We then went to the Route 66 Museum at the Lebanon Public Library. It was wonderfully done and we spent about 45 minutes there.
This room represents a typical motel room in the 50's except for the telephone exchange on the left side of the picture.
This is a typical 50's diner.
Our original plan was to go as far as Springfield, Missouri on Route 66 before going to Branson, Missouri for a week and then on the way back to Calgary we were going to finish the rest of Route 66 in Missouri and the 13 miles in Kansas. However , today we had enough time to finish all the way to Kansas so we won't have to complete this year's trip on our way home.
We really enjoyed our adventures today, especially when we happened to find our new German friends Heike and Dirk at one of the more interesting attractions along Rte. 66. We also discovered today that we have something else in commnon with them. We are both travelling with a blue smurf. Now, you have to admit, what are the odds of that happening????? Dennis----I'm sure you'll have a comment about that!!!
At Paris Springs, Missouri we came across the Gay Parita Sinclair Station. As we drove up we happened to recognize a car we had seen before. Amazingly it was Heike and Dirk. Again, what are the odds???? The present owner of this fabulous gas station is one of the most interesting "characters" we have met on our adventure. His name is Gary Turner and his knowledge of Rte 66 knows no bounds and with his Missouri drawl he was an absolute pleasure to visit with. He took quite a liking to Vicky because she thought all his jokes were hilarious and would laugh uncontrollably. Gary thought she was absolutely delightful.
Gary put on his favorite Sinclair Oil hat for Vicky and let her make a phone call on his old crank phone. He cranked it for a long time because he said that way Vicky could make a "long distance call". Again Vicky laughed and Gary said "what a delightful gal".
Heike and Dirk talking with Gary. Gary is very intense in explaining different places on Rte. 66
While we were visiting here we made another amazing discovery. A debate has been going on since Elvis died in August 1977 about whether he really died. Well---the debate can now end. As we were visiting with Gary a car pulled up and guess who got out and came to speak with Gary??? As the old saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words"--Look at the following picture and judge for yourself.
Gary asked us to move the corvette in front of the gas station and took some pictures of us and the car. He want us to email the pictues to his son which we will do when we get back home.
We enjoyed our visit with Gary but finally said goodbye and chatted for a while with Heike and Dirk. The next time we see our German friends we hope it will be in Calgary. They are welcome to come and stay with us any time they can make it. We suggest Stampede Week.
Along the way we came across Mater's cousin. For those of you without grandchildren, Mater is the tow truck from the movie "Cars". The following pictures are especially for our grandchildren, Isabella and Leif. Soon after we took the picture below, we came across the real Mater in Galena, Kansas.
The story goes that some people from Disney had seen this old tow truck as they were conceiving the movie and based Mater on it. You judge for yourself.
Vicky having a conversation with Mater about Isabella and Leif.
This tow truck has to be the real Mater because he has Lighning McQueen upholstery?????
We were ending our Kansas trip on the route at the Rainbow Arch Bridge when a giant came along and asked us if we wanted him to take our picture. How can you argue with a giant????, so we agreed. You can tell it was a giant by looking at his shadow in the picture.
We actually ended our journey in Baxter Springs, Kansas before we headed back to Springfield, Missouri for the night. We made one last stop at a place that had been robbed by Jesse James in the 1800's.
Sorry about missing the comments yesterday but I got caught up in the annual corn harvest and vole smash at the farm south of Calgary.
ReplyDeleteThe Munger Motel looks like it would have been a real palace in its day, complete with moat and drawbridge. I'll bet that many a knight spend time on a queen in that castle. The style reminds me very much of Moose Jaw in 2011. They are trying to move into the 20th century.
Now to the blue Smurf, I've got nothing. Just the fact that Ukrainians and Germans are traveling with blue Smurfs should say everything.
It was nice to know that Gary had to crank extra long and hard to get a good connection. You should have told him to try Viagra. He might need Tommy John surgery if he keeps showing off to all the women who want to see him turn his crank.
Is the Gay Parita station part of the L.G.B.T. Oil Company? That would be a great clue for the Times Crossword?
Nice picture of Roy Orbison at the station. The giant certainly threw a long shadow, however, his head looked to be about the size of his second head. You certainly are meeting an interesting menagerie of people.