Clinton, OK

The Museum and Tour
Here I am at my first Route 66 museum. I have no idea what I’m doing here, but I figure that I got to spring for the $4 for the movie. The plan is starting to gel… maybe. After passing through the rooms of the tour, each has its own soundtrack, accessed by pressing a button on the wall, and getting the tune. Glenn Miller, Elvis, and of course, Get Your Kicks... The movie is okay and somewhat informative. Maybe it’s just that I’m eager to get back on the road and see the sights and sites, but the movie seems to bog down the last five minutes. Long, slow, takes of lost highways and bridges with weeds growing up through cracks in the pavement, pictures of rusty barriers and ‘dead-end’ signs. This is Route 66 today but I have to get out of here, The Mother Road is calling.

Monday, October 27th

This is where I first start to pick up Route 66. I’m flying down I40 at 75 MPH when I notice a gas station. I’ve done some quick browsing, and I’ve seen the film 'Cars', so this gas station sticks out. If you know Route 66, you know Lucille's. It’s right there, with a two lane road, directly in front of it. That must be Route 66, I think. I exit directly, and beat a hasty return down the two lane blacktop that rolls up and down, just north of the westbound lanes of I40. The exit is a few miles past the building.
Easy to see how the interstate could just bypass towns and businesses.
I’m somewhat reluctant to turn around myself. After all, the road lies west, and there’s a strong pull to push on, not to backtrack a single foot. After all, this is the open road and something better always lies ahead… For me, on this trip, this is the first hint of the draw of Mainstreet America.

Downtown Ottawa, KS