a picture of us."  Visiting for a while we had something in common. He had lived in Florida where we discovered the "Freezer". and the wonderful shrimp and seafood they serve there.     It was overcast in the morning as we visited the breakfast area.  Someone had done their best to make it seem like home.  Ruthie and I both seen wall decorations from our childhood.   Since it's to cold to take pictures outside we will use our film up in the motel.  The chicken crate drew my attention, a wooden slated crate used to transport chickens, hope they had done a through cleaning first.  Ruthies was the wall phone replica, Not qute authentic this one had a dial pad.  The one on her farm home wall had a crank on the side, one turn of the crank and she said it summed Mrs Holms from St Charles.  You told her who you were calling, then she would place the phone cord into the correct hole.  the phone would then ring at the appropriate home.  Since it was a party line with usually 4 to 6 homes on the same connection you were given a ring code.  Our families was two long and one short, Ruthie believes hers was two longs and two shorts.  This party line was the original face book, everyone got their news by listening in on their neighbors calls. 
     Thirty nine degrees when we climbed on the trike, with our layered clothing and electrical connections we were going to be all right.  Shortly after we crossed into Missouri the F1 flashed on the dash, similar to a check engine light with the stall yesterday and now this a little uneasiness returned.  The engine seemed to be running okay and after filling with gas the warning light did not come back on. 
     We arrived in Joplin Missouri that evening and even thought it had climbed to sixty and we were feeling pretty good about  the temperature change the cold had already taken its toll.  (did you feel that?  Somewhere going across Joplin looking for a place to stay we crossed the "Mother road"  Looking forward to tomorrow, we start our interaction with the legendary highway.  We did not waste time trying to save a few dollars.  Their was a Drury's motel on the corner and we headed for it.  We had stayed in one before and knew we would be warm and well taken care of.   It was better than we remembered.  Complimentary evening snacks from 5-7 saved us going out for dinner.  It was more than snacks, hot food, hot dogs, mac and cheese, couple with complimentary drinks we were all set.  Hot breakfast in the morning, we could live like this.


Did you feel that?

     Today we take highways and interstates for granted, however it wasn't always like this.  Local trails (yes trails, a part of it was for use by camels, yup sometimes are politicians are down right humorous.)  and later roads were organized first by the states and private organizations.  Later the federal government drew up legislation for a public highway system.  In 1926 Route 66 was one of the first to link modern cities with rural towns and villages.  Even the number of it was controversial, I think they got it right, just think of it, I got my kicks on route 94, I don't think so, we might never have heard of Bobby Troop.  People that study numerology also liked it because it meant material pleasure and success.  Initially gravel and graded dirt who could have predicted the history that would be associated with this roadway.   Songs, books, movies and yes even a TV series.  Although I have found that is a generational thing, ask younger people about the TV show and they never heard about it.  Due to the song being recorded by current artists thru history, even the Rolling Stones, they seem to have heard of the song.  Well lets see if two people traveling on a Trike can have as many adventures as Tod and Bus in their corvette.  Tomorrow we start from Joplin heading West of course.  Warm weather here we come!