States 3 and 4 on Route 66 (west bound) are Kansas and Oklahoma. The time in Kansas is short – only 13 miles – but we still had a few photo ops, like the Rainbow Bridge near Baxter Springs, and a mural in Galena.
In Claremore, Oklahoma we made it to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum late in the afternoon, but still managed to see a good portion of it before closing time. Highlights from his life span several well done rooms, including his family history; times as a cowboy and later performer with the Ziegfeld Follies; his movement into movies; then columnist, world traveler, and humanitarian.
There’s a fantastic film of a 1931 radio address where he spoke about unemployment and the economy, where he shared the bill with President Herbert Hoover, as well as a documentary on his life narrated by Bob Hope.
I wish we’d had more time …. the museum is a “must stop” to learn of this great American humorist. http://www.willrogers.com/
Moving on, we stopped at one of the quintessential attractions on Route 66, the Blue Whale in Catoosa. This was originally a water park in the 1970’s, and is now a gift shop/playground/picnic area (no swimming).
There are many older alignments of Route 66 along the way that are quick side trips. This was a loop of older pavement cutting through a lovely wooded section with several abandoned oil tanks (I love anything rusted).
The town of Arcadia, Oklahoma has a great pit stop…..Pops 66 Soda Ranch is a diner/gas station/seller of probably every type of soda available in the U.S. Since we stopped during the day, we didn’t get a chance to see the giant neon soda bottle in its true glory, but it’s still impressive, as are their rainbow soda bottle window displays (great onion rings too). http://www.pops66.com/
In Arcadia itself – another famous Route 66 stop – the Round Barn an event space and gift shop.
Next stop will be Oklahoma City.