Once again we took the DART train into the centre of Dallas to see some of the sights of the city. The weather was very hot (90 degrees plus).



I took photos of all angles in Dealey Plaza and from the grassy knoll. This one shows the Texas Book Depository and the window from which Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy. The white mark on the kerb is the exact spot where this happened.

After spending several informative hours in, the JFK museum on the 6th floor of the depository (no photographs as we were not allowed to take them), we went to see the JFK memorial nearby.

http://www.jfk.org/

In the early afternoon we visited the Dallas Museum of Art with exhibits from all over the world. It was showing a fascinating display of frescoes from the towns destroyed by Vesuvius. We were not allowed to take photos inside here either so here is a photo of Glenys outside.

http://www.dm-art.org/

Just opposite the Museum of Art, we visited the Nasher Sculpture Park (lots of culture today!). There was a good variety of modern American sculpture with the odd piece by Europeans (Hepworth, Giacometti, Picasso, Henry Moore & Rodin).

www.nashersculpturecenter.org

After being cultured out, we visited a shopping mall and inside was a sculpture competition using only food cans and a sculpture by Anthony Gormley!

We were up early this morning for a prompt start for our trip to Dallas, allowing time in case we got lost downtown. Thanks to Glenys's planning and Google Maps, we arrived with no problem but 2 hours early. George W has not invited us to tea, YET!
I know the second picture is a bit cheesy, but an American offered to take it and I couldn't refuse (that's my excuse anyway).

We drove through a few of these complicated road systems on our way and at one time we were in one of the lanes of a 16 lane highway.

After checking in, we took the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transport) train into the centre for a look round and just a few blocks from Union Station we came upon the infamous "Grassy Knoll" on Dealey Plaza. Tomorrow we intend to visit the JFK museum and memorial.

After just a few minutes there, it began to rain and we sheltered in the Old Courthouse Museum. It continued raining and then thundered and lightened for quite a long time.

We passed this old farm building which was turned into a diner and now it is an "antique" shop. It is one of the few that have not been demolished.

Only a short time after leaving Tulsa we stoppped at Hayburn Lake and walked along the dam. It was virtually deserted and we saw herons and turtles by the lake side.

On leaving the lake, we did some shopping in a Wal Mart and as we were leaving, a voice called after us asking if we were English. It was a lady who had married an "Okie" and who was brought up in Bognor Regis.

The small town of Depew has been left just as it was when Route 66 moved to the other side of the railway line. It was just like being in a time warp.
http://www.visitdepewok.com/




This is the brand new Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Centre. We were welcomed by an American lady whose son lives in Bingley! It is very innovative as you will see by the second photo. You lay down on beds to view the videos.

The countryside in this part of Oklahoma looks very much like England but the soil is very fine and red and the dust blows everywhere.

There are only a few round barns in the US and this recently refurbished barn is one of them. It is round supposedly to allow tornadoes to pass around it. The owner has been told there is a similar barn in England and would like to know its whereabouts.

http://www.arcadiaroundbarn.org/

We drove into Oklahoma City where we are staying and heading off tomorrow on a 350 mile detour to Dallas.

This morning we went from Missouri into Kansas for all of 13 miles

In this state, Route 66 signs are painted on the road surface.

Again to prove we are on the right road, an Historic Kansas Route 66 sign.

In Kansas we crossed the unique "Rainbow" bridge over Brush Creek. Live turtles were swimming in the water under the bridge.

Only a few miles later, we drove into Oklahoma as can be seen by this welcome sign.

Again we found the right road with the Oklahoma Route 66 signs.

In downtown Miami (pronounced my-am-uh) we visited the Coleman Theatre and had a personal tour around this magnificent 1929 theatre, paid for with the money from mining lead and zinc. It fell into disrepair on the 980's and is being renovated by a group of local volunteers who are doing an amazing job.

www.colemantheatre.org

Just off Route 66 is the world's largest totem pole in Totem Pole Park Foyil Oklahoma. You can see Glenys in the door at the bottom.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/OK-TotemPolePark.html

Just outside Tulsa, in Catoosa, is this blue whale, a famous place and renowned photo opportunity at the site of a former swimming hole by the side of Route 66.

This evening, after dinner at the hotel in Tulsa, we relaxed round the pool until the sun set. We have no photos of this as we were both too lazy to get the camera from our room.

Edwin Hubble of Hubble telescope fame was born in Marshfield Missouri on Route 66 and to commemorate this, the town erected this quarter scale model of the telescope and displayed it on the Courthouse lawn.



A lovely straight part of Route 66 through the countryside where these huge webs, which contain large caterpillars, were draped among the trees.



Along the route near Kellogg Lake park in Carthage we found this piece of folk art depicting a crop dusting aeroplane.



At one time old Route 66 crossed the Spring River but when it was rerouted in the 40's, the old road was abandoned at the river.

We walked down to the Spring River, a perfect place for Glenys to cool her feet.

The small village of Red Oak on Route 66 was moved more than 20 miles when a famous sculptor and artist decided to recreate his boyhood village in a field on his farm. As the village fell into disrepair he bought buildings and rebuilt them on his farm. We visited and walked around, it was free to the public.
http://lowelldavis-artist.com/RO/information/index.htm

The Fire station

The School

This morning we spent a couple of hours on the tour around these huge caverns in Missouri - Meramec Caverns. They were advertised about every mile or so from about 40 miles away.
www.americascave.com



Further on we passed through a small town called Cuba which is famous for wall murals on the outside of public buildings. This one shows Emilia Earhart the American female pilot.



We found this stall by the side of the road selling grapes and bought a box - they are the sweetest grapes we have ever eaten. We may be eating them for a few days as you can see the size of the boxes.
www.mcc-llc.com/rosatiwineries



These figures were by the side of the road in Dillon and used to be a very common advert for burger bars, but these 4 are the last family set left - Momma, Poppa, Teen and Baby Burger.

This is a rare stretch of Route 66 4-lane highway. It is called Hooker Cut and crosses a river at Devil's Elbow. It was virtually empty of traffic and was very atmospheric.

Route 66 links up with Highway 44 in this area where they blasted through the limestone to leave these steep sides to the road.

We travelled well over 100 miles today through beautiful country with great weather and the usual high temperatures of 80+ degrees.

Just thought we should add this photo of concrete wigwams, the most Easterly Indian trading post in the US - right by the side of Route 66.

Here we are entering our second state, Missouri, by crossing the Mississippi river.

Just to prove we are still following the "Mother Road".



One of the places we stopped was the National Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood Missouri with 70 locos, huge sheds and a car museum. http://www.museumoftransport.org/

Roads are very quiet at the moment as the US children are back to school - hurray!!!!

They grow the bugs big and friendly in the US. This one landed on Glenys's arm while we were visiting Lake Springfield.

One of the few restored covered bridges left in this area.

The Ariston Cafe, a classic Route 66 diner from 1935. The desserts were delicious and the coffee refills kept coming.

http://www.ariston-cafe.com/

The oldest gas station on Route 66 which was originally built in the 1920's.

Heading into Missouri tomorrow.