Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Route 66: The Blue Whale

AFTON, OKLAHOMA TO CATOOSA, OKLAHOMA

      The Route 66 Landmark Known as the Blue Whale


Friday, October 19, 2012 15:41:53
Departing downtown Afton, Oklahoma.

- 2012/10/19 Friday 15:42
Afton Station
1 (918) 257-4044
12 Southwest 1st Street, Afton, OK 74331

View Larger Map
- 2012/10/19 Friday 16:05


Again, from my phone notes....

Closed.  We got here too late.

If I re-read the hours of this place again, I would realize they are open from 09:30 to 15:00.  However, I spent so much time at 4 Women on the Route, that I missed the closing time.  This gives me something to look forward to in the future.  In the meantime, there is a blog here...

Friday, October 19, 2012 16:07:32
We are leaving town for Vinita, Oklahoma.  There is a landmark there I want to check out.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:07:42
North Main and Us 69 (66), Afton Oklahoma.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:08:32
Abandoned Court Motel sign with 3 cabins on the West side of Afton, Oklahoma on US 69 (Old US 66)
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:08:35
The sign says Avon Motor Court, I believe
Route 66 (US 69) turns to the south after Afton.  About 3 1/2 miles it veers back towards the west.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:20:50
Pony Bridge that is now no longer used on Old 66 in an area called Craig, Oklahoma
Craig, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:23:45
Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:23:57
We passed into Vinita.  I was hoping to go visit the "world's largest McDonalds," formerly known as the glass house...
We passed through Vinita, and turned around in town hoping to find the old Glass House restaurant.  It nearly put us on I-44, which would break route karma.  We turned around disgusted that on this day we would not enjoy some Micky D's kawfee.  There are no signs in town for this tourist attraction.  Many people who pass on the turnpike probably pass underneath it before they think about stopping.  Vinita loses out on tourist business due to hometown complacency.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:26:57
Downtown Vinita, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:27:02
Downtown Vinita, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:28:58
The Eat sign is a route 66 icon.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:42:26
Having not stopped at the Glass House over I-44, we continued on West.
Many areas on the route have names, such as White Oak, Oklahoma.  On this day, there is road construction here.
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:46:09
White Oak, Oklahoma on Route 66
The route goes southwest of of Vinita, Oklahoma, and there are some tracks that parallel the road here.
These tracks belong to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

Friday, October 19, 2012 16:59:18
Bridge near Chelsea, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 16:59:39
Chelsea, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:00:11
Chelsea, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:20:35
Chelsea, Oklahoma
We passed through Chelsea, Oklahoma southwest on Old 66 (US 69).  To the southwest of Chelsea is Bushyhead...
This part of the route is great, as the highway is nowhere to be seen.  I teased Suyen that we were passing through one of her favorite places.  She is a fan of the film "Where the Heart is."
The film was set in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, but was actually filmed in Texas.

We came to Claremore, Oklahoma
One of these eons, when we pass through, we are going to have to visit the Will Rogers Memorial...
You will find many places along the way that Route 66 is called the Will Rojers Highway....

Friday, October 19, 2012 17:21:03
Claremore, Oklahoma.  
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:35:08
Approaching Catoosa, Oklahoma from the northeast on Old US 66
Before you come into Catoosa, you pass some steel arch suspension bridge over the Verdigris River.  
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:35:12
Suspension Bridge over Verdigris River near Catoosa, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:35:15
Suspension Bridge over Verdigris River near Catoosa, Oklahoma
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:35:18
Suspension Bridge over Verdigris River near Catoosa, Oklahoma
We arrived at the Blue Whale, our goal for the day.
Friday, October 19, 2012 17:37:25

- 2012/10/19 Friday 17:40
Blue Whale of Catoosa
According to the handy dandy Gpsies gps tracker in the phone, we have traveled 65 miles since we left Afton, Oklahoma.
Palmer Motel sign in Afton, Oklahoma

Sign found at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma

Blue Whale of Catoosa
Suyen, (not Jonah) and the whale
 

Oh disappointment!






Inside the whale's head






The Fins are slides!






Noah's Ark

Found on the Property that has the Blue Whale



Parking area for the Blue Whale


*That's a lot of Glass
*Best KC Architecture needs your Vote
As part of a $5 million renovation, The Roasterie mounted a DC-3 onto its roof in September.
Roasterie DC-3 in the running for best KC Architecture
Courtesy Brenna Hawley/KCBJ
*Texicans Like KC





- 2012/11/12 Monday 14:30
WDAF
1 (816) 753-4567
Kansas City, MO
http://m.google.com/u/m/zE4Pe7
- 2012/11/12 Monday 15:56
My Location@15:56,11/12
5809 E 16th St, Kansas City, MO 64126
http://m.google.com/u/m/dEVqJ0
Monday, November 12, 2012 15:43:25
I've eaten at the little Mexican Market to the left in this photo.
 Monday, November 12, 2012 15:45:13
Despite starting out colder than he.. this day turned out nice.
 Monday, November 12, 2012 15:51:38
Roberts Super Market on Truman Road, KCMO
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:46:12
Caption Contest .... please leave your smart ass cracks in the comment section...
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:48:29
Driving back to the station via Truman Road.
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:49:40
City Skyline in the sunset distance as viewed from Truman Road in KCMO
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:50:36
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:53:05
Furniture Row on Truman Road, KCMO
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:53:11
OK Furniture Store, Truman Road, KCMO
 Monday, November 12, 2012 16:55:17
The sun sets on Kansas City
 Monday, November 12, 2012 17:00:27
Westbound on 31st, Kansas City, Missouri
 Monday, November 12, 2012 17:01:58

- 2012/11/12 Monday 17:06
WDAF
1 (816) 753-4567
Kansas City, MO
http://m.google.com/u/m/zE4Pe7







June 4, 2009 at 8.06am PDT
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