Total distance: 385.21 km (239.4 mi)
Total time: 10:49:43
Moving time: 6:11:44
Average speed: 35.57 km/h (22.1 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 62.17 km/h (38.6 mi/h)
Max speed: 121.54 km/h (75.5 mi/h)
Average pace: 1.69 min/km (2.7 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 0.97 min/km (1.6 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 0.49 min/km (0.8 min/mi)
Max elevation: 599 m (1966 ft)
Min elevation: 164 m (537 ft)Elevation gain: 2172 m (7125 ft)
The best thing about staying at the shabby Desert Inn is that it’s walking distance from a fantastic breakfast spot: Tally’s Cafe. The quality of the food is great and the service is very friendly and efficient. The owner, who introduced himself telling us he emigrated from Lebanon 25 years ago, notice we were tourists and gave us a plate sized cinnamon bun “on the house”. Four people could hardly finish this meal-sized sugar bomb.
From there we waddled to our cars and headed west again. Not far out of town we came across a locomotive display along with some cars. Its always amazing how large these trains are up close.
Our first stop was the desolate town of Sapula OK populated by only murals, and its one lane steel bridge that is now blocked off from street traffic. Farther west following RT66 historic and often crumbling roadside relics liter the roadside. Often signs of new restoration work is in evidence as local communities seeking to put their desolate town in the RT66 road guides.
The Arcadia Round Barn in Arcadia OK is a attraction of true historic value and now that it has been completely rebuilt from almost complete ruin is absolutely worth a stop.
A break for a late lunch at Republic Gastropub in Oklahoma City was welcome. The beer selection on tap was fantastic – the bottle selection was enormous.
West again and another vintage steel bridge. Longer and in much better condition, the Pony Bridge is nice change from the rusted blocked ones we’ve seen very often.
In western OK RT 66 is in excellent shape and is available to drive on for very long distances. The road was constructed of concrete slabs and plays you a rhythmic thump as you travel over the seams of the surface. It was during one of thees passages of beautiful scenery and thumping roads that our cars were peppered with hundreds of gigantic grasshoppers. They seemed to travel in vast swarms and pelleted our cars. The ones that did not bounce off were smashed into the grills and trim of our vintage rides.
