The '37 is Still Plugging Along

Day 4: 237 Miles
Total: 1,537 Miles

We have now driven the car more miles on this trip than in the previous 9 months or so that I have owned it. And it still keeps going. Our call for help resulted in several people offering useful suggestions. Ron Hart, the director of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce offered several good suggestions. As it turned out, he is extremely involved in the restoration of the Boots Motel in Carthage, MO where we are staying tonight. The Boots is being lovingly restored to its original 1940s standards, with the 1930s section soon to follow. Our room is magnificent, with lots of original 1940s era touches. We got to meet and spend time with Ron, Barb and Deb and are really enjoying our stay here. This is exactly what a classic restored motel should be.

Alas, because we are here in Carthage on the weekend it isn't a good opportunity to get the car fixed. Another Route 66 roadie, Bob "Crocodile" Lile has offered to connect us with a good friend who repairs radiators for a living. We just have to get to Amarillo, Texas, another few hundred miles down the road. Since the car is behaving reasonably well we decided to take him up on his offer for help and will make our way to Amarillo by Monday. If the car can be fixed we'll continue on. If not we'll pack lots of water and begin the drive home. Stay tuned.

Here are a few highlights of the day:

John's Modern Cabins in Missouri is one of my favorite photo stops. The cabins are quickly imploding though, and won't be around much longer. The damage just from last year to this year has been extensive, but the location and the imagery are surreal.


Gary Turner restored this station and lives in the house behind it. He spends most days inviting roadies to stop in and swap stories. He's a very nice man and Sharon and I have spent 45 minutes or so chatting with him each time we visit the road. Like Will Rogers, I don't think Gary has ever met a man (or woman) he didn't like.

I really like this spot on a particularly quiet section of Route 66 in Spencer, MO. Every time I pass here I stop, set up my tripod in the middle of the road and take pictures. No other car has ever passed during the time I was there.

We went to the Drive-In tonight! The place was absolutely packed; I've never seen a drive-in so busy. We saw Battleship but left before The Avengers came on since it wasn't due to start until 11:30. We're old...

Here is a shot of my car in front of the Boots Motel.

And here is the neon sign - I love neon!

Ciao!

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