Day Five
After a hearty breakfast, we headed for Kansas.
Between Rolla and Springfield, Mo., a distance of about 120 miles, most of old Route 66 remains, as it winds through small towns such as Doolittle, Hooker, St. Robert, Hazelgreen and Lebanon. Doolittle was named for the famed aviator, General Jimmy Doolitle, who orchestrated the first air-raid on Tokyo just months after Pearl Harbor, by flying 16 B-25 Bombers off the pitching deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. It wasn’t a major blow, but it boosted American morale and surprised the Japanese.
The old road looks just that, old.
It is mostly two lanes of cracked pavement with lots of small towns much as they were in the heyday of Route 66. We passed through Springfield, Mo., the “Queen of the Ozarks.” It was in Springfield on August 10, 1861 that 2500 men died in the Civil War Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Four years later “Wild Bill” Hickok killed a man over a gambling debt. He was acquitted and later ran for town marshal. This was life in the “Wild Midwest”. We stopped in Carthage for a lunch of fish and chips (finally, American food) and continued westward toward the Kansas border. Beyond Carthage lay Carterville, Webb City and finally Joplin, the last stop in Missouri. We went through St. Louis; Joplin, Missouri; Oklahoma City, I’m sure, will look mighty pretty once we get there. You know, that phrase might make a good song line. Nah, probably not. West of Joplin is a sign that reads “Old Route 66 next right”. If you don’t take this turn, you miss Kansas completely. Kansas has only 12 miles of Route 66, yet these miles remain truest to how the road was in the 1920’s and 30’s. |
Not only can you see the original road, but the depressed towns that were bypassed when the Interstates were built.
Galena, for me, was very depressing.Empty lots held derelict automobiles, many without their bodies, grim reminders of the lost opportunities and of people living in the past. It was difficult to tell if any of the businesses in town were still viable. |
Continuing west through Riverton, we came to the Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge over Brush Creek.This is a concrete arch bridge built in 1923 and the last of its type on Route 66. Turning southward, we drove through Baxter Springs, another important Civil War Battle site. It was here in 1863 that a ferocious attack by William Quantrill and his Raiders on a garrison of Union soldiers took place. It is said that many hundreds of Union soldiers died on that day, which is forever called the Baxter Springs Massacre. |
Three more miles and we entered Oklahoma.
Every tour book that I’ve read says that the entire state of Oklahoma is inhabited by BBQ aficionados and nowhere is BBQ better.
The state slogan seems to be “Get Your Ribs on Route 66.” Barely past the border, we entered Commerce, Ok., home of Mickey Mantle, the Commerce Comet. Several hours later we pulled into Claremore, Ok., home of Will Rogers. We pulled into the “Okie Inn” run by a guy in his mid-30’s with four teeth, who argued with his wife all the while registering us and recommending a place to eat.
I thought about having them join us for dinner, for about a nanosecond.
The room was inexpensive yet large, clean and quiet. Our host, as well as our guidebooks said, “Keep a nose-scan going for The Pits. It’s one of the best BBQ places in Oklahoma.” Having driven more than 300 miles that day, we checked in and sniffed our way to The Pits, arriving about an hour before closing. To our dismay, they were out of pork ribs. The owner was apologetic and made amends by providing us with a platter of BBQ’d brisket, Polish sausage, ham, chopped beef and bologna (yes, bologna and dang fine it were).
At closing, he and his staff went to the parking lot to look at the “funny little car.” Everyone loved it and I was in my element. The young waitresses especially loved it. Without a doubt, the 2CV is a “babe magnet”.
Rick and I found that if we alternated claiming ownership and describing the unique features of the car, each of us would have about two hour’s rest between shows.
Off to dreamland at the “Oakie Inn.”
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