For the past week-and-a-half, we’ve had a 14-year-old in the house. Sam and I were overjoyed that Avery, our niece, was getting to come visit us from New York for a bit this summer. Although the trip was shorter than we’d like (this is the first time Avery has come back since we got married in 2015) we’ve done our best to make it a fun and engaging visit. Of all things, Avery was most excited to see Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. Cindy, Sam’s mom, has also always wanted to go see the famous roadside attraction in Texas. We only had time to drive out, stay overnight, and drive back…but what’s an uncle to do but oblige with a Route 66 road trip?
We watched Cars the night before the trip to prepare. Although we needed to stay on the interstate for most of the drive to keep our tight schedule, I strategically diverted to Route 66 several times to point out a few locations, such as the Rock Cafe in Stroud and the Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick, and talked about the people that helped make the movie what it is. I took us along the Mother Road between Calumet and Weatherford to show off one of my favorite sections of the highway, which includes the Bridgeport Pony Bridge and Lucille’s Station, to give a real-life example of the before-and-after of interstate travel. We stopped for lunch at Lucille’s Roadhouse in Weatherford, which was a big hit.
Once we crossed into Texas, we stopped in Shamrock to stretch our legs. The U-Drop Inn never disappoints, and like everywhere we stopped there were other travelers doing the same thing we were: exploring, taking photos, and having a good time. It takes about five hours to get from Tulsa to Amarillo and by the time we pulled up at Cadillac Ranch, the car was buzzing with excitement.
We were all very thankful that it hadn’t rained and that the ground was MOSTLY dry! The ladies picked out spots on a few of the cars and left their mark. I know that Cadillac Ranch isn’t for everyone and online discourse often includes a number of folks that think it’s trashy and a blight to the landscape…but it’s hard to argue with the excitement and passion you see first-hand. It appeals to travelers that may not stop at the museums or know anything about the history of Route 66. It’s quirky and it invites creative expression. I always enjoy my visits.
Of course, I also had to take our crew to 6th Street and introduce them to a few of my roadie friends. We surprised Crocodile Lile at his gallery, where we marveled at the stunning jewelry he makes out of layered paint chips from the Ranch. We stopped by Texas Ivy Antiques and had a nice visit with Dora Meroney, one of the sweetest people on the entire road. A plan formed for dinner and we spent the evening visiting at Dyer’s BBQ.
By the time we settled in at our hotel, everyone was pretty spent. But the Cactus Cove invites overnight guests to make more of their stay than just a place to lay your head. It’s a unique place with a fun lobby (with games, miniature golf, hanging basket chairs, and more) and it served as a wonderfully relaxing spot to end the day.
We started our drive back with a stop at the newly-relocated Bug Ranch, which was just a few minutes from the hotel. The popular Slug Bug Ranch in Conway, TX (something of a sister site inspired by Cadillac Ranch, though it came into being about two decades later) became endangered after the property owner, Ricky Crutchfield, passed away in 2022. The new owner didn’t want the Volkswagens to hang around and there was some back-and-forth on what to do…but eventually they were acquired by the Lee family, which famously operates The Big Texan steakhouse. The new roadside installation, which also includes a crop of planted limousines, celebrated a grand opening in June. The site is still being developed…in fact, workers were there when we stopped by. We happily left our mark, again, before heading back to Oklahoma.
We made two big stops on the way home. Our first was in Clinton, where we had lunch at the Route 66 Cafe at the Market (DELICIOUS and highly recommended!) and toured the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. I’ll be back there on the 28th for our Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which also includes the opening of my photo exhibit. But, naturally, I had to install all of the photos first! Sam helped me and we got them hung in short order.
We also stopped at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial in Oklahoma City. I was the only one in our party that had been into the museum itself, and that was about 20 years ago. It’s very well done and I highly recommend the experience to everyone. It’s so important to remember what happened and why. The grounds outside are always so peaceful.
It was a long two days, but everyone had a great time. I loved getting to share a little of my love for the road with people that were willing to hear me yammer on from the driver’s seat about obscure facts and history. I hope the memories last a lifetime.
UPDATE: When I wrote about our trip to California earlier this year, I mentioned that I’d been gifted a photograph taken along Oklahoma Route 66 in 1992 and I was trying to track down the specific location. Well, thanks to a few of my western Oklahoma Route 66 sleuths, we found the spot! I made sure to stop in Elk City and take a photo so I could share a modern snapshot with my friends. Check it out!
Rhys' Pieces 