Remember the guy I met yesterday? Gary. He built his own service station along 66 in Missouri. That guy. He was talking about how every time you travel 66, even if it’s a hundred times, you see something new.

In 2006, I traveled the same stretch that I traveled today. From it, I recalled merely one thing (which I’ll get to in a bit).

I took only five pictures in 2006 of the ground I covered today, writing only three short, almost dismissive paragraphs:

Tulsa, Oklahoma really screwed us up. We read two different directions from two different books and were very confused. Nothing made sense. 11th Street becomes 10th that is broken up by a hospital and then becomes 11th and 12th is somewhere in there too. It was horrible. We made it (obviously), but not without a lot of sweating.

The drive from Tulsa to Oklahoma City (actually, even north of Tulsa) contained a ton of drives on the old alignment. The whole trip was on Route 66, of course, but when we could get off more recent alignments and hit the ones from the 20’s and 30’s, it was just special. The old road follows the contour of the land. The newer alignments and interstates cut through the land. There’s little beauty in that.

When we got to Chandler, mere minutes away from Oklahoma City, I made some “could we *be* anymore in Chandler??” remarks. Boo giggled and giggled, but didn’t understand why it was funny. Nikki understood, but didn’t find it humorous in the least. How sad is that? Anyway, Chandler had their last cowboy shoot out in 1924. Sort of behind the times.

Today was much different. Today I feel like I really got to know Route 66.

I broke camp around 8:30 and the sky appeared gray and ready to rain. I stopped on my way through Tulsa and moved my rain gear from the bottom of my pillion to the top. Just in case.

Riding into Tulsa on 11th tossed me into a town that is holding its own and holding onto Route 66. Many of the businesses are Route 66 businesses. Many of the motels are still operating, though some are more apartments than motels now.

I’m not even sure if I went through here last time. I must have, but I don’t remember it. The Route has changed considerably in the past two years, but still. No excuse.

The sky dripped a bit upon us as we rode into downtown.

It was supposed to rain today. But not yet. I nearly pulled over and threw on the Devo suit. But I thought that I’d wait it out a little longer. I knew it was going to rain, but not quite yet.

As I was thinking these thoughts we rode by six houses parked along side the road. They were all on trailers and they all seemed to large to be on trailers. They are all also for sale.

There is a story behind these, but I don’t know what it is. If anyone does, please let me know.

My theory is that they wanted to take them on the Interstate, but couldn’t fit them or were disallowed by the long arm of the law.

They appear to have been there for years.

Sapulpa is the town after Tulsa. It’s down this long, sort of winding road along side rail road tracks. The road is long to the point where you think that you’re on the wrong road. It’s not marked. Of course not. And just when you’re this close to turning around, you see where you need to hang a right to go into Sapulpa.

Seriously, folks, put more signs up, ok?

Sapulpa, named after the Indian chief who settled nearby, seems to be pretty into the fact that they’re on 66. They had some murals (of course) and some Route 66 businesses. All in all a fine town. But it seems to living in the shadow of Tulsa. Sapulpa might just be “the town after Tulsa.” That would be a shame.

Today was a day, after Tulsa, made up almost entirely of really old (and sometimes craptastically maintained) alignments. At this point in Route 66’s wanderings, the early 1920’s alignment often follows the path of the Ozark Trail. As it stands, pretty much the more history, the better.

The first such part including a 120 foot, brick decked, 1921 bridge. It’s steel and the beams were riveted together rather than bolted.

While the more modern alignment of 66 isn’t very busy, it was nice to get away from pretty much any traffic. This short, but lovely, run was very typical of Route 66 and it’s always enjoyable.

But that lead to a bit of confusion. I’m not sure how, but I found myself on a dirt road that I thought was Route 66 heading west (which, in this case, geographically, would be south. I wasn’t totally sure, it could have been just some dirt road.

After a couple of miles, I noticed a cut into one of the hills, which proved to me that it was an old road and not just some dirt road. A mile or so later, I found a 1927 iron bridge. This wouldn’t have been on just some dirt road.

But where I screwed up was when I assumed that old road = old Route 66. The road came out on Oklahoma 48 North. That’s right, north. Now, I’ve got a pretty good sense of direction. I have no idea how this one slipped by me. How I did a 180 degree turn I’ll never know. But I did.

I eventually figured out where I was and where I wanted to be. I just don’t know how I got there.

And if you’re wondering, I’m now assuming that the road I was on was Old OK 48. I know nothing about that one, would be nifty to find out.

After booking it back to Route 66, I took another 1920’s alignment and ended up in the town of Bristow. Bristow was having some sort of big shindig and the street was blocked off.

This afforded me the opportunity to explore the town a bit. There isn’t much to explore, but it seemed like a nice little town. Part of me wanted to see what the festivities were all about, but mostly, I needed to push on. Best not to get involved.

From Bristow, it’s a straight shot into Dewpew. Meaning there aren’t old alignments to delve into along the way. But 66 hasn’t actually gone into Dewpew since 1926. Motorists traveling after that had to make an effort to see this little town. Or rather, Dewpew had to make an effort to be seen.

Dewpew really wants to be a Route 66 town. But it never really was. They welcome the tourist - there’s even a hand-painted sign along the highway with a Route 66 shield and an arrow to lure in the savvy traveler. We were lured and I’m glad for it to be true.

We didn’t see much - there’s not a whole lot going on.

In what might be the last realignment of Route 66, the road from Dewpew to Stoud was moved in 1984 (Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985). All along this distance, you can see traces of the 1926 - 1984 alignment. Mostly, they needed to widen the road.

Some of the stretches are drivable, but since it’s usually only 20 or so feet away from the new highway, what’s the point?

However, it is along one of the rare stretches that slides away from the new highway that I finally came across something I remembered.

That thing is the Route 66 Biker Rally & RV Park.

In 2006, we must have pulled off to the side and accidentally saw it. I basically did the same thing today. I wasn’t looking for it.

I took a picture of it then and that’s here.

We also stopped at the Route 66 Shoe Tree, a mile or so down the road form the Biker place, in 2006. I vaguely remembered that, so I guess it sort of counts, right? Anyway the shoe tree is one of two (maybe more) trees along Route 66 where people throw their shoes up into its branches and … well that’s about it. But that’s what makes it a shoe tree. Otherwise, it would just be a tree, and while lovely, it’s not a fun as a shoe tree.

Looking over the few pictures I took in ‘06, I see that we must have been through Stroud. All of the pictures, the Biker place, the shoe tree and the Skyliner Motel are from Stroud. Stroud is the one thing that I remember. And I don’t remember it well.

It’s a nice enough town. And really into being on Route 66. They seem to be big enough to support it, which is a good thing. Some of the same towns have the spirit, but just can’t pull it off. But Strouds got quirkiness (the shoe tree), an old motel (Skyliner) and some Route 66 based businesses (Rock Cafe, established in 1939).

Enough of the hustle/bustle of the big town, let’s hit the Ozark Trail and a 1926 alignment of Route 66. Leaving Stroud, you basically have to know where you’re going. Thankfully, the appropriately-titled book Oklahoma Route 66 by Jim Ross was my guide.

The book is good, but needs to be updated and must include more modern names for roads.

This section of the Ozark trail is special because along it is one of four Ozark Trail obelisks remaining in Oklahoma. These obelisks were placed along the trail like road signs. I’m not sure why they chose something so huge, but it’s fine that they did. I was surprised when I saw it from a distance.

It has been spray painted by the locals, but still in fairly good shape.

Here the dirt trail leads us to the town of Davenport, which was celebrating its Nettie Davenport Day!

Nettie was the town’s first Post Master in 1892. They named the town after her family. And this was one strange town.

My introduction to the town came via one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen ever. I am sorry to report that I have no picture of this event.

As I was riding into town I saw a 14 year old blond girl… talking on her cell phone… wearing spiderman pajamas… with no shoes or socks… while riding a four-wheeler down the main street of the town.

It was amazing and I turned around to follow her so I could take her picture, but alas she was gone. There were, however, many other folks riding ATVs. From four year olds to the older citizenry. There were even families with babies on four-wheelers!

The four-wheeler is to Davenport what the golf cart is to Florida. It’s that simple.

Route 66 is basically unchanged through the town of Chandler, which is pretty big as far as small towns go. They really seem to be trying to bring Route 66 back. Chandler has always been a little behind the times, their last gunfight was in 1924 - when most folks were watching silent films about cowboys. It killed Marshall Bill Tilghman. You can read about Chandler’s fun history here.

Just after Wellston, a town bypassed early-on by Route 66, is a stretch of privately owned abandoned Route 66. That in itself isn’t so rare. Many abandoned runs reverted to the original owners. This one, however is signed.

There’s a huge sign reading “Private Historical Site.” And you’re not quite sure if you’re allowed there. Was the guy just being a jerk or was he advertising a lonely stretch of road for all (except trucks, according to the sign) to visit? I erred on the side of curiosity and hung a right. The little stretch is maybe a half mile long with a gentle curve in it. Not bad. Original concrete. But just weird.

And just before Arcadia there is a run down little stone service station owned by the Rock of Ages Church nearby. This one is obviously opened to the public. And the story of this old station, one of the first along this road - even before it was Route 66 - if a fun one.

There was no electricity there in the 20’s and gas, oil and kerosene were dispensed via 55 gallon drums laid upon their sides.

All that changed when a gentleman drove through, offering to see the owners a plate for printing their very own $10 bills! They took him up on the offer and all was going very well for awhile. They’d print their money in a small back room, accessible through a hidden window. They were, of course, finally found out. The service station closed, never to reopen.

It was bought by a local church and they’ve preserved it very well.

But what Arcadia is most famous for is their big round barn. It was built in 1898 and restored to pristine condition in 1992. It’s maintained by a historical society and, at least when I was there, admission was free.

They even rent out the loft of the barn for parties. So if you’re ever wanting to have a fun ol’ time in a round barn, this is your place.

It’s really beautiful, definitely a “must see” on your way into Oklahoma City.

And speaking of OKC, I was only the town of Edmond away from it. Edmond, except for their fairly nice downtown, is one big stripmall. It seems to be more a suburb of OKC than anything else. I rode through it, but didn’t really stop.

I wasn’t really entering OKC today. I was skirting the edge and then heading to the KOA on the southeastern side of town. It’s about 14 miles off of Route 66 and was a very long and boring ride through stretches of basically nothing.

Luckily, I found a quaint little chinese place owned by a Taiwanese family and staffed by a high school aged goth girl who reminded me of this guy, Joe, I used to know. It was strange. But I got tofu and all was well. Thanks, tofu!

The day was at an end. Early too. That was nice, since I could really use some time out of the saddle.

Tomorrow, Sunday, is still up in the air. I’m watching the weather for tornado-like stuff and will base my decision upon that.

More when there is more to tell. Goodnight!

Here are my pics (not as many as yesterday).

Miles today: 195
Miles total: 2052 - I hit the 2,000 mile mark!

Here’s a really rough map of the ground covered today.