Our “kicks” began today on Route 66.  Heading out from Clinton, Oklahoma, we followed Historic Route 66 through Foss and on to Canute.  We discovered almost immediately that there are just as many closed businesses on Route 66 as there are in Tennessee, but the closed businesses on Route 66 have more interesting signs.  You can still imagine the glory days of Route 66 even though the remnants of the once bustling towns and businesses are very rundown and boarded up.  The road itself is in varying states of disrepair, with some of the stretches still the original concrete but with grass beginning to sprout through the surface.  We also discovered that it is very difficult to stay on Historic Route 66 without being sucked on to the I-40.  Even when we were on the I-40, we could still see Route 66 running along side of the interstate.  The “EZ 66 Guide for Travelers” that we bought from the Route 66 Museum in Clinton is coming in very handy, though.  It was not just a gimmicky, tourist trap book.

We weaved on and off Route 66 and the I-40 driving through Elk City and Sayre and finally crossing the border into Texas.  From Route 66, we were able to stop and take a photo of the great expanse that is Texas.  Amazing!  As Jeremy said, you would see your dog running away for days.

We stopped in Shamrock, Texas for a quick lunch.  Everything in Texas is big, just like they say.  We took photos of our chili dogs.  I was just expecting a regular size hot dog.  Surprise!  Welcome to Texas!

Just outside of McClean, Texas, we had to turn around as we found the “dirt” portion of Route 66.  If we had KLRs, we would have done that stretch as well, but we decided it was not a good idea on loaded touring bikes.

We decided to stop at the Western Hemisphere’s Largest Cross in Groom, Texas.  What a busy spot!  Jeremy took a picture of the door to the Western Hemisphere’s Largest Cross, then reluctantly took a few pictures of the structure itself.

Our next stop was “Bug Ranch” in Conway.   This “sculpture” was created to compliment and/or compete with Amarillo’s “Cadillac Ranch.”  We should be seeing this landmark tomorrow.

We seem to have taken the long way around Amarillo to get to our hotel, inadvertently.  At one point, we saw a sign that told us not to pickup hitchhikers in the area in which we were driving.  We thought the sign was rather odd until we saw the prison a little ways up, then we understood . . .  A few minutes later, we passed the KOA the we had planned to stay at.

We made it to our hotel in Amarillo and headed down to the hot tub to ease our aching muscles.  We met a farmer from the area and a businessman from Iowa.  We talked about our trip and their travels, but the farmer did advise us not to drive east of the I-40 (Folsom Avenue) . . . too late for us, though, as that was the area where we were not to pickup hitchhikers . . .