D+12 OKC to Amarillo, Texas

Leg Mileage = 276.7 Cumulative miles = 2624.5

Another INCREDIBLE ride today. Beginning to learn how to cherry-pick the Mother Road, because you simple can't do it all on one run. Stopped at the Route 66 Interpretive Center in Clinton OK, to help celebrate their 15th anniversary. They broke ground for this on the first HOG Mother Road Tour in 1995, and some of the riders who where there that day are with us on this tour!

From the sublime to the ridiculous: most who are making a living off of 66 have a gimmick and a darn good one! Witness Erick Oklahoma, the home of Roger (King of the Road) Miller and Sheb (Purple People Eater) Wooly. Currently holding forth in the self-proclaimed Red Neck Capitol are the Mediocre Music Makers. They flag you down, greet you, entertain you (former studio musicians from LA), and then wish you well along your way! Picture offered without further comment!

D+11 Layover in OKC

Breakfast downtown at the convention center (second "Mapping the Mother Road" presentation from "Sheriff" Michael Wallis). Then visited the site of the Oklahoma City bombing: stunning and touching.

In the evening some of us headed over to the old OKC Stockyards for supper and then up to the State Fair...yee haw!

D+10 Tulsa, Oklahoma to Oklahoma City

Leg Mileage = 178.3 Cumulative Mileage = 2312.8

Group picture day at the Cyrus Avery Bridge in Tulsa...where east meets west!

An incredible ride today! Getting the hang of this pace and I like it!

But hot and tired by the time we hit OKC which will be a 2 day layover.

D+9 Springfield, Missouri to Tulsa, Oklahoma

Leg mileage = 219.5 Cumulative mileage 2134.5

Storm front passed in the night and today started out beautiful and got better! Really was in three states today: Missouri, Kansas (cutting the corner at Galena), and Oklahoma.

Some surprises today, case in point being the 9 Foot Road sections that are still preserved in Oklahoma. This was the original paved road sections in this part of what became Rt 66 and are 9 feet wide (and not in the best of condition!) Needless to say, my riding skills are getting a workout, but stayed shiny side up throughout.

And there are delays you don't usually have to deal with on the interstate!

Arrived in Tulsa in time to check out the local dealership's reception and get my bearings.

D+8 Fenton, Missouri to Springfield, Missouri

Leg Mileage = 223.9 Cumulative mileage 1915.0

Getting the feel for the Mother Road now. Rt 66 is remarkably intact, but it takes a few new navigation skills, though the various state associations have done a good job of marking the route.

Stopped at Merrimac Cave (Jessie James hideout!) and checked out some of the older (30's vintage) parts of the road like the Devil's Elbow.

Drove into a significant rain storm in the afternoon! Suited up in Rolla, unsuited a few miles later, the suited back up for real just past Ft Leonard Wood. Took to the superslab for the run into Springfield, since I wanted to meet up with relatives for supper.

D+7 - Rejoining the Tour

Evansville, Indiana to Fenton, Missouri - Leg mileage = 237.6 cumulative miles 1691.1

Left Evansville about 7:40 and headed west on Indiana 62 and then north on Indiana 69 until I had to get on I-64 west. Cool and cloudy in the morning, but by the time I took a break in O'Fallon, Illinois around 10:30, the day was clearing and getting warm. Shed the jacket and ride!

Now the Route 66 fun begins! Headed north to Collinsville, Illinois (Giant ketchup bottle!). Finally got onto historic 66 and followed a 50's alignment.

This led to a stop at Cahokia Mounds. This is the site of the largest known prehistoric community in North America and the largest earthen mound in the Americas. This is the Monk's Mound and from the top you can see downtown St Louis and the Arch.

Finally started to see other Mother Road riders in Mitchell Illinois. HOG arranged for us to be able to cross the Mississippi on the old Point of Rocks bridge.

This bridge is normally closed to traffic, but we were allowed to cross! Don't know if you can tell from this picture, but the bridge turns 22 degrees in the middle. A real adventure!

Worked my way through St Louis to the Arch and then on to Fenton (with a stop at Ted Drewes for a concrete!)

D+6 On the Road at Last!

Tinley Park, Illinois to Evansville, Indiana Leg = 288.3 miles, cummuative 1423.5

After a HOG rider's breakfast this morning, I packed up and headed out. This is a day early, and I am doing a side trip to Evansville, Indiana for some business. Left Tinley Park just after noon and arrived Evansville around 5:30 pm. Stayed at the Aztar Casino on the Ohio River.

Monday (D+7) was spent on business with a short side trip down to Henderson, Kentucky.