Route 66 2013: Tucumcari, NM to Oklahoma City, OK

A wildly colorful sun rises over the Blue Swallow on a frigid March morning. Continuing eastward, we roll down the old road through deserted places like San Jon, NM. Texas is getting close and the landscape is hilly. On the radio, Mel McDaniel sings “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” while we idle into Central Time at Glenrio, TX. Sad, really, what progress has done to the towns across the Panhandle. Every last one has been bypassed by I-40. Adrian, Vega, Conway, Groom, Alanreed, McLean, Shamrock… the land of the forgotten. We try to stop in as many as time will allow, but we have to make OK-C tonight or we’ll never get home. We cross into Oklahoma on the old road and motor up a beautiful 4 lane section of pink concrete through Erick, Sayre, and Elk City. Thumpity Thump! An evening gas stop reveals a nail in a fast leaking tire, snow is forecast across Missouri, and almost every motel room in Oklahoma is booked. The enormity of the trip we are undertaking starts to settle in.

Sunrise Over The Blue Swallow Motel Good Moring From The Blue Swallow Route 66 Into The Sunrise Tucumcari Junk Shop Redwood Lodge Motel Sign
Tucumcari Convention Center Restored Esso Station Happy Motoring! Restored Magnolia Station Ranch House Café Sign
Home Of Quality Food Rubee's Diner Sign Old Drive Thru Sign Drive Thru Cigarette Store San Jon, NM Gas Station
Route 66 Near San Jon, NM Maureen At Glenrio, TX Glenrio, TX The Buick At Glenrio, TX First/Last Motel
Mike At NM/TX Border Marker Glenrio Service Station Maureen's First Tumbleweed! Who's Gonna Steal It? Café
Adrian Grafitti Truck MidPoint Café Route 66 Midpoint Fabulous 40 Motel Sign Bent Door Midway Station
Bent Door Midway Station Where To? Vega Motel Sign Dot's Mini Museum Dot's Mini Museum
Howdy Padnuh Maureen At Cadillac Ranch Mike At Cadillac Ranch Cadillac Ranch Cadillac Ranch
Cadillac Ranch Spent Spray Cans At Cadillac Ranch Cadillac Ranch Put Me Down Norman! Amarillo Helium Plant
Amarillo Helium Monument Big Texan Sign The Big Texan Route 66 In Conway, TX The Bug Ranch
The Bug Ranch and Motel Sign How Long Has This Been Here? Welcome To Conway, TX Mike At The Bug Ranch Giant Cross At Groom
Groom Leaning Water Tower Cactus Inn, McLean Guyton Motor Corp. Restored Phillips 66 McLean Phillips 66
Downtown McLean, TX McLean Rexall Hotrod Haven McLean - The Heart Of Old Route 66 McLean Building Art
Old Route 66 Downtown Shamrock, TX Shamrock Magnolia Station Maureen In Shamrock Conoco
Conoco U Drop Inn Sign U Drop Inn Beckham County Courthouse

Gallery In Pages:   Route 66 Road Trip 2013