Freedom is a part of the American Dream and Route 66 is a symbol of that American Dream; freedom to travel the open road looking for adventure, or, for some, prosperity. Blessed to have the freedom to travel, John and I are ready to get our kicks on Route 66. So, here we go, looking for adventure on America’s Mother Road as we continue our Spring migration back to the Pacific Northwest and the Dicken Clan.
Elk City, OK
Heading southwest from Wichita, we met up with Route 66 in Elk City, Oklahoma. (Had to make a return visit for a medical issue that turned out to be a false alarm. Thank goodness!) 🙏❤️
Our home for the night, a Harvest Host site. A newer diner with a Route 66 theme called 66 to Go. The huge gravel lot next to the diner accommodated 4 other travelers besides ourselves. The owner entertained us with his life stories and how at age 70+ decided he was bored and wanted to open a diner. After enjoying tasty burgers, he served up some delicious homemade custard. Highly recommend!
National Route 66 Museum
The next day I toured the National Route 66 Museum while John caught up on work stuff. I ‘drove’ a 1955 pink Cadillac on the Mother Road, enjoyed a clip of The Blob at the drive-in sitting in a classic Chevy Impala, watched an informative movie about the history of transportation and the birth of Route 66, then wandered through the nostalgia of Route 66 traveling from Chicago to Cali. The perfect starting place for our adventure. And, one I thoroughly enjoyed! 😊
But, wait, there’s more! 3 museums for the price of 1! The Old Town Museum and Farm & Ranch Museum are part of the $5 admission fee. Meander through the Old Town peeking in windows for a view from another time. All I can say is, I am thankful for technology!! 😁
McLean, TX
A short, one hour drive and we were in McLean, TX. This sweet, little town reminds me of the one in the movie Cars. 🚖🛻🚜 The great folks here love their town and are determined to make it a stop on I-40, just like it used to be on Route 66. So, for all my traveling friends don’t pass it by!
Our home for the night was The Cactus Inn Motel. 🌵 Built in 1956, it still has it’s 1950s charm. Best of all, it’s a part of the Harvest Host community. They have 3 RV spots and offer water and electric for $20/night. The owners welcomed us and shared info about local businesses.
Driving the Mother Road
John got his kicks channeling his Corvette racing days on the historic Mother Road from McLean to Shamrock. I must say it gave me thrills too! WhooHoo!!
Shamrock, TX
Home of the Tower Conoco Station and U-Drop Inn Café. Built in 1936, this art deco building with its neon lights is one of the more famous and lasting images on Route 66. Ramone’s Body Shop in the movie Cars was modeled after it! 🚘😎 Now it serves as a community/visitor’s center. Cool story…the cute little red car I’m sitting in is from England. The gentlemen driver had it shipped over so he could drive the Historic Route 66.
Experiencing McLean
Before we left, we headed the couple of blocks into town for breakfast at the highly recommended Chuckwagon. It was fabulous! My mouth waters remembering The Best breakfast burrito ever! Seriously! Visiting with the family that runs it, we learned a little more about McLean and the tenacious spirit of the people who live here. John made fast friends with the kids who were supposed to be doing their reading assignments!
After a delightful breakfast, we strolled the Mother Road through McLean’s downtown, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a run down version of its former glory days. Some buildings are being repurposed, most, sadly, are not.
During the golden age of Route 66, this little town had 22 auto-related businesses. And 75% of those were gas stations! The most famous, built in 1929, was the Phillips 66. The first in Texas, it was in operation until 1977. It’s now been restored. I love how these old gas stations were built like little cottages. So much personality!
Our last stop, the Devil’s Rope Museum, a museum dedicated to barbed wire! Who knew there was such a history and so many different kinds! Then, there was the barbed wire artwork. My favorite was the brassiere made out of barbed wire. The building was once a bra factory which earned McLean the nickname “Uplift Capital of the World!!” 👀
Also, housed in the Devil’s Rope Museum is a small room dedicated to Route 66 memorabilia of Texas. A few things that made me chuckle…the Burma Shave signs and, yet, another sailor needing a ride! What’s up with that!! LOL
Quirky Road Side Attractions
After a ‘fond farewell, until next time’ to McLean, we continued west stopping at some relics of the Mother Road, plus a few ‘new’ quirky spots that draw in the unhurried traveler, along the way.
Exit 113 The Leaning Tower of Texas in Groom, TX An ingenious marketing ploy of Ralph Britten to get people to stop at his truck stop and restaurant. Worried travelers would swerve in and run yelling into his store “Watch Out! The tower is falling!” He’d respond, “been like that for years. What can I get you to eat!” Britten towed the massive tower 34 miles, filled it partially full of water, then used a bulldozer to elevate it at an 80 degree angle. Brilliant!
Exit 96 Slug Bug Ranch in Conway, TX An obvious parody of Cadillac Ranch. Built in 2002, as a way to bring travelers back to ‘their’ side of the interstate after a huge corporate travel plaza was built on the other side. Alas, it didn’t work and the family run business closed it doors within the year. It’s a fun spot to stretch your legs and snap a few pics!
Exit 62A 2nd Amendment Cowboy in Amarillo, TX Prior to coming to his current home at the Cadillac Ranch RV Park, this 22′ tall cowboy was neglected and used for target practice. Returned to his original owner for restoration, he was given the name 2nd Amendment Cowboy.
Cadillac Ranch Travel another mile or so on the frontage road and you’ll find 10 Caddies buried nose down in a field. The story is a local billionaire wanted a piece of public art that would baffle the locals. In 1974, he hired a group of art-hippies from San Francisco who came up with a tribute to the evolution of the Cadillac tail fin. Unfortunately or fortunately, the tail fins and other parts of the Caddies were ripped off for souvenirs and soon after the spray painting began. Art is in the eye of the beholder! 🤣
Exit 23 Midway Point on Route 66 in Adrian, TX 1,139 miles west to Los Angeles or east to Chicago. Stop in the diner and gift shop. Rumor has it the owner inspired the character Flo in the movie Cars.
Tucumcari Tonight 😎
Tucumcari has a rich history on Route 66. With over 2000 rooms and a plethora of restaurants and gas stations, the advertising slogan Tucumcari Tonight brought in weary travelers. Today many of those buildings have crumbled into roadside ruins. However, a few remain and their neon colors and larger than life signs bring in the Mother Road fanatics! The most famous is the Blue Swallow Motel. Built in 1939, it still looks much like it did then.
Our Tucumcari home was Blaze in Saddle RV Park. A family owned business with the Tucumcari Mountain in the background. A spot with a view! And the price was spot on too! $32 for full hook up! New travel buddies were made, including a pet parakeet!
Rawhide Days
This unexpected surprise filled our Saturday afternoon. An annual event, Rawhide Days brings in local artisans and food trucks selling their wares. The entertainment was legit! 😉 Listening to original cowboy songs while enjoying local treats. Best part, returning that evening to do a little boot scootin’ with my baby! 🤠
Albuquerque
Next stop, Albuquerque. Time to regroup, catch up on laundry, groceries… This is our 2nd stay in Albuquerque, so we have done most of the “go, see, dos.” We love this family owned park on the west side of town with its vintage trailers and funky art. Enchanted Trails is $35 a nite for full hook ups. The food truck on Tuesdays and Thursdays was a bonus and we indulged (more than once) on some of the best carne asada tacos we’ve had.
What we thought was going to be a short 3 day stay ended up being extended 2 days to fix a slide problem. It’s always something! Then another 4 more days waiting out the wicked winds that continued to blow into us! It was cheaper to stay put than pay the fuel prices driving into headwinds. So we worked on our tans, watched the traffic, counted the dust devils, and occasionally ran inside to escape one! LOL
I’m Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo
I ventured out to the ABQ Zoo for a Zoo Fix! It is an affiliate with the wonderfully, amazing Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, so I was able to get a discount with my SCZ membership! Score! It was good zoo. Lots of construction going on, so a lot of animals were off exhibit. And, of course, no birds because of the Bird Flu epidemic spreading around our country.
Route 66 Fix in Albuquerque
I love the way ABQ has embraced it’s Route 66 heritage. Bringing in new signage and businesses, while many original businesses are still alive flashing their bigger than life signs to draw in the customers!
Last Stop Grants, NM
During the hey-dey of Route 66, Grants was a stop that mesmerized the eastern travelers as they got their 1st glance of the “wild west.” Plenty of motels and restaurants, satiated the weary travelers. Today, most of those are gone. But there is a fun drive thru sign ! 🙂
Our home for the night, another Harvest Host site. However, this one was quite different! It’s a junkyard turned brewery. We seriously pulled The Beast into a junkyard! We still laugh about it! It was a great time, enjoying happy hour with fellow travelers and trading travel stories!
RV Laundry Time!
All cleaned up and ready to go! Heading West to our next adventure in Utah! Can’t wait!!
