Route 66 October 2012: Oklahoma City to Amarillo

Wednesday October 10

Waking up in Oklahoma City and with everyone loaded onto the bus we spent some hours visiting some of the sites of the city.

Leaving the motel ... up early

Downtown Oklahoma City

First visit was to a park where steel and bronze statues have recreated the “Land Run” of 1889 where pioneers raced to stake their piece of Oklahoma.

Land Run statues - Oklahoma City

There's lot to see isn't there Graham and Shirley?

The next stop was a look at a painted wall forming part of the railway line within the city which was painted up pictures of the early days of settlement.

The painted type of beast!

Amazing how a train siding can be reformed!

With everyone on the bus it was then time to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial which has been built on the site of the Oklahoma City bombing on the 19 April 1995. The building no longer stands but in its place is a park dedicated to the victims, survivors and rescuers. A large American Elm survived the blast and overlooks the reflective pool (which was once where the road was) and symbolic chairs lined in rows of those who were killed on that fateful day (the Field of Empty Chairs) and arranged depending on the floor they were on at the time of the blast. Listening to our host explain the details of the incident was very moving and there were people n our group that had tears in their eyes and the mood was very somber.

The rememberance pool.

Chairs represnting those past way.

Oil well can be anywhere!

Before leaving Oklahoma City it was a visit to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Because of the size more time could have easily been spent. Rooms included a Rodeo Gallery, American Cowboy Gallery, stories of the Frontier West, Native American exhibits and Western Performers Gallery.

A welcome by the mueum.

Back on the road the highway continues to travel towards the west leaving Oklahoma City behind and travelling into countryside which started to thin out in vegetation and the soil looking very much like the red clay of the Adelaide Plains.

More country .... just like home.

Did I miss something?

At Clinton it was a brief lunch stop before spending time in the Route 66 Museum which told the story from creation to the time when it was replaced with the present day freeways. The museum has old photos and individual sets recreating, garages, soda shops and diners. It gave a good history lesson of the legendary Route 66.

The Route 66 foyer.

Lloyd and Ted taking a spin on Route 66.

The gang hanging out on Route 66

Leaving Clinton behind us it was then travelling further west towards Texas and leaving Oklahoma behind us and the country side becoming dryer as the bus travelled across the plains of Texas and for awhile we travelled parallel with the old part of “The Mother Road”. More than one person commented on how similar that this country to home although we do not have signs warning us about staying away from rocks and grasses because of rattle snakes!