July 1, 2015
- So we knew we had a long haul today and were trying to ride as far as
we could, in fact we were hoping to make it to Stanton some 100 miles
plus. A big ride, and one that we hope to do.
Before leaving Springfield KOA I had to take the pic of the squash
rackets in the bathroom! Yep two rackets and one tennis racket hanging
in the washroom. Interesting!
No scorpions or other such insects today so we were able to start our
ride quiet early. Missouri is a beautiful State with immense tracks of
woodland. It’s still a rolling hill State much like Oklahoma, so we
didn’t really enjoy the ups but again the downs are definitely the best
with some long rides down. Off course you had to ride up first! One of
my gripes is the number of billboards that are all over the place. They
really spoil the landscape, and at time hide some really great scenery.
“No Win, No Fee” ‘Been in an accident”, “Get a Lawyer”. It’s a shame,
but they really do intrude on the landscape. I think they should be
banned, what ya say y’all?
Through Conway with a population of just 788, BUT a High School that
are the robotic champions of the US! Not bad for a really small town.
Maybe small is beautiful where education is concerned.
We were racking up the miles and the kids were doing an excellent job
in relaying and clocking up the miles, but all those miles were tiring,
and whenever they were not riding they would be sleeping in the van,
lucky things!
Now I know that I have complained about the billboards and I really do
think they should be banned, but when you see one that says “FREE
CHOCOLATE” you better believe that the kids spotted this too and
directed us into the huge candy store. Free Chocolate, well I wouldn’t
say that a miniscule bit of chocolate on a small spoon was anywhere
close to what we thought! But hey chocolate is chocolate and you could
taste more than one flavor. So all in all not too bad. Right next door
was the Worlds Largest Gift Store, and by the look of it, it really
must have been!
Route 66 at this point was really good to ride, and I think very much
the original road. It didn’t have many cars or vehicles on it and there
were no interruptions in terms of having to get into the van to find
the next part. So this was a fun ride, with lovely scenery and, as
usual buildings, some in good repair and others literally falling down,
along the route. At one point we came across a bridge that was closed
to traffic with barriers across each end, and it looked like we might
have t o turn back! But the decision was made that the bikers would
take the risk and cycle over. So we hauled our bikes over the barriers
and scooted over this very old bridge. Meanwhile the van had to make
the detour and catch us up at the next exit from I-44, which they duly
did.
Then, for me the best part of Route 66 so far. The road took a turn
down a small wooded hill and across another very old bridge. Some kids
were swimming in the river below, and stopped to help us take pics.
They said that there was a pub right around the bend. The whole
atmosphere of the moment was one of being back in the 20s. As we
rounded the wooded bend there was this old wooden shack, actually a
little bigger than a shack, but all wooden.
Old signs hung outside and a couple of Harleys were parked with some
older cars on the other side of the road. We went in and knew we really
had gone back in time! To the right an old wooden bar, not big, but one
that could seat maybe 6 people, and there were 6 people at the bar.
They all looked right out of another life! Left a small diner with a
pool table, what else, and numerous black and white photos on the wall
of the history of this place – The DEVILS ELBOW! Clint was sitting at
the near end of the bar, and we met and introduced ourselves. He was a
veteran of wars and lived locally. He was one of the Harley owners,
with a bandana and dungarees, long hair and a goatee.
A very proud local, who was pleased to see us passing through. Robbie
was serving the beers and we think that she may have been the owner,
certainly a very pleasant person. Behind the diner was an outdoor
garden, although I’m not sure that you could call it a garden. Let’s
call it an outdoor area. There was a ramshakled covered area with a
group of friends. Three of them were playing instruments, a guitar,
ukulele and mandolin and singing some southern songs. Man they were
good and we listened for some time. The kids were back in the diner
playing some mean pool, well that’s what they said, but who
knows! But we had to re-enter the real world, so we said
“Goodbye” to the Devil Elbow, rode on and out of the wooded glen and
back to our ride. For me this really was stepping back in time and
meeting characters who really could have lived ninety years ago.
On we went, but storm clouds were brewing. We had traveled 70+ miles so
far and were looking to get the rest in, but the weather broke and down
came a huge rain storm. Everything into the van and sadly we had to
drive the rest of the way to our camp site at Stanton, yep another KOA.
Not a great site, and lots of mozzies! So the tent was put up very
quickly by the kids who it seems don’t like to be bitten!! Fancy that?
