STILL KICKING ON ROUTE 66

After picking up Route 66 in Fenton, our first stop Wednesday (Day Two) was the Null and Crossbones Dreadful Collectibles in Pacifico, Missouri. Its huge display of metal art caught my attention, and I really wanted the giant gray steer.  It would’ve looked awesome by my pond. Getting it home would have cost more than the sculpture itself, though.

We had problems navigating the Mother Road for several miles. It took many twisting turns back and forth under the interstate, and while the Route 66 signs were plentiful, they didn’t say East or West on them. We finally figured out how to read our Route 66 map, then stopped at some brick teepees along the roadside. Before I could turn the engine off, a guy came out of one shouting that we couldn’t take photos until we went inside the museum and store. He said that would cost us $2, which would be applied toward any purchase. He showed us some  arrowheads, played a tune on a flute, tried to sell us some Indian jewelry and the flute. I bought a magnet. 

Down the road, we stopped in Cuba, another town known for its murals. We had lunch at the Missouri Hick Barbecue, which had a mosaic map of the USA embedded in its entrance patio with the entire Route 66 marked. Next door, we snapped photos of the restored Wagon Wheel Motel & Gas Station. No gas was flowing from those antique pumps, and it looked like the former motel cottages were now small apartments.

Our next stop was Springfield, via I-44, and we took pictures of two 1956 Fords displayed at the old Rail Haven Motel. Best Western now operates the place, which was built in 1938. A replica of their classic neon sign was erected a few years ago. We plan to spend a night there on our return trip.

     From Springfield we programmed Carthage, Missouri, into our GPS, because a Route 66 book described it as a special interstate-free drive with rolling wooded hills, green fields and  old roadside remnants.  At this point, we were tired of running parallel to I-44, and delighted in passing dozens of rusted tractors, dilapidated barns and ponds with cows cooling off from the 90-plus degree heat. It was tempting to join them. During this section, Route 66 was called State Highway 266. In fact, most of the route now bears local highway names.

We ignored the signs advertising the Uranus Fudge Factory of St. Robert because it sounded unappetizing. Passing through Barnsdall, we took a photo of the sign proclaiming it the home of Anita Bryant and Clark Gable. In Commerce, the birthplace of Mickey Mantle, we found Mantle’s statue at the high school baseball park. In Spencer we took pictures of the recently-restored remains of the Little Spencer gas station. Its sign still showed gas at 12 cents per gallon for regular, 14 cents for “ethyl.”

Motoring on through Albatross, Rescue, Avilla, Carthage and Joplin, we crossed the state line into Galena, Kansas. That’s where I whipped into a junk shop called Picker’s Post. I bought a vertical, wooden “Welcome” sign that features every Route 66 state and was made by an 87-year-old Galena woman. Annette found some collectible tins. But they didn’t have a Kansas Route 66 magnet. So we stopped at another shop down the road, where we dropped some more money on Route 66 license plates and magnets. Considering that Route 66 runs but 13 miles through Kansas, we figure we spent more money per mile there than in any other state along the west-bound route.

     We spent our second night in Miami, Kansas. Next day, we detoured to Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Annette wanted to see the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile, made famous by Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman television cooking show. Drummond has revitalized the small town, which has several interesting shops. We decided to stay the night. Ree’s boarding house was full, but a shop owner found us a room at the restored Whiting Hotel. We stayed in the Cowboy Room, which, did not live up to its name. It didn’t come with a cowboy. Talk about false advertising.

Next morning, we were back at the Mercantile for a hot breakfast and more shopping before heading Strait to Tulsa.

Somewhere between Miami and Pawhuska