Thursday, October 7, 2010

Meeting Mr. Route 66 and a Fabulous Mother Road Museum

Thursday, Sept. 30, Chandler, Okla. 

Seattle folks will love this: While watching TV this a.m. for a weather report, we happened upon a sportscast with coanchors in suits and ties chatting with each other. Next to one of them, and being completely ignored by the sportscasters, was an ugly, hairy and horned mascot in a team uniform for the Oklahoma City Thunder, you know, that team that used to play mediocre-to-poor basketball in Seattle. It was so laughable -- the mascot (Rumble the bison) bopped around doing little dance moves, swinging his arms, generally looking ridiculous and saying nary a word. It was obvious the two suits were embarrassed as they turned their back on him. We're probably lucky they left town.

Leaving the bedbugs behind, we ventured just a few short blocks to meet Jerry McClanahan, Route 66 artist and guidebook author whose "EZ 66 Guide for Travelers" has been our bible throughout this trip. Countless hours spent on Route 66 over the years led to an exhaustive study of the road and (let the bells ring out) turn-by-turn directions for the entire route westbound and eastbound. To say Jerry rode with us day by day is an understatement.

Gordon had contacted him early on in our planning, and he was grateful for Jerry's suggestions; meeting him in person was a treat. Jerry has a gallery in Chandler to display his artwork, maps, cassette tapes and more -- we jokingly said he needed fewer Corvette pictures and more T-Birds. Before we left, Jerry autographed our guidebooks and then sent us on our way.

Next stop was a round red barn, right on Route 66. Built in 1898, the barn houses a museum/gift shop on the ground floor and a ballroom on the second floor. There are two theories about why the barn is round: 1) It was less likely to be hit by a tornado because the wind would go around it and 2) That horses could walk in circles inside to generate electricity. Whatever the reason, it resulted in a fascinating construction achievement, especially inside the round dome where the roof supports create an amazing latticework pattern.

People who love soda pop will find nirvana at Pops, a food, fuel and fizz establishment that opened on Route 66 in 2007. It's hard to miss Pops with its giant soda bottle and straw of neon tubing. We saw it in the daytime but are told it's bright red at night. Pops boasts more than 500 varieties of soda, from the nostalgic Nehi Grape and Nesbitt's Orange to the latest in 21st-century flavors such as Juicy Pear and Nectarine Splash. The glass walls are lined with approximately 80 kinds of soda in a rainbow of colors that gleam in the sunlight.

Searching for remnants of Old 66, we happened upon the 1927 vintage Robert's Diner in El Reno, a 12-stool lunch counter that circles the tiny kitchen. Think Saturday Night Live's ongoing skit with John Belushi and Dan Akroyd portraying fry cooks and shouting, "Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger . . . Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi." Somehow we felt we'd hit another time warp -- the deluxe cheeseburger was $2.85!

We made a quick stop at nearby historic Fort Reno, a military installation that housed German POWs following World War II. And then we were off to see more of Oklahoma -- flat land with the occasional gentle hill, rich orangey-red soil, and lots of happy, "contented" dairy cows.

Ka-thunk . . . ka-thunk . . . ka-thunk. That's how this 1930s portion of Route 66 sounded as we drove over concrete segments that had been laid side by side to form the roadway. The sound was hypnotic, reminiscent of a metronome, as we cruised mile after mile at the same speed. The wheat-colored road was straight as it undulated over small hills and through valleys. And all the while, ka-thunk . . . ka-thunk . . . ka-thunk. Pure music to our ears.

This afternoon we had the pleasure of meeting Marion and Dolores Davidson, the movers and shakers of the Lawton, Okla., T-Bird Club. We gathered at Lucille's, a restored '50s diner in nearby Clinton. After a delicious afternoon snack of floats and shakes, we followed them to the fantastic Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. The Davidsons, who worked tirelessly to see the museum become a reality (he's in the Route 66 Hall of Fame) treated the group to free admission (we send our many thanks!), and we began the tour.

Taking visitors down the Mother Road by decade was an ingenious concept. As we passed from one tableau to another, we pushed a button and music of the era played, setting the scene for the exhibits of the people, places and cars of the Route 66 history. We're learning that this highway, which we've come to love, reflects much of the history of our country's second westward movement. In its own way, it has been a part of thousands and thousands of lives. And now it's a part of ours.

More to come as soon as we can.

Judy and Gordon

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