Yesterday on the way to Santa Rosa we stopped off at Tucumcari to have a look at the old signs on R66 (neon old motel signs) and visited a funky curio shop recommended by Croc.

Then it was on to La Mesa Motel in Santa Rosa to check in.  A quaint 1960’s mom and pop Motel still owned by the family.  A great find and so friendly.

In Santa Rosa is a sink hole full of water called the Blue Hole.  It is apparently one of the most popular dive locations in the US.  It maintains a constant 17 degrees temperature and has a constant inflow of water of 3,000 US gallons per minute.  Because it’s at a high elevation (4,616ft) dives have to decompress when they dive.

Since it had a constant temperature Mr Fogg and Kevin decided to drop in for a bathe-  they can report that 17 in a desert location is ******* freezing!!!

On then to Santa Fe today!

We made it to Midpoint USA and beyond today after a total journey so far of 1390 miles with another 1139 or so to go.

Start of the day was a visit to Croc Lile in Amarillo who makes jewellery out of the paint chippings from the Cadillac Ranch

Then on to do some graffiti at the ranch

We even got Kevin to clean the car windscreen

And now over the line after a lunch at the midpoint cafe

And the last port of call in Texas before entering New Mexico, Glen Rio, which is now a ghost town.

We then barrelled down the Interstate to Santa Rosa New Mexico through a heavy shower (yuck), before settling for the evening at the wonderful La Mesa Motel.

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Oh joy, tornados are coming and we had to hack across country to avoid them, sprinting from Weatherford OK into Amarillo TX.

And this is the actual one we avoided

Whilst visiting the Route 66 Museum at Clinton

Texola


Shamrock

Where Mrs Fogg points out roughly where we are in Texas

And Kevin tries out her new bike

And the Devil Rope Museum at McLean

Then a light snack at Groom

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Today was a 190 mile drive from Tulsa to Weatherford Oklahoma, skirting through Oklahoma City on the I44. Total of 1,009 since we set off.

The weather today has been extremely windy after a really bad storm last night and tornado warnings, but, despite 25mph winds with gusts of over 40mph Mr Fogg did an amazing job of staying upright!

We saw some beautiful Oklahoma country and visited Chandler where the author of the EZ guide lives.  Unfortunately he wasn’t in, but we did visit a restored armouries store which has been turned into a fab museum.

Then we stopped at a lovely diner for lunch that the EZ author recommends in his book, the Boom a Rang

Then we had a wonderful drive on the original concrete Route 66 that seemed to stretch for miles and miles.

We made it to Tulsa after 7.5 hours sightseeing all along the way, now we are 4 states in (Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma) and a total of 816 miles since we started. A very windy drive through the open plains of Oklahoma, 24 mph winds saw part of the journey running at an angle. Tonight strong storm warnings, thunder, rain and the start of tornados, oh joy!

The Old US66 at Riverton Kansas

Commerce Oklahoma

The Whale at Catoosa Oklahoma

An ole soak in Tulsa Oklahoma

The hot ride

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Out after breakfast and onto Galena Kansas with a time for another photo stoppotunity

Next we’re off to see a whale!

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A long and tiring 220 miles today following some fantastic scenery from Fanning Mo, all the way through the awesomely named Uranus (the jokes we’ve had on that one)

On then through Hooker Cut and Devils Elbow unfortunately seeing the devastation caused by the recent floods, but some very resilient people

After a few hours we cut out to the interstate to run the last 100 or so miles to arrive at the wonderful Boots Court Motel in Carthage

Time to have a simple Chinese banquet where Mrs Fogg asked for tea with Milk, only to be given Chinese tea and a cup of milk, which left poor old Kevin in stitches as the waitress looked bemused at a women drinking a Chinese tea then sipping milk and lemonade after each mouthful

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So a set off from Springfield Il onto Cuba, first stop the only home that Mr Lincoln owned

Followed by more roadside attractions including Henry’s Rabbit Ranch and the chance for Kevin to meet the man himself

Then onto Cuba via a mammoth Interstate run following the ladies in the support truck

And a nice rack of St Louis Ribs

And a chance to spend the evening chatting to the Biker Boyz from Chicago, Ralph, Paul and Bob

And today onto Carthage via Fanning and the Worlds tallest rocker

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After a nights sleep at the less than super 8, on then for a few hours womble in Pontiac, which is one of those places that just feels good.

With the museum to, yes you got it the Pontiac

Onwards to Atlanta and one of the many giants

And a photo opportunity for Kevin who seems to have misunderstood how you stop a train in the US

A more or less full day snaking back and forth along complete sections of Route 66

And the oddest of attractions such as a grain elevator and the worlds tallest covered wagon complete with a rather large Lincoln

Tomorrow is the last day in Illinois as we skirt around St Louis finishing in Cuba Missouri

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