Today we left Portales, New Mexico, and started the long trek back east. It's hard to believe we're 2/3 of the way through the trip already!
Today was a banner day for roadside attractions. We began the day with a new, unresearched entry from the RoadsideAmerica.com database--"Bill Dalley's personal windmill collection":http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/26087. As I noted in the tip I submitted, it was an impressive collection, but it's set on private property, and I didn't want to disturb the residents to ask questions.
Then we headed north to Adrian, Texas, which is the midpoint of Route 66--halfway between Chicago and LA. In addition to the sign marking the midpoint, there's also a wonderful cafe (the MidPoint Cafe, natch), where we stopped for lunch. I had a burger, which was delicious, and Alex had a slice of homemade lemon meringue pie. (The cafe was the inspiration for the diner in the movie Cars.)
Just past Adrian is Vega, Texas, where RoadsideAmerica.com told us we'd find Dot's Mini-Museum. I decided to stop, and Alex and I were both glad I did. The three small buildings on the site are crammed full of amazing antiques, and we were lucky enough to run into Dot's daughter Betty, who now runs the museum. She told us wonderful stories about the various items, which included a chair from Judge Roy Bean's courtroom, and a US Mail bag with bloodstains that one of her ancestors had found out in the pasture...probably shot right off the horse that was carrying it. There were ancient pistols, an enormous collection of antique Avon perfume bottles, and wonderful old hats, chaps, boots, and riding tack. I got a great photo of Alex wearing some of the old gear, but he won't let me post it publicly. The photo below isn't very good, but it does show that courtroom chair!
Then it was time to head a little ways down the road and hit Amarillo's best-known roadside attraction, Cadillac Ranch. (Read the entry at that link; it's well worth the time. I'll wait.)
Alex was disappointed that we hadn't brought any spray paint so we could add to the graffiti. Happily, as we approached the cars, a family on their way out offered us their two cans! So we were able to leave our mark there. We then gave the cans to another paint-less family on our way out.
From there, we set our cruise control to 74 (4 miles above the speed limit, about as much speeding as I was willing to do in the Texas panhandle...), pointed ourselves east, and just kept driving. I finally ran out of energy in El Reno, Oklahoma, and that's where we're spending the night tonight.
Tomorrow we continue on our Route 66 adventure, northeast through Oklahoma until we get to Galena, Kansas, home of "Four Women on the Route." Then we'll spend the night with a friend in Pittsburg, Kansas, which is apparently one of the best places there is to get fried chicken. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
