Kicks: Day Four

After spending an enjoyable night at the lovely Munger Moss Motel, we headed out to do a little backtracking. I can’t recommend the Munger Moss highly enough. It is wonderfully maintained and incredibly clean. We were in Room 72 rather than Cabin 1, so we survived the night! Seriously, this is just a wonderful place, and even if you’re not traveling Route 66, it’s right off of I-44, and offers very reasonable rates, very clean rooms, and a super cool retro vibe. You simply can’t go wrong with the Munger Moss! And honestly...is that sign boss, or what? You should see it lit up at night!

After we checked out, we went back to Devil’s Elbow to do that stretch again, because it really is spectacular. I thought that that stretch of the road was the original pavement, and Shane agrees that it is. Apparently the four lane was built during WWII to help with traffic in and out of Fort Leonard Wood. Shane also pointed out that this stretch of 66 has the “rolled” curbs that were supposed to help keep people from going off the narrow road. I wonder how that worked?!

We headed south on 66, all the way to Springfield. Since I had not done this stretch before, I was surprised at how much of the original road is left to travel...IF you seek it out. I had thought that as you got closer to Springfield, it was all obliterated. Not so. It might be paved over and given other names, but the route is still there, and several roads in Springfield have the old buildings and the googie to prove it. (As I mentioned on Facebook, I think I’m going to have to do at least one entry devoted to googie signage.) It’s fun to try to figure out if a sign is original or not. Good clue: that sort of weird fiberglass shell is NOT original!

A question for my fellow roadies...we came across a little group of bungalows north of Hazelgreen. These were built of stone, and there was a small home in a line with these stone cabins (I would guess the home of the owner and where the office was located). I saw no sign, and we didn’t explore beyond taking pictures because it was posted as private property. But it reminded me very much of John’s Modern Cabins in its layout. All of the buildings, large and small, seemed to be long abandoned. Although the stone cabins were intact, some of the roofs were not. Does anyone know what this might have been?

After we found a place to hang our hats (on old 66, so that’s cool!), we met family nearby. It was great to see Terri and to meet her husband, and we had a very enjoyable time!

Tomorrow we’ll be heading to Oklahoma (with a brief trip through the corner of Kansas) to see more things and to visit our friend Laurel at Afton Station. I’m looking forward to what Laurel calls the Ribbon Road and what Shane and others refer to as “sidewalk” pavement. I thought the 16-foot wide alignments in Illinois were wild...this road is NINE feet wide, yo!

One more thought for today. I was telling Ken today that one of the really cool things about this trip is that we’re experiencing so many different environments and ecosystems! We’re going from midwestern farmland to prairie to desert to oceanside. Go ahead and call me a geek, but I think that’s pretty amazing. We have a remarkable country with a remarkable variety of ecosystems...it’s wonderful to experience them all, and I hope that kids who are born today will have a chance to have this same experience. It really is a helluva lot of fun!

Anyone want to take bets on whether or not I’m going to sing “Oklahoma!” as we cross into that state? “And when we SAY! A-yippee-yo-kiyay...we’re only saying you’re doing fine Oklahoma, Oklahoma, okay!”
Poor Ken.

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!

Head out to the highway

At long last, the time approaches for our Route 66 trip!

We’ve been talking about it for many years now, pretty much since we met! Shortly after Ken and I met, Cousin Shane and I went on a trip we’d been planning for a while, where we went from Chicago to a little past St. Louis on Route 66. I’ve also been on the Road in a few other spots in Missouri, but it’s always been a goal to do the whole thing. (If I actually had a bucket list, this trip would be on it.) We had tentatively planned it a couple of times, but for various reasons, it didn’t work out...but THIS is the year!

Our good friend Andy will be graduating from Cal Tech with his Ph.D. (him smart) in June, he asked us to be there for his graduation, and we are honored to be invited. That will work out perfectly, and we timed our trip so that we could drive out on Route 66 and be in Pasadena for his graduation (we’ll rent a car—a convertible, of course!—then fly back). Our friends Kim and Steve are planning a trip to Hawaii at that time, and we’re hoping that they’ll be able to fly out of LA so that we can spend the weekend with them. We also hope to hook up with other family members, although our time will be limited. Paths are converging! Planets are aligning! Dogs and cats are living together!

Today I started some early planning. The goal is to average 150 miles per day (there’s a lot to see along the road...Shane and I took a week to go from Chicago to St. Louis and back...normally about a five hour trip), and Ken suggested breaking it down into about four blocks, and then breaking it down further from there. That worked well, and I have a general idea of where we want to get to each night. That could change, and I still need to do lots more research for the stops and side trips. Meramec Caverns is a must, the Petrified Forest will warrant much of a day, and there will be a stop our friend Laurel’s Afton Station and hopefully dinner with her that evening...and there are so many more stops to make and things to see! We also hope to stay at the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri, the Blue Swallow in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. (A teepee motel is a must for this trip.) Laurel has been a wonderful resource, and she recommended Jerry McClanahan’s EZ 66 Guide, which I’ll be studying over the next few weeks. I have several other guidebooks, as well as a ‘50s-era road atlas from when Route 66 was still a commissioned highway.

Can you tell I’m getting excited? This blog will probably turn into a travelogue during that time, and I hope to update almost every evening. We really won’t be doing much night driving, because that would kind of defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it? I’m looking forward to all of it, but I’m especially looking forward to driving through the Southwest. I’ve traveled quite a bit, but I’ve spent very little time there, and it has a unique beauty. I know Shane loves it there, and I can see why. There are also quite a few towns along the Road that, if not exactly ghost towns, are somewhat desolate and a little spooky. Shane tells me that Glenrio, which straddles the Texas/New Mexico border, is such a town. You know how I love abandoned places!

Anyway, it’s going to be a fun trip. We’ve got a couple more months to nail down our plans, and then we’ll hit the road! I hope you’ll enjoy my tales of the things we see and the people we meet. I think it’s really going to be one of those “trip of a lifetime” kind of deals. Every trip is fun, but this one is going to be something special!

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.

A (mostly) good trip

Ahhh, it's great to be home! It was sad to leave Ken's mom--she always hates to see us go, and it makes me feel bad--but Dorothy was right: there really is no place like home. Cousin Shane took good care of Sheeba, who was quite happy to see us. I suspect I'll have a kitty curled up right next to me tonight!

We left Springfield at 8 AM, and there was a little bit of snow overnight, so there was some black ice in the area. We were happy to get out of that, and most of the trip was uneventful after that...until we got to Carmel, which is a northern suburb of Indianapolis (it's where all the doctors live). From there until around Peru, Indiana (about 75 miles), it was slow going and nerve-wracking. That stretch of road is surrounded mostly by farmland that's as flat as a board, so when the winds are blowing from the west, the snow blows across the roadway. There wasn't a lot of snow, but there was enough to get the highway wet, and when the sun started going down, the temperature dropped. It was a skating rink!

Wow, there were slide-offs everywhere, police cars, ambulances...it was very tense for a while. Ken put the truck in 4-wheel drive, but that doesn't help on ice. We finally ran out of it by the time we got into familiar turf, about an hour south of Nutwood. Ken is about wiped, and I'm doing my best to get tired, but still fairly wide awake. I'm just thankful that we got home safe and sound!

Before I forget, rabbit rabbit rabbit! And happy December!

We stopped in Lebanon to get pictures of the Munger Moss, and I was pleased to see a few other older motels in the immediate vicinity. I'll try to get pictures edited tomorrow and get a slideshow up. The Munger Moss is a beauty, and the sign is an absolute classic! When we were in southern Illinois, we were getting seriously low on gas, so we had to stop at a town in southern Illinois called Highland. We found a neat little diner called Buzzie's. It's on US 40, which is another legendary road, also known as the National Road. Buzzie's was metal and glass brick, with a cool tile floor and walls, and the classic metal and plastic chairs and tables. I had a salad and BLT and Ken had a club sandwich, and it really hit the spot! I was inspired by the design on the table, and I'm thinking that I'll check into updating my blog with a funky retro motif. Only a thought at this point...easier said than done!

So it's a relief to be home, and I missed you all. I'll work on getting caught up tomorrow, but I've got groceries to get and there is laundry to be done. Please bear with me as I get back to our regularly scheduled program!

Live, from the Springfield Public Library...

It's Nutwood Junction!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fun Thanksgiving. Sorry I haven't had a chance to update, but this is the first chance we've had to get online. This library is fabulous, by the way (she said, as she sipped her fruit smoothie in the library cafe).

We had an uneventful trip here, although we did notice that it seemed to be the annual driving outing of Teh Stoopid Institute, and all of them were on the same roads we were taking! What is with people? Our favorite was when someone would be riding our ass, so we'd slow down in order to get in the right lane and let them pass. Then they'd slow down, and we'd be boxed in. There were a couple of times when I thought Ken was going to spontaneously combust, but thankfully, disaster was averted.

I've mentioned before that I lived in Indianapolis for 7 years. It's been several years since I've been back, and that was the route we took--down to Indy, over to St. Louis, and on down to Springfield. I was stunned to see all the growth around Indy. I barely recognized the northwest side, where I lived when I first moved there, and the northern part of the city has sprouted tall office buildings like weeds. I guess it's an up-and-coming city, but I told Ken that I think I moved away at the right time, and I'm glad I did. I loved the city, but I enjoy the rural life a lot more.

We stopped in Terre Haute for lunch at a place called Cheeseburger in Paradise. I think this is a chain of restaurants, but we'd never eaten at one before. It was very good, and our choices were met with approval by Melissa, our "Islander," and holder of the title of World's Most Talkative Server. I'm not kidding, I have never had anyone talk us up as much as she did. The kitchen staff brought our plates, and there was Melissa: "Is everything okay? Can I get you anything else?" We said no, everything looked fine. I took 3 bites of my broccoli, and there was Melissa: "How is everything?" I had a mouthful of broccoli, so I just nodded and made the "okay" hand signage. She was very sweet and very attentive, but at that point, I wanted to say, "Melissa, I've had 3 bites of broccoli, which is indeed delicious. However, I haven't had time to smell my quesadilla, let alone taste it. Perhaps you'd like to let me take a couple of bites before I pronounce judgement on my meal." It was a little too much, know what I mean?

It gets darker much earlier now, so the last hour and a half or so, we drove in darkness. We were happy to get to Ken's mom's place and relax, believe me. (Apparently Teh Stoopid Institute outing was a 24 hour affair.) We had a nice time catching up, and then had a late dinner. Thanksgiving was a low-key day, and Ken's mom made a small turkey for the four of us, with all the usual sides. After a few errands today, Ken and I ended up here at the library, then it will be back home for turkey sammitches!

Guess where one of our errands was? Walmart! Ken's mom had to get a prescription filled, and we picked up a couple of things for weekend dinners. I didn't think I'd get anywhere near a store today, but I actually set foot inside of one! It really didn't seem all that busy, but the parking lot seemed pretty full there and at all the other shopping places around, so Ken and I speculate that Black Friday might not be outstanding this year, but most places will probably end up doing okay.

No pictures for you yet, but I'll get some. One thing I want to get a picture of us the lovely Munger Moss Motel sign. The Munger Moss is in Lebanon, Missouri, and is a Route 66 fixture. It's still operating, and is apparently a pretty decent place to stay. I could see the sign on the way down, and it was dark enough that the neon was lit--what a beautiful sign! So I'll get a little bit of a googie fix on the way back!

I've bonded with Scamper the Rotund, Ken's mom's cat. Scamper is a round mound already, but he also has incredibly long fur, so he looks incredibly fat! He's a good kitty, and he came right over to me when we first got there, so I think he remembered us! I miss Sheeba a lot, but I know his Uncle Shane is taking good care of him! Oh, and Ken's mom cracked me up this morning. She was reading the paper, and there was a picture of Rahm Emanuel in there. She said, "You know, I think that Rahm Emanuel is kind of nice-looking. In a sort of debonair way." So of course, I had to tell her about my Rahm Emanuel poll!

Ken is off at one of the library computers, so I'll finish up here and try to catch up on reading a few of your entries until he finishes up and comes back to collect me. I hope you're all having a lovely, long weekend! If I don't get back here before we leave, we'll be returning Monday evening, so I'll see you all then for sure. I may not get to very many of your blogs, so be patient with me, and I'll be back in normal operating mode before too long.