Day 8 - Oklahoma... All Day Long!

The sun cracked the horizon through the high tension wires near Bell Cow Ranch this morning, the weather has been kind to us so far and today looked like being another of those fine days.

Jerry McClanahan was our first stop in Chandler. Perhaps the father of the Mother Road in some peoples eyes but certainly the author of the best guide on the road - The EZ66 Route 66 Guide.

Gerry was on hand early at Seaba Motorcycle museum at Warwick where Grant found plenty of nostalgia discovering an old Honda that was his first ride.

John Hargraves was in the middle of an upholstery job on a customer's hot rod...

but he took time to shown us around his toy world, including his 1914 Model T.

We made slow progress of the morning with another character of the old road Mr Sam too hard to resist.

In residence at the Round Barn the 90 year old farmer has outlived two wives and has recently remarried a younger woman (ten years his junior!) and was waxing lyrical about her and the neck of the woods where he still can be found in the fields most days. Except Monday when he's at the Barn chatting to folks traveling the road.

You don't make much distance when you continually meet interesting people like this so it was a quick stop at the Soda Pop Diner for lunch and then a concerted drive through Oklahoma City on to El Reno.

The old road through these parts is considered some of the best, generally smooth but predictably bumpy, one mustang in catch up mode was rumoured to have raised the speed bar this trip.

The run along this road and across the longest Pony Truss bridge was quick for good reason.

At the end of the day were two Museums, the first in Clinton which perfectly depicts the decades that make up its history and the second was at Elk City where the National Motor Museum has a welcome walk through on their own take on R66 which is easy to absorb.

Sadly the same can't be said for the dragon behind the counter who was the only example we've had this trip of someone who clearly doesn't 'get' the concept of customer service and satisfaction!

Too bad, that's her loss...

Frances will buy her purple key ring somewhere else thanks!

As the weather descended in a deluge from the dark clouds, just as it did last time we were in Elk City, we're safe in the knowledge tomorrow will bring one of our best examples of hospitality.. so perhaps the old dragon should join us to learn a thing or two! Mean time we're resting overnight in Sayre with dinner at Dennys.

#driving #ecoboost #stillen #oklahoma #downunderonroute66 #mustang #ford #cars #Route66