Day 8 - Route 66 Day 6 Friday March 12, traveled xxx miles

Today the day looked bright and shiny and it continued that way all day with an hour of clouds midday. The first stop was the Rock Cafe in Stroud the next town. It was one of those stop and eat if it fits in our guide. It was again one of those mom and pop type restaurants. A massive breakfast menu with the norm, plus crepes, another entree with spaetzles – what a surprise. Shirleen had blueberry crepes with delicious hash browns, best in a long time. I basted eggs with ham and hash browns. Great way to start a day. Now back to the two lane highways.

Headed down the road and a stop in Chandler OK route 66 museum – a saved armory from bulldozing. The display had many stops, take what you want. We watched the module on the route and stopped by some of the movies along the way.

From these people we got an appointment with the person who wrote the guide, Route 66: EZ66 GUIDE For Travelers we have been following. What an interesting person and what a first name – Jerry McClanahan. He invited us into the house along with Al from New Jersey but driving his dad’s car who lives in California but is residing in a retirement home. Al left California ten days ago; we left Chicago four days ago this morning. Looks like a 14 day rip, especially if you chat with places along the way. We had our picture taken in front of his hand drawn cars in route 66 settings. He is an accomplished artist and loves his work? - vocation. We then took a picture of him and his pictures behind him. The green one was a Tucker sitting in front of the station in O’Dell IL. Jerry said Gary Turner, back in Gay Parita MO called to see if we had made it to see him, hundreds of miles apart and they still follow those who stopped by and chatted.

Our next stop, Arcadia OK, at an immense round barn made of wood and built in 1898. It must be 40 feet high in the center. It is used for weddings, dances except square dancing. The reason for that is it is a round barn.

Around the corner was Pops restaurant. http://pops66.com/. It is only a couple years but a beacon for people with its 50 foot high pop bottle shaped sign with the straw up to 66 feet in front of the store. Inside are many route 66 and Pops memorabilia.

Shirleen found her route 66 shirt. I was stuck along one side of the restaurant trying to decide which bottle of pop I wanted. It had 6 or 8 cases, 10 levels and a different pop in each row, they say 500 different pops. I could not decide which orange pop I wanted, I didn’t count but I bet there were 45 different brands. Mine was a route 66 bottled in Wilmington IL. The food was decent, shared some onion rings, Shirleen had single patty fried onion hamburger with a caramel shake, and I a single patty cheeseburger with chili. Neat idea single and double selections for the size hamburger.

Back to the road, “The Mother Road”. We again took a spur through some dry gulch areas. Along the road you could see where at the bottom of the ravine where the road washed out and patched with new tar.

Pulled into Clinton OK and staying at a Hampton Inn. We ate at a Steakhouse across the street, Montana Mikes. We had a complimentary appetizer of fried zucchini and mushrooms. I a Caesar salad, baked sweet potato and a small sirloin steak, flushed down by a Budweiser. Shirleen was fried out and nibbled on appetizers and a little salad.

Tomorrow a route 66 museum in Clinton. Jerry