Leaving the hotel at the normal 08.30 we rode across town to Wallmart to pick ourselves up some food for our 'picnic lunch'. Rain greeted as we exited the supermarket so it was on with the rain gear .....
... for the 15 mile ride to Clinton, where we stopped to visit the Route 66 museum.
Below: Route 66 Museum (Clinton)
Next stop was a short way to another museum, the National Route 66 museum. We didn't go round the museum but did stop for 'photo opportunity' at the biggest route 66 sign anywhere.
Before riding on to our lunch stop, Gary led us to a closed section of the old road that is not used any more. It is rideable, if a little overgrown and we stopped here to take some photos of each of us riding the old road, and shoot some video clips too.
And so on to the town of Erick, Oklahoma and the Sand Hill Curiosity Shop. Anyone who has seen the Henry Cole R66 video series or the Billy Conoly one will have seen these.
We received a very friendly greeting on arrival from Harley and Annabel, who were waiting outside for us. And so into there 'shop' (it doesn't sell anything but is packed floor to ceiling with 'curios'). Harley gave everyone a can of beer and had arranged rows of chairs for us to settle down to enjoy our picnic lunches.
Harley and Annabel, er, well,' entertained' is the probably the best description, they entertained us with much audience interaction and participation ending with then leading a communal rendition of the Bobby Troup song 'Get Your kicks on Route 66' (of course). Outside for photos and then there we were gone.
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Soon we're out of Oklahoma and into Texas where we stopped at Shamrock to have a look at the U-Drop Inn and Tower gas station which is 1930's art deco and now finely restored.
To illustrate the fact that we're recently moved into Texas, I'm prompted to stage a couple of photos...
Above right: The 'Biking Bears' Gang; Bearnard, Graham, Pooh, Barton, Lewis, Jiminy Cricket
We do another gas fill (not at the U-Drop though!) and ride on through McLean for our afternoon rest stop at the Alan Reed Restrooms.
We rode past the largest Christian Cross at Groom (you see the cross in the distance from the road) and on into Amarillo, to the Big Texan Motel, where we're staying the night. This is a famous old motel on the route and the rooms and furniture are, well, very rustic.
Above: (1& 2) 'Demo' parked outside our room, (3) My modest 8oz sirlion with 'Cowboy Beans' and jacket..
That evening we ate at the famous Big Texan Steak Ranch restaurant - a very busy and buzzin' place. This is the place where they challenge people to attempt to eat a 72oz steak, and all the accompaniments within one hour. Nobody in our group was dump enough to try it but there was a group of six Australians who did (and failed) so we did get to see what a 72oz steak looks like - imagine a very large dinner plate with a steak completely covering it and hanging off the sides - and the steak is about 1 1/2 inches thick and you won't be far off I'd say.
We had a voucher with our room key for a free drink at the bar - I chose (foolishly I reckon restrospectively) Whiskey Barrel Stout . Seated with half of our group in the restaurant I ordered a modest 8oz sirloin, but didn't manage to finish it - part way through I seemed to loose my appetite.
Later that night, I woke at about 2.00 with a thumping headache, and was violently sick - but I fely much better afterwards - I blame the W.B.S.
jump to: Day 8 Day 6
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