Amarillo

We left our motel and pulled out straight on to the famous Route 66. According to a local we spoke to, Oklahoma has the most original stretch of Route 66 highway in the country. She was right - parts of the road were badly in need of maintenance with much of the old pavement cracked and weeds growing through. The shock absorbers on the Harley got tested a bit today! 

It is now impossible to travel the original Route 66 in it's entirety from Chicago to Santa Monica. Parts of the original route has been either re-developed as part of another highway, closed to public access or even transferred into private ownership. All of it has been bypassed by interstate - effectively killing small communities overnight. The section of Route 66 we traveled today was as much iconic as it was a relic of the past. Most of the small communities we passed through had closed gas stations and motels and a few were on the verge of being ghost towns. At times we were riding within sight of the interstate that heralded the end of the 'Mother Road' and led to it being decommissioned as an official highway.

The route is noted for it's 1950's art deco architecture and 'oddities' to try and attract visitors. On the stretch we traveled today through Oklahoma and into Texas, we saw the historic 'Lucille's Gas Station near Hydro (now closed but preserved as a monument), we rode past the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, the U Drop Inn Restaurant at Shamrock, the Devils Rope (Barbed wire) museum in McLean, the largest cross in the USA and leaning water tower near Groom. 

The highlight of the day however, was the famous Route 66 Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. This place is renowned for its 72 ounce steak challenge. If you can eat the steak, plus 2 sides and dinner roll - you eat for free. There was a time I would have been up for that in my younger days (when I was running big miles and had the metabolism of a jet engine). If I tried it now my arteries would close over in protest!
Tracee and I both had steak and we both agreed, it was the best steak we had ever had - it was awesome. They also brew there own beer, I enjoyed my 'Honey Blonde' (beer that is). They also provide a free pick up and drop off service within the Amarillo area for motels/hotels - by Limousine! Now that is what I call service!

Tracee nearly fell off the bike laughing today. If you have seen the movie 'Wild Hogs', there is a scene where one of the characters gets hit in the face by a bird while riding down the highway. Some birds by the side of the road decided to take off just as we were going past. I had to duck my head below the windscreen to avoid a mouthful of feathers! For some reason Tracee thought this was somewhat amusing.