We had an early breakfast at a diner next door to the Will Rogers Inn, loaded the bags, and rolled out onto Route 66.
Apparently a booming business in these parts!
This section is a new 4 lane highway, with a great shoulder, that is on the 1924 alignment.
Andy Payne
After ten miles of newer highway, we turned onto a loop that would lead us to Foyil. Home town of Andy Payne. He was the winner of the 1926 Bunion Derby and collected a $100,000 prize for winning. The foot race was from New York City to Los Angeles. 199 runners started and only 55 finished, and it took 84 days. It was run as a stage race (each day total time is accumulated) and Paynes’ overall time was 573 hours, 4 minutes and 34 seconds.
Old pavement leading to Foyil
Restored service station in Foyil
Back on the main highway I had my first puncture of the trip. This huge staple pierced the tube in several places and the tire went flat nearly instantly!
I pulled into a driveway to do the repair, and when the repair was done, I noticed this cool storage shed!
The second SAG stop was just past the Pryer Creek Bridge on another maintained section of the original 1926 Route 66 alignment. It carried traffic from 1926 to 1932 when a new alignment of Route 66 bypassed the bridge. The bridge is 123 feet in length and 19 feet wide. It is the only bridge in Oklahoma that used the Modified Pratt Through Truss Design. The contractor was EG Fike and Son. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
Back on the new highway we enjoyed easy riding in rolling pastures.
This is the Western Motel in Vinita OK. When it opened in the 1950s it was called the Quarterhorse Motel. In addition to regular rooms it had stables for horses! It was renamed in the 1970s. The fiberglass chief was originally stood near a gift shop in Boston MA. How it got here, who knows!
Muffler man #2; Big Bill is also a new addition to the Muffler Men! In 2022, Mobile 1 oil ran a promotion using Route 66. They set a number of world records, placing a Big Bill at each location. Here at the Hi-Way Cafe in Vinta they put a record 60,066 stickers on the 1963 American Rambler just behind Big Bill. Editors note: Just now learned that fact writing the blog, if I’d known when I rode through, I would have taken a better picture of the car!
Instead I leaned my bike against a Big Boy at the cafe entrance!
Many old motels along Route 66 have been converted to apartments. This one was more tidy than most.
Calfee in Vinita OK
Another abandoned and closed, but not removed, bridge from the original 1926 alignment. I spotted this from the other side of the highway and crossed over to check it out. It had two large barriers of broken concrete to discourage people like me from crossing. After riding/climbing over the rock piles, I rejoined the highway and about 30 minutes later, had my second flat of the day. This time it was a tiny wire from a truck tire, most likely picked up from truck tire carcasses on the new highway. After the second repair, I continued to the next SAG.
At our second SAG, these guys were having lunch. They are a team of cross country runners from South Korea raising money for the children of Vietnam!
This section of Route 66 was originally paved in 1922 and was designated as Route 66 in 1926 since it linked Miami and Aston and was already paved. But wait, it looks like crushed limestone gravel, but just underneath is 8’ of pavement:
Here is a great photo from one of the other riders showing a section with the 8’ paved section exposed with gravel on each side. This 15.46 miles from Miami to Aston is the only remaining section of 8’ pavement on the old Route 66. In 1937 Route 66 was realigned in and this section was taken off the route in 1937 and is on the National Register of Historic Places! Today it is a local farm road with very little traffic.
Service station ruins
Small house in Miami
The service station ruins and this small house resemble the Giraffe style masonry that is peculiar to the Ozarks in Arkansas. There flagstone is used as a veneer over the main structure. These appear to be masonry walls built with local stone. These are the things you think about in the room after a day of riding!
Rolling into Miami OK, we passed the Fairgrounds. There will be a Monster Truck Rally there tonight and they were unloading this monster Vette. Note the smaller wheels used for transporting, the real monster wheels/tires are still on the trailer!
Neosho River
Todays destination
I couldn’t do another burger!
We had time for lunch before the tour of the Coleman theater. This place was new, had great air conditioning, delicious food, and most importantly could handle our whole crew and get us out on time to ride one more mile to the Coleman Theater.
The theater was built in 1929 for George Coleman, a local mining magnate and millionaire. Once an elaborate vaudeville theater, over the years it fell into disrepair. The Coleman family sold it to the city for $1 in 1989 and it has been an ongoing restoration project since then. Today it seats 1100, including the balcony, and rivals the nicest theaters yours truly has stepped foot in!
Our guide gives an interesting presentation
The backdrop painting is the original
New seating is a replica of the orignal
Orginal Wurlitzer organ, fully restored.
Curtin rigging
Green room
Many famous performers, past and present have performed here. If you are ever in Miami, I’d recommend you check it out. Click here for a link to their website!
We rolled into the Microtel Hotel on the edge of town and enjoyed a pizza and pasta dinner in the lobby.
Tomorrow we load and depart before breakfast, and ride a few miles to a breakfast diner. Load and depart at 0715! We ride through Kansas and finish the day in Missouri, better get some rest!
1 comment:
Thanks Steve!! You are incredible! Keep up the good work 👍🏻
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