I still feel a little rocky, and I have no voice at all, but I slogged my way to Afton with no problems and certainly no excitement other than a very impressive and colorful sunrise. It seems that lately no matter what time I open up, there are people snapping at my heels to get in. This is a situation which suits me just fine. The more the merrier! The folks arrived at a rather rapid clip this morning and by 1 p.m. I'd already had 14 guests representing France, California, OK City, more from California, Nevada, and yet more from California.
Betty, the provider of everything wonderful, brought me some photos of a fellow named Crawford Conner, working on the construction of Route 66 outside of Afton in about 1926. Check out the big road grading machines. The pieces of equipment look heavy and massive and you can just imagine the heat and the sweat that went into that transcontinental project.
These photos, which were loaned to Betty, truly have great historic value to all of us who love Route 66 and care about it's birth. I wish I could talk Betty into publishing a book containing all of her memories and artifacts from 41 years of meeting the traveling public as the owner of the drive-in at Buffalo Ranch. Her recollections are all on paper and her photos and memorabilia are well-organized. What a book it would make! (Any publishers out there willing to take on this project??)
Later in the day, David and Marly came back from driving up to Kansas to take a look at a 1916 Packard motorhome (yes, they had them back then, too.) They showed me pictures of the gorgeous thing, and I want it! Apparently it's not for sale, but could possibly be "on loan" to our museum, where it would be an incredible asset.
More visitors came in the afternoon, and Luis came to mow the lawn and finish the window washing, then the bug guys came to zap our pesky little friends. This place is beginning to look almost TOO good to be a 75-year-old gas station -- just in time for the big motorcycle tour that will be visiting on Friday.
Great pictures, and if Betty has that much memorabilia, perhaps she SHOULD consider compiling it! I love that much of the early route was based on dirt roads, which were in turn based on Indian trails. There's a lot of history there!
ReplyDeleteHope you get to feeling better soon.
Beth