Chaos Ain't So Bad

I had an unsettled feeling all day at Afton Station.  I can't entirely attribute this feeling to anything special.  Perhaps because it didn't "flow" as well as some days do, I didn't get much done.  I did, however, meet and greet a whole lot of really great Route 66 travelers, so it was far from a lost day.

We started the day organizing the boxes and boxes of brochures I've been saving for lack of a place to put them.  I'm talking about brochures advertising other exciting spots on Route 66, something I feel is very important to the vitality of the Road, and which I'm happy to provide to those who visit the Station.  Thanks to Michael Scruggs, we now have a third brochure rack, and we freely invite our visitors to take all they want.  We're all in this together on the Mother Road, and if anyone who is reading this and has a business/tourist spot is reading this, feel free to send me your advertising material for our display rack.

Visitors today included folks from Madison WI, Queensland Australia, Stockholm Sweden, Emporia KS, Fargo ND, Montreal Quebec, Carl's Junction MO, and Miami, OK.

These two Kansans were an absolute delight!  When people come in armed with a big ring binder filled with "homework" they've done before their Route 66 trip, the seriousness of their enthusiasm flows to everyone around.  These folks not only had a big notebook with copious notes, but they are consistently updating it as they move along the Road.  They take a trip each year around their anniversary and this year is no exception.  I think they said it's their 14th or 15th this year, but I'm afraid I can't remember exactly.  Notes for each place they intend to stop into includes the names of the proprietors, the anticipated amount of time to spend at the site, and perfect directions and notes on what they're going to see there.  I'm impressed!  I can't wait to  have these two come back for a further visit because there was so much for us to chat about.  They also showed me photos of a room in their house which is entirely devoted to road trip and vintage memorabilia.  Cool folks!

A group of very cute and polite kids from Afton rode up on their bikes and became instantly enchanted by the pressed penny machine.  They had previously been down at the railroad tracks making pressed coins in a much more dangerous manner, so I was pleased to have them in the safety of the Station.  They were accompanied by two dogs and a couple of other kids who aren't in the picture.  Oh, and by the way, they also loved the old cars!

 These Swedish couples are clearly having the trip of a lifetime, and we were so pleased that they made Afton Station part of their tour.

Betty, Tattoo, Crazy Legs, and Scott also stopped by, making it a very full day.