I would venture to guess that if you are under 30 you haven't experienced the Mother Road as someone would prior the closing of Route 66 in the 80's. Instead, it is likely that you spent tons of time on the massive high-speed interstates that tie this country together and missed the imaginative road side attractions of smaller roads. Route 66 offers these unique visuals and the road is special, always was, always will be. Today we saw some real great stuff to let us know that the Old Road is alive and well. First off, we met Jerry McClanahan, legendary Route 66 artist, historian and author of the EZ 66 Guide - The book we are using to guide us through this disconnected series of alignments.
Jerry is a welcoming easy going guy. He hosted us in his art studio on Manvel Street in Chandler Ok. Definitely pay Jerry a visit when you are in the area. Jerry's assessment of the road reassured us that it is alive and well - which confirmed what we have seen up to this point on the road. A Route 66 fanatic, Jerry traveled the road when he was young with his family, but rarely made stops to visit attractions. His love for the road is evident in the renderings he paints and the exploration he endeavors on. Jerry and his friend were some of the first to map out abandoned alignments of the road. Thanks for your hospitality Jerry, we'll see you again!
Above is the round barn in Arcadia, OK. This barn was restored starting in 1992 after nearly falling apart due to neglect. This restored relic is a sign that the old road is alive and well. Below is a shot of the roof structure looking up from the inside of the barn.
Just a 1/2 mile down from the round barn is Pop's. This is a new style diner with thousands of different soda selections for you to choose from. Today, the parking lot was completely full (200 cars) proof that kicks are still being had on 66. Below is the ring bottle that sits roadside to lure passers by in to Pop's. It looks much cooler at night!
Here is todays Riviera selfie with Erick and I at the old Cotton Boll Motel in Canute, no longer operating.
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