Kicks: Day Three - Angry Birds

Holy moley, what a long day. I’m about wiped, but Beth the Intrepid makes an entry about today! There is much to say, but I’ll just hit some highlights.

Our day began with a trip to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. It has been reopened to bikes and pedestrians for a little over a decade now, but when Shane and I came through in 2001, we got there when it was closed for the day. It was a pleasure to walk across it today and feel the breeze across the river—even at 9 am, it was hot and humid—and look out at the Mississippi. The bridge has a 22 degree angle, and I’m not sure how many bridges have such a thing. It’s a unique bridge, and I was very glad to get to walk the mile over to Missouri and then walk a mile back. (That was my exercise for the day!)

I’m afraid that some were not as happy as I was that I was walking across the bridge. Ken and I were accosted by two very pissed off ospreys. It’s obvious that they were nesting, because one of them (I’d guess the male) was hollering at us from up in the beams, and then started dive-bombing us. It was actually a little frightening! I thought of our friend Sheria, who really does not like birds, and about how awful that would be for her. Heck, I LOVE birds, and I was a little freaked out!

Speaking of bridges…Shane, we crossed over the Mississippi on the McKinley Bridge! They obviously put about a zillion dollars into that thing, because when Shane and I crossed over, it was one of the scariest bridge experiences I’ve ever had. There were outer metal lanes—rickety and rusty metal lanes—hanging off of the sides, and that is what we drove on. There were minimal guard rails, and I recall looking out over the side and thinking “Holy shit!” It’s much more structurally sound now, the dangling metal outer lanes are gone, as are the toll booths. I’m honestly amazed that they refurbished the bridge rather than tearing it down. It was super scary when we went across in 2001!


I was very impressed by the display at Route 66 State Park. They had some great stuff, including a nice little collection of Coral Court memorabilia. We had just driven by the site where the Coral Court stood, and got a couple of pictures by the original stone pillars that bordered the motel grounds. I got similar pictures in 2001, but was happy to see that those pillars are still there. As I think about it, isn’t it odd that there is a group of us who knows what those pillars are and why they are there? How many people in that neighborhood of St. Louis walk by them every day and don’t give them another thought? And here I am practically worshipping at them, asking Ken to take my picture by one. Seeking out stone pillars in St. Louis. Go figure.


One of our other goals was to visit Meramec Caverns. It’s one of those places that is engraved upon your mind if you did any traveling with your parents when you were a kid. You’d see signs everywhere, like Ruby Falls and Rock City in Tennessee. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is actually a pretty damn cool place to visit, and the caverns are amazing! I don’t think I’d been to a cave since I was a kid and we went to ones in southern Indiana. From what I’ve read, the whole Jesse James Hideout thing is a little dubious, but there is no denying that nature is always more impressive than outlaws. One formation is estimated to be 75 million years old. In your face, Jesse James!


And if we’re doing Route 66, a stop at John’s Modern Cabins is a necessity…if only because the place is really beginning to collapse. At least a couple of cabins are down since we first stopped there in (I think) 2005. I was very sad to see that a branch has bent over the arrow on the sign. Will anyone try to save this sign? Or is it destined to become an archaeological artifact?


Another highlight for me today was the Devil’s Elbow area of Route 66 in Missouri. Shane and I didn’t come this far, so this is new to me. It’s amazing to see this four lane stretch of 66 wend its way through the bluffs. I’ve seen this on postcards, and now I’m seeing it for real. Unfortunately, I badly underestimated our travel time and how much time we’d spend at the other things, so we didn’t get to the fabulous Munger Moss Motel until about 9 pm. Even then, we had to get off of Route 66 after Devil’s Elbow and hit the Interstate to make some time. Ken is kind and understanding enough to be okay with heading back the other way tomorrow to pick up where we left off. Our day is a light one tomorrow as we head about 50 miles into Springfield, so doubling back will work out okay. I really don’t want to miss this stretch of it, because I think it is some of the most gorgeous scenery I’ve seen along Route 66 so far. When you’re driving the image on a postcard, you know you’re doing something right!

One step forward, two steps back

Today I took a step forward and started trying to book the motels that I most want to stay at on our trip. Got the Munger Moss in Lebanon, Missouri booked online (although they’ll need to contact me for credit card info), got an email out to the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, and what was most important (because everybody wants to stay there), the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The Blue Swallow sign is one of the most beautiful on the road (in my opinion), and the motel has been renovated and does great business. As I said, it’s probably one of the best—if not THE best—known motels on Route 66. I’m thrilled that I was able to book it!

What a shame that the Coral Court Motel in St. Louis is long gone. That would have been such a cool place to stay. At least they preserved one unit, and Shane and I got to see it at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.

Completely different subject...I said I wasn’t going to write constantly about getting ready for our trip!

Yesterday, I watched “Meet the Press,” as I always do on Sundays. Because it was Easter Sunday, they had a roundtable discussion about religion and politics. (The clip is about 30 minutes, so be warned if you want to watch it.) A good idea, because the wall is eroding. However, not a one of the people was there to discuss the secular viewpoint, which is that you are perfectly free to practice your religion as long as you don’t inject your religion into politics.

Let me make something perfectly clear. That does not mean, as Rick Santorum asserted, that people of faith need to stay out of politics. That is simply not true, and that is not what is happening. The oath of office directs our elected officials to uphold the Constitution, not the Bible or any other religious text. While your faith may shape your outlook and form some of your policies or decision-making processes, you don’t legislate because of the Bible. Prime example: opposing same-sex marriage because “the Bible says so” just doesn’t cut it. That is simply not a valid argument. The Bible also says to not wear mixed fabrics, but I’m betting there are plenty of poly-cotton blends in the church pew on any given Sunday.

Anyway, they have this discussion. There were some good points made, but virtually all of it was from a religious viewpoint, including some of the panelists stating that morals and ethics can come only from religion. This is absurd. How I wish they would have had someone like Sam Harris on there to talk about the “moral landscape!” Morality, kindness, and decency are not the sole purview of the religious. I shouldn’t have to point that out, but it’s obvious that I do.

The height of absurdity for me came when Billy Graham’s daughter Anna, who had earlier stated that religious preference should not be a part of the discussion and that people should vote on policies rather than religious views, flatly stated that she “would not vote for an atheist.” I swear, I don’t know why her tongue didn’t jump out of her mouth and run screaming down the hall. Two giant steps back. This is the kind of disconnect that is so infuriating to me. There she was, sounding fairly reasonable when it came to not voting based on religion, and it’s like okay, that’s good. Then she turns right around and says but an atheist?! No way! It makes no logical sense whatsoever. But then I’m probably asking for too much if I expect logic. Or sense.

I was also very disappointed in David Gregory for not following up on such an irrational comment. For shame, David. I still love ya, man, but I’m disappointed.  

At least President Obama has mentioned that we are a nation made up of all religions...and no religion. The numbers of the nonreligious are increasing all the time. A recent Gallup poll on religion showed that 32% of Americans consider themselves nonreligious, stating that religion is not an important part of their daily life and that they rarely if ever attend church services. Almost a third of the populace is not an insignificant group, and politicians would be wise to take notice.

Some pics (and kicks) from Route 66

On our way back from Ken's mom's place in Springfield, Missouri, we stopped in Lebanon for a few pictures. Lebanon is the home of the Munger Moss Motel, and I've heard that it is well-maintained; our friend Laurel knows the owner, and assures me that it is a fine establishment and a great place to stay! It has an interesting history, and you can read about it on their website. I think the story of the creation of their pool is a neat one! There's also a gorgeous picture of the famous sign all lit up at night. It's a beauty!

Just from our quick look-see, the Munger Moss really is beautifully maintained. The red brick looks brand new, and the grounds look clean and well-cared for! Old motels, not just along Route 66, often get rundown and end up quite seedy and creepy. There were several in Illinois that Shane and I would have loved to stay at back in 2001, but after a drive-by, we realized it was not a very good idea at all! Even the beautiful Coral Court in St. Louis, which had an amazing architectural design, ended up a "no-tell motel." (I still want to write about the Coral Court, and how sad I am that it was demolished. Stay tuned.) Anyhoo, it's a pleasure to see one of Route 66's iconic motels so lovingly maintained, and alive and well!

Doesn't the sign look similar to the Holiday Inn signs? I don't know who designed the Munger Moss sign, but it came well before the Holiday Inn signs. Copycats! I'm including a larger picture here, because the slideshow is fairly tiny. Note that at the bottom of the classic googie sign is one of those yellow rental signs that says, "The Mother Road lives forever here." My caption for the picture is that it lives forever in our hearts, not just at the Munger Moss! (Also note that they offer free TV! Sweeeet!)

I was also pleased to see a few other old motels right around the Munger Moss, including the Forest Manor and the Holiday Motel. Those didn't look quite as well maintained, but I'm always happy when I get to see an old courtyard motel and some great signage, no matter how rundown! I had also totally forgotten that Wrink's Market is in Lebanon, so I had a moment of excitement when Ken said, "Look at the old market," and when I looked up, I said, "It's Wrink's! I've read about it!"

Ohhh man, I love the history of it all, and the way it fires my imagination! Does anyone have a clue as to why this fascinates me (and others) so? What is the lure of Route 66? What brings people from all over the world to travel what is left of the Road? All good questions, and I'll soon ponder my obsession passion while our brief foray is still fresh in my mind.