Day 7 - Across Oklahoma

Today, I traveled across most of the Sooner State and got a chance to ride some of the original concrete that comprised Route 66. You can tell it is original because it has 45 degree gutters on each side. Oklahoma touts the mother road as its biggest tourist attraction and they have done a very good job of identifying it. They have renamed it State Route 66 for the most part. I would be misleading you if I told you that I didn't get lost during my adventure. In the cities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City, I tried following the original route through town only to try and regroup and refind it on the outskirts of town. Temps started out cooler today in the low 70's, but got up to the mid-90's by afternoon. Hot and dry is the word for today.


Sunday saw me riding about 300 miles from Grove to Clinton, Ok in about 10 hours. My first stop after breakfast was in Catoosa to see the Blue Whale. This concrete creature was once the showpiece of a swimming hole and had waterslides which are probably the predecessor to today's water parks. There is no swwimming allowed today, but it was a quaint place to visit. Next stop was Chandler where they have converted a former armory into an interpretive center. No artifacts, but they have video snippets about subjects such as Route 66 neon signs.
Some of the seats are carseats, but others are reclining couches. I'm not sure, but I think I might have dozed off (just for a few seconds) during one of the presentations. Down the road was the round barn in Arcadia. This restored barn is huge. The upstairs has been used for barn dances and wedding receptions (maybe Brian would like to move his reception to Arcadia).

I stopped for dinner at the Cheyenne Restaurant (and souvenir shop) outside of Clinton. I asked to elderly locals about how to get back to old Route 66 and started a friendly disagreement. The older man was convinced that it could be accessed from the north side of I-40 and the other said it was on the south side. Well, the older man departed and the the remaining gentleman offered to escort me to the mother road and then to a motel. He was quite hospitable. In the future, I guess I will only ask directions when the person is alone! On Monday I will see the Route 66 museum in Clinton where I spent the evening.