Saturday, March 31, 2012

No flowery prose today. . .

. . .  just the facts, Ma'am.   Sorry, but I got home from Afton Station an hour late and quite exhausted after a big day there.  I'll fill in some details tomorrow.  For now, just a list of where our 39 visitors came from.

Rondaberg Norway, Worthsee Germany, Darchten Netherlands, Lauderdale MS, Joplin MO, Evanston IL, Fayetteville AR, Boston MA, Niagara Falls NY, Pittsburgh KS, Parsons KS, Tulsa OK, Bartlesville OK Oklahoma City OK, and 12 folks from the Tulsa Volkswagen Club.

Here are a couple of VWs that came to visit.  There was also a VWBus, a VW truck, and a VW station wagon.
The VW folks came late and fortunately Robin and Phil were also there, so they took over at the point when Ron M. and I really needed to leave.  

Earlier in the day we admired this Tulsa gentleman's Yamaha Venture. . . 
 . . . enjoyed hearing the travel tales of this fellow from Niagara Falls. . .
. . . and visited with Geir from Norway, a guy who has been here before.  In high school, some 20+ years ago, he was an exchange student with a family from Afton (the Tiptons, growers of the world's best sweet corn) and he comes back each year to visit his American "family".  We had a nice long chat with Geir and invited him back any time. 
 There is so much more to say, so I'll try to elaborate on some of it tomorrow, although I'm expecting another long day with some overtime tomorrow, so I might have to wait until Monday to finish this post.  Sorry to be so hasty. . .

Thursday, March 29, 2012

National Talking Day?


If there's a holiday called National Talking Day, I think this is it.   It seems that nearly all of our visitors at Afton Station had a lot to say.  We heard story after story.   It made the day go fairly quickly, although there wasn't much time to do anything other than listen.   A trucker from Eau Claire, WI had tales about Bonnie and Clyde and Al Capone.  A guy from Kansas City told us about all of his many vintage cars from years ranging from the '50s to the '70s.   An old friend from David's and my Eastern Packard Club days came for a visit from Marthasville, MO and brought a friend from St. Louis.  This cute little one-year-old came to visit with his mom, dad, and another man with is baby of about the same age.  The little guy was our only visitor who didn't have stories to tell!   When all was said and done (mostly said), we had 13 visitors.   Ron M. was with me all day.  Betty sat in for a couple of hours, and we're always so happy to see her.  David dropped in and stayed for a good bit of time, too.  Nice to see him.    
This was the first day when we could pull our chairs outside and sit watching the cars and trucks go by.  I wish more of them had come in, but it wasn't a bad day for a Thursday in March.   The temperature was in the mid-80s for most of the day.

Those of you who read this blog regularly know how often I talk about Marly, our friend and expert car restorer who works at the Station for David and me.   He hasn't been around much  for the past couple of weeks because he's been in Tulsa attending to his father, who was hospitalized there.  I'm sorry to say that is father passed away on Monday.  All of us at Afton Station offer our deepest condolences to Marly and his family.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

It's In The Can

I'm tired and it's late, so please forgive the lame play on words in the title of today's post.  The photo below will explain all.   Phil came to help me open Afton Station today and ended up staying all day.  And. . . he brought with him the item shown below.  Doesn't look like much, does it?  Well, it happens to be a very ancient toilet from an early railroad car!  Phil thought it would be perfect for the 1917 motorhome which lives in our museum.  I agree completely!   We put it in place, although we still need to get David's approval.  I'm sure he'll be thrilled.  When we got the motorhome, the only thing missing was a potty, despite the fact that there is a small bathroom space in the vehicle.   This one is a little rusty and needs some sprucing up, but it's very, very cool!  It doesn't flush, of course, but it adds a little something to the motorhome.
 The day began very slowly, so Phil and I had plenty of time to chat and do a few minor chores.  Things picked up just after noon, and by the end of the day we were visited by 10 travelers.  They came from Darien IL, Kansas City MO, Joplin MO, Ft. Worth TX, and Tulsa, Langley, and Pryor, OK.   You might recognize the fellow below, posing with his incredible 1970 Impala, which he's owned since high school!  He was at Afton Station on Saturday when we hosted the Joplin Corvette Club. This car has over 200,000 miles on it, all put on by Dennis himself.  He drove back to Afton today to photograph his baby in front of Afton Station.  He's also an avid reader of this blog, so "Hi again, Dennis!"
We haven't seen Mike Pendleton from Baxter Springs, KS for a while, but he dropped in today and it was so nice to see him.  He's the guy who never fails to stop for a brief visit every time he comes to Afton for his job, and that's usually about once a week.  Glad to see  you, Mike.

That's about it for today.   I'll be back on Thursday.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Openings, Closings, Reopenings, etc...

Today wasn't quite the blockbuster that yesterday was at Afton Station, but it certainly was a good day.  Route 66 seems to be buzzing now, and we're enjoying every minute of it.  Before I talk about today's visitors, a few pieces of business. . . 

FYI, the Top Hat Dairy Bar in Foyil is closed and for sale.  Sorry to see this little place with great shakes and burgers go.   When I get more information, I'll post it here.  It might be a good investment for someone since it's quite popular with the larger motorcycle tour groups.  
However, the building next door which  has been vacant for quite some time has now reopened as the Tin Foyil (love the clever name!).  They've put a tin "skin" on it so it's definitely a photo op, but so far I haven't had any reports on the type or quality of food there.   I'll try to stop in soon to give it a taste.
Meanwhile, apparently a new restaurant/bar will be opening in Afton in May.  Yes, in Afton!   The local paper says it will be a barbecue and beer place and will be called "No Where on Route 66"  (yes, nowhere should be one word).  I've heard from locals that they're having trouble getting a beer license since they're across from the Little League field, but we shall see.  We sure need a place to get food in Afton!

Now, about today at Afton Station.. . .We had 16 visitors well-spaced throughout the day. Ron M. was with me.  The travelers came from North Quincy MA, Helsinki Finland, Joplin MO, and Foyil, Grove, Miami, Vinita, Alva, and Big Cabin, OK.

This is Christian, a young German man who has lived for quite a few years in Massachusettes where he works with the BNSF railroad.  He is a big fan of Mercedes Benz and has spent a great deal of time on Route 66 photographing his own Mercedes in front of familiar icons all the way out to California.  He is extremely knowledgeable about Route 66 and, after seeing his photos via his iPad, I have to say he's one of the best Route 66 photographers I've seen anywhere!  Some of his photos can be seen at 
www.mercedes-forum.com, but it's a German language site and I'm having trouble figuring out where they are.
 The new owner of the Park Hills Motel in Vinita came in to introduce himself.  He tells us his motel is now equipped with WiFi, and fridges in the rooms.   There is also a place to park RVs there with hookups, and his rate for a room for two is just under $50.  Again, I can't recommend this lodging based on personal knowledge, but it might be worth giving it a try when you need a place to stay near Vinita.   It's always a good thing to consider the mom 'n pop places rather than the chains if at all possible.

Another fine day, with more to come.  It's just beginning!
__________________________

ADDENDUM:   The real estate listing for the Top Hat Dairy Bar is at http://tinyurl.com/84h8q83.  It's not terribly informative, but it has a few facts and figures, for those who are interested.




Saturday, March 24, 2012

A Summer Day in Mid-March

When it starts, it starts with a bang, and I'm not talking about the '35 DeSoto (which starts with a bang and a major puff of smoke each time).  I'm talking about the TOURIST SEASON on Route 66!  Today was apparently the day.   By the time we left at 3 p.m. today, we'd visited with 44 travelers!   That's not including Betty, Phil, Robin, Tattoo Man, and Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker, all of whom put in an appearance.  Ron M. was with us today too, and he can take credit for most of the photos to follow. 


The visitors came from  Santes Belgium, Iona MI, Branson MO, Buenos Aires Argentina, Banner Springs MO, Mt. Vernon MO, and the following towns in Oklahoma -- Monkey Island, Salina, Vinita, Cleora, Kiefer, Miami, Tulsa, and Chelsea.  We were also visited by 18 members of the Route 66 Corvette Cruising Club out of Joplin, MO, which brought 10 beautiful 'Vettes and 18 people.

There were a lot of motorcycles out today.  This couple from Kiefer, OK put huge numbers of miles on their bike every year, and they've been riding for a lot of years. Real road warriors!
The happy couple below is from Argentina and are traveling Route 66 from California on a rented Harley.  Despite losing two days to a snowstorm in Arizona, they are making up time and managed to stay for an hour at Afton Station because they are great fans of vintage cars.  In fact, they said that Afton Station was their favorite stop of the whole trip!


This gentleman, along with a companion, is from Belgium and they are also making the full Route 66 tour.  He was very fond of the DeSoto so posed for a picture in it.

This beautifully restored '57 Chevy was driven to Afton by owners from Banner Springs, MO.



The Corvette Club lined up in our parking lot and across the street.  It sure made little Afton look elegant!
Dennis from the Corvette Club, who is a reader of this blog (Hi, Dennis!) insisted on a picture with me.  He obviously had no idea how my presence can ruin a photo!   



Finally, Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker stopped in to show us the trophy he won last weekend at the Texas State Red River Shootdown, a quick draw competition.  He got third place in the Senior Division.  He showed us photos of the occasion, and it really looked like fun.  We were just glad he didn't shoot one of his famous feet off!   Way to go, Dean!



Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thursday on Route 66 -- Short and Wet


I thought the beautiful morning sunrise was a sign that it might be a nice day, but I should  have paid more attention to the low clouds and less to the rising sun.   As it turned out, it was another day of rain, rain, rain.     Nevertheless, I drove to Afton early, stopped in Claremore for breakfast, then slogged through the sog on Route 66 to the Station.   

It wasn't a total washout of a day,  however.   Phil was kind enough to show up to help out in case of crowds -- crowds we never had.  But we had a great day of hanging out and chatting.  Our guests numbered only 5, and since one of them was a salesman, I ended up buying more than I sold!   Gene, the salesman from Missouri, had some flags, shirts, and static cling stickers that I needed.

The other visitors were a couple from Caddo, OK in the morning and two gentlemen from South Chicago, IL in the afternoon.   The Caddo couple are veteran Route 66 travelers who were interesting guests.  They had some great stories, one being about their travels in an RV to Alaska, where they saw a semi tractor trailer truck get pulled out of mud by a circus elephant, thus alleviating an hours-long traffic jam. The Chicago guys were big vintage car fans, and Phil gave them a long tour of the car showrooms.  One of the fellows has a '55 Packard which he'll be using to transport a bride and groom in a few weeks.

When the clouds got very heavy and the rain started again after a brief pause, I left the Station in the good hands of Phil and headed for home early.  I have a dinner engagement tonight and I didn't want to be made late by unfortunate traffic conditions.  






Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A Need for Seed



It's another rainy day, and now that I have my gigantic GroLite set up, I decided to shop for seeds today.  I picked up Ron M. and we headed down Route 66 to Lee's Feed & Supply.  I chose Lee's because 1) it's on Route 66, and 2) it has more of a country feel than the in-town garden centers.  (Lee's is at 19015 11th St., which is between Lynn Lane Ave. and 193rd E. Ave.).   They didn't have a huge number of seeds, but they had some interesting varieties.  All I wanted was lettuce, herbs, and a packet of tomato seed for a friend.  Sadly, I don't have yard space for a big garden like I'm used to in the past.  
Lee's also has rabbits, chicks, and even a small area with decorative items.   
And, it was so nice to see that Lee's has not one but two of those big concrete Route 66 planters which were available to businesses along Route 66 in Tulsa several years ago.  Now that I have my supplies, I intend to set up the GroLite garden this afternoon.   We're supposed to have another major downpour tomorrow, but unless it's absolutely terrible, I plan to go to Afton Station.
See the bunnies in the back?



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Deluge Activities


Much to my disappointment, as well as that of the two people who called me a few minutes ago while sitting in their cars in front of Afton Station,   I did not open today.   If you hadn't heard, we have been  having a deluge for the last 24 hours, and after receiving Emergency messages from NOAA  warning about all the flooded and impassable roads between Tulsa and Afton, I decided to do the wise thing and stay home.  Now, the rain here in Tulsa is subsiding, but I believe it's still going strong up that way.  

I did not waste the day, however.   First, I put together the GroLite and frame I bought recently.  I had no idea how huge it was until the box arrived at the door the other day.   I've decided that I'm the only person who's ever ordered one that big who wasn't growing marijuana! ( Hmm... there's an idea).   But seriously, I hope to start my herb garden from seed this year, so I should have enough herbs to supply the whole town.  I had to rearrange my kitchen to accommodate the giant thing.  

After that, I decided to begin on a project I've been putting aside for about a year.  It's a 6 ft. tall cartoon drawing on  presentation board of a D-X gas station attendant with a hole where his face should be.  In keeping with my theme of "old fashioned tourist trap", we thought it would be fun to have a place where folks could put their faces through the hole and have a picture of themselves pumping gas.   I didn't get very far, just a rough sketch of the head, but at least it's a start.
Then, when the rain had been reduced to a drizzle and I was feeling housebound (because as you know, I feel housebound after about three hours at home), I decided to take a drive over to the Admiral Twin to see how it's coming along.  Progress on the screen is slow, so I assume they're working on the concession stand below it now.  Today they were not working in the sea of mud at all, and I suspect yesterday was the same.
This rain is causing everything to get very green, and the flowering trees are all in bloom.  This is, in my opinion, the prettiest time of year.  Enjoy it!


Sunday, March 18, 2012

A Model T Comes to Call

We had 14 visitors at Afton Station today, and a fifteenth visitor, this nifty Model T.  It was pulled to Afton by three guys from Winchendon and N. Andover, Massachusettes who acquired it at a big pre-war car swap meet in Chickasha, Oklahoma this weekend.   The car is really nice and so were the guys.  They have a long trip home with this beauty.  If you're interested in Model Ts, check out www.modeltford.com, which is their website.
There were a good number of other visitors today, too.  They came from Sevierville TN, Tulsa OK, Charleston SC, Fayetteville AR, and Afton.   The people who run the auction house that moved in next to Afton Station last summer came over and introduced themselves.  We never see them otherwise, since we are heading home before their Tuesday evening weekly auctions begin.   A young lady from Afton stopped in to show her friend the Station.  She's 15 years old now, but I haven't seen her since she was 13.  My, how she's grown up!

After he saw mine, Tattoo Man hired Robin to make a stained glass window piece which would include his name and his nickname.   She finished it and gave it to him today.   Nice work, Robin!
I'm listening to the news and it sounds like there are going to be BIG rain here for the next few days.  That will undoubtedly affect visitors traveling in the area.  There are also tornado watches in west Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle.  Lets hope it doesn't happen.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Wearin' of the Green in Afton, Oklahoma

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Afton Station.  We didn't do much to celebrate there, but I did wear an embarrassingly mismatched green outfit.   Betty, Ron, and I held down the fort in the morning, and had absolutely no visitors.  Was everyone at parades?  Hung over?  Betty had to leave at noon, and I joked that as soon as she left the people would undoubtedly start to arrive.  As it turns out, I was right!

Moments after Betty walked out the door to her NEW car, people began to roll in.  Two bikers from Wagoner, OK stopped to scope things out for the upcoming "Passport Oklahoma" motorcycle run, which begins in April and ends at the end of November.  During that time, hundreds of bikers will be traveling across the state with passports naming 20 sites along Route 66.   They must take a photo of themselves in front of each site in order to qualify for prizes.  We are fortunate enough to be one of the official sites, so we feel fairly sure we'll have an increase in motorcycle visitors this summer.  Yippee!  Love it!
At the same time, a carload of four people from Brisbane, Australia came for a visit, and they met the bikers in the parking lot for a little chat before they came in.  
 I have such a fondness for Aussies.  These four charming folks were no exception.  They are traveling Route 66 from west to east, and will go on to New York at the finish of their one month trip.  Not only were they great folks, but they also each bought a sweatshirt!


Other visitors were from Missouri and Owasso, OK.   The grand total was 11.   The Aussies stayed a while, so I was a bit late getting home, but it was entirely worth it.   What  looked like it was going to be a lifeless day turned into a jolly St. Patrick's celebration after all!
Our biker visitors both had teddy bears strapped to the rear seats of their iron.  Not sure if this has any special meaning, but I've often seen bikers with stuffed animals riding behind.  Is there special meaning to this?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Happy Ides

The Ides of March is upon us, whatever that means.   Something about the phases of the moon in ancient Rome.  In our modern society the term means next to nothing, except that it's only two days until St. Patrick's Day.  And it made a nice title for this post.   Sorry.  

It was another busy day at Afton Station, for the most part.  The majority of our 13 guests came all at once, but that was OK.   Our first visitor was Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker, who stopped in on his way to Tulsa to participate in a quick draw competition.  Shortly after he left, the rest of visitors arrived.  

The first couple was from Cape Cod, MA and they were traveling a portion of Route 66, hoping to have time to do more in the future.  They'd been to Arizona Route 66 during past trips and some day hope to do it all.

Do you remember this car?  It was featured in a blog post last year when the owner, a gentleman from Vinita, OK brought it by shortly after he had it made in December.  

It's a replica of a 1937 Auburn Boattail Speedster.  This visit, he brought along his niece and her fiance on a visit just before their wedding.  They're from Mead, CO... and here they are.  
 About the same time, a father and his four young daughters from College Station, TX came in, followed by a couple from Kansas City, MO.   The rest of the afternoon was quiet, and Ron M. and I got some reading done.  Ron provides an endless supply of magazines for us to peruse, so we're never bored.  I also made two dozen magnets (come and get 'em!) and restocked the stickers I make.   The temperatures today were in the 70s and that, along with the increase in Route 66 travelers, makes me feel that I can safely say that summer is here -- just very early.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Karma

 I hadn't planned to go to Afton Station today, at least not until I received an email from Susan, my friend and loyal blog reader, indicating that she wanted to bring a friend visiting from N. Carolina to see the museum.   At first, I couldn't imagine getting everything done at home in time to drive there and meet them, but then I stopped and took a long look at what what's important in my life.  Something told me to go.  So, I did.

And I'm SO glad I  made the decision!  Not long after I arrived, just before 1 p.m., my friend and avid Route 66 traveler, Jane Dippel from St. Louis surprised my by walking through the door.  This morning, she decided to take a quick road trip to El Reno, and Afton Station was one of her stops.  I would have missed her if I'd chosen not to go.  Jane is an all-round great gal, and it's always fun to see her, if even for a fifteen minutes.
Although I hadn't turned on any of the "Open" signs or put out the flags, travelers started to arrive anyway!   A couple of guys on motorcycles, from Claremore and Catoosa, OK roared in and spent some very appreciative time looking at the cars.  A couple from Fargo, ND came next, followed by a family from Grass Valley, CA.   Their little boy, Nash, who is not even 2 years old, was incredibly precocious, and his parents have trained him right.  He was marching around saying "66...66...66", and when asked to pose for a photo, he said "Cheese!"  What a cutie!  His dad let him press a penny and he loved it. 
Susan and her friend LuBeth, who lives in Greenboro NC,  finally arrived at 2 p.m. and we had a great visit.   Susan is giving her childhood friend a great Route 66 tour similar to that which she gave her British friends last summer.  Susan is such a great Route 66 fan.  She brought me some extremely cool coasters which she made from Route 66 fabrics. Thank you, Susan.
All this unplanned activity surely was karma . . .and Susan, who was the catalyst for me opening up today.   I met some great people, and on top of that, I sold a quantity of merchandise approaching the most I've ever sold in one day!  

Abandoned


Even though Afton Station is half  Route 66 visitors' center and half a Packard vintage car museum, I tend to write mostly about the Route 66 aspect of the place, since that's my forte.   I love the Packards (and the few others makes we have), but I admit to not knowing as much about them as I do about my beloved Route 66. 

On the other hand, I do know quite a lot about the place where Packards were made -- the enormous half-mile-long, 35-acre plant on Grand Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.  And, as I've mentioned previously, I love old manufacturing facilities.  I find them to be romantic icons of America's producing past.   The Grand Avenue Packard plant, in my opinion as well as that of many others, was the No. 1 premiere example of the Golden Age of Auto Manufacturing in America.
The production line was shut down there in 1957.  Sadly, now the Packard plant is the largest abandoned factory in the world.  Key word: abandoned.   In fact, it is as good as gone,  having been dismantled piece-by-piece over the years by vandals, souvenir seekers, and the ravages of time.    I was there about 15 years ago, and I'm still haunted by the memory.  My then-husband David found a broken window and entered, but I was too chicken to do so, and besides I needed to stand guard in case there were any repercussions to his trespassing.  There weren't.  From what he told me, along with the myriad articles I've read about the fate of the old factory, there's not much left inside.  

Until my friend Gordo sent me this online article yesterday, I had only hard copies of literature about the crumbling of the historic factory.  But now I can share this with you.   It's a fantastic article, and has some remarkable, nostalgic photos and very interesting facts.  Please have a look:   http://tinyurl.com/84y8kkl.   



Monday, March 12, 2012

Is Blue Selling Cookies on Route 66?

I had no idea that the Blue Whale of Catoosa was a Girl Scout (or even a girl, for that matter) until we drove past her yesterday on the way home from Afton and noticed that she was wearing a Girl Scout badge sash with an abundance of badges which she must have earned somehow, although I suspect most of them centered around water sports. 
Today, March 12, 2012 is the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts, and I'm excited about it.  I was a Brownie, a Girl Scout, a Senior Girl Scout, a leader of a troop, a neighborhood Girl Scout chairman, a cookie chairman, and for a few years top cookie seller in the neighborhood.  I was also made a Lifetime Girl Scout several years ago after leading Sarah's troop for a few years.  It's through the Girl Scouts that I learned to camp, hike, ride a horse, swim, and make puppets, among other things.  It's a great organization, and if you add up all of the above, I've been a Girl Scout for 60 years!

I'm so pleased that Blue is a fellow Scout!  

Sunday, March 11, 2012

A Larruping Good Day


I'm not sure this day was altogether larruping, but since I just learned the word yesterday, I felt the need to use it.  Apparently, according to the Tulsa World newspaper, it's a word that probably originated in Oklahoma which means great or exceptionally good.  Although it's commonly used to describe food, it can be used to describe anything that one feels is wonderful.  And since I think that just about any day is a good day, then to me this one was larruping!  

In reality, it was a gray, chilly, drizzly day, and the drizzle continued all day.  We need the rain badly, so I'm not complaining, however it didn't do much for the visitor roster at Afton Station. There were a mere 5 visitors, but they were all from out of state.   We started the day with a visit from a happy gentleman from Indianapolis, IN  and ended with nice folks from Independence, MO.  In between, this couple from Bowdon, GA entertained us with their good nature and interest in everything we offer at the Station.  They were so interested, in fact, that they bought a very large number of the goodies we offer for sale.  Can't complain about that!   I can use some good sales after a long, cold winter.  But, sales aside, we truly enjoyed this duo and wished them well as they head west on Route 66. 
 Mid-day, I had a call from a gentleman who is constructing a website that will feature photos of antique cars. He requested some pictures of ours, so Ron M. was nice enough to head back to the showrooms and snap a few.  I'll post three of them here, as they are images of cars that aren't as frequently photographed as some of the others.   Enjoy! 
                   1923 Packard Super Sedan Limo
                  1941 Hupmobile Skylark
                          1936 Packard Eight

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Feels Like Route 66 Travel Season to Me!

After a long, visitorless morning, the traveling folks started to arrive at Afton Station around noon.  Prior to that, Ron M., Tattoo Man, Robin, Betty and I just hung out and did our usual chattering.  Robin had the good news that on Wednesday and Friday of this week, while she was here working, we had quite a few visitors, coming from Arkansas, Ohio, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, California, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  Proof enough for me that the traveling season has begun.  Finally!

Today, our first visitors were two fellows from Sao Paulo, Brazil who rented motorcycles in California and are working their way east on Route 66 to Chicago.  They're enjoying the trip, despite needing to get used to snow for a while out west.  It was quite a new experience for them.   They took numerous photos of each other with their bikes in front of the gas pumps.     

The remainder of our 9 visitors came from Gilmer TX, and Grove, Coweta, and Afton, OK.  Sandy, the lady from Afton, initially came in to solicit a pledge for a charitable run that will take place next month, but once I gave her a small contribution, we started to talk about the Afton she remembers from childhood.  She had some good stories about her grandfather who was a dear friend of the famous Jim Thorpe, and how Thorpe would visit him when he passed through Afton.  She also had knowledge of the various outlaws who came to Afton -- Bonnie and Clyde, Ma Barker, etc.   (Did I ever tell you that apparently Bonnie and Clyde stopped at Afton Station when it was the Eagle Service Station?  Whether this is just a piece of local lore or the truth is uncertain, however I've heard it from four separate people thus far.)  Anyway, Sandy knows lots of interesting things about old Afton, and you know how much I love to hear those stories!
 So, a slow start gave way to another interesting day on Route 66.  But then again, aren't they all?

Friday, March 9, 2012

Small Disappointments

 My little photographic journey this afternoon turned out to be a bust.   I had heard this morning on the radio that there would be a fly-in of one of the old Tuskeegee Airmen planes from WWII at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum at noon.  On the way there, I stopped at the Admiral Twin and was disappointed that not more had been accomplished since Tuesday.   The concession building is coming along at the base of the screens, and it looks like it will be an interesting structure with rounded ends.  But I'd rather see the screens going up faster.

At the Air and Space Museum, I waited until about 12:30, at which time I decided I was either at the wrong place or it was the wrong time.  There were no other people watching the runway behind the museum.  I snapped a few photos of the museum and the planetarium, then just came home.  Later, I found out that there will be fly-in tomorrow at 5 p.m., but I know I wasn't wrong about the one at noon today. Or was I?

I'll be in Afton Saturday and Sunday, so maybe the blog posts will be a little more interesting.  :-(