Day 4 - Monday, May 2, 2011

Day Four Stats

Miles Traveled: 265 miles    States Traveled: Oklahoma, Texas

Origin: El Reno, OK    Destination: Amarillo, TX

Time of Departure: 10:10 AM (CDT)    Time of Arrival: 6:15 PM (CDT)

Highest Observed Gas Price: $3.85/gallon in El Reno, OK    Lowest Observed Gas Price: $3.69/gallon in Amarillo, TX

Day Four Summary

We got a late start on day four due to our late finish on day three.  Once we got on the road, we made great time and covered a good bit of road.  We had the fun of seeing two museums, the Clinton, OK Route 66 Museum and the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, OK.  Route 66 in Texas is not marked as well as in the previous four states, so that made things challenging at times.  However, we did well, only having to turn around a couple of times.

Route 66 is famous for “giant” things (remember the world’s largest rocking chair?).  Two of those “giants” were on our route today.  The first was the giant Route 66 shield at the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, OK.  The second was the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ in Groom, TX.  The cross is the largest in the Western Hemisphere rising 190 feet – 19 stories tall!

More Cars movie inspiration was taken in today.  In Shamrock, TX we saw the U-Drop Inn/Tower Conoco, a beautiful art deco filling station and hotel.  This building was the basis for Flo’s V-8 Café in the Cars movie.  Very cool.

Our day ended at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, TX.  This Route 66 icon burned and was rebuilt along I-40 a number of years ago, but still is considered a part of Route 66 and is a great contributor to the preservation of Route 66.  The Big Texan is home to the 72 ounce steak that is yours free if you can eat it plus salad, two sides, and bread in 60 minutes or less.  We did not attempt this feat – surprise.  But someone did take the challenge while we were there – he did not succeed, leaving three bites of steak and several forkfuls of potato salad.  We are also staying at the Big Texan motel, which looks like a western village.  This is truly a piece of Americana.

Well, we took down Oklahoma today and are well on our way across Texas.  In fact, we are only 50 miles from the midway point, Adrian, TX and we should be there by midmorning tomorrow.  Day four summary:

·         Hydro, OK – The Concrete Road to Hydro; Original Lucille’s Filling Station and the new Lucille’s Roadhouse.

·         Clinton, OK – Clinton Route 66 Museum.

·         Elk City, OK – National Route 66 Museum; Old Town Museum Complex.

·         Shamrock, TX – U-Drop Inn/Tower Conoco – the inspiration for Flo’s V-8 Café in the movie Cars.

·         Groom, TX – Leaning Tower of Groom – a water tower built to look like it is falling over; Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ – 190-foot cross, the largest cross in the western hemisphere.

·         Amarillo, TX – Big Texan Steak Ranch – home of the Free 72 ounce steak – eat it and it’s free, fail and it costs you one dollar per ounce ($72.00 for those of you math-challenged); settling in for the night at the Big Texan’s western themed motel – vintage stuff!

What I learned from my father today: Enjoy the Show

Tonight we had dinner at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, TX.  While we were eating a man took the challenge of the 72 ounce steak.  He had 60 minutes to eat all 72 ounces of steak, salad, two sides, and bread.  After 45 minutes he was looking pretty grim.  Dad stayed to watch the show; I went back to the motel room, as I didn’t have the “stomach” for it.  Dad enjoys the show that is life, each and every minute of it.

What I learned from my son today: Trust the GPS

Several times today when the roads were not well-marked, I would say, “I think we need to go this way.”  But Ernie would say, “the GPS is showing that Route 66 is ahead.”  Guess who was right?