66 By 6
A Sixer motors west on Route 66: Part Three

Route 66 has become everyman's road. Witness the thousands of tourists who come to America each year, rent their ride and take to the Mother Road like a long-lost friend.

I supplied my own ride, but the attraction was the same. As I continued my journey on Route 66 from Tulsa to Tucumcari, I reveled in every mile of the Road. Behind the wheel of my faithful 633CSi, every thump of concrete section lines promised fresh adventure.

As we approached Lucille's just south of Hydro, Oklahoma, I felt a growing sense of unease, knowing that this icon of the Mother Road was now closed after the passing of its owner. At a crossroads called Provine, Lucille Hamons’ little gas station and tourist court had served tens of thousands of Mother Road travelers since 1941.

Pulling up to the pumps in the Sixer, the place seemed deserted. As I walked to the front of the store, I was jarred to read a hand-written notice posted in the window.

Lucille's would soon be auctioned on eBay.

Somehow, selling Lucille's via the Internet just didn't seem right. It was a reminder that no place, least of all Route 66 itself, is immune from the cold reality of the modern world. Here's hoping the new owners will respect what Lucille Hamons built during 60 years on the shoulder of 66. May they take just as much time to share a story and a smile with each and every traveler as did the grand lady herself.

Back on the road, Silbersix and I soon arrived at Weatherford's airport, where we spent a pleasant hour touring the Thomas P. Stafford Air and Space Museum. Honoring former astronaut and Air Force general Tom Stafford, the museum is full of aircraft, spacecraft and all kinds of memorabilia from the outstanding career of Weatherford's favorite son.

The many aircraft exhibits include an F-86 Sabre, an F-16 Falcon and numerous full-sized replicas of famous aircraft like the Wright Flyer and Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, as well as Gemini and Apollo spacecraft and rocket engines. If you're into flying or space travel, don't miss this unexpected Mother Road treat.

Just past Weatherford is a must-see for every Route 66 traveler, Clinton’s Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. Its large and professionally crafted exhibits of Mother Road history were just the ticket to inject even more enthusiasm into my road trip. A few miles out of Clinton we stopped at the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City. Though not as large or impressive as Clinton’s museum, the National Museum features some nice vehicles and exhibits amid a larger complex of historical buildings, railroad cars and other attractions.

Pushing to make Texas by dark, I picked up the pace as we crisscrossed back and forth over I-40 on the original 66. West of Elk City I crossed a beautiful 1928 K-truss bridge at Timber Creek and motored on through Sayre, Hext and Erick. The Sixer and I drove slowly through Erick where I saw children running through a sprinkler in the front yard of an old frame house, as grown-ups sat on their front porch in the cool of the day and talked. What a timeless Route 66 moment.

As the light faded, I stopped at an intersection in the nearly deserted border town of Texola, waited while a big-rig turned off 66 toward I-40, and took a few snaps of a true Mother Road ghost-town. A little building that looked like a large outhouse turned out to be an Oklahoma territorial jail built in 1910. A dead Mercedes sat nearby, the very essence of road kill.

With daylight gone, I welcomed the lights of Shamrock, Texas, knowing that this would be my resting place for the night. I refueled the Sixer, called my wife, stopped by KFC (my only fast food restaurant of the trip) and bunked down at the Shamrock Country Inn just east of town on 66. Twenty-five dollars bought a clean and quiet room, courteous service and a good night's sleep for me and my horse, uh, Sixer.

Next morning, the sight of about a hundred dead Oklahoma grasshoppers plastered on the front of the coupe from the previous day's drive prompted me to run the Sixer though a do-it-yourself car wash. Just before leaving town at  7am, I stopped at a sleepy little car lot whose front row was composed entirely of Route 66 veterans from the 1930s through the 60s. I think the ‘52 Olds was my favorite. You won't find Clay Motor Co. on the Internet, but it's worth checking out next time you’re in Shamrock.

Of course, the U Drop Inn Café  is the big Route 66 landmark in Shamrock. I was glad to see the old watering hole and art deco masterpiece is being restored.

Highlights of my drive through Texas include the Devil's Rope Museum in McLean, with the world's biggest exhibit of barbed wire and the best Route 66 gift shop I found anywhere on my trip.

Also in McLean is the state's first Phillips 66 station, nicely restored to its original 1929 appearance.

In Alanreed I stopped at another gas station, a restored "Super 66 Service" Texaco station, as well as the town's little First Baptist Church, and then it was back onto the Portland concrete. As was the case on most of the old road, traffic was sparse – fine with me and the 633, as together we motored west at a leisurely pace.

It’s not hard at all to understand the pull of Route 66 in the wide open spaces of the west, 60 years ago or now. Blue skies, straight road and friendly people characterized my Mother Road journey through Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.

At Amarillo's Big Texan Restaurant, I ate the Duke's favorite breakfast, steak and eggs (they were good).

After breakfast just a few miles away, I walked through a dirt field to inspect the bizarre and unique Cadillac Ranch. There aren’t that many places you can see 10 classic Caddy’s nose down in the earth at the same angle as the Great Pyramid.

Another good meal (Texas BBQ) followed at Adrian's Midpoint Café and Gift Shop. I listened to the barking of unseen dogs in the deserted border town of Del Rio, Texas, and shopped for retro trinkets at the famous Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Great memories from my few days on the Mother Road, but the highlight of the trip was the Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari's lovingly maintained motor court built in 1940. My room ($29.95 queen with adjoining single garage) was immaculate, with varnished wood floors, green tiled bathroom and a peaceful aura that made it the bargain buy of my journey. Stepping outside my door at dusk, I sat on a bench at a cedar picnic table and snapped a picture of the Sixer nestled in its garage, accompanied by the quiet hum of a neon bluebird over the door.

Six hundred miles from Tulsa to Tucumcari and back - what a ride. The solitude of the cockpit of a classic BMW coupe was the perfect way to experience the Mother Road. The Sixer performed without flaw, and was a great companion to explore some of the best sections of America's first and favorite transcontinental highway.

So did Bobby Troup tell the truth when he penned those famous words, "Get your kicks on Route 66?"

You know it.  -RS

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