Cooling It

This is the time of year when I start to realize, but hate to admit, that things are slowing down on Route 66 and at Afton Station.  Naturally, we're almost into October and well out of "tourist season", but I refuse to recognize the fact.   Every person who comes in the door is precious to us. We still get a healthy number of visitors, but the flow is starting to slow.  This month, our visitor count has slightly exceeded September 2012, and our sales are gloriously higher than last year.   And yet, it's sad to see the season waning, the weather changing, and the tapering off of travelers.

However. . . today was a really good one at Afton Station.   For one thing, my daughter Sarah was with us for the morning until her dad picked her up at noon to spend some time at his house.  They were both supposed to drive a couple of the old cars in Grove's Pelican Days parade this morning, but pouring rain prevented it.  I was glad because I got to enjoy more of Sarah's presence.  We've had a great time since she's been here, and we've eaten ourselves crazy.  She goes home tomorrow... sniff...

 It rained and rained all afternoon.  It's welcome rain because we need it, and also because it dropped the temperature into the '60s, temps we haven't seen since the very beginning of the summer.

Sixteen guests visited today.   There were two guys heading back to Tulsa from the aforementioned parade with their little Shriners car, the kind that bounces and twists down the parade route.

There was Gail from Hingham, Massachusetts, my very favorite kind of visitor.  Talkative, animated, fun lady who was clearly appreciating everything she saw on her solo Route 66 trip.   When her visit was coming to an end and she was thinking in terms of lunch down the road in Vinita, we suggested Clanton's.    And this is a first... after she finished lunch she called me to thank me for suggesting such a nice spot!

This guy from Wichita, Kansas who came in with his wife, was very much enjoying the DeSoto!   He did a little mugging for the camera, too.

Our other great visitors came from Little Rock AR, Roe OK, Kansas OK, Irving TX, and Jeffersonville, OH.  Marly and Tattoo Man also spent some time with us.  Now that I'm back in Tulsa, the rain has stopped, and  yet I'm grateful for that which we had, as we needed it badly!  See  you tomorrow...