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Oklahoma Trooper Robison, Trooper Chavarria and Norm Yelland, Tulsa, OK.

 

Day 8, Thursday August 2 - Oklahoma City, OK.
Early morning meeting and breakfast with Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer Robison (whose badge number happens to be 366)!  Today we enjoyed traveling through the rolling hills of eastern Oklahoma.  Visiting small towns like Sapulpa, Kelleyville, Bristow, Stroud and Luther one can really go back in time and see when life was simpler and things were not so complicated.  The green hills and well-kept farms we passed by this morning were a peaceful sight.  In Arcadia, we were joined by members of the Arcadia Police Department who wanted additional posters.

 

1898 Round Barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma

We visited the 1898 Round Barn before heading off to Oklahoma City where we toured the OHP HQ and Academy.  After lunch with the highway patrol, we visited the Cowboy Hall of Fame.  While there, a local television film crew came out to shoot footage for the evening news.  Unfortunately there was a mix-up in the scheduling for our meeting with the press later this evening.   The cameraman did the interview with Kelly Crawford which was great - thanks Kelly!  I had the 1953 Ford serviced at the OHP garage then we continued to our hotel for the evening.

 

"End of the Trail" Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK.

 

"Thanks for everything Trooper Robison" Norm Yelland, Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City.

Day 9, Friday August 3 - Amarillo, TX.
Hot weather today.  We left the rolling hills of eastern Oklahoma behind and entered the plains of Texas.  In Clinton we received a warm welcome from the wonderful folks at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.  We also met with 1lt Jack Bennett, commander of Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop 54.  He said that the old cars really brought back memories.   In Elk City we visited the National Route 66 museum.  In both Clinton and Elk City, the local newspaper came out to write an article about our journey.  

 

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton.

Curio Shop, Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

 

Inside the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton.

In the tiny border town of Texola, located right on the Texas/Oklahoma state line, we visited the 1910 territorial Jail.  This one-room cell was used to house local bad guys up into the 1960’s.  After crossing into the Lone Star State, we stopped at the Devils Rope museum and enjoyed the many barbed-wire and Route 66 displays on exhibit.  Delbert and Ruth Trew have done a great job converting this old brassiere factory into a tourist attraction.  Unfortunately, we did not get to meet with them, but the staff on hand treated us wonderfully. As we left town, we stopped at a restored 1930's Phillips 66 gas station for photos then bought some much-needed lemonade from a local girl who had a sidewalk stand.

 

1910 Territorial Jail, Texola, Oklahoma

 

Trooper Chavarria in jail!

 

Devils Rope (Barbed Wire) Museum, McLean, Texas.

1930's Phillips 66 station - Mclean, Texas

 

As we approached the small town of Groom, we noticed the "Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" monument.   Touted as the largest cross in the western hemisphere, the cross stands 190 feet tall by 110 feet wide and weighs 2 1/2 million pounds (1250 tons).  The cross can be seen for 10 miles in any direction.  Another interesting sight we saw was the Britten leaning water tower.  This tower was erected at a 20 degree angle as a for the now defunct Britten Service Station that was located at this interstate exit.  

 

Britten Truck Stop Water tower sign - Groom, Texas

 

While stopping for fuel in Groom, we met with a Texas state trooper whom enjoyed taking photos with the restored Ford DPS unit.  We continued on to the Big Texan Steak House in Amarillo.   Here we met up with the California participants who spent some more time in McLean.  Inside the restaurant, we met up with Becky Ransom, president of the Texas Route 66 Association, who joined us for dinner.  Becky is also the personnel manager for this famous restaurant. 

Texas State Trooper - Groom, Texas.

The fame of this establishment comes from their offer of a Free 72oz steak to whomever can eat it (and all the fixin's) in one hour or less!  A few people tried it while we were there!    After dinner, we continued to our hotel ... what a mistake!  If you are ever in Amarillo, the Bronco Motel is not suggested by our organization!  Definitely not the type of place you would want to stay if you have anything to do with law enforcement!  We ended up staying at the local Motel 6 instead. 

Day 10, Saturday August 4, - Albuquerque, NM.
On our way out of town, we stopped to visit the famous Cadillac Ranch.  These 10 vintage Cadillac's were buried in a Texas wheat field nose-first. The vehicles are placed at the same angle as the great pyramids of Cheops in Egypt.  Owned by millionaire rancher Stanley Marsh, this work of public art is uniquely Texan. 

 

 

After enjoying this example of abstract art, we joined the interstate from Amarillo to the small town of Vega, where we rejoined Route 66 (which parallels the interstate as the northern frontage road).  Driving between Vega and Adrian, our group passed the midway point of Route 66.  Depending on which alignment you travel the midway point is located somewhere between the towns of Wildorado and Adrian, Texas.  The town of Adrian has capitalized on the distinction of being the official midway point of Route 66.  There is even a city water tower with a Route 66 emblem and the “Midway” designation painted on it.

Albuquerque PD Mobile Command Unit and Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department greet us as we enter Albuquerque.

 

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