Alfas on Route 66

The laptop I purchased especially for this trip turned out to be a crippled one. So there will be no pictures made by me (Dink) until I get home. Uploading them with this computer is a mission impossible.

Yesterday morning, after a perfect stay at the Boots Court Motel (strongly recommended if you want to experience the atmosphere of the late 40’s, early 50’s!), we strolled around in the heart of Carthage, looking for a breakfast and coffee. Well, that heart is beating only feeble. A lot of closed down businesses and abandoned houses.

We drove a couple of miles back east, to visit the village of Red Oak II. Artist Lowell Davis (paintings, junk sculptures) has collected many buildings and items from the past. Walking around makes one feel to have returned to the fifties. The most remarkable old car we saw was a Nash Rambler Custom Farina from 1955, this model had undergone a design touch up by Pinin Farina from Italy.

Back on Route 66, after a few miles beyond Carthage we passed the 66 Drive-In cinema. We could not enter the grounds but a visit to one of these open air cinemas with Giulia for sure is on the bucket list.

In Joplin (hit hard by a Tornado in 2011) we drove up to the City Hall. Beverley definitely wanted to see the Thomas Hart Benton mural, but no matter how hard she pulled the doors, she couldn’t get in. Then we realized it was Saturday… From the sunny side: when you forget what day of the week it is you are really enjoying the trip 😉

We then entered Kansas. The part of the route through this state is only 12.8 miles. We stopped in Galena for lunch. Meanwhile Baktash Bootorabi and his green 1967 Giulia Super showed up. We had been following him with the Google Latitude tracker and right when the thing told us ‘he’s here’ Baktash came around the corner.

It was another hot day, 91′ Fahrenheit, but I’m getting used to it. Before entering Oklohoma we stopped for a foto shoot at the Rainbow bridge. In Oklahoma we did the same at the Pryor Creek bridge. Alongside the road many more abandoned buildings. I found an old video shop (“VCR for rent” the window said), and the shelves inside were still filled with the video tape boxes.

In Catoosa we stopped for the Blue Whale. It’s hard to believe that at some time this stop was the highlight of the day for kids that were traveling Route 66 with their parents. (“Can I go up there, mommy? Pleeeeaaase….”. “No, you have to finish your apple first, Johnny”.)

Then: Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our place for the night is the Desert Hills Motel and we had a nice dinner and some beer tasting at McNellie’s.