5/12/12 Where the Buffalo Roam

We're two days behind in our journal so I need to be brief - yeah, good luck.  Outside of El Reno, the Route is pristine concrete and straight as an arrow.  Just as Caitlin is enjoying discovering the old courts/motels along the Route, my fun is to travel the old pavement of the Route or identify remnants of the old Route.  Also we're in the territory in OK where the soil is red clay - it's rolling and hilly with exposed red clay, and it's weird and beautiful at the same time.  


East of Bridgeport we came upon the 1933 Pony Bridge using 38 "pony" (small) trusses to cross the South Canadian River.  Cars fly on this stretch, but in between the speeders I was able to catch this great shot.  

Back along the frontage of the interstate, we photographed the 1929 filling station known as Lucille's; closed since she passed away in 2000.  A Lucille's Roadhouse has been opened further west and we stopped there, but it seems it would be more appropriate to restore the old building (which is very cool) than build a new one.  But, what do I know?


Outside of Weatherford OK we spotted a large wind farm; first one since Missouri.  With all this wind out here on the prairie, we really expected to see more wind turbines.  We stopped at the Cherokee Trading Post to admire the relaxin' buffalo (I guess 21st century buffalo don't roam at all!) and find a great geocache.  We left an OK lottery ticket and took a toy rhino who, along with Quackers the Duck, has now become one of our travel saints.  Inside the trading post, I purchased a pretty horsehair pottery bowl which I can't use for food - so much for function.  It's pretty cool anyway.  

At the National Rt 66 Museum

We visited two Route 66 Museums in OK - the OK Museum in Clinton and the National Museum in Elk City.  Both are cool and worth the stop.


West of Clinton we crossed back and forth over the interstate many times it was dizzying.  Several times we crossed under the interstate and the first time we did so, we ran into this crazy swarm of birds that were flying around madly - I felt like Tippi Hedron in The Birds!


Last stop in OK was outside of Texola for a geocache find - while looking for it along the Route, a black bull sauntered up on the opposite side serenading us.  Was it my black Harley shirt that interested him?  Many small towns along the Route are like ghost towns after the interstate was built and Texola is no exception.  


West of the TX border we drive more 1930s concrete, and that's a treat.  To pass the time, we play car games and in Texas it's "find the windmill".  Between Texola and our stop for the night in McLean, Caitlin finds 8 and I have 7.


Shamrock TX may be known for owning a piece of the Blarney Stone, but we only stopped to photograph the very cool Art Deco Tower Conoco along the Route and a restored Magnolia gas station.


Finally, we settle for the night at the Cactus Inn Motel in McLean with a very spacious room and have dinner next door at the Red River Steakhouse.  Steaks are excellent as is the iced tea, but careful of the harried waitress - she may dump a glass of tea all over you.  I said I liked the tea, not that I'd like the tea all over me!


Dang, didn't I say this would be short?


Happy Trails, S