Almost didn’t leave Springfield this morning. There were sever thunder showers. It was so bad that you could hear the thunder as soon as you saw the lightning. I haven’t seen that sort of weather in years, decades. I really didn’t feel comfortable driving in that weather.

So first thing I thought was to hunker down and stay another day. Then I thought, check out and go to a Panera where I can get free wifi. Have some coffee, something to eat. If the weather didn’t clear up, I could always check in to another hotel. If it cleared up, then we could leave. I looked on weather.com and it showed that I would have a window of opportunity between 11am and 3pm. That sounded good to me. So we checked out while it was slightly raining and started our drive to Tulsa.

Outside our hotel room, I saw this (and this is for you Wayne).

You never know what you’ll see on Route 66. Old gas stations, newer java shops, or some cool looking artwork.

In a little town called Halltown I see a place called Larry’s Collectibles.

If you need anything that is Coca Cola related, this is the place. I meet a young girl named Alexis. She’s Larry’s granddaughter. She said that they’ve gone as far as Canada to get Coke paraphernalia. She mentions that I should stop at Paris Springs to see some good stuff. I thank her and then she shows me this.

Is that a sweet car or what. Alexis tells me that it’s usually out front, but because of the 4th and the weather — they’ve had hail recently — it’s been sequestered in the garage. I thank her for showing me this car. Definitely fits what I am looking for.

The next place in Halltown is a real antique place. Lots of old stuff in there.

So .. a prior comment asked if I would show some pictures of the locals. You know .. candid shots. Well, I have some for you now.

It was funny. As soon as I got out of the car, they starting looking at me.

Now .. it was in the 90s .. ya know .. cows ain’t stupid.

Soon enough we were in Paris Springs. I met a really nice/knowledgeable person there. Her name is Jeanette (if your lurking here please correct me if the spelling is not right). She is the daughter of what she calls the ambassador of Missouri for Route 66. Anyway, she talked with me for a good 30 minutes, if not more. So much information that I cannot remember a third of it. I’ll have to do my own research or try to contact her for the information.

The stop in Paris Springs is a really nice one. Here’s a shot of it.

Here are some of the things she showed me.

Jeanette was telling me that she had a diner for about 10 years. The gas pumps out front were restored by her son and (I think she said) her father.

Now this next picture is something you don’t see every day.

Jeanette told me that this Model A was 1929, or did she say 1930 .. I cannot remember. Anyway .. It’s a spectacular car.

There are several more pictures that I took and much more to the story that I have no hope of remembering. Jeanette did point me to a few places as the next pictures show.

These are called pony bridges .. they lead me to Spencer.

Jeanette tells me that this next picture at Spencer is an original part of Route 66. Original roadway .. cement .. that is.

A couple of more pictures of Spencer.

Now .. I’ve been seeing this all throughout the midwest. In California, the hay bales are a rectangular cube. In the midwest .. well .. they do things differently.

If I hadn’t gone to Paris Springs, I wouldn’t have known to turn off the route and up a no-name street. Well .. it did actually have a name, but that’s not the point. Thanks to Jeanette, I found Red Oak II. Lowell Davis started moving houses and businesses from Red Oak, MO, 23 miles to a corn field. It then became Red Oak II. There are many buildings here, so I will post only a few.

There’s a day care center here.

There’s even a gas station here.

And a porta-potty.

Lot’s more pictures of Red Oak II. Just ask me and I’ll show you. Again .. my thanks to Jeanette. Without her directions I never would have thought to turn of the beaten path.

Next we’re in Carthage. Here are a couple pictures of one of the three drive-ins still functional on Route 66.

Remember when you went to the drive-in? My wife and I even took our dogs there one time.

We’re in Carterville now. This one is for my eldest son.

We finally enter Kansas. Now the stretch of Route 66 in Kansas is only about 13 miles. But there are things to see. It was recommended that I stop at the 4 Women On the Route so I do.

Did you notice the little sign in the window? Tow Tater? What’s that all about? It turns out that this particular place in Galena, KS has the tow truck that was the inspiration for Tow Mater on Cars. Let’s take a look.

Do you remember the scene in Cars where Lightning and Mater are talking and Mater says that Lightning owes him $37,000 for the lawer services? Well, Melba of the 4 Women on the Route says that this next picture was the inspiration for that scene.

She also tells me of a must see .. a rainbow bridge. Of course, I take the long way around. I lost Route 66 for a bit but managed to get there.

That’s pretty much it for Kansas. Like I said, it’s only 13 miles or so. Now we hit Oklahoma. Quapaw to be precise. Now it’s not really pronounced how you would think. The signs show it as Oh-Gaw-Paw. Anyway .. there are several things to see there. Such as …

Now we’re in Afton, OK. See a service station that caters to Packards.

Next town is Chelsea. There’s a cool bridge there .. the Pryor Creek Bridge.

Let’s end this with another shot in Chelsea. I shot this because it had all the signs on it.

Next time Trevor and I run around the Tulsa area. Hope you enjoy those pictures.