Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri
Just into Texas, we stopped at the genuine original Route 66 Vega Motel. The format is one of a tourist cabin unit adjoined by a garage.
We passed through Amarillo without taking any pictures. How did that happen? After Amarillo we stayed at Groom, with its huge cross...
the stations of the cross...
and its leaning tower.
Shamrock, TX was the last town we stayed at in Texas. It boasts a Route 66 icon in its restored art deco Conoco station with the U-Drop-In Cafe.
At McLean TX, these horses wanted their picture taken.
The Oklahoma border brought vistas of trees and haybales...
and riding exclusively on old Route 66.
At Oklahoma City we visited the Tropical Conservatory in the botanical garden.
with its dramatic
waterfalls.
The Murrah building memorial was also quite moving.
As we left Edmond, we ran across a striking old round red barn.
For Mothers' Day Sunday dinner we were invited to Bill Bethel's home.
The next day going into Tulsa we met two westbound cyclists (one French and the other Polish) headed from Chicago to LA on Route 66.
In northeast Oklahoma, near Vinita, we started having flat tires.
And a little further along, we saw a house coming down the road!
In Joplin, the bike goes in for some new tires, parts, and adjustments. Thanks, Todd!
Between Carthage and Springfield the road often looks like a roller-coaster.
Riding along, we spotted the "Old Folks Cafe & Bakery" shortly after lunch....
And this is what was inside! Life is good!
Shortly after this, we were walking across an I-44 bridge and looked down at our feet through this hole.
Later that day, we got a picture of one of many fields of daisies.
Just outside of St. Robert there was a section of the original 4-lane Route 66, one of the earliest superhighways.
Jan and cousin Nancy Bourns Quigley at breakfast in the backyard. It's nice to be in a house again!
And me at the dining room table, checking over plans for the trip east.
Our host, Nancy, and her friend David after dinner at the old World's Fair site.
Down along the Mississippi waterfront just in front of the arch (you can see its shadow).
And a new perspective on the Gateway Arch, itself, and "Gateway Girl" Jan, herself.
Bye Bye, St. Louis! Illinois pictures will start on Pictures 2.