Route 66 – Page 4 – Jewells On Tour

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Friday 28th June

By admin on Friday, June 28, 2019

We both slept well, feeling refreshed we checked out at 7am. Problem the young lad at the desk when we handed back the key said that we hadn’t paid. We had the evening before by debit card. He checked his card machine and claimed no such transaction had taken place. Thank goodness for my bank app I showed him my phone clearly showing the transaction, confusing him but he backed down and said he would call us if there was still a problem. I wasn’t going to pay twice.

Stand off over we are free to leave. We’re headed to El Reno old town 14 miles up the road. To a cafe called Johnnies for breakfast. It was recommended by Fenton and Linda yesterday evening over dinner.

Breakfast was good and the service was friendly good recommendation thank you.

We are going to a KOA campsite only 30 miles away. But there’s not a lot in between.

Just open roads and heat why not chuck some hills and wind into the mix. We’re strong, we can take it.

We make camp just before noon. It’s a really hot day I certainly don’t want to be cycling in the afternoon. Tent up time to explore.

We are next to a Cherokee trading post and restaurant. So we have a swim, relax a bit before heading to the restaurant for a early tea.

Buffalo steak anyone?

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Wednesday 26th June

By admin on Thursday, June 27, 2019

We managed to get to sleep fairly early, even though the RV site was noisy until quite late. And a random small child peaking in to our tent after dark scaring the life out of us.

At 5am the noise started again with people running engines, driving fast next to the tent on a gravel road and walking dogs around where we were camped. It was still dark but we decided to get up and go anyway.

We cycled through Chandler at 6:00 am it looked a nice place to visit, but nothing was open. We stopped to look at a old cottage style gas station believed to be 1930.

The landscape is dryer and the soil has changed to a red colour now. The long grasses and meadow flowers are now being replaced with brown straw like grass and cactus is becoming more common. It definitely has the Wild West feel about the place.

Not much between Chandler and Arcadia a couple of small towns Warwick, Wellston, and Luther. We cycled passed them all, no reason to stop.

A old derelict petrol station just outside Arcadia, made famous as it was used as a front for a counterfeit business printing fake $10 bills. After it was discovered the building was left to rack and ruin. Later and not related a murder victims body was discovered there,they were never identified.

The old round barn 1889. In Arcadia built by local farmer William Odor using local bur oak boards. Following the arrival of the interstate it was left to ruins and in 1988 the 60ft diameter roof collapsed. It’s restoration was completed in 1992 by a team of volunteers lead by Luther Robison. It’s America’s only truly round barn.

Just passed the round barn is Pops you can’t miss it. It has a 66ft tall pop bottle outside, it sells over 700 different types of soda.

We are staying in Edmond the night in a motel, conveniently located so we can cycle through Oklahoma City tomorrow. 43 miles done today.

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Tuesday 25th June

By admin on Wednesday, June 26, 2019

A restless night for mike, he has come down with a head cold and spent the night too congested to sleep. No worries only a short 36 miles today, we’re just take it easy.

We stopped in the rock cafe in Stroud, made famous for being featured in the Disney film cars the ultimate ride. We already had met the actual pick up truck tow mater back in Kansas. I’ve not seen the film but now there’s a lot of road side attractions stating as seen in cars.

The food was good and they were vegetarian friendly. Even had a vegan burger on offer.

Mike was feeling better after his burger cooked on the oven grill fondly known as Betsy the original oven and surviver off a devastating fire.

Shortly After leaving the cafe we had our first puncture. Not bad in over 2200 miles. Mikes front wheel had picked up some metal banding from a broken tire. A quick inner tube change and we were on our way.

Davenport was next. This had some original brick road left and some historic wall art. A quick look before heading to the RV campsite our home for tonight, just short of Chandler.

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Monday 24th June

By admin on Wednesday, June 26, 2019

A second night spent at Becky and Robert’s. This time we awoke to sunshine. A quick breakfast it’s time to say our good byes. They have been brilliant but I’m sure that they need their life back. We had stayed two nights and I know that Erin and Jono had stayed with them the previous night to us. A quick photo outside there beautiful house and off we go.

We have a campsite in mind 35 miles up the road. All the time we can keep the daily mileage down we will.

We stop at the heart of Route 66 auto museum that has a 66 foot tall petrol pump outside. Naturally they boast its the worlds largest. Unfortunately the museum was closed.

We pass over rock creek bridge in Sapulpa constructed in 1921 and become part of Route 66 1926 – 1952.

Leaving the bridge we noticed the tepee old drive in movie theatre, unfortunately abandoned and over grown.

We are spending the night at a RV campsite in Bristow.

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Sunday 23rd June

By admin on Wednesday, June 26, 2019

A lovely comfortable night spent at our warm showers hosts house, Becky and Robert’s . We had a delicious home cooked meal in the evening followed by a good nights sleep. All refreshed and ready to go. The weather had other ideas. We lay in bed listening to a big storm outside. We optimistically get our cycle clothes on, all lovely and clean, Becky had washed them for us. Lovely nothing better than nice smelling clothes clean on!

Headed down stairs to the soundtrack of thunder and rain hoping that miraculously during breakfast the storm will pass. A cooked breakfast and a cup of tea later, the storm is still in full swing. Becky and Robert offered for us to stay another night. The storm looks like it is here for a while. Very tempting to take them up on their offer we said we’d give it a hour if that’s ok. A hour later we came to the decision to stay. I don’t mind rain but I really don’t feel comfortable cycling in electrical storms.

We were very well looked after. And in the afternoon we were treated to a car tour of some of the sites that Tulsa had to offer.

Praying hands outside oral Roberts university, Oral Roberts an American charismatic Christian televangelist. One hand is cast from him the other from his son, locked in a prayer.

The golden digger. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring created a better life for mankind.

Buck Atom space cowboy. A brand new muffler man built by Mark Cline for a great little Route 66 gift shop in a former petrol station.

In the evening we all went out for a meal at a Mexican restaurant. It did us good to relax and enjoy a day off.

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Saturday 22nd June

By admin on Saturday, June 22, 2019

Mm motel breakfasts really aren’t worth getting up for. I guess it’s because we stay in the cheapest ones we can find on route. I passed on the coffee mike said that was a good move judging by his face I’d have to agree with him. And took a long life pre-packaged danish looking thing, washing it down with the water I’d brought the night before from the dollar general store.

35 miles to do today. Heading to Tulsa and a warm showers host for tonight. On the way the only attraction listed is a 70ft concrete blue whale built in the 1970s by the side of a large pond. It was originally used as a outdoor swimming area. No swimming aloud anymore not since the mid 1980’s. It’s now a visitor attraction and wild life haven run by volunteers.

We chatted to Linda one of the volunteers. She is from a native America descended and passionate about the wild life and looking after the planet. A truly beautiful soul and spiritual. We wish her well on her recovery from her cancer. She was back at work volunteering today even though she only had a operation less than a week ago.

I would of loved something like this to play on growing up in the 70’s. You can imagine it in its heyday everyone climbing on it jumping and sliding from it. I definitely would of spent all summer long there.

Just another 15 miles to go. Heading into the city. We hate cities! A few wrong turnings it’s hard to follow maps in the city so many roads close to each other. It’s hot and frustrating but we made it to our hosts house in good time.

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Friday 21st June

By admin on Saturday, June 22, 2019

We left the cheapest campsite site yet. Only $10. It was a small pitch behind a motel. With 1 shower and toilet good job no one else was there. Well until at 10pm when another cycle touring couple arrived. Erin and Jono riding Route 66 to raise money for a mental health charity.

Breakfast in the local diner also the cheapest yet let’s hope that this continues. We have 35 miles to do today, but it’s hot and the wind is against us.

Not many sites on Route today. We visit the Pryor Creek Bridge. 123ft steel truss bridge in use 1926-1932 only open for cyclists and pedestrians.

We also took time out to walk under Route 66 using a restored pedestrian underpass. This has postcard like images painted by artist Kenneth Hollingshead depicting the towns history.

Were staying in a motel in claremore. I think today was the hottest yet and there’s no campsite nearby. It’s very rural so could have put a tent up in a field but definitely needed a shower!

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Thursday 20th June

By admin on Saturday, June 22, 2019

Late start to the day. We’re always reluctant to leave a air conditioned room and head into the heat. Finally got our asses in gear and started cycling. Crossing the state line into Oklahoma and ticking over 2000 miles. We’re over half way now

The first stop today was in small town Commerce. This town boasts to be the home town of Mickey Mantle’s boyhood home a famous baseball player. The town has painted the water tower with his number 7.

More impressive for us as we don’t watch baseball was the dairy king a former gas station that sells cookies shaped like the Route 66 shield, we had to try one.

After topping up our energy levels we headed into Miami, The lady in dairy king had told us about a theatre there that was worth a visit. Coleman theatre built 1929 and opened the same year lovingly restored after it was gifted to the town 1989 by the Coleman family. We were given a free private tour by Barbra she was very passionate and knowledgeable about the theatre.

A nice ride into our campsite in Vinita Oklahoma is definitely flatter than Missouri. We have just over 520 miles in Oklahoma a stark contrast to the 20 miles in Kansas.

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Wednesday 19th June

By admin on Thursday, June 20, 2019

What a night. No sleep for us. The campsite was lovely but no shelter, we’ve been lucky enough to be able to camp under pavilions if the weather looks iffy but not tonight. We were just relaxing in our tent about 10pm. When it suddenly went really windy. The tent was bending and contorting this way and that. We had to hold the sides as it was concaving in on us. We could hear crashing and banging all around us as furniture was thrown haphazardly in every direction. Worried that the tent would break, or that something heavy would land on us we packed up our things and waited for a opportunity to get the tent down. It wouldn’t be safe to stay. The rain came and it rained and rained. The site flash flooded it was so hard. We had about 5 minutes to grab the tent down and run for cover.

We sat in the office all night the storm passed at 6am. We left at 6:30am to get some miles in between storms. The blue dot in the photo is where we were.

Goodbye to Missouri today. The last part of Route 66 took us for breakfast in small town Web city that made its money from zinc. Nice old town and breakfast in the diner was delicious.

Next we headed to Joplin the last town on Route 66 in Missouri. On the way a gentleman called Sid beckoned us into his house. He had just made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and wanted to show us his origami. He made origami bits and pieces to sell them at markets and on line. He was keen to show us his Route 66 creations and gave me a flower and Mike a lucky camel. Thank you.

On the state line there is a salon Hogs and hot rods. In Kansas prohibition didn’t end until 1948. Because of that, the state line bar was the first and last place to wet your whistle.

Into Kansas over a viaduct which lead us into Galena. The first thing that grabbed our attention was a rather creepy house which gave us both the chills. Galenas murder bordello. Constructed in 1890 as a brothel for the mining company workers. Nancy stefflebeck and her sons killed clients of the bordello, taking all their money and dumped their bodies in nearby mine shafts. It’s believed that they killed over 30 victims. Although they were only convicted of 1 murder a miner called Frank Galbraith.

You can now take tours of the house and it is reported to be haunted and by the look of the outside I can believe it.

On a brighter note we called into Nelsons old Riverton store, 1925 still looks the same and still operating as it did back then with lots of original features.

We also crossed rainbow curve bridge the last remaining marsh arch bridge on Route 66.

Last stop we’re staying in Baxter Springs, motel tonight we need sleep.

A lovely pharmacy and ice cream shop near the motel. Monarch pharmacy and soda fountain shop. If you’re in the area give their milkshakes a try.

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Tuesday 18th June

By admin on Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Early start on the road at 6:30am. Visibility was almost zero. A thick heavy fog engulfed the landscape. Lights on, high viz on. We’re going through a stretch of Route that is often referred to as the ghost stretch it has a high level of abandoned towns left since 66 was rerouted to interstate 44. It’s going to be Erie if the mist stays to long.

Not sure what this is about. A bit spooky in the mist.

In a small town Paris springs we find a replica gas station. Gay parita Sinclair station. The original was opened on this site 1930 by gay and Fred Mason it was named after Fred’s wife tragically gay died 1953 and then in 1955 the whole lot was burnt to the ground. New owner Gary has rebuilt and collected lots of memorabilia. There was a giant Route 66 logo painted on the road outside of the garage. The biggest we’ve seen so far.

So we should of done 50 miles today but we found that the straight road to be too fast and didn’t feel safe. we diverted to lovely country roads through stunning scenery a much nicer ride into Carthage. A lovely RV site with a warm welcome 75 miles done. The lady at the desk gave us cold drinks to refresh and the key to the office door to have somewhere comfortable to sit after hours. It also has the nicest cleanest showers and toilet facilities. Made the long day worth it.

The campsite is next door to Route 66 drive in Theatre one of the last remaining drive ins on Route 66. Unfortunately for us no film showing tonight.

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