Day 3 - Sunday, May 1, 2011

Day Three Stats

Miles Traveled: 428 miles    States Traveled: Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma

Origin: Lebanon, MO    Destination: El Reno, OK

Time of Departure: 8:10 AM (CDT)    Time of Arrival: 10:45 PM (CDT)

Highest Observed Gas Price: $3.89/gallon in Davenport, OK    Lowest Observed Gas Price: $3.67/gallon in Tulsa, OK

Day Three Summary

Day three started by waking up in the Munger Moss Motel.  After a shower in the vintage pink and blue tile bathroom, we got on the road at 8:10 a.m. and that really helped to get the day going well.  We had 80 miles behind us before 10:00 a.m. when we found a 32 ounce soft drink for 10 cents at the Kum-n-Go convenience store in Springfield, Missouri.  Although the day started out sunny, rain started shortly after we got going and stayed with us all day, but didn't dampen our spirits.

We had a number of great experiences today.  The first was a stop at the Gay Parita Sinclair Station in Parris Springs, Missouri.  This is a replica filling station on the site of the original.  Owner Gary Turner was thrilled to see us and gave us a tour of the original garage, which was filled with “junk” as Gary described it.  However, the “junk” was incredible collectibles, including gas pumps, refrigerators, and car accessories.  Gary’s passion for “junk” reminded me of Granddad.  We also met two fellows from Poland who are riding their BMW motorcycles along Route 66 and stopped in at the Gay Parita (we saw them two more times later in the day).

We got to see two places that were the inspiration for characters in the movie Cars.  In Galena, Kansas we saw the 4 Women on the Route, which has a tow truck named “Tow-Tater.”  This tow truck was the basis for “Tow-Mater” in the movie.  In Stroud, Oklahoma we had dinner at the Rock Café.  This rock restaurant burned down in 2008, but was rebuilt the following year.  The owner, Dawn Welch was the inspiration for the character “Sally” in Cars.  Unfortunately, we did not get to meet her, as she had left earlier in the day.

Original sections of Route 66 were discovered today.  In Spencer, Missouri we rode on hand-troweled concrete from the late 1920s.  Just outside Narcissa, Oklahoma it took a steady hand on the steering wheel to keep the Rogue from falling off the concrete curbs of the “9-foot Highway.”  Here the original 1920s road is only 9 feet wide!

As the stats show, we really covered some ground today, nearly 450 miles!  That really makes us feel good heading into day four – can’t believe it’s almost day four.  We traveled three states today and should see Texas tomorrow.  Here’s the day three summary - enjoy:

·         Parris Springs, MO – Gay Parita Sinclair Station owned by Gary Turner.

·         Spencer, MO – Rode on original Route 66 hand-troweled concrete.

·         Red Oak, MO – Replica 1930s town.

·         Carthage, MO – Route 66 Drive-in Theatre; Precious Moments Chapel.

·         Carterville, MO – Superman Museum and Ice Cream Parlor – “look, it’s a bird, it’s a plane …”

·         Galena, KS – 4 Women on the Route – home of “Tow-Tater” the tow truck that inspired the character “Tow-Mater” in the movie Cars.

·         Riverton, KS – Rainbow Bridge.

·         Narcissa, OK – 9-foot Highway – the original paved Route 66 with concrete curbs – Wild!

·         Tulsa, OK – Talleys Café; Route 66 pedestrian bridge.

·         Stroud, OK - Rock Café – owner Dawn Welch was the inspiration for the character “Sally” in the movie Cars.

·         Arcadia, OK – Pop’s Fuel Food & Fiz – ultra modern gas station, 50’s diner, and over 500 varieties of soda pop – oh, and a 66-foot tall LED bottle of pop complete with straw.

·         El Reno, OK – Long day and late night, but settling in for some rest.

What I learned from my father today: It’s the Experience, Not the Stuff

One of our last stops today was Pop’s Fuel Food & Fiz, an absolutely incredible place.  I told dad that he had to get a ball cap, since it had “Pop’s” on it, and he is “Pop.”  He looked at the caps and then said, “I’ve already got a hat that says, ‘Pop’ on it.  I don’t need another one.”  In that simple moment I remembered that you don’t have to buy something everywhere you go, just make a memory and take that experience with you.  And, we sure did that at Pop’s.

What I learned from my son today: Check Prices Before You Buy

Earlier on the trip, Ernie saw a souvenir he wanted to purchase, but the price seemed a bit high.  It wasn’t easy for him to walk away, not knowing if he would see it again.  However, he decided to not purchase it.  Today, he found it for half the price and I was impressed with his patience and good consumer sense.