Saturday, June 8, 2013

People... people who like (pictures of) people.....

. . . will be very happy today!   We had lots of visitors and I took plenty of pictures of them.  On the way home, Ron M. and I were talking about how everyone has a story, and that was very true today.   Of the 21 visitors, there were. . .
. . . these two former Marines from Florida (St. Augustine and Boynton Beach) who met at a motorcycle club and decided to make the full Route 66 trip together after several others dropped out. . . .
. . . these six folks who also arrived on motorcycles, all related either by blood or marriage, from Laverne, Minnesota and Sibley, Iowa. . .
. . . this couple from Carterville, Missouri.  He has a Superman museum (!) there and he's visited Afton Station before, when we first bought the building.  He saw a lot of changes for sure!  He's also a member of the board of the Missouri Route 66 Association. . .
. . . this family from Afton (just 1/4 mile from the Station, according to the dad), who came in looking for some Route 66 souvenirs suitable for the 15-year-old-son (the taller one) to take to Okinawa, Japan with  him when he leaves tomorrow for a summer student exchange program there.  Wow, this really excited me since I used to live on Okinawa.   The boy, Will, has the time of his life ahead of him, not to mention major culture shock.  This is a beautiful family and I'm so excited about Will's upcoming adventure. . .

. . . and other visitors  from Noblesville IN, Goreville IL, and Joplin MO, all with great traveling stories of their own.   Yes, everyone has a story, and I feel so lucky to be able to hear and share them.

Tattoo Man and Robin stopped in today, too.  Robin was sick yesterday so Afton Station was closed, but she seemed somewhat better (although not entirely) today.
On our way out of Tulsa this morning, as usual we passed the intersection of 11th St. (Route 66) and Yale Ave.   The area has been under construction for several months as they add a number of Route 66 markers, such as shields embedded in the road bed representing all 8 Route 66 states, and signage, etc.   We've been feeling kind of sorry for that iconic cafe, Talleys, which is on that corner.  It has been almost impossible to navigate the sidewalks and streets in order to find the entrance.  Today, we noticed that a sign has finally been erected to lead the way.   Kudos to whoever put up the sign!

See y'all right back here tomorrow after what I hope will be another stellar day at the Station.  

3 comments:

Susan Yates said...

Laurel, how many places have you lived?!! Okinawa, too?
Did Will find some souvenirs suitable to his purpose? Glad to hear that Afton Station is hopping.

Laurel said...

Well Susan, lets see. . . I've lived in Shaker Heights OH, East Cleveland OH, South Euclid OH, Lexington KY, Buffalo NY, Alexandria VA,Okinawa Japan, Honolulu HI, Buffalo NY (again), Pittsburgh PA, West Chester PA (two homes), Darien CT (two homes), Grove OK, and now Tulsa, OK. I've also had vacation homes in Venice FL, and Bethlehem CT. Those are listed chronologically. The three places in Ohio were all before I was 12 years old. Although it sounds like a lot of moving, looking back on it it doesn't seem like a lot to me.

Laurel said...

Susan -- Yes, Will found some magnets and postcards to use as small gifts for the family, then I suggested some squashed pennies, which he also added to the gifts.