SvobodaKC: Route 66: El Reno, Oklahoma to Tucumcari, New Mexico

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Route 66: El Reno, Oklahoma to Tucumcari, New Mexico

A Day of Travel When the World Opens Up for You

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 02:31:19

bed

- 2012/04/29 Sunday 07:52:43

8:05:57

Heavy rain deluged the area last night, which we documented. In the morning we had cool and cloudy conditions.

8:11:49

I believe this Denny's is the old Consumer's Restaurant, which the entire business here was built around.

8:12:08

Oil rigs are a common motif for signage in these parts.

8:12:44

The vectors on the Denny's sign give away the age -- probably sometime in the late 50's. I believe the restaurant was built around 1959.

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Vectors

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I guess Fried Pies are a local favorite.

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I love the unique artwork on this restaurant. I couldn't tell if it was still in business or not. It was never opened the whole time we were here.

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I'm having fun with the different kinds of signs here. I wish the neon in the vectors was still functional as well as the light bulbs in the sign support.

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 08:59:31

We just had our continental at our Hotel. There goes our diet again. This Best Western has an interesting history tied to route 66, that is so typical of the highway. The route was really a livelihood for so many american families. Even though the family located thier business about 5 miles south of the route to the interstate when it came through, this is still a route 66 business. Best Westerns are usually locally owned franchises, and many are interesting with rich local history.

9:45:10

Departing our second motel of our trip.

9:50:56

El Reno, Oklahoma

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Reno,_Oklahoma

We came into town to walk, explore and to take our picture next to the route 66 mural. Suyen is big on trip portraits.

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She's getting her kicks on route 66....

10:07:34

Getting kicked on route 66.

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None of the local restaurants were open when we were here.

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What is a barefoot bar?

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Art Deco Marquee

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Another interesting place we didn't get to try.

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We finally begin our journey for day 3.

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Vector

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West of El Reno there is an old original stretch of route 66 that doesn't look like it has changed much since the original pavement was placed.

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Pony Bridge

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Old service station

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Weatherford, Oklahoma

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherford,_Oklahoma

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I did not realize these wind turbine fan blades are made of fiber glass

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 13:07:02

Cherokee Trading Post

1 (580) 323-0001

23107 North Frontage Road, Clinton, OK 73601

http://m.google.com/u/m/BfUNg0

11:54:49

We arrived just in time for brunch -- oh boy, lucky us --- diet...

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This is a bad attempt at getting Tima waiting outside the window. We snuck her some vittles.

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Kawfeeee!

12:37:13

We saw this place last time we passed through. We didn't have time to stop. The restaurant looks little changed since the 1950's. There is a huge store full of native souvenirs.

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More Buffalo

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Clinton, Oklahoma

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton,_Oklahoma

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Motel Clancy is a route 66 mid-century modern classic. I don't know how well it has held up as a motel.

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 14:37:24

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

1 (580) 323-7866

2229 West Gary Boulevard, Clinton, OK 73601

http://m.google.com/u/m/BuKxdx

http://www.route66.org/index2.html

We were actually looking forward to visiting this museum, and it was a pretty good one. We got lucky as parts of it were under rennovation, however, most of it was intact. We even got a reduced price fare, but tickets to the museum are cheap anyway. I thought the displays were very well laid out and thought out.

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This place looks vaguely familiar...

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The views of the old route across the street were pretty interesting too. I like the mid century motels, restaurants and bowling alley.

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This is a nicely restored Valentine diner. For history on Valentine Diners, go here...

http://www.kshs.org/p/history-of-valentine-diners/10396

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Elk City, Oklahoma

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 16:13:22

National Route 66 Museum

1 (580) 225-6266

2717 West 3rd Street, Elk City, OK 73644

http://m.google.com/u/m/AWDSfN

A bit of wierdness is that the Oklahoma Route 66 Musuem and the National Route 66 Museum are one town aprt. We only got the opportunity to tour the route 66 part of the musuem complex which was fine.

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I like this simple spartain trailer, which is basically a metal tent you tow behind your car.

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One of my favorite cars -- 1960's Studebaker Gran Tourismo Hawk.

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Lots of neon

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Suyen enjoys the old school Cadillac. There was a flat screen tv set up to simulate a drive in theater with dashcam video of route 66

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 17:58:49

Art Deco Conoco

Shamrock, TX 79079

Shamrock, TX

http://m.google.com/u/m/An33cz

This site does a much better job than I could talking about the history of this landmark

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/picturepages/66ShamrockUDropInn-2.html

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Mid-centur motel across the street from the Tower Building.

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I like the imitation of the architecture in the ATM machine

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Groom, Texas

Supersized cross and the leaning water tower...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom,_Texas

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Boy, it sure is hilly around here!

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- 2012/04/29 Sunday 19:03:23

Allsup's Convenience Store

1 (806) 248-7074

406 W Front St, Groom, TX 79039

http://m.google.com/u/m/zvGtzT

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Suyen was amazed to see people parked door to door in the middle of route 66 carrying on a conversation.

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Amarillo, Texas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarillo,_Texas

We had to blaze through Amarillo without stopping as we called ahead to Tucumcari and the Blue Swallow Motel and got a reservation for a room. We got lucky. We decided to stay in Tucumcari tonight.

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