Exodus to Adventure

After a long several days in Oklahoma, we were finally in Kansas, a short but memorable piece of Route 66.  Kansas takes great pride in the fact that they were the second state to have paved the road (Chicago, IL was the first.)  While short, the trip through Kansas took us through some back roads and over the Rainbow Bridge. We met Steve Herman, a fellow cyclist recovering from a knee replaceplacement.  He is also a Vietnam Vet and had reconnected with a former Navy buddy who he was showing around the area. Further down the short Kansas road we stopped at the Old Riverton Store, a fixture since 1929!   We spoke with a couple who stops there and knows the current owner, who's aunt bought the place in 1965.  As we were leaving, another group was walking in and we found out the great uncle actually helped build the place in 1929.  I introduced the two groups, amazing history in just a few minutes. We crossed over into Missouri and stopped for the night i...

Oklahoma!  Either the folks in Texas were warning us or the preparing us.  After passing two "Taj Mahal" like rest stops (the one coming into Texas looked nicer), We arrived in Oklahoma.  We pretty much stuck to the interstate since it paralleled the road.  I think we got the better end of the deal since the shoulders appeared to much smooter than the road we were supposed to be on. Our first stop was Elk City, OK.  We stayed near the interstate where the hotels and food were.  New state, new rules, so the masks came back out for dining, the hotel, etc.  No pool, no breakfast...not sure if they are using Covid as the excuse or there are just not enough workers. Leaving Elk City seemed to get us in a twist with the map.  We steered clear of the interstate and after several turn arounds, we got on the right road.  Another live snake to avoid and then I got the call.  My beautiful Sherlock was gone.  We had a great two and a half years...

Finally, out of New Mexico and into Texas! Adrian is the midpoint of Route 66.  We stopped at the Midpoint Cafe.  Dale pulled in first and the kind woman poked her head out to tell us they were closed but we were welcome to come in for a piece of pie and a drink.  They put just a touch of green chile in the apple pie which spices it up just a touch more than cinnamon only.  It was good.  Outside, there was a man and a woman (cousins) enroute to California to deliver the car to his daughter.  The battery light came on in Amarillo, they stopped to get it checked out and the mechanic said they should make it to Albuquerque.  Well, they made it to Adrian where there is pretty much nothing but the Cafe.  They were waiting on a tow back to Amarillo. We left the Cafe and headed towards Vega, TX where we would be staying that night.  The road was flat and straight.  The wind from the southeast was mostly in our face, so the going seemed slow and...

New Mexico seems like so long ago!  Long days on the saddle leave me a little tired to write.  Our first day was a shorter ride to Gallup, due to over 100 miles the day before.  Unfortunately, Google Maps lead us down a path towards a rugged dirt road.  A local man suggested we go back the way we came and use the interstate.  He noted that some big rigs had gotten back there by mistake as well.   After Gallup, we headed to the next bigger town down the trail, Grants.  This was a big day as we crossed the continental divide, on the east side of the divide all the rain heads toward the Atlantic Ocean, just like we are.  Just on the outskirts of Grants, we stopped at a Supermarket where I once again enjoyed the privelege of a flat tire.  As Dale and I worked the issue with a patch and some Slime, we met Roy, recently widowed and fending for himself.  Roy asked us to guess how old he was, we gave our guesses.  He then informed us h...