Day 1 Miles: 150
Shawnee, Oklahoma to Clinton, Oklahoma
There are many maps and guidebooks about Route 66, but none of them really address driving “The Mother Road” in an RV. I knew there were stretches of the route I would not attempt in a motorhome. For example, outside Miami, Oklahoma, (pronounced “MiamUH”) there is a section called “The Ribbon Road.” It is one lane, nine feet wide. Some have dubbed it, “Sidewalk 66.” Uh, uh. Don’t think so.
But, I would not be driving through Miami, Oklahoma on this trip. I began my westward journey in Shawnee, Oklahoma, just east of Oklahoma City. I pondered for just a moment driving to Joplin, Missouri, then making my way westward across the entire state of Oklahoma. But when I arose that morning, the thought of driving east just to drive west did not appeal to me. Alas, I missed some choice Oklahoma sites, such as the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, the big blue whale in Catoosa, Oklahoma, and the city of Tulsa. Next time!
From Shawnee, it was a short drive north on Highway 177, which intersected with Route 66. And I mean an actual, unadulterated, long stretch of Route 66!
Oklahoma boasts the longest preserved sections of the road. An occupational hazard of driving the route in the RV, there was no place to pull over to view an abandoned gas station in Luther which has become an icon of Route 66. A short while later, I was in Arcadia, Oklahoma, home to a couple of Route 66 “biggees.”
Thankfully there was a turnout at the Arcadia round barn, built in 1898 and largely restored by the donations of Route 66 travelers.
From the round barn you can see the 66 – foot (of course!) tall soda bottle at Pops, just up the road. I would love to see the bottle at night, which is dressed in changing colors of neon. Pops offers 700 different soda flavors and a lunch counter, not to mention some fun Route 66 memorabilia and gas pumps. I was like a kid in a candy store at Pops! And I guess I sort of was. Well, the candy store part anyway.
Coming up next was Oklahoma City and a stretch of road that includes a bridge built in the 1920s. I had already toured OKC and I was concerned about driving Nellie across the bridge, even though my research indicated it was re-opened to traffic after refurbishment in 2011. I opted to take I-44 West around those locations.
I exited the highway in Yukon, Oklahoma, hometown of Garth Brooks! It is also the home of Yukon’s Best flour, and I am told the neon on the sign is striking at night.
I continued west on Route 66 from Yukon to El Reno, Oklahoma, where I found this great old motel:
Then, as quickly as it had come, the route petered out, and I turned a few turns thinking I was still on a westward trajectory.
Nope!
Almost 30 miles later, now north of Route 66 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, I discovered the birthplace of Sam Walton. Sorry, no photos.
And so it goes with Route 66. Before I began this journey I could find no computer program, no app, no pre-loaded GPS which would give turn-by-turn directions. The best I could do was a map, which I could not read while driving. So, I spent a little while lost in Oklahoma, until I joined I-40 west. I exited at Clinton, Oklahoma – home of a Route 66 museum. In Clinton I found another iconic mid-century motel:
I spent the night in Clinton at the casino on the Cheyenne/Arapaho reservation and watched “The Grapes of Wrath,” anticipating the following day’s treasures: Two Route 66 museums, the Roger Miller Museum, the oldest Indian trading post in Oklahoma, and a ghost town.
This Post Has 6 Comments
Tammy, I’m enjoying your adventure so much!! We have some things in common. I lived in Mississippi part of my life and I have worked in law firms over 30 years, part of that time in product liability. I love your writing style and sense of humor! Are you headed for the west coast? If so I have a suggestion for a nice place to park while you enjoy the sights near Monterey and Carmel. Check out Betabel RV Resort. Nothing fancy but clean and very centrally located. My husband and I are full-timers here. Looking forward to more entertaining posts of your trip. Lynda G
Lynda, thank you for your comments, and for the recommendation!
Here’s a question Tammy – In your post you mention several town/city names – Miami (uh), Arcadia, Stillwater, El Reno, Yukon. All these are similar or exact to names in other states (Florida, California, North Carolina, Nevada, Alaska). Is it Oklahoma-ins who were original, or the other states? Who copied who? Besides Oklahoma City (take off from the state), there isn’t a name in your post that isn’t found in another state. So I want to know – who copied who (or whom)?
Interesting question, Scott! I think you have to look at each town on a case-by-case basis. For example, Miami, Florida and Miami, Oklahoma were both named for the Indian tribe. (Technically, the river in Florida was named after the tribe, and the town was named after the river.) There are Miamis in Indiana and Ohio and variations of the name all over the country.
I used to live next to Arcadia, California. According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the town of Arcadia, Oklahoma was given its name after the Greek rural paradise. When Arcadia founder Lucky Baldwin first saw the land he exclaimed that it was paradise, so my suspicion is Arcadia, California got its name in a similar fashion.
Let’s do one more: Yukon. According to Wikipedia, the most reliable source on the Internet (?), Yukon, Oklahoma was named for a gold rush that was going on in the Yukon Territory, Canada, at the time. Go figure.
I just recently discovered your blog & I’m really enjoying it. My husband & I gave our home to our daughter & family & bought a new 5th wheel. At the moment we’re living in it in the backyard but intend to hit the road in march when he retires. I guess we’re full timers already. ☺ I’m loving reading the route 66 excursions because in the late 1950s, when I was a little girl, we drove route 66 all the way, pulling a teardrop travel trailer my dad made. In those days you rarely saw a camper & I have memories of stopping to let people see “Duddle Bug”. Thank you so much for rekindling my happy memories . Nancy
Nancy, what wonderful memories! Thank you for sharing that with me. I hope you named your fifth wheel “Duddle Bug!”