Week One with Stanley

June 20th Marked the departure from Indianapolis enroute to Chicago to join Route 66. Believe it or not, our tour bus driver had never driven an RV before and chose to do so in the tight busy streets of Chicago on day one!



















We had dinner at the famous Launching Pad in Wilmington, IL. It was a classic Route 66 restaurant.
















Later that night we broke camp for the first night of our adventure with the Venturis at the Carriage Lake RV Resort in Streator, IL. They were incredibly kind hosts!














We left Straightor the 21st with hopes of camping in St Louis. Along the way we stopped at Odell, IL at a 1932 Standard Station.















Flat Stanley took respite over the driver's head. Personally, I think he lacked confidence in the driver and wanted a better view of the road.
















The quiet town of Towanda offered Flat Stanley a little refreshment from his whiskers.















Should you consider traveling Rt 66 through Illinois, you need to follow Stanley's lead. A stop at Funks Grove will offer sweet surprises.

Make sure you check out the owner's license plates. They are pretty cool. Also, take note how they spell Syrup.














A fun aspect of IL 66 is the miles and mile of telephone poles. One of the paradoxes of the ride was the interstate side by side with the Mother Road and the cellular towers looming over the old telephone poles. Is the fast pace always better? You have to decide.















Williamsville is worth the time. A restored gas station offered Stanley a few laughs. First was the pickup cab "For Sale, 1/2 Off"

Then he found a seat that neither Abe Lincoln or Elvis Presley ever took the chance to sit.












Big Daddy's original plans for camping night two would have allowed a good view of the St Louis inner city. RV Mamma was a little anxious about this idea, so we journeyed west to Eureka.



There Stanley and the crew enjoyed a stay with Yogi and his crew.











Outside Springfield, MO we found a winner for lunch. Stanley got pinned by a "Throwed Roll" at Lambert's. This dining experience was a favorite of everyone.
















Stanley enjoyed all the bridges of 66. They were fun and a far cry from many of the modern ones.















One of the rivers we crossed formed a neat little rest stop for not only us, but anyone who travels 66. Meramec Caverns was a good stop. Someone told us cameras weren't allowed. But if you go, take a camera, our informant was incorrect!


















Carthage offered up a good view of the movies. They didn't seem to be RV friendly so we got to take note of the most important 66 movie in years "Cars" and hit the road for a better place to sleep.






Stanley tried to snag a golf cart at the Lebanon KOA, but RV Mamma straightened him out before he caused too much damage. He is safer behind the whell than #5, he has been known to wreck one of these babies!




Kansas and Oklahoma offered up the first views of 66 on the road. Thankfully someone got Stanley before he got flattened once again.















Ever get a Blue Whale for a birthday present. This landmark was not only a favorite of Stanley, but if you look closely, #5 was enjoying the stop!











Arcadia offered Stanley a view of one of RT 66 staples, the Round Barn. It was getting late and the day and Big Daddy nearly took out the power line overhead with the RV, so we didn't linger.















June 24th we pulled out of Tulsa with hopes of seeing the sights of OK. As we passed Camp Creek, OK Stanley got a good view of the shoe tree. He said, "the view is much better than the smell!"















A few miles later Stanley wanted to throw out some greetings to his friend Mr. Smiff. Two blinks and this opportunity would have been gone.
















With a good night's sleep at the Elk City KOA, we were on the road to who knows where. But you cannot leave Elk City without checking out the National Route 66 Museum. Thankfully it was closed so Big Daddy had the entire parking lot to maneuver the rig. It was a neat place with a great feel for the olden days on the road. It even had a couple BurmaShave signs. But Stanley migrated towards the Kachina Dolls for some reason. Can you find him in the photo?

















One of Amarillo's most famous RT 66 sites (contoverial as well) is the Cadillac Ranch. Some creative artists east of town made their own satirical tribute "Bug Ranch". Stanley blended into the background.
















But if you are Amarillo, The Texan is worth the trip. If you can eat the 72oz steak and fixins within an hour it is free. If not, it only sets you back a bad stomach ache and about $50. If Stanley stuck around here very long, he would be able to leave the "Flat" off his name.















A night at the Amarillo KOA might cause a little alarm if you notice the signs as you enter the site. It mentions something about turning your radio on for instructions if the Alarm sounds. We gave Stanley another chance to be seen, this time at the authentic ranch. Can you find him this time? We left our website behind on one of the old luxury sedans!




















Whether Stanley or the kids were most excited about being halfway to the coast is uncertain. But he took time for a picture for his fans. The MidPoint Cafe was an inspiration in the movie "Cars". #5 bought some "Cars" paraphanalia there.














Stanley and #5 were always interested in any motorized piece of machinery along the way. Consequently, we had to stop in Santa Rosa at the Route 66 Auto Museum. $8 covered admission for all except #1 who slept in the rig while the rest of us got to enjoy the smooth rides.
















After a little genuine Route 66 food at the quaint little restaurant, The Olive Garden, we made our way to the Albuquerque KOA. We ran into a number of friends from past stops. But what we really wanted was a good swim. Right as we approached the pool the staff closed it for the night. Evidently, southwestern cities occasionally have an occurence the weather people call "monsoons". I don't know if this one qualified officially, but as for us it ranked amongst the worst storms we have ever experienced. The rig held up pretty well considering the chaos.The raindrops on the hood and the sunset allowed the old sailors promise to remain true with a little twist. "Pink sky at night, RV driver's delight"!