The Desert Hills Motel on Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The road trip continues. Leaving the desolate stretch of Route 66 in Kansas behind, I paid a visit to the World’s Largest Totem pole before spent a night in a classic Route 66 motel in Oklahoma. From there my journey west continued as I watched the scenery morph from mountains lined with fall foliage to the flat desert of northern Texas. Along the way I talked to countless shop owners, heard tales of years gone by, gasped in awe of the red rocks in Texas, spray painted NYC onto a Cadillac sticking out of the desert and stood atop a giant blue whale.

Full Highlights:

In front of the world's largest totum pole in Oklahoma

World’s Largest Totem Pole, Foyil, OK: located in the creator’s back yard, I made it in time for the tail end of dusk and barely had enough time to set up my tripod to take a photo in front of it.

Claremore Motor Inn, Claremore, OK: another classic Route 66 motel that I spent the night in. This one was remodeled recently and was nicer than any of the chains I have stayed in so far. And…no bedbugs!

Blue Whale, Catoosa, OK: a giant, life-sized wooden blue whale sitting over a lake with a dry water slide. Though the slide was closed years ago, the place is under new ownership and this team of seven local men is committed to keeping it as a tourist destination and Route 66 staple.

The Blue Wale in Catoosa, Oaklahoma, on Route 66

Original Road Segments, Bristow, OK: Alongside the new four-lane Route 66, segments of the original road still exist and are drivable for a mile or two at a time. This is strictly for nostalgia purposes and man did I eat it up!

Route 66 Museum, Clinton, OK: advertised as the best Route 66 museum on The Mother Road, my guide book did not lie. It was filled with old signs, recreated diners and gas stations, classic souvenirs, videos and a detailed history of Route 66.

Erick, Oklahoma: this entire town was sight in itself. The main street looks just as it did 50 years ago and as it was Sunday and a big town-wide event had just finished, I pretty much had the place to myself.

Route 66 in Erick, Oklahoma

Tulsa, Oklahoma: another town that gets its own entry. It seemed that every two storefronts still had a sign of some sort outside or was a sample of beautiful architecture.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, TX: my first meeting with the awe inspiring red rock deserts of the South, I spent the morning driving through the park taking it all in.

Tex Randall – The Biggest Texan, Canyon, TX: a giant cowboy that used to be the icon of a roadside steak house now is all that remains of the business.

On Route 66 in Oklahoma

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX: someone stuck 10 classic Cadillacs face-down into the desert outside Amarillo. In the years since, spray paint bottles are left there for visitors to add their own bit of art to the roadside attraction. I painted a “NYC” on one.

Route 66 Midpoint, Adrian, TX: the midway point of Route 66 where it is the same distance from Chicago as it is to Santa Monica…1139 miles…

First or Last Motel in Texas, Glenrio, TX: depending on which way you are driving, this dilapidated old shell of a motel and gas station sits on an abandoned stretch of Route 66. This sight was a real glimpse into what happened to towns when the interstate passed The Mother Road by.

An abandoned gas pump in McLean, Texas

I had a defective gas pump outside Oklahoma City. First it kept shutting off like it was done even though I had just started pumping. Next, after finally finding a position that kept it on, the thing actually overflowed my gas tank. A man who worked at the gas station who was talking to me said, “I’ve never seen that before!”

I actually saw a sign advertising for tickets to a gun show. Hahahahaha!

At one of my motels in Oklahoma, the woman actually used one of the old credit card imprinting for my receipt.

I made it almost 1,000 miles without paying a toll: from western Pennsylvania to the interstate in Oklahoma.

The speed limit is 75 in Oklahoma! Awesome…it’s like, I can drive the same speed I usually do but the risks go way down.

A sign on the side of the road on I-44 in Oklahoma said, “Hitchhikers might be escaped inmates.”

Lee Davis, one of 7 locals who keep up the Blue Whale Route 66 attraction in Catoosa, Oaklahoma

While watching TV in my room I came across Spike TV playing “movies that don’t suck.” This would have been great except they were playing Matrix 2…which definitely sucks! (and yet I watched it)

After three straight days of gray skies and rain, I was thrilled to start my day in Claremont with the sun shining, blue skies and slightly warmer weather.

Why is it so cold in the south?

The middle of the country really does lead a simpler life. It’s very apparent in the signs, stores, towns and on advertisements. For example, one billboard for online banking said, “e-statements…you don’t have to be extreme to go e.”

Large segments of Route 66 in Oklahoma are built on top of the original road and are two lanes in each direction. This means much faster speeds and far less turns than on the old roads.

In the early days of Route 66, people had to caravan in order to ward off bandits.

I wonder what runs through people’s minds when they see that the car tailgating then passing them because they are doing 10mph under the limit think when they look at my plates and see New York. I’m really not doing NY stereotypes any favors.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, Texas

I can’t count how many Main Streets I drive down. Fitting, since I grew up on Main Street.

People are so friendly on Route 66. While stopped on the side of the road in Oklahoma taking a photo of a Route 66 gas station, a cowboy in a pickup truck stopped to let me know that there were a bunch of murals in the downtown area, off the Route, that I had to go see.

Amazingly, considering how many there are back home and abroad, I have seen amazingly few Starbucks so far.

“American Owned” is a very popular thing to put on any business’ sign.

Staying on 66 becomes something of a guessing game at times.

The Rose Bowl on Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma

After getting a manager’s special price to check into a Quality Inn in Amarillo, Texas, the woman looked at my license and said, “why did you need a cheaper price? You’re from New York. You must have money!” Where am I, back in Bali with that thinking?

The continental breakfast at my hotel in Texas had biscuits and gravy, sausages and eggs. Mmmm.

Shortly after entering Texas, I saw a road sign saying “Don’t mess with Texas. Obey posted speed limits.”

Northern Texas is not quite the desert but not quite a tree-filled area. Not sure what it is exactly.

When driving country highways in Texas it feels like I have the world to myself.

A Texas roadside sunset on Route 66

Route 66 in Texas is completely different than in the other states I’ve been in so far. Most of the Route is only the interstate and every now and then an exit will have a “Route 66 here” notice on it. Even then, the historic road is usually only a few miles long then it’s back onto the interstate.

There are giant metal windmills all over the landscape providing wind power.

A lot of towns only have one, if any, stoplight.

Many of the towns along Route 66 dried up when the interstate bypassed them and are now shells of their former self. I get this. What I find crazy is that people still live there and raise their families.

Railroad tracks run alongside much of Route 66 and at one point I saw railroad ties being placed using cranes on railway cars.

Texas – View the set on flickr

Oklahoma

Texas

New plan!

Change of plans. Instead of shooting north to take the Oregon Trail, I’ve decided to just stay on Route 66 all the way to Los Angeles. It’s just too much fun! After leaving St. Louis, I spent a two full days doing nothing but driving The Mother Road and taking in all its attractions, signs, cafes and decaying buildings. Along the way I stayed at another classic Route 66 motel where I got eaten up by bedbugs, saw the world’s largest rocking chair and the world’s largest gift store, toured an amazing cavern with one of the world’s biggest stalagmites and visited a town that could easily be taken right out of Back to the Future.

I’m currently in Bernalillo, New Mexico, but this entry covers my time in Missouri and Kansas from October 21 -22, 2009. Highlights included:

The famous Route 66 Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri

Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon, MO: one of the classic Route 66 motels, still run by the same woman who ran it 30 years ago. The motel features one of the most famous neon signs still lit up today.

Meramec Caverns, Stanton, MO: long before it was a tourist trap, Jesse James and his gang used these caves to escape from the long arm of the law. Since 1933, it has invited millions of guests in to tour the amazing stalactites and stalagmites. Since it’s low season, my tour consisted of three total people plus the guide.

Creative Chainsaw Carvings, Stanton, MO: an entire store filled with beautiful wood carvings all done by chainsaw. The owner’s late husband was one of the pioneers of the art form and she spent nearly an hour chatting with me about the history of chainsaw art.

Toy Museum, Stanton, MO: a huge museum filled with antique toys. Unfortunately, although the owner was all too willing to invite me into his gift store and chat for 30 minutes about toys and Route 66, he would not open the actual museum as he was expecting a special guest. No comment.

Stalagtites insite Meramec Caverns in Stanton, Missouri

Steak and Shake, Springfield, MO: one of the originals of this mid-west fast food franchise, my guidebook stated that there would be carhops serving me my meal in my car. In reality, it was just a guy who brought a menu to your car, took your order and brought you a bag of food. I did not stay.

The World’s Largest Gift Shop, Phillipsburg, MO: the name says it all. Literally, it had rows and rows of gifts, all organized by type such as Coca-Cola, dolls, Route 66 stuff, signs, lanterns, etc.

The World’s Largest Rocking Chair, Cuba, MO: this attraction was only built a few years ago but it fits right into the Route 66 landscape.

Carthage Town Hall, Carthage, MO: a beautiful old stone building in the middle of a town square filled with storefronts that look like they are still in the 1950s. This area reminded me of Back to the Future. 1.21 jiggawats!

Spencer Garage, Spencer, MO: a recreated old-school gas station.

The Rainbow Bridge at Brush Creek in Riverton, Kansas, is one of the most historic bridges on Route 66

Devil’s Elbow Bridge, Devil’s Elbow, MO: this stretch of road and bridge used to be one of the most dangerous parts of Route 66. Now it’s just one of the most scenic: filled with rough original road and draped with trees.

4 Women on the Road, Galena, KS: a restored service station run by four women that has one of the inspirations for the Pixar movie Cars outside.

Rainbow Bridge over Brush Creek, Riverton, KS: the only remaining single-span concrete bridge on Route 66. Great architecture and surroundings.

At the Spencer Service Station

When I asked for directions at a post office in Missouri, the woman actually said to me, “go west young man.” Classic.

Store employees are constantly impressed by my New York license plate and how far I’ve driven.

Some nights I eat out…others I eat random foods I brought with me. Some highlights have been the tuna sandwich and lima beans night and the canned soup complimented by canned corn and microwave popcorn.

It’s crazy that people can still smoke in restaurants all across the south.

My dinner in Lebanon, Missouri, was at a local eatery and after getting what the waitress recommended I found myself face to face with two giant piles of roast beef, a mound of mashed potatoes and a swimming pool of gravy. I ate it all and it was outstanding!

The Mule Tobacco Barn man in Rolla, Missouri, on Route 66

Also in Lebanon, my breakfast at a local greasy spoon was an amazing fatty feast of a 3-egg omelet, hash browns and some of the best biscuits and gravy I’ve ever eaten.

Missouri farmers are very religious with a lot of Baptist churches and Jesus related messages on signs on their fences. Good times in the Bible Belt.

It’s tough to tell what is an original Route 66 business and what is new because most places try to replicate the look of the old shops and everyone has a Route 66 sign outside.

I have seen a bunch of amazing sunsets so far while driving. Unfortunately, since I’m driving west, before the sky gets beautiful the sun itself spends quite a while blaring into my retinas.

When giving me directions, one of the old timers at a toy museum told me to go straight until I hit an “electronic light.” As in, a traffic light?

In one area of Missouri, there is a stretch of 66 that is only one lane. I thought I had found it, but after about 10 minutes of driving down a barely paved, mostly dirt and rock, road I realized I had no idea where I was and had to go to the GPS to find my way back to civilization. Literally, I was out in Deliverance country with one farm every 5 miles.

Route 66 in Kansas

Talk about forward thinking, the guy who opened Meramec Caverns in Missouri bought hundreds of billboards on the side of the highway in 1933 for $100 per year for 100 years. So now he dominates the road for hundreds of miles and by the time you get to his caverns you have no choice but to stop.

Why is it that I always find the $20 hotel rooms when I don’t need a place to stay?

Along the way, I’m trying to count how many WalMarts I see. Making this harder are the fakeouts, like CarMart, who’s sign looks exactly like the WalMart one and from far away it takes me a few seconds to see it clearly.

There are a lot of old motel, gas station and diner signs that still stand, although the building that used to house the business is long gone.

Old gas station remnantas alongside Route 66

I sometimes feel that driving Route 66 gives me permission to do whatever I want in my car. Short stop to turn into a driveway to take a photo of a sign? No problem. U-turns, backing into oncoming traffic lanes and driving on the sidewalk? Of course! Parking my car anywhere I please to hop out and take a few quick pics? Naturally. It works because these towns have pretty much no one in them and because everyone there knows exactly what I’m doing.

So many of the old Route 66 businesses were housed in beautiful stone buildings.

I can’t believe I have been in Kansas. Interestingly, it has some of the most evocative Route 66 sights of my trip to date.

Route 66 is beautiful in late October with all of the changing leaves

I may not have made it to New England for the fall foliage, but the color changing is in full effect on my drive so far and makes the landscape infinitely more interesting and gorgeous.

Big bold arrows pointing drivers to a business are very prominent on Route 66 signs.

While standing outside my motel room talking to Carrie on the phone, a woman who clearly was a prostitute walked out of another room, went to her car, realized she forgot her keys, joked about it with me and had to go back to her John’s room to get them.

Getting my kicks

For those who don’t know, I’m on the move again…this time on a road trip across America. After years of talking about it and planning it, I am finally moving out to San Francisco where Carrie just found us a great apartment a block off of Haight Ashbury. So, on Saturday, October 17, I packed up my car and headed out. My route includes a few hundred miles of Route 66 in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas before heading north to Nebraska to pick up the Oregon Trail and continue my journey west. As always, I will be blogging about my trip and I promise that these entries will be much shorter than the ones from my last trip…

The Gardenway Motel in Villa Ridge, Missouri, is one of the scattered original Route 66 motels still open for business today

The trip began with a two day stopover in Washington, DC, before my first day of real driving took me nearly 600 miles through Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Then, after a night in a hostel in Indianapolis and a 200 mile drive, I hit Route 66 in Springfield, IL. There my progress drew to a snail’s pace as I spent the rest of the day immersed in American kitsch, roadside attractions and history with constant stops along the way. The day ended with a visit to the world’s largest catsup bottle and a night in Collinsville, IL, about 15 miles out of St. Louis.

Originally planning to finish most of Route 66 on day three, I got sucked in by St. Louis. The first half of the day was spent at a casino playing blackjack and winning $200. Then, by the time I had checked out the Gateway Arch and took the Anheiser Busch Brewery tour, it was time to check into the Gardenway Motel: a neon-signed Route 66 roadside original. The room smells like stale smoke, there’s no cable, Internet or phone and it wasn’t cheap…but I’m typing this entry from the same room that travelers stayed in more than five decades ago.

A full list of all the things I have seen in my first full three days is as follows:

Bill Shea, the owner of Bill Shea's Gas Station Museum on Route 66

Bill Shea’s Gas Station Museum – Springfield, IL: often called the best tourist stop on Route 66, it is filled with all sorts of old signs, gas pumps, cars and kitch

Cozy Drive In – Springfield, IL: the birthplace of the corn dog

The Lauterback Tire Man – Springfield, IL: a giant man outside a tire shop that used to hold a giant tire until it was replaced with an American flag

Henry’s Rabit Ranch – Staunton, IL: a great souvineer shop with all sorts of car-related antiques from Route 66 as well as a rabbit ranch. At one point, Henry had a rabbit that was on the 2008 presidential ballot but couldn’t run because she died. Her reason for running was that she was “black like Obama, a woman like Hillary and old like McCain.”

Old Coke machines at the Pioneer Motel in Springfield, Illinois

Soulsby Shell Station – Mt. Olive, IL: an old Shell station that has been restored to look exactly as it did in the 1950s

Ariston Café – Litchfield, IL: one of the oldest diners on Route 66

The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle – Collinsville, IL: at 170 feet high, it is really just a decorated water tower…but still pretty cool

The Gateway Arch – St. Louis, MO: the large arch by the waterfront that St. Louis is famous for

Anheiser Busch Brewery – St. Louis, MO: the tour covered the seven block compound and finished with two free beers

In front of the world's largest catsup bottle

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard – St. Louis, MO: it’s like ice cream, but fattier and more rich…and not as good. The roadside shack that serves it is a Route 66 icon.

Gardenway Motel – Gray Summit, MO: one of the original Route 66 hotels

Countless other motels and roadside diners. Some were still open and look like they did years ago but many others are long-closed and in various states of disrepair

In a few places, the original road of Route 66 has been preserved

Sometimes referred to as The Mother Road or Main Street of America, Route 66 was paved in 1926 and was the primary way for drivers to get from Chicago to Los Angeles until the creation of the interstate highway system. During the Great Depression, countless farmers packed up their lives and migrated West via Route 66. Later, during America’s greatest period of prosperity following World War II, the road became filled with neon signs, roadside diners, motels, gas stations, cheesy tourist traps, kitsch galore and lots of attractions that include the words “the world’s biggest…”

Unfortunately, Route 66 could not withstand the effects of the interstate system. As more and more drivers opted to take the fastest way across the country, more and more roadside businesses dried up. The final blow was dealt in 1985 when Route 66 was officially decommissioned. Many segments were renamed with a new highway number while others were just paved over and became county roads.

The Lauterback Tire man in Springfiend, Illinois, used to hold a giant tire in his hands and not an American Flag

Today, driving Route 66 proves to be a tough task. Some places have signs pointing drivers in the right direction, but roads end abruptly and one often has to hop onto the interstate for a few exits to pick it back up. However, once Route 66 has been found it is still a treasure chest of Americana: a throwback to a more pure time in the country’s history. While the majority of the old businesses have shut down, many others exist as tourist attractions and have been restored to their original glory.

The Red Cedar Inn alongside Route 66 in Pacific, Missouri is now closed

Due to a silly law that any car 1995 or older must be inspected in the city it is registered in, I had to drive back to New York City for an inspection instead of heading directly to Washington, DC to begin my trip. No big deal, but it was 100 miles out of my way and the inspection took nearly two hours including a search to find a gas station that could even do it in the Bronx.

When I packed my car I had to use every bit of skill I gained from playing years of Tetris in order to get it all to fit.

Hostels are far rarer in the United States than in the rest of the world. I would do a search on Hostels.com for a city and it would give me statewide results instead.

It’s great that you can go 70 mph in so many places.

West Virginia has gross tap water.

Arts Motel Restaurant on Route 66 in Illinois

Barns, silos, trees, farms, corn and tractors are pretty much the majority of what I saw on my first day of driving.

The voice of my GPS goes crazy with instructions every time I leave the highway to take a rest stop. “Make a U turn. Go Right. Make a U turn! Do it now!”

I need a car lighter splitter for all the electronics that I need to charge. Ipod, phone, GPS.

Considering how many scenic overlooks there are in the Northeast I’m amazed that I haven’t seen one since I left Maryland.

There was a Time Warner Cable office in Columbus, OH…who knew they existed outside of NY.

One of the things I’m transporting in my car is a metal shelving unit that rattles all the time while I’m driving. The crazy part is the sound is exactly like the one the door on my family’s cat carrier used to make so I keep thinking my old cats are in the car!

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis

I saw a sign for a two pack of 50oz Coca Cola bottles that had the tagline, “enough for your meal.” As if America needs to get fatter.

There are antique stores everywhere.

I saw a sign for MexicoScuba.com in the middle of the farmlands of Illinois.

The only speaker in my car not covered by all my stuff is located to the left of my left leg. This means that depending on what position I’m sitting, the entire sound inside the car changes.

Subway has joined the ranks of McDonalds, Burger King and Starbucks in terms of chains you see every exit on the road.

So far my GPS has spoken in American, British and Australian accents. The Australian one sounds like no accent at all.

After traveling abroad for so long certain things are engrained in my mind. Like when I actually asked the hostel owner in Indianapolis if the tap water was safe to drink.

Outside The Budweiser brewery in St. Louis, Missouri

What’s with Steak ‘n Shake? I’ve never seen one before in my life and now they are everywhere!

I’ve had to remind myself more than a few times which side of the road I have to drive on.

There are a lot of bees in Springfield, Illinois.

So far, everyone I have met has been extremely friendly and excited to talk about Route 66.

I didn’t see my first Home Depot until I was nearly in St. Louis.

Motel 6 has some really crummy WiFi. I had better in Cambodia!