Day 98 - 4/24/14 Oklahoma City to St. Louis

I was on the road early as usual leaving the Casino parking lot headed east toward Oklahoma City, about 30 miles to the east.

In the picture above you can see the line if clouds from the rain that passed over me last night with thunder storms.

I stopped northeast of Oklahoma City at a truck stop for a shower and a visit to McDonalds down the street to load up on podcasts for my long trip today.

Just outside of Oklahoma City on the way to Tulsa I44 turns into a toll road so I decided to take Old Route 66 whiched proved more interesting.

Here is the famous round barn.  Unlike the round barbs in Vermont that are octagons this appears round.

Here is an old gas station that is now a motorcycle museum.

In this section of RT66 there are a number of quaint towns with interesting vintage RT66 buildings.

This route took me longer to drive although many of the 2-lane roads outside of town are 65 MPH.  The road is not as straight as the highway.

I tried the same old Route 66 from Tulsa to Missouri but the senery was not as good and very few landmarks.

Here I stopped at a park where the old metal bridge parts were that were replaced by this concrete bridge reside and this bardge came by on the river below.

After miles of not much to see on the old RT 66 I did got on the I44 turnpike for the last 20 miles to Missouri where I paid $.75 for the use of the road.

Just outside of Joplin, MO I stopped again for gas and headed east towards St. Louis, MO.

When I got to Springfield, MO I followed the billboard signs for Fantastic Caverns. 

Having been to other caves on this trip I thought it would be good to check these out that youvtake a vehicle into.  I also needed a break from the road.

As with the other caves I have been to, these also proved interesting.

Here is the red nose if the jeep I am in as we drive into the cave.

Once inside there are many formations.

There are still some formations that are still forming,

Back in the 1800's when the cave was discovered the owner sought out people to explore it for him.  A group of woman took him up on his request.  They inscribed their names here.

During proabition music and drinking parties were held here.  This is a stage inside this cavern.

Later in the 1950's & 1960's bands used to play here.

There were many nice formations.

After leaving Springfield I drove 2 hours towards St. Louis befor stopping for the night at a truck stop and dinner at Denny's there.

This last part of the trip was already at the end of a long day but that weather front off in the distance this morning had been crossed and I was in rain for the 2 hours.

The rain will pass overnight.

Day 97 - 4/23/14 West of Albuquerque to west of Oklahoma City

Today was a long drive day with thunder storms this afternoon and evening.

I left the casino just west of Albuquerque, NM early this am and drove to a Pillot/Flying-J service station for gas and a shower.  Then it was on the road for hundreds of miles.

Albuquerque in the valley ahead as I come into it on I40.

After some time I was leaving New Mexico for Texas. 

Welcome to Texas.  Crossing the Texas Panhandle doesn't take nearly as long as on I10 on the way west.  

I stopped in Amarillo for lunch, which is about half way across the panhandle.

Awhile after leaving Amarillo storm clouds were blooming and I stopped at a rest area. I checked the radar and National Weather Service website and although some storms could be strong the only consern was driving in heavy rain.

Picture of storm clouds from rest area.

The rest area had a tornado shelter.

Luckily I wasn't going to need it.

After waiting for awhile I saw a potential of cutting through the north / south line of storms to continue my easterly travel.

Although I did get just a little rain the overrunning clouds kept it dark.

When I stopped for the night at a casino just west of Oaklahoma City the line if storms caught up and we had some gusty wind and heavy rain.

I'm where the blue dot is.

I went into the casino with $5.00 to spend and with $3.00 gone I went to a penny slot machine and could not loose the $2.00.  Finally after a long time and being tired I risked more and won more and walked out with $10.00.

Day 96 - 4/22/14 Winslow, AZ to Sky City to Albuquerque, NM

I am getting close to the Mountain Timezone.  AZ does not change their time so it is 3 hours off the east coast.  Once I cross into New Mexico I will be in the Mountain Time and only 2 hours off the east coast. 

So, getting up in Winslow this am it is already one hour later where I am going.

The East Bound Amtrack was passing me.  I travel 60 MPH the speed limit is 75 MPH.

There are a couple of tourist items I passed over as I had been to see them in the past.  First was just west of Winslow and this is the meteor crater.  This privately owned attraction is $16.00 and since I had been before I decided not wait for it to open and head back west 20 miles to see it, but if you are coming here it is a good attraction to see.

The second is the Petrafied Forrest National Park.  This was on my way east this morning but I had been there and when I went by it was about 6:30 am and not worth waiting for it to open.  Yet another place to see if traveling I40.

Winslow, AZ is nice to check out on RT66 but when I got to Holbrook, AZ is so much nicer.  If you can afford to do both please do, but if you have time for only one go to Holbrook.

Here is the Wigwam Motel

Plenty of old cars to see too.

The typical 50's/60's RT66 roadside attractions.

The Holbrook Main Drag.

It was early when I passed through so there were only a few places open.

Here is a picture at the border crossing into New Mexico.

After a brief stop in Galup, NM to decide on my next stop, I decided to go to Sky City 75 miles to the east and 16 miles south vs. going to four corners (where AZ, NM, UT, & CO meet).  It was over 100 miles north and then 100 back and I would run out of time for Sky City and Sky City was on my must do list.  I have been here before but I was impressed with the history of these Indians living on this Mesa for 1000 years I wanted to come back.

Some interesting rock formations on way south to Sky City.

After a brief drive from I40 I arrived at "Sky City"

There is a very nice welcome center.  For $20.00 you get a bus trip up the mesa and a tour guide takes the tour group around the many adobe style houses.

The road was added during the 20th Centry, prior to this and for the prior 1000 years the residents used the cut sandstone trail.  It was a very defensible location, although the Spanish occupation and the residents had a troubled past with colonization and revolts that resulted in many deaths.

There are no building code so families can rebuild, or replace with adobe bricks or concrete blocks.

Cooking is still done with these ovens.

Road leads to the mesa.

Buttresses were added to this house to better support the exterior walls.

The people first settled this mess off to the east.  A lightening strike with all but two residents down below destroyed the only way up.  The grandmother and child that remained on top decided to jump after two weeks falling to their death.  

They then moved to the current mesa.

On the west side there is the mission church that Spanish built.

Although Catholicism is part of the Indians lives, they also practice their native rituals that the Spanish tried to eliminate.   

These wooden ladders are now only ornamental.

Most water that runs off buildings is stored in cisterns during the summer monsoons.  Some dry up there are two that are used for drinking that are deep.

The inside of the church was not allowed to be photographed.  It was an open concept without fixed seating.  The alter area looked a lot lokevthe mission in Tucson.

I and two others took the opportunity to climb down the steep uneven trail.

There are spots where you need to climb down backwards.

After my visit to Sky City I drove east to the outskirts of Albuquerque wher I spent the night at the Route 66 Casino.

The buffet is norlally $10.99 Sunday through Wednesday but with their free players card it is $8.99. Such a deal.

Day 95 - 4/21/14 La Jolla, CA to Winslow, AZ

Denise and I were up early and on the way to the San Diego Airport before 5:00 am.  I dropped Denise off at the Sourhwest curb and I was on my way home.  Although this was a long days ride they will not all be as I don't arrive home until Friday, May 2.

I was well into the mountains on I8 between San Diego and El Centro before twilight arrived.

Here is sunrise coming out if the east side of the mountains

These are the windmills on the eastern foothills.

I don't think I shared a picture of the wall the US built along the boarder of Mexico.  The dark line is the wall.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has land that is free to camp on right along the wall.

Just before arriving in Yuma on western side of town are he desert sanddunes.

I am planning out my trip to but gas at Pilot or Flying-J gas stations as they are usually the cheapest but I also get $.03 off each gallon with my Good Sam Card.

Today I got gas in Yuma, here near Goodyear, AZ west of Phoenix, and lastly in Winslow, AZ. (See below)

Heading up I17 from Phoenix here is the mountain in Flagstaff in the distance.

Flagstaff being high in elevation it has trees.

In Flagstaff I picked up I40 towards New Mexico.

I stopped in Winslow, AZ for dinner on old RT66, although no longer a US Highway it has historical RT66 signs like the one on the Restaurant menu except they are brown and say historic.

The food was typical diner food.

Tonight I am staying at this Flying-J plaza.

I decided to try the showers they have there.  They are excellent for $12.00.

With a sink

Toilet

And shower

They give you a floor towel, bath towel, and face cloth

It was worth the try and makes staying in the parking lot a bit easier to take.

I had a few minutes to pass so I sat in the truck drivers lounge and watched basketball with them.