Hello, 114 degrees. . . now please go away!

That blob just above the rising sun in the photo below is a cloud.  I  just had to photograph it this morning  because I haven't seen one for quite some time.  The heat continues to be oppressive and just plain yucky.   My energy level is slightly below zero.

Here's my life since I last met you here.  Last evening I had a very nice dinner with Denny Gibson, a member of our Route 66 family who is traveling across the country from his Cincinnati, OH home to attend the Route 66 Festival in Victorville, CA next week.  It's always great to see Denny, and Ron Warnick and Emily Priddy joined us for a Dilly Deli (downtown Tulsa) meal.     

 Intrepid travelers continue to stop at Afton Station, but not in quite the same numbers as before the sun decided to broil us alive.   Dean Kennedy from Mooresville, IN is another of our Route 66 family who came to visit today on his way to the Victorville festival.   I'm getting quite jealous that I'm not one of the lucky ones, but I must resign myself to the fact that I need to remain at home this year.    It was nice to see Dean today, however.

Tim Metcalf, of Radio Station KRPS  FM 89.9 in Pittsburg, KS came to interview me for a radio show that can be heard in a portion of the 3-state area (OK, KS, MO) on Friday, once in the the morning and once in the afternoon.  So if anyone is in the Joplin/Pittsburg area, you might want to tune in to hear me make a fool of myself.   The program will also be broadcast on the KRPS website after Friday.

There's a red barn on Route 66 in Claremore, OK.  On the roof, in huge letters, reads COL. SUE DULANEY.   For years and years I've passed that barn several times a week and have wondered who Colonel Sue was and why the letters are on the roof.   Today, Col. Sue herself came for a visit, along with her nephew from Vista, CA.   Sue explained that "Colonel" is an honorary ranking given to folks in the auction business, a business she's been in for over 30 years.  She runs it out of that barn. I truly enjoyed their visit.

We also had visitors from Santa Fe NM, Jay OK, Martville NY, and Milwaukee WI.  A satisfying day all around.

Ron M. is improving a lot, and yesterday was to be taken out of the ICU and put into a regular room.  However, they had to leave him in place because there are no available private rooms.  Why?  The  hospital is overrun with folks with heat-related illnesses.   This heat wave has GOT to stop!


   

Angel

On another very slow day at Afton Station, my favorite visitor was Angel, shown below.  We have very few long haul truckers stopping at the Station, and never before have we had a female trucker come to visit. Furthermore, never have we had a female who was so enthusiastic about our car collection!   I must have heard the word "awesome" a hundred times.  And I've got to say that Angel was pretty darn awesome herself.  Phil and I loved her enthusiasm and hope she'll find her way back to Afton very soon..  

Our visitors today came from Neodesha OK, Jackson MS, Little Rock AR, and Florence, MS.  Robin and Phil were around because they were cutting the grass and trimming around the Station today.  Betty stopped in, as did Marly.  David is back from his vacation and came to visit for a while.  Tattoo Man came for the last time before he leaves next week for the Route 66 Festival in Victorville, CA.   Wish I was going too, but this year there's just too much happening in my life and the life of Afton Station for me to be able to leave for the time it would take to drive to California.  Next year. . . .

Nuthin'

I didn't get to Afton until noon because I  was with Ron M. at the hospital, so Phil and Robin did the morning shift.  From the moment I arrived at the Station until I left I had NO visitors whatsoever!   Was it something I said?  :-)  Before I got there, Phil and Robin had visited with 15 travelers, from France and Japan, as well as from several Oklahoma towns.   I'm not sure why I rushed up there and used another 170 miles worth of gasoline, but if I hadn't gone, there would have probably been three tour buses from Lethoso and a motorcycle group from Turkmenistan trying to get in.  Oh well. . .  Many thanks, as usual, to Robin and Phil for helping out.  I'll be in Afton all day tomorrow, so everyone come visit so I don't feel so unloved.  Incidentally, I don't have any photos for today, either.

On a happier note, Ron M. is starting to get a little better.  I see improvement each day.   Thanks to all who have expressed their concern.  I've been telling him that everyone is pulling for his recovery.

The temperature today is 113.   Please stop this!

Moving Along

You can probably tell that these have been rather stressful days for me, and I'm sorry if it appears that I'm taking it out on my faithful blog readers.  My Afton Station time is such a treasuer, a respite from constant concern about Ron M.'s illness, a cool oasis away from the blast furnace heat and a VERY tempermental computer, where I am able to meet happy folks on vacations and siphon off a bit of their enthusiasm for Route 66.  I hope I'm imparting those feelings more than those of my "down" time.  

This morning's guests, though few and far between, were just what the doctor ordered.  This couple from St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada has been on the road in their truck/w camper top for ages and have no particular finishing time in the near future.  He described himself as a "talker", and I won't dispute that description.  They spent an extra night in Miami just to drive back to Afton Station this morning, since they got there too late last night and we were closed.  They were having such a great time that their enthusiasm was infectuous. 

 A little later, these four guys on Harleys paid a visit.  Mike Cummings (2nd from right) is a member of the Illinois Route 66 Association and a reader of this blog (Hi, Mike!).  He and his two cohorts are from the Chicago area.  The third guy (left) is Russell from Wellington, New Zealand.  The Chicago guys picked him up somewhere along the Mother Road and they're now traveling together.  They make a mighty fine quartet.

 Next came a very cordial gentleman from Chesapeake, Virginia pulling a trailered '70 Porsche which he picked up in Arizona.  It has belonged since it was new to his uncle who is now in his 90s and wanted to give it to someone who would love it.  While he was there,  my friend and totally wonderful person Jerry "McJerry" McClanahan dropped in on his way to Chicago for a festival.  Mr. Porsche had visited with Jerry earlier on his trip and he decided to buy one of the magnificent Ross/McClanahan/Graham coffee table book "Sightings" while he could get Jerry's autograph.

Another visitor today was Bob Baker, a race car driver from Afton, requesting an Afton Station decal for his neat little racer.  Cool!  Also, Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker dropped in.

Ron M. is getting better and may soon be out of ICU and back in his regular room.  Thanks again to all who have directed good wishes and prayers to him.

Here's a picture I took this morning that I'll just call "Low Sky".  It was quite beautiful, and it looked like rain. Unfortunately, the rain never came and the drought continues.

Mighty Fine Day

 Today was quite a day at Afton Station on beautiful Route 66 in Afton, Oklahoma.   Tops on the list of good news is that Ron M. is starting to heal and come around.  Within a few days he should be able to receive visitors and maybe acknowledge the presence of his friends.  I'll let you know when that happens.  Meanwhile,  tomorrow is his 66th birthday, so if anyone wants to send good wishes, I'm sure he'll be able to acknowledge them soon.

A very nice lady named Ann Sherman visited today and stayed for the majority of the day.  She's a photographer who is putting together a coffee table book featuring the car collections of Oklahoma.  I was blown away by the number of beautiful vehicles which reside in hidden away collections in this state!  Her pictures are stunning.  Ann is winding up work on the book and wanted to photograph our collection, which she did.  Can't wait for the book to be published!

There were also a lot of other intriguing guests today.   The father of this family from Bethlehem, PA is a major collector of die cast cars, having hundreds -- or was that thousands?   Obviously, he was interested in our vehicle collection.

This couple from Hamilton, New Zealand have certainly come a long way to get away from winter in their land.  They have spent seven weeks on Route 66 and when that trip is finished, they'll spend two months in various places on the East Coast.

These three fun guys arrived on motorcycles from Greenfield and Portsmouth, Ohio.  The two brothers and one of their sons were clearly enjoying every minute of their ride down the Mother Road.  A handsome bunch, too!

The rest of our visitors came from Chelsea OK, Moore OK, Conway MO, Vienna Austria, Woodbine KS, and St. George KS.  Phil and I managed to close up and leave on time for a change.  That happens rarely these days.

Bicycle Bounty

That bounty consisted of 18 bikes, and I don’t mean motorcycles.  I’m talking about the most appealing group of 18 “kids” (ages 19 to 24) who are taking on the amazing feat of cycling approximately 4,000 miles across the U.S. from Portland, Maine to Santa Barbara, California, and today some of them stopped in to Afton Station.   They pedal about 70 miles a day, are put up at night on the floors of churches across the country, and if that’s not enough, they stop every few days, not to rest, but to build Habitat for Humanity houses!   The program is called Bike and Build, and you can read about it here:  www.bikeandbuild.org., Believe me, the details of this fine program are worth reading. The full program consists of 7 groups of about 50 kids each, each following a different path across the U.S.   Not everyone in the Route 66 group stopped at the Station, but the 18 who did were all having a ball.  A happier, more motivated group of young people I haven’t seen for ages.

 

My vocal cords are just about shot and I’m very tired.   It was a huge day at the Station today, so I’m certainly not complaining.   Phil opened and closed for me and Tattoo Man was there for a bit in between so I wasn’t really alone much, but I simply talked too much, and it’s so hard to shout over the roar of the air conditioner.  Also, I could use a bit of sleep. 

Our other 26 guests came from Guthrie OK, St. Moritz Switzerland, Johannesburg South Africa, Springfield MO, Shawnee OK, Ketchum OK, Sunset TX, Glenville NY, Florence MS, Owasso OK, and Bergen Norway. 

Our first visitors of the morning were these two from Guthrie, OK doing a bit of the Mother Road on yet another scalding hot day. 

Say hello from this enthusiastic couple from St. Moritz, Switzerland!

And this cute couple is on an extended honeymoon – 7 weeks in the U.S., then two months in South America.  Wow!   Of course, a large part of their U.S. visit will be spent on Route 66.

 Here, our Norwegian guests are filming the Official Signing of the Guest Book!

 And now, please excuse me while I gargle a little lemon juice and retire for the evening.  I realize my posts have been mostly just photos lately, but flowery language isn’t really on my agenda right now.  Ron M. has one more surgery tomorrow.   Keep sending happy thoughts his way.  And stick around.  I’ll be back in fine form soon.

Thanks, Robin!

 When I called last night and asked Robin to fill in for me today, she immediately agreed.   As I’ve said many times before, I love my “peeps” up in Afton.   I had to arrive at Afton Station late once again because I wanted to be at the hospital when Ron M. came out of his morning surgery.   He emerged around 9:30 and was still stable, still comatose (artificially) and still unable to have visitors, so I jumped in the car and got to Afton around 11:30. 

For a while, it was slow and Robin and I had time to chat.  Eventually things heated up and we ended up with  24 visitors, which isn’t bad.   They came from Lisbon Portugal, Plano TX, Minneapolis MN, Anniston AL, Rudy AR, Independence KS, Stillwater OK, Grove OK, and Nowata OK.   Also, our friends from Salt Lake City drove up and checked things out.  Kris and Breeden haven’t been to Afton Station since one of the first years we were open, and they certainly noted all the changes!  They've been so helpful with Ron M.'s situation and it feels good to have them here.

 Here are a couple of very handsome brothers from Portugal who graced our presence this morning.   Those brilliant smiles are completely genuine.   One of the brothers is a postcard collector, so I could relate to him very well.  They were so cute and friendly.  Oh, to be 30 years younger!   J  

Despite. . .

. . . 95% of my mind being on Ron M.'s condition (much the same today), and because he can't receive visitors anyway, I spent the full day at Afton Station, and I'm glad I did.  I was fortunate to have both Marly and Phil with me to help all day.  A surprise visit from the wonderful Dale Butel and one of his Australian tour groups was a highlight.  There were 29 jolly Aussies today.  I had fully intended to take a group photo, but do you know how difficult it is to round up a bunch of enthusiastic and excited Australian travelers?   You'll just have to be happy with these few individual photos I shot as some folks were waiting in line to pay for purchases.  The third picture is of Dale Butel himself, probably the fourth time he's posed for me over the years.  Dale is a loyal visitor and he certainly seems to attract some fine people to his groups! 

           

   Our other visitors came from Kimberling City MO, Greenville TX, Friendswood TX, Chester Springs PA, Overland Park KS, and Durant OK.  Two mom-and-kid duos came in toward the end of the day from Durant, OK.   They're doing a small portion of Route 66 over the next couple of days, and will also visit Woolaroc (Frank Phillips home and park) in Bartlesville (OK) tomorrow.

Snow-capped mountains in Oklahoma on a 105-degree day?   No, I'm afraid not.  Just a cloud formation I photographed on my way to the Station this morning.   Oh, and an anticipated 107-degree day tomorrow.  It's possible that I'll be away from the blog for a few days.  I'm not sure right now, but a visit from some of Ron's friends who are driving down from Salt Lake City might occupy some of my time over the weekend.  We shall see. . .   Meanwhile, please direct some good thoughts in Ron M.'s direction.  Thank you.

Abbreviated Day

I got to Afton late today and took no photos.  Phil was minding the store while I paid a visit to the ICU this morning where Ron M. is resting under very strong sedation.  He will have a fourth, and hopefully last, surgery tomorrow to attempt to close the incision which continues to reopen.  His condition is considered to be poor, but we're all in hopes that it will change after tomorrow's trip to the operating room.  Until then, he really can't have visitors, and he wouldn't know who was there anyway.  Obviously, this has me in quite a state, but thankfully some of Ron's (and my) friends are driving in from Salt Lake City tomorrow to  help out with what needs to be done.  Meanwhile, I hope that all my readers will direct their good thoughts to Ron M. and his recovery.

Thankfully, it was a very slow day at the Station.  I wasn't in the mood to have a crush of visitors.  Those that did come were wonderfully pleasant.   They came from Bloomington IN, Mt. Union IA, Cedar Lake OK, and Minneapolis MN.   The guest from Iowa treated us to an amazing story about being extracted from the bottom of the Grand Canyon via Medi Vac helicopter when she fell ill during a burro ride down at the bottom.  Oh my, what an adventure! The ending is happy, as she was treated and released, but she said it was the ride of a lifetime!

That's it for today, my friends. . .

Lovely Chaos

Well, there had been 26 visitors to Afton Station prior to my departure one hour early, leaving the place in Phil's capable hands.  I wanted to get back to Tulsa in order to visit with Ron M. in the hospital for a while.  (I'm happy to report that he seems somewhat better, and he had even taken a walk in the hall before I got there.)  I just hope that the chaos that marked the day at the Station didn't continue while Phil was holding down the fort all by himself.

I must say it was lovely chaos, however.  For one thing, I topped an all-time high number of sales today.  Guidebooks were virtually flying out the door.  Can't complain about that!  And then there was the visit from a couple from Portland, OR in this beautifully restored '41 Packard.  We don't get a lot of visits from Packards, so its always a treat.   He's outfitted the interior with modern, more comfortable seating and air conditioning, but the exterior is original and lovely.  I'm sorry I didn't get a better picture of it.

 While they were there, another couple came in.  They're full-timers in their Airstream but hail from Chicago, IL when asked to name what they consider their home.   We were all chatting together, so I invited the two couples to pose together for this photo.  

 This family from near Basel, Switzerland arrived even before I did this morning!   Phil was already there but had forgotten his key, so all were waiting when I drove up just moments later.   They're enthusiastically vacationing on Route 66 and even though the two little ones weren't feeling up to par this morning, they managed to stay a while and the parents voiced their extreme appreciation for the Station and everything else they've seen leaving Chicago.  

Other visitors came from Edmond OK, Hamilton IN, Bella Vista AR, Long Beach CA, Sylmar CA, Cherry Hill NJ, and Brunswick NJ.  Adding to the fun were visits from Ron "Tattoo Man" Jones and Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker.  Never a dull moment when those two are around showing off their particular assets.  Near the end of the day, Emily Priddy and Ron Warnick dropped in as well.

I just got a call from Phil saying that the visitors keep coming in (and kept buying things!) after I left.  That 's what I like to hear!  I'm sorry I couldn't be there to greet them personally, but Phil is a great ambassador for the road so I'm sure they enjoyed their visits.
________________________________

            Sunrise Over The Sewage Treatment Plant  (sorry, couldn't resist....)

A Little Frustration

I'm frustrated because this is one of those days when I could tell all kinds of stories about our interesting visitors, make some personal comments on a big controversy that's taking place among loyal Route 66ers, and talk about some interesting moments that Robin and Phil enjoyed at the Station yesterday in my absence.  But I got home late and have so much to do that once again I'll have to make this a bit short.  On Monday I'll relax a little and be able to tell all.

It was a big day at the Station, with at least 30 visitors, although I believe I lost count toward the end of the day when they were really piling in.  Those that I did make note of came from Guyancort France, Leesville LA, DeRidder LA, College Station TX, Brussels Belgium, Cincinnati OH, and Tulsa, Pryor, Oklahoma City, Miami, Talala, Claremore, and Pauls Valley, OK.

This couple from Guyancort, France were the first in the door and were already warm from the motorbike ride on this torrid morning but were able to enjoy our air conditioning for a while.  We also treated them to some coffee made by Phil, who is also in the picture.  

 These two gals (Claremore, OK and Talala, OK) also arrived on motorcycles at the height of the 100+ degree afternoon so I trained a fan on them until they cooled down before they had to jump back on their bikes.  They stopped in as part of the Route 66 Passport program.

 A lovely family from Oklahoma City stopped by and I  just had to take photos of their cute kids.  They're educating their children about the charms of Route 66 while they're still young.  We like that!

Finally, an absolutely awesome family from Brussels, Belgium came in to close out our day with a lot of fun and laughter.  It became clear that good humor overrides the language barrier, and the few words I speak in French and the few they speak in English led to all kinds of mirth on both sides.  I loved these people!  Here's the son Matthew Skilas with the Chicago Bulls haircut he got, not here but back home in Belgium!  And he made sure that I would let everyone know that it was crafted by Kevin Joly of "Coiffure Multiculturelle" in Brussels.  That's his dad peeking over Matthew's shoulder.

Many thanks to both Robin and Phil who helped me open and close today, and to Betty for dropping in to say hello.

   

Cool Hot Day

We had plenty of visitors today, and a number came from foreign countries.  Our 27 guests dropped in from Oslo Norway, Sandefjord Norway, East Alton IL, Chartres France, West Monroe LA, Copenhagen Denmark, and Grove and Afton, OK.   Some kids from town came in to look around.  You can tell when it's summer vacation in Afton because the kids start to get bored early in July and we see a lot more of them at the Station.  We like it.   Betty was with me for most of the morning, which was very very nice.  Phil came in time to help me open and close, and Marly dropped in, too.   Ron M. is still in the hospital where his recovery is slow but progressing.

I don't intend to be very wordy today because I got home late and I'm tired.  Also, my WiFi is behaving badly and I fear I'll lose the whole post if I linger.  Therefore, here are a few photos, with not much explanation:

 These two ladies are traveling Route 66 from Chartres, France.

 And this family from Louisiana took a day off from lake activities down at Grand Lake to drive over and check out our place.  They were most interested in the cars and spent lots of time examining them.  Very nice family!

And finally, these guys from Norway are having a ball on the road.  They intend to end up in Santa Monica, and I do hope the heat doesn't get them before they get there.

I'll be back on Saturday!  Stay cool!

66 - 66 - 66 - 66

 What are all those 66s about?   They're about John and Karen from Noblesville, IN who are traveling Route 66 in their '66 Thunderbird to celebrate his 66th birthday and her loss of 66 pounds!  Don't you just love it?  A great couple having a ball on the Mother Road.

Here are two guys -- one from Tampa, FL (left) and one from Oregon, OH -- who are traveling Route 66 seeking the weird and unusual.  They found Dean "Crazy Legs" Walker in Kansas and me here in Afton, so I told them they'd already found the very weirdest of the weird.  Nevertheless, they plan to continue to Santa Monica and along the way they'll find goodies like a giant whale, concrete totem poles, a huge rabbit to ride on, and tepees to sleep in.  That made them happy!

 Here are two mother/daughter combinations from Peoria, Arizona.  They are also enjoying the wonders of Route 66.  It's so good to see moms and daughters traveling together, especially on Route 66.

 Our other visitors today came from Lucerne, Switzerland, England, Ireland, and Vinita, Fairland, and Grove OK.

This is an Afton stop sign which I photographed this morning.  No, that's not the back side.  That's the front!  There are many in this condition in town.  When I mentioned it to Marly, he said he doubted that it really mattered, since nobody stops for them anyway.  :-)   Even so, it seems that maybe something should be done about this potential hazard. Don't you agree?

 I visited Ron M. in the hospital this afternoon and he seems to be getting a little stronger.  We're all  hoping they'll let him go home soon, but it will probably be several more days.

Finally, another sunrise.  This morning's was so beautiful and unique that this photo doesn't come close to doing it justice.

The U-Haul Unveiled!

The Bob Waldmire U-Haul has arrived!   According to Marly and Phil, the return trip was somewhat taxing due to the unexpected heaviness of the truck, abominable MPG numbers on the rig, and several wrong turns.  But it's here, and we were thrilled to find that the mural is still in good condition despite the  years it spent in the city maintenance yard at Elk City.   We now need to research ways to preserve the painting and we also must do some work on the engine to get it purring again.   Soon, it will be on display at Afton Station!   Again, thanks so much to Marian and Ken Clark for the amazing donation!

In other news, Ron M. is still in pain but is sitting up a bit and we're all hoping his recovery will speed up from this point.  I had plenty of help at the Station today, from Marly, Phil, Robin, and Tattoo Man.  We weren't overwhelmed by numbers of visitors, but it was a pleasant day with some interesting groups.

Our first visitors were this family of 6 from Copenhagen, Denmark.   Unfortunately, the air conditioner in their rented motor home went out yesterday and they spent a night in this ridiculous heat.  Furthermore, the company can't send someone to fix it until tomorrow, so they're anticipating one more night of discomfort.  I hope they decide to head for a motel tonight!  Despite all of this, they were amazingly upbeat and still enjoying their Route 66 trip. 

                              

The fellow on the right of this picture is Dusty from Broken Arrow, OK, one of my blog readers.  (Hi, Dusty!).  He brought is family to check out Route 66 on their way home from a Branson, MO vacation.   Nice to meet them all.

 Other guests came from St. Louis MO, Ft. Smith AR, St. Charles MO, and Collinsville, Oologah, Owasso, and Sapulpa, OK.

Visitors on Friday and Saturday (when Robin and Marly were at the helm) came from far and wide -- Thailand, Spain, England, Phoenix, Nevada, Nebraska, and Louisiana, among other places. There was also a visit from folks from AFTON, Michigan who used to live in AFTON, Oklahoma!  Wish I'd been there!

I caught this cute picture of Robin and Phil as they were ready to leave for the day.  Thanks again to all my volunteers.  I have a feeling that without Ron M. at my side I might need their help even more over the next couple of weeks.

Unexpected Day Off, sort of

Well, although I did drive up to Afton today, I only stayed for about 10 minutes.  Here's the story.  Last night, Ron M. had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix, and I really needed to stay in town near him until I knew he was ok.  I was at the hospital very early this morning and although he's in a lot of pain, the morphine drip is helping and he's otherwise alert and, frankly, already a little bit bored.   They haven't decided yet how long he'll be in the hospital, but it required invasive surgery, not laproscopy, so it might be several days before he can go home.

After my hospital visit, I drove to Afton to put a "Sorry, Closed Due to Illness" sign on the door and also to retrieve Ron's laptop, which he left up there.  Marly arrived around 1 p.m., long after I'd left, and I just heard from him that we had a very busy afternoon at the Station.   I have to thank Marly so much for filling in this afternoon, especially since he and Phil had two very long arduous days bringing the Waldmire U-Haul back from Elk City.   I finally got to see the truck for myself today, and tomorrow I'll take some photos.  Love it!

I'll be back tomorrow with more news.

More Sweltering

I just have a few comments for today.   It was a good day, but I left my enthusiasm in the 107-degree weather on the way home.  Don't get me wrong -- Afton Station, my car, and my house in Tulsa are all wonderfully cooled.  It's just that it only takes minutes of the in-between to wilt me.  And wilted I am!

The morning started off with Marly and Phil making last-minutes repairs/modifications to the trailer they took to Elk City to pick up the Waldmire UHaul.    They got a later start than expected, but finally pulled out around 11 a.m.   I trust that right about now they're taking advantage of  the pool at the motel I arranged for them, or perhaps enjoying a cold brew.  They'll be back tomorrow evening with the treasure.  

Most of our 25 guests were from the midwest, and for the first time in ages we had no visitors from any foreign countries.   The folks we visited with today were from Anthony KS, Montague TX, Little Elm TX, Midwest City OK, Independence MO, Tulsa OK, Westville OK, Spring Branch TX, Dennison TX, and winners of the Distance Award for today, this couple from Lino Lakes, MN.    

This fellow is a former firefighter from Tulsa, but is now engaged in another career.  I liked him a lot (I admire firefighters!) and am happy that he'll be back next week.   Nice guy!

 A father and son from Spring Branch, TX stopped in on their full Chicago-to-Santa Monica Route 66 odyssey.   The father warmed my heart when he said he planned the trip because it could be the last time they can have that kind of bonding experience before the son is off to college. Here's the lucky young man trying out the comfort of the front seat of the DeSoto.