Day 32: July 20, 2013 Ladies of Oklahoma

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There's a funny story here. Not a side-splitting ROTFLMAO funny story but a gee-that's-kinda-interesting funny story. I've stopped by the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma, several times before today. It's a Route 66 icon which makes the "old car in front of..." photo completely legitimate. The owner is a Route 66 icon, too. Dawn Welsh has worked on cruise ships and airplanes, built The Rock as a business, rebuilt it (after a fire) as a structure, and inspired a movie character. She had not, however, met me. That didn't bother her much, of course, but, after my fourth visit with no Dawn, it started to weigh on me. So I did a little checking and planning before I came by last year. However, some equipment problems sent Dawn out on a mission and I missed her again -- by less than an hour. I checked in with her a few days ago and learned that Friday, one of my possible arrival days, was out but that Saturday was a maybe. As it turned out, I met Dawn briefly before I even entered the cafe this time and she joined me for an unhurried chat after I'd finished a killer western omelet. I was pretty sure I would like Dawn and expected to be impressed as well. I was right on both counts and I'm tempted to rattle off paragraphs of praise but I really don't have the context to do that. It was really good to meet Dawn for the first time, and I know I'll enjoy the second, third, and beyond meetings, too.

As I'm driving through Sapulpa, Oklahoma, I realize that I haven't yet put sun screen on. I see an open spot of shade along the street and pull over. As I rub the lotion over my arms, a fellow walks from the store I'm in front of and, in a most friendly way, asks what I'm doing. He's wearing a Route 66 shirt and I soon learn this is Frank Gierhart an enthusiastic member of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. By the time I left, I had a couple of Oklahoma Route 66 pamphlets (The picture shows Frank returning from his store with them.) and Frank promised to have some shade waiting when I come through next time.

This impressive statue of Cyrus Avery startling a team of horses with his Ford wasn't here when I came through Tulsa in July. It was erected not long after and, in November, Ron Warnick did a very nice article on the statue's completion and approaching dedication. The nearest parking is across the street with access to the statue and park area via a foot bridge. The bridge also provides a great location for overhead photos.

Ron Jones and Ron McCoy were with Laurel at Afton Station when I arrived. Both Rons had faced some scary health issues since I'd last seen them but both seemed to be doing rather well now. I had not yet seen Ron Jones' Candy Apple Red ride at all and it, too, had some "health issues". It was rear ended not long after Ron got it and it just came out of the repair shop yesterday. When he left, I went outside to get his picture and take another "old car in front of..." shot then went back in for more catching up with Ron M and Laurel. Others can catch up with Laurel here.

Although I had no intention of driving the Valiant over the "sidewalk highway" I did plan on getting a picture of the car at the end of the section near Afton. Laurel had given me the bad news so I was prepared to see gravel covering the nine foot wide pavement but it was still not a pleasant sight. She reports that the section near Miami is still visible and drivable but here only the tiny curved bit in front of the marker can be seen. A picture, taken last year, of the text on the marker is here.

I had decided to take US-60 part of the way home so turned with it when it split from Historic Route 66. The long straight lines of tractors were just a few miles after the turn and this part of US-60 is largely a long straight line itself.

I started thinking about a motel about where US-60 brushes the south side of Springfield, Missouri. There are a couple of classic motels on Historic 66 in Springfield that I've never stayed in. I traveled a half-dozen miles north of US-60 to stay where Elvis stayed. The Rail Haven was just as nice as I'd heard and I quite enjoyed my room there. A bonus was finding George's Steakhouse, with a really good Philly cheese-steak on an incredible bun, almost next door.

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