DAY ONE
The fourth phase of Route 66 road trip started in Shamrock,
Texas (after driving an hour from a stopover in Elk City, OK).
We first found the Route 66 Inn there.
Here are some other pictures from Shamrock, TX.
Next we found the Tower Conoco Station and U Drop Inn Cafe.
Surprisingly, there was a set of Tesla charging stations next to it.
Here are some shots from outside the building.
Even Elvis came to the U Drop Inn Cafe.
Next we found the Pioneer West Museum in Shamrock, TX.
The Museum was closed, but there were some interesting items outside of it.
Including the Magnolia Service Station.
On the way to the next stop, we spotted an interesting house.
In McLean, TX we visited the Devil's Rope Museum ndedicated to barbed wire.
Also in McLean, we found the Route 66 Motel and Restaurant. But they were no longer open.
Within McLean is a number of murals painted on the buildings.
We were able to find the McLean - Alanreed Museum, but it was closed.
We also found the 1927 Phillips 66 Station. Good thing that we didn't need any gas.
On the way out of town we saw the Red River Steakhouse. Unfortunately, the steakhouse was closed on Mondays.
END OF DAY ONE
DAY TWO
On our way to the next stop, we found the Super 66 Service Station built in 1930.
One of the more interesting stops along the way was the Alanreed Travel Center and Motel. This building also housed the Alanreed Post Office.
Alanreed was founded by two gentlemen, you guessed it, one was named Alan and the other Reed. This convenience store is the only store for the town of around 22 people. It also manages a gas station and motel.
The store has some interest items for sale including a wide variety of beer and wine.
We saw some desolate landscape along the Route 66 / US 40 corridor.
We located the Britten Leaning Water Tower which was not in Britten and did not contain water. It was located in Groom, TX and was going to be used as the town's actual water tower. However, it never met code so owner Ralph Britten decided to install it leaning.
On our way to find the Bug Ranch, we spotted a large cross near the highway. We stopped to take a few pictures of the associated church which had its own souvenir shop.
Just before visiting the Bug Ranch, we spotted a home with some gun grills.
The Bug Ranch is a take off the Cadillac Ranch which follows later.
For lunch we stopped at the Big Texan Steak Ranch Restaurant in Amarillo, TX. If you can eat a 72 ounce steak in 60 minutes, it is free. I did not even try.
There is a hotel located right next to the Big Texan. Perhaps for people who can not move after eating there.
There was also another structure but we could not tell what it was.
The Big Texan is even big on the inside. There is a souvenir shop, fudge shop, and displays.
The Cadillac Ranch is near a souvenir shop that is marked with a collection of Cadillacs outside. Near the Cadillacs is the "Second Amendment Cowboy."
The actual Cadillac Ranch is along the service road. It is a series of partially buried Cadillacs that have been spray-painted over the years. The ground around the cars was very wet so we didn't get too close.
We stayed at the Route 66 Inn for the night. The owner was new to the business and could not offer much history of the Inn.
END OF DAY TWO
DAY THREE
On day three we drove to Vega, TX to see the restored Magnolia Service Station. There we met Keila Bain, the director of the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce. Keila was a wealth of information about the town and Route 66.
Across the street was the Milburn-Price Culture Museum with a mural painted on the side by Valerie Doshier. The directors, Greg and Karen Conn, were extremely helpful and informative.
Just a couple blocks away was Dot's Mini-Museum. This is a "self-serve" museum that you can browse at your own pace.
On the way out of Vega, TX, we stopped by the Hickory Cafe. We did not stop for lunch.
We also did not eat at Rooster's, although it did look interesting.
Just out of town, we spotted a family of Bison. Not really. These were metal statues someone had placed in the field.
In Adrian, TX we reached the midway point of Route 66. Across the highway from the midpoint sign is a gift shop and Midpoint Cafe where we stopped for lunch.
More landscape photos between Adrian and Glenrio Texas.
Abandoned service station near Glenrio and the New Mexico border.
Glenrio Texas is now a ghost town. The one road through the town ends abruptly.
Still more desolate vistas from Texas.
Once we reached Glenrio and the western end of Texas, we turned around and headed home.
END OF TRIP