In several locations south of Miami (pronounced "my AM ma"), there are sections of old Route 66 just 8 feet wide - amazing. The clay-red rubble contrasts beautifully with the white curbs and grey roadway. 66:51
At the J. M. Davis Gun Museum in Claremore, OK, Ryan found the biggest gun.
It was the biggest gun museum I had ever seen. They must have 3 billion guns there. 66:51
Just west of Sapulpa, OK, the Ozark Trail branches away from OK 33, to the Rock Creek bridge, a classic steel truss with red brick decking. This is not it. When we arrived, the bridge was closed due to flood damage it incurred the previous spring. So, Ryan & I returned to OK 33 where we found all this hardware. Naturally, Ryan was compelled to inspect it - up close and personal. The good news is that we were able to access the old alignment west of the closed bridge by going through the parking lot of this V.F.W. post. 66:51
Just north of Bristow, OK, is an old alignment of Route 66, to the east of OK route 48. This view looks south, just as 48 peels away. 66:51
In many places, but especially in Oklahoma, Route 66 followed along old section line roads that were redesignated US Route 66 in 1926. On the left is one such fragment, just west of Bristow, OK, on Jaycee Avenue. By the way, it seems that whenever Ryan sees the camera in my hands he executes the following HTML phrase:
Oh look! Dad has the camera, <CLOWN MODE> let's explore to what extent we can torture Dad and remove any pretense of civility. Oops he's putting away </CLOWN MODE> his camera now ...The steel truss bridge over Little Deep Fork Creek dates to 1914, as you can see on the surviving metal plate. We found this bridge thanks to Jim Ross and his article in the Spring 1997 issue of the Federation News, published by the National Historic Route 66 Federation. 66:51
We stopped at the Rock Cafe in Stroud, OK, for a late lunch and souveniers. 66:51
Is there a nicer, more knowledgeable guy on the Route (literally) than Jim Ross? 66:51
Just south of Oklahoma City, OK, an old alignment leaves the four lane, extends across an old steel truss bridge, and then borders wind-swept Lake Overholser. 66:51
Ryan's radar locks on to a WWII airplane in front of a VFW hall in El Reno, OK.
In January, 1999 came word from John Luke that this plane is probably an A26. - Thanks John!
I really liked this plane, but I don't know what kind it is. 66:51
Still in El Reno, Ryan is testing my abilities in the depth-of-field area. 66:51
Thirty-eight Span Bridge over the Canadian River between El Reno and Hydro, OK. We counted thirty-eight spans.
We counted thirty-eight spans. 66:51
We were enchanted by Lucille Hamons at her place in Hydro, OK. She has been helping folks on Route 66 for over 50 years. We bought her book and one of just about everything else she has in her store. We would have bought gasoline too, but Lucille no longer keeps the pumps going. Fifty years - I cannot even imagine.
A real nice lady. Cheap prices and lots of candy bars. We bought candy, a book, and lots of things to keep her in business for a long time. 66:51
Every year we stop at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK, and every year we are greeted by friendly people. Stephanie and Goldie are helping Ryan choose just the right treasure - a pair of black fuzzy dice. A house (or rearview mirror) is not complete without fuzzy dice.
I bought eight Route 66 pins here - one for each state - and pinned them on a cap I got at the museum in Galena, KS. 66:51
This is the courthouse in Sayre, OK. Go out right now and rent the video The Grapes of Wrath and watch for the Joad's truck turning onto main street with this courthouse in the background. 66:51