Wonderfully Surprising Day!

I got home from Afton last night much later than usual, so I saved the blogging for this morning. I'm still reeling from what a wonderful day it was at Afton Station yesterday. We (Ron M. and I) knew we'd be staying later than usual because we were anticipating a visit from Shellee Graham, Jim Ross, and Jerry "McJerry" McClanahan who needed great photographs of Afton Station for a "project" they're working on. I was happy to stay open as long as necessary for these three awesome friends who needed the late afternoon light in order to get the photos just right. (Shellee's a professional photographer, you see, so she cares about stuff like that.) Jim and Jerry are the very well-known Route 66 experts and writers. Jerry wrote the EZ66 Guide which is used by everybody who travels Route 66, and Jim has, among other things, written the Oklahoma Guide to Route 66.

What we didn't expect were the 17 (yes, seventeen!) other visitors who stopped by yesterday! Seventeen visitors on a cold January Saturday? Really? Must have been the sunshine and mid-winter doldrums that drew folks out of their houses and on to the road. . . folks such as this enthusiastic couple from Lexena, KS. They were vastly interested not just in Afton Station, but in the other dissheveled buildings in downtown Afton as well. She spent a good bit of time verbally mourning the loss of the picturesque block across the street. She wished they were in a position to buy it and restore it. I hope they win the Lottery soon!

And speaking of Afton buildings with an iffy future, the house/lobby of the old Rest Haven motel has been boarded up and a "For Rent" sign posted. Former owners/renters (not sure which) moved out a week or so ago. Whenever there's a change down there I start worrying about the fate of the iconic-but-dilapidated Rest Haven sign out front. Although it's quite a mess, nary a tourist doesn't stop to take a picture of it.
Tattoo Man visited for a few hours this morning, and it was nice to see him for the first time in several weeks. Betty W. also stopped by briefly. Marly came in the afternoon to move cars around in anticipation of the photo shoot, and he stayed until 5:30. He was still there working when Ron and I left. Such a good man!

Our visitors came from Glencoe MN, Bernice OK, Broken Arrow OK, Claremore OK, Neosho MO, Lawrence KS, and Sperry, OK.

Here are some pictures of the photo shoot:
McJerry, bowing down in reverence to the '55 Packard (Not really. He's just lining up a shot.)

Greenie, the '54, looking very spiffy under the canopy.Shellee, always pretty in her Indian jewelry and never without at least one camera.Marly and Jim Ross discussing something very important, no doubt.

The Station, looking great.

The night shots were the payoff, and worth driving back to Tulsa in the dark last night.

The sunset also put on a show, in competition with the glow from the pumps and the Packard. I'm sure the shots taken by Shellee, Jim, and McJerry are far superior to these, and I can't wait to see them.

Since inclement weather is predicted for later today, I chose not to drive back to Afton today. I'll go back next weekend for sure, and maybe even sooner.