25th April On to Texas...

Had a great steak and a beer (or 3) at Lucille’s Road House last night – she’s obviously branched out from taking her love to town – and have to say it was a great night. Met some lovely people although not, I’m sad to say, Lucille. Beer was a darker ale brewed locally in Oklahoma Town and I think even the aficionados of The Carpenters Arms Beer against Noise Pollution Society would approve – and The Snowden Memorial Spoon was not needed (In Joke - sorry)

Another lovely day, was 16 deg and dry when I set off and it went up to 20 later.

I have been for some time in an area associated with the Cherokee Nation. However this was not their original tribal land but they were forced here along The Trail Of Tears in 1830 under the Indian Removal Act. Part of the history of the States most want to forget – read about it, it is distressing. If you can get past that though you have to smile at the Cherokee label used to sell “original arts and crafts” all along the route – now call me cynical but I can’t imagine Ma Running Bear in her wigwam baking these!

 

Again I was trying to stick to the original route and I continue to be surprised that this part of Oklahoma is not as I imagined – there are still small fields, hedgerows and creeks.

The route carries on right through it though often straight as far as the eye can see.

 

 

I know I said I didn’t want to show the remnants of peoples misfortunes but there are those latching on to the resurgence of the route and these two “businesses” were directly opposite each other in Canute.

One dead...

One thriving...

I did stop off at the “National Route 66 Museum” in Elk City which was interesting to a degree but very colloquial and a bit naughty using the National tag. Some lovely old vehicles though and a good  replica of the Joad’s truck and a young Henry Fonda  in the Grapes of Wrath film.

 

Also had a Historical Farm and Ranching section with an old boy who could talk for ever and who I could have listened to for a lot longer. Found another tractor I’d like to bring home…

After Elk City there was a wonderful long stretch of road that it was tempting to try and ride but nature was beginning to claim it back…

 

Found a source of a few more renovation projects if anyone interested!

Then on into Texas.

 

 

On crossing the State Line into Texas at Texola the change in the land is sudden and dramatic. Hedgelines disappear and small fields are replaced by vast acreages of grass and scrub. The soil – always red – is now more exposed in places and a red dust coated the road, what trees there were and eventually me.

The road became more exposed and the wind came up again. At one point after mile upon mile of leaning at an uncomfortable angle to counter it there was a sign warning of high winds for the next 9 miles!

All the books and programmes on Route 66 seem to show this water tower, never has lazy workmanship been so exulted – looks like one of my do-it-yourself projects.

 

In the stark landscape this scene stuck out, they say the devil has all the best tunes but you have to admit his competitor's advertising isn’t bad.   This cross at Groom was built by a private individual to counter the huge bill boards advertising pornography – at 190 feet it is reputedly the tallest in the Northern Hemisphere.

And so …….. after asking someone to show me the way, I arrived in Amarillo – ok corny I know but hey you ain’t paying for this.

 

24th April Tulsa to El Reno Oklahoma

What a difference a day makes. Woke up to sunshine and a cloudless sky.

Setting off for El Reno today not too far, some 140 miles but over what is apparently some of the best stretches of original road around.

This I guess is where I lose the remaining few readers who have hung on so far cos it is very anoraky!

It has been a brilliant day, I’ve ridden through countryside far away from any towns or interstates, taken dirt roads that are just passable on my bike in the drier weather and seen bridges that were part of the system in the 20’s but now closed – and I have been ecstatically happy – no, I can’t explain it!

So, apart from a few murials and a round barn I will find out about most of my photos today are of tarmac, red dirt and bridges – lost you yet?

I could have taken dozens of pictures of closed businesses, abandoned homes and rusting street furniture but that seems to be taking advantage of someone’s misfortune. When the Interstate came it cut off whole communities and though a lot struggled on – and still do – most have given up.

Immediately on leaving Tulsa I came to this bridge, closed now but Built in 1921 and taken into the Route 66 system in 1926 it was eventually bypassed in 1952. The decking is unusually redbrick which I have seen in some towns but the first so far out. Yawn yawn, I know!

Sapulpa Bridge

In Davenport I stopped to buy some stamps and whilst in the queue a siren started. I noticed it was 12 o’clock and assumed it was a factory or the like until someone said “hope that darn thing isn’t for real” and then I learned it was the Tornado Warning – but they were just testing it. Was advised to take cover if I ever heard it at other times!!!

That town is going to die if a tornado ever hits it at 12 noon.

 

From there the route just headed  west, and I say route because the actual current road  joined it and then abandoned it, taking new cuttings or avoiding sharp drops into deep valleys.  I’m now of the mind that although the “dream” I suppose is to do Route 66 on a Harley, that is not truly possible. On some of the tracks I’m on I’m on the limits of my bike – really would be easier on one of the Ewan McGregor ilk -

 

 

                                           and I cannot see anyone taking a customised hog down them. Which is a great pity as they are extremely pretty, crossing creeks and rivers where longhorn cattle are beginning to appear drinking in the red mud river banks.

Reminded of the importance of these cattle in these parts when crossed over “The Old Chisum Trail.

Some of the road could have been in parts of England I guess, well until two wild turkey’s ran into the road and one took off in front of me with the grace of a fully loaded Lancaster Bomber and nearly took my screen off. Still, one up on Billy Connolly – he never saw any.

There’s not much else to say today really, I just ambled along, taking the old route most of the way, even the dirt road bits as it was much drier now. I got lost once but as I was running short on fuel too I went into a gas station to ask the way and that was an experience in itself – talk about two nations divided by a common language There was a lot of grinning and staring and I’m sure I heard the strains of Duelling Banjo’s somewhere and I came out no better informed as to where I was.

I’ll just show the pictures and you can perhaps imagine me riding along in the sunshine,

 

Those that know me know how much I look after my bike, it got washed after every trip, however short – well it ain’t looking so good now – but I like to think that like me, it’s tired, dirty and as happy as a pig in the proverbial!