November 23, 2014 In no particular hurry since we knew we were already very close to our designated road to the West. We rested well and enjoyed the warm breakfast provided by the hotel staff while taking the time to visit with a couple that had hung around to talk with us. A nice couple we had made their acquaintance the evening before when we rode in. It seems they live three hours up the road in Missouri and were on their way to Dallas to see a new Great grandchild. Gold Wing riders he had mentioned riding and she felt it was to far and to cold. After seeing our license plate last night they wanted to find out more about us. (maybe with the thought of an intervention or commitment?) Heading outside it was already in the low sixty's and our trike was waiting under the covered entryway thanks to the kindness of the hotel staff. A quick walk around our little rig to check tires and connections and we were on our way. A few blocks North and we seen the intersection for 66 (I knew I had felt something on the ride in last night, it must have been beckoning us.) It wasn't long until we checked off the fourth city in the lyrics Joplin was behind us. 
We wouldn't be in Kansas very long (sometimes you can be so wrong.) as 66 only crosses 14 miles across the Southeast corner and is the only traveled state that doesn't have a city named int the song. Evidently Bobby had a problem rhyming Baxter Springs. Originally part of the Cherokee neutral land, Missouri had a quarantine against Texas cattle and the cattle drives found a welcome sign in Baxter springs, following the civil war it turned into one of the first wild west cattle towns. 
Every third business was either for gambling or drinking. Today it was just a quiet little town and we were already on the wrong road. The markings on the historic road leave something to be desired, where had we gone wrong. Wandering around town we seen a well restored Phillips 66 marked as an information source. Was that ever an understatement. Inside we found a wealth of information and a gentleman that seemed to know everything about the famous road. When we rode the Alaskan roadways we had a book called the Milepost, it listed every mile and what was associated with that point. This gentleman was indeed that "milepost" he seemed to know everything and everyone
from this point west Starting when he was very young his parents made an annual trip out to California because of his respiratory problems. He started grabbing brochures off the rack telling us what to see, do, and who to visit with. At one point he asked if we wanted to meet the person that "Sir Tow Mater" in the film "Car's" was based on? We didn't want to put him out and had already spent quite a bit of time here. He said "I can have him here very quickly." as he turned his one leg facing completely the opposite direction. He went onto explain he was why "Mater" drives backwards in the movie. Dean "crazy legs" an ambassador for Route 66 can twist his 
feet around and walk backwards. (taking moon walking to a new level). He said he has been able to do it since he was four years old. After the film he received quite a bit of notoriety including one of his fondest memories was a trip to California to appear with Jay Leno on the tonight show.
Armed with brochures, maps and information we backtracked a few miles to catch a glimpse of the Rainbow curve bridge. Named a Marsh arch bridge after its Wisconsin inventor this is the only one left on route 66. Even though small by todays standards it was quite an engineering feat in the early 1900's. Dean told us that their were tracks imbedded in the arches used to haul the materials to build the bridge and as they finished construction they were covered and became part of the bridge.
We continued on our way this 14 mile stretch had taken us longer than expected. Who am I kidding, we don't expect anything anymore. We just ride and wait for something to happen. We entered Oklahoma noting that the state bird was the scissor - tailor fly catcher. I'm sure that will impress bird lovers. Having wandered on and off the original route we found quickly that we aren't purist. There were just to many supposedly significant things to see along the route. We had a travel
meeting and decided as long as we can stay close to the original route with stops to see highlights that appeal to both of us we would be happy. We passed up some like the rope and barb wire museum, it seemed that every town had a museum. I still had the leaning water tower on my list and Will Rodgers of course. We did travel an original part of the paved section between Miami Oklahoma and Afton. They say route 66 wasn't completely paved until 1938. The paved section was 9 feet wide makes you wonder how wide cars were in the 20's. Somebody has to pull over when we meet. We were pretty happy, on route 66 listening to the 60's on xm, temperature was 66 degrees how fitting. If the road had been better I would have got it up to 66 to complete the magic however the road left a lot to be desired and one of the potholes made me concerned about damage to the front forks. No sense chancing it. We already had the engine stall, the F1 warning light and now that we are doing stop and go driving it has popped out of second gear occasionally.
It was a pleasure to get back on a better maintained road. There had been a little mist in the afternoon and the sky and radio were warning of a storm, no since pushing our luck. We found a motel across form the rodeo
grounds in Vinita Oklahoma. Sixty six would still be there tomorrow. Lets review our progress for today. A little over 4 hours and we had traveled 53 miles. (not counting the ones we backtracked. This trip was going to take awhile.
That evening I made an email inquiry about lodging with a motorcycle club member later in the week.
We wouldn't be in Kansas very long (sometimes you can be so wrong.) as 66 only crosses 14 miles across the Southeast corner and is the only traveled state that doesn't have a city named int the song. Evidently Bobby had a problem rhyming Baxter Springs. Originally part of the Cherokee neutral land, Missouri had a quarantine against Texas cattle and the cattle drives found a welcome sign in Baxter springs, following the civil war it turned into one of the first wild west cattle towns. Every third business was either for gambling or drinking. Today it was just a quiet little town and we were already on the wrong road. The markings on the historic road leave something to be desired, where had we gone wrong. Wandering around town we seen a well restored Phillips 66 marked as an information source. Was that ever an understatement. Inside we found a wealth of information and a gentleman that seemed to know everything about the famous road. When we rode the Alaskan roadways we had a book called the Milepost, it listed every mile and what was associated with that point. This gentleman was indeed that "milepost" he seemed to know everything and everyone from this point west Starting when he was very young his parents made an annual trip out to California because of his respiratory problems. He started grabbing brochures off the rack telling us what to see, do, and who to visit with. At one point he asked if we wanted to meet the person that "Sir Tow Mater" in the film "Car's" was based on? We didn't want to put him out and had already spent quite a bit of time here. He said "I can have him here very quickly." as he turned his one leg facing completely the opposite direction. He went onto explain he was why "Mater" drives backwards in the movie. Dean "crazy legs" an ambassador for Route 66 can twist his feet around and walk backwards. (taking moon walking to a new level). He said he has been able to do it since he was four years old. After the film he received quite a bit of notoriety including one of his fondest memories was a trip to California to appear with Jay Leno on the tonight show. Armed with brochures, maps and information we backtracked a few miles to catch a glimpse of the Rainbow curve bridge. Named a Marsh arch bridge after its Wisconsin inventor this is the only one left on route 66. Even though small by todays standards it was quite an engineering feat in the early 1900's. Dean told us that their were tracks imbedded in the arches used to haul the materials to build the bridge and as they finished construction they were covered and became part of the bridge. We continued on our way this 14 mile stretch had taken us longer than expected. Who am I kidding, we don't expect anything anymore. We just ride and wait for something to happen. We entered Oklahoma noting that the state bird was the scissor - tailor fly catcher. I'm sure that will impress bird lovers. Having wandered on and off the original route we found quickly that we aren't purist. There were just to many supposedly significant things to see along the route. We had a travel
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| Should go over 100k if we don't stop so often! |
It was a pleasure to get back on a better maintained road. There had been a little mist in the afternoon and the sky and radio were warning of a storm, no since pushing our luck. We found a motel across form the rodeo
That evening I made an email inquiry about lodging with a motorcycle club member later in the week.
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| Cars, how cute! |
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