Kiwis on Bikes

Sometimes after the biggest days at Afton Station when I have the most to tell, I have the least energy to do so when I get home.   But today was so great that I'm going to blog about it until my fingers no longer have strength to push on the keys.

First, on my trip to the Station today I saw a "For Sale" sign on the Hi-Way Cafe just west of Vinita.  I've only eaten there a couple of times, but their sign is iconic to me in the same way the "Rent A Horse To Ride" sign is.  I've seen that sign for years and years and would hate for it disappear.  I know that a couple of years ago the Hi-Way changed ownership, but now it looks like it's going on the block, and I wouldn't want to see it go -- or at least see the sign go.

                                         

We had 40 visitors at Afton Station today.  Thank goodness Ron Jones came to  help out.  Of the 40, at least 20 were members of the Kiwis on Tour group, a very congenial group of New Zealanders who had shipped their motorcycles over in containers from their homeland and had 6 full weeks to explore Route 66 and the U.S.  One of their destinations was the 100th anniversary Harley-Davidson celebration in Milwaukee. They didn't come in all at once, but a few at a time so there was more time to talk.  I wish I'd been part of their group.   They seemed to be having a ball.   One of them is blogging the trip at http://kiwisontour.typepad.com. Here are just a few of their motorcycles parked in front of the Station.

 

It was quite the international day, as the Kiwis weren't the only foreign visitors.  We also entertained people from Denmark, Quebec, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.  The two young fellows from the Netherlands were having a 3-month holiday in the U.S. after graduating from school, and they were traveling in a pickup truck they'd bought when they arrived here and are contemplating taking it back to the Netherlands with them. 

Bob Brown from San Diego impressed us with his beautiful white '59 Corvette convertible, which he's taking across Route 66, then to Bowling Green, KY to the 55th anniversary gala for the Corvette.  A nice guy in a mighty good-looking set of wheels! 

There were also the usual visits from those who had ventured less far from home, and of course I always love to meet my "neighbors".  The couple who recently bought the old pecan place outside of Vinita and turned it into an RV sales and service business came in and assured me that they were still planning to sell pecans there too, since the building came with several acres of pecan grove.

All of this activity has totally exhausted me, so forgive me if this entry is rather matter-of-fact and not very well-written.  Bottom line -- great day!