ROUTE 66
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On Friday, May 15, 1998, Neva and I climbed into our time machine for a trip back in time on Old Route 66. We adjusted our mind time frames and reset our time machine's odometer. The time machine's fuel tanks were topped off in anticipation. Old road maps were consulted but newer maps were more dependable. With the old maps you could get lost in a time warp, perhaps never to find your way back to the present. A navigator tape was plugged into the time machine electrical system for mood imaging. As "Old Roads Are Just Side Roads That Time Passed By Too Fast" was surrounding the interior of our Time Machine, we blasted off. I stabilized our cruise speed, the co-pilot guided us towards "The Lost Highway", known as "The Mother Road". The Quest Had Begun. As I wrote this last sentence the hairs on the back of my neck just stood up. I have been on old Route 66 many times covering Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, and I still get so excited I just can't stand it. I love Route 66 Road Trips!
THE U-DROP INN considered by many Route 66 connoisseurs to be an Art Deco Masterpiece Deluxe. The U-Drop Inn is in Shamrock. Shamrock is just off of I-40 and at one time a Route 66 Main Street of America Town. In 1936 construction was started on the building costing a grand total of $23,000. Several years ago on one of our Route 66 tours, we ate at the café. It was a plain, small town café; no frills, just good food. Sadly on this trip the café was closed down and for rent. I have heard that a man from up North has bought the U-Drop Inn and plans to restore it to its former glory. Great!
The Devil's Rope Museum located on Old Route 66 and Kingsley Street in McLean, Texas. Open summer, Tues. - Sat 10:00 - 4:00, Sun. 1:00 - 4:00. Says they have the largest collection of barbed wire artifacts in the world. I believe them. You gotta see this display. They have barbed wire machines and a collection of barbed wire fencing tools. Be sure to check out the "Route 66 Hall of Fame" consisting of over 300 "66" artifacts. So, how much does it cost to tour all of this, you ask? It's FREE! Check it out. PS… my favorite machine in the Devil's Rope Museum is the "Duplex Automatic Ball Bearing Woven Wire Fence Machine", capable of making over 100 different styles of fence. What a great name for a machine.			The year was 1926, a new highway was christened. It started on Jackson Blvd. at Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago. It became a ribbon that tied a nation together. It crossed eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. It ended at Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica, California. As it snaked its way over 2.400 miles across the nation it became known as "The Most Magical Road in the World". It was also known as the "Mother Road", the "Will Rogers Highway", "America's Main Street", and of course, "Route 66". Just imagine a main street over 2.400 miles long, but it was just that. There wasn't any interstate highways to California in those days, so Route 66 went through each town along its way on or close to Main Street. On Saturday, Oct. l3, 1984 it ceased to be Route 66. Now five interstates lay claim to the old bed. A lot of the old road is still around, but you have to hunt for it. When you do find it, you'll find yourself slowing down. You can't be in a hurry on "Old Route 66". It won't let you. It takes you back in time and to old fashion ways. So, slow down and get your kicks on "Old Route 66".
This picture was taken inside the Devil's Rope Museum. This display is of hydraulic jacks. Each jack has a name. The names are JACK in the beanstalk, Lumber JACK, JACKet, Michael JACKson, JACKsonville, FL., JACKal, JACKstraw, JACK Daniels, yellow JACKet, JACK leg, JACKalope, hit the road JACK, flapJACK, boot JACK, one-eyed JACK, JACK Frost, hi-JACK, JACK the Ripper, JACK knife, JACK hammer, JACK O'Lantern, JACKson Hole, WY, life JACKet, JACK of Diamonds, JACK of Spades, JACK n Jill, JACK be nimble, JACK be quick, pump JACK, JACKpot, low JACK, JACK of Hearts, JACK of all trades, Cracker JACK, JACK in the box, Billie JACK, KoJACK, JACK rabbit and finally, JACKass.			"The Devil's Rope" is what the Plains Indians called barbed wire in the late 1800's. The barbed wire would cause serious injuries to any who ventured into it. The recognition for inventing barbed wire goes to Michael Kelly. In February 1868 he invented what was known as Thorney Fence, then later called Kelly's Diamond. It took Joseph FGlidden to do to barbed wire like Henry Ford did with the auto. He mass produced it and since then most barbed wire has been variations of his wire.
This is downtown McLean on Saturday evening about 3:00 pm. In the street in the background are some orange barrels. When we came by Friday evening to go to the Devil's Museum the authorities had the town completely blocked off except for the people who lived in the town. It seems they had themselves a little storm Thursday night. It was either a small tornado or high winds, depending on who you talked to. There was lots of damage. Walls were blown down, roofs gone, glass broken and trees uprooted. I think one of the saddest damages was that the neon sign at the Cactus Motel was blown down and damaged. We came back Saturday evening and looked around, then we visited the Museum
		The "66" Super Service Station smack dab in what usta be downtown Alanreed. This restored gas station was built in 1930 by Bradley Kiser, Very quite today.
"It's Hard To Find The Old Road Signs Of US 66" written by Lou Morra performed by Ron Dunivan Old roads are just side roads That time passed by too fast They only lead to sunsets And crossroads to the past Now from LA to Chicago Many highways intermix And it's hard to find The old road signs of US 66 Yes, here and there are remnants That link us to the past Tucked away on side roads And disappearing fast Dilapidated motels Faded orange juice stands Stretched across a Nation That lent a helping hand. Now from LA to Chicago' Many highways intermix And it's hard to find The old road signs of US 66 Yes, its left behind sweet memories Forever etched in time Of the Oakies and the Arkies Who followed that white line You pass patchwork quilts of ranches Through a country rich in lore Farmers working in their fields Shopping at a country store. The bounty of the harvest That you bought at roadside stands A welcome sight was that Flying A With gas you pumped by hand It's driving down that old highway People would stop and wave And you could pass the time Reading old road signs Put up by Burma Shave. Now from LA to Chicago Many highways intermix And it's hard to find The old road signs of US 66 It's that old road through During World War II When the Stars and Stripes Were flying And on history page It came of age For some a long road home Now times have changed And re arranged This country and its needs And the modern highways of today Are only built for speed. Number 66 could not compete With the highways of today And bit by bit time would see That old road chip away Yes, they will write songs about it And the stories will be told We cross this land of milk and honey On a highway paved with gold Now from LA to Chicago Many highways intermix And it's hard to find The old road signs of US 66 Yes, it's hard to find The old road signs of US 66. ROUTE 66 ON TV Martin Milner as Todd Stiles and George Maharis as Buz Murdock, cruised America in a Corvette convertible for 116 episodes in the "Route 66" series. What you might not know is that none of the episodes were shot on Route 66. Many of the shows were shot in Florida and southern Arizona. The reason for this was that the weather was better in these locations during the winter. Route 66 was the theme for the show. Chevrolet was to provide two new Corvettes. After the shows were shot, the Corvettes would be returned. Since the show was in black and white, everyone assumed that the car was red. A red car would appear to be black on the black and white film, so the cars were honey beige which crated an illusion that they were red. Nobody knows where the Corvettes ended up after the filming. In all, there were ten cars used. Just outside the BBQ joint is a sign on a tall pole. The signs says: My Suitcase is full of peanut butter and I am a fugitive from Wolfin. What a hole! Wolfin I mean. On Amarillo, preserve me from the lovely ladies taking in their Petunias and their Roses at dusk lest the frost will kill them and from the ladies with their heads whirling with civil zeal. I'm off to San Jacinto where the girls love peanut butter and the world is a man's castle. Oh Amarillo, preserve me from women who dress like the Junior League to go to the supermarket and from cowhide dispatch cases and from flannels and gabardines. Oh Amarillo, preserve me from world games and adulterers from Basset Hounds and swimming pools and Frozen Daiquiris and Bloody Mary's and smugness and cactus flowers and PTA meetings. Found on Cornerstone of abandoned Coffee House 1948			Click on image for big picture.This is the Britten Water Tower just outside of Groom. In the lower left hand side is me engaging in the newest sport "Water Tower Tilting". No, not really. They built it that way to get your attention as you drive down the Interstate. There was a gas station/store at this location, but not anymore. RATTLESNAKE RANCH SIGN IN LELA The old Regal Reptile Ranch sign. This picture was taken on our last trip. The large snake sign is now at the museum in McLean. Here is Neva sitting at Smokey Joe's Café on 6th St. in Amarillo. Smokey Joe's is a little BBQ joint, an indoor/ outdoor place. As soon as I took this picture I sat down with Neva to partake of a pork BBQ sandwich with french fries and a tall glass of ice water with lemon. Well, the sandwich and fries were okay. Just okay. I wish that I had have gone across the street to a real Route 66 Café, The Golden Light Café. Maybe next time. 66 Courts in Groom
Some Cadillac Graffiti Thanks Ant Farm ,… I see it in my dreams, …I wuz here, Randy… Shut up and Rock, …. Wendy (Australia, Perth), …Cycling Rt 66, LA to Chicago 25 Days by Bicycle, 29 Cyclist, …. 007, …. We are back again losing count on how many times. Hope to be back again, ……Rt 66 Rules, …… I pissed on this car 1998. "I'm gonna pack my Pa and I'm gonna pack my Aunt. I'm gonna take 'em down to the Cadillac Ranch" Bruce Springsteen "If you ever plan to motor West, travel my way. Take the highway that's the best. Get your kicks on Route 66." Bobby Troup "Now from LA to Chicago, many highways intermix. And it's hard to find the old road signs of US 66" Dunivan - Morra
TRIANGLE MOTEL - AMARILLO			THE BIG TEXAN STEAK RANCH The Big Texan Steak Ranch - I don't know how anyone can eat a 72 oz. Steak with all the trimmings in an hour. If you can, it's free and an astounding number of people have done just that. If you don't eat everything in one hour, you have to pay for it. If you get up from the table for any reason, you lose. We didn't try it. The Big Texan Steak Ranch was originally located on Amarillo Blvd., but was moved to the Interstate shortly after it opened.
First Phillips 66 Service Station in Texas has been restored. I think I read somewhere that Phillips named their company "Phillips 66" after Route 66.
				SEEN ON WALL IN MC LEAN
Get your sips on Route 66, the Adrian Cafe, Adrian, TX. Good food, homemade deserts, Route 66 information is what the sign says. Ate there. I had a good chicken fried steak. GLENRIO, TEXAS - The first/last motel in Texas. Glenrio sits right on the Texas/New Mexico State Line. Coming from New Mexico it was the first motel in Texas and going into New Mexico it was the last motel in Texas. You can hear the hum of the busy Interstate nearby, but the town is very quite. In the three times we have been there we have never seen another car on the streets.
				In the center of Glenrio you can step into time by moving from Central Standard Time to Moun- tain Standard Time.
	Old Route 66 Road looking towards New Mexico. That's the Interstate in the background. This picture was taken in Glenrio, the last town in Texas. This is also the saddest picture taken on the trip because this means that Route 66 Texas Style Road Trip is done. Nothing to do now but turn around and head back. Its been a great trip. We had a lot of fun. Let's do it again!
	After all the pictures were in and everything was glued down, I had this little space to say something. So, I'll say that Neva and I really enjoyed this trip on Route 66. We had a great time and ate some good food. If you find yourself in Amarillo, go to Irene King's Art Gallery and Antiques on West 6th Avenue. Inside they let you sign your name on the wall. Ours is behind the door to the second level. Check it out. Out of space. See you.
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