Day 3

11th May 2006

Rolla MO – Tulsa OK

27323 – 27653 (330 miles)

A dry start to the day if a bit on the chilly side its 7.30am and we are on the road straight out onto Route 66 which runs outside the hotel. Mile upon mile of bending road undulating through the hills of Missouri, passing through small hamlets on the way. Most of the time running parallel with the main highway, the road goes into the Ozark Mountains the view of the mountains covered in trees is splendid. Climbing up to peaks and dropping down again but never as far as we have climbed up, crossing rivers so different from Illinois. We have to stop of at a Harley dealership for some repairs to a couple of the bikes, used it as a rest stop. Whilst there had a coffee with coffee mate with hazelnut flavour, tasted it for the next couple of hours. We continue along route 66 Missouri is really the start of the road I imagined the hills and road are magic. Road kill is becoming more common, mainly possum the occasional racoon and the rare skunk. We passed the skeleton of a large animal possible a deer. Lunchtime comes and we are in Kansas, it is a little dogleg of about 14 miles through the state. We stop for lunch in Baxter Springs and have lunch in a diner which was once a bank robbed by Jessie James who allegedly just walked in and demanded money and walked out with $3000.

After lunch we ran into a problem with one of the bikes the steering lock would not release, eventually we have to give up to get it off and get the spare bike of the trailer and manhandle the bike onto the trailer, it has taken almost two hours to get it sorted. We then backtrack a few miles to visit another icon of Route 66 the only remaining bridge of its type left, Rainbow Bridge made of iron covered in concrete. A photo opportunity for all and a brief talk on the history of the area infamous for Quantrill’s Raiders and the raid on Baxter Springs during the American Civil War. We ride over the bridge and it is on our way to Oklahoma. The land is opening up before us no more mountains, you look ahead and the road disappears over the horizon. Over a brow of a hill and the road disappears again into the horizon, deserted buildings along the highway signs of a once thriving community that served travellers along this route. Not only buildings deserted but also vehicles also just left where they stopped dating back to the 1920’s to the 1960’s. Some of the buildings are being restored back to there former glory for the tourist trade is bringing the road back to life. We have passed oil derricks in yards and fields mostly single ones pumping oil from the ground, they are of the nodding crane type, a reminder of the oil riches from the early days.

We arrive in Tulsa it has been the best day so far of the trip the dream is coming alive. So far, Missouri has been the best for the Mother Road, Oklahoma is just starting. Have been sunburnt during the days ride the wind has caught the exposed cheeks. As we have crossed Oklahoma, more cattle and horses have appeared in the fields so much different from the start of the ride where there was very few livestock seen. Passed our first long train today, it was close to a mile long.

There have been signs along the road, which state ‘ROAD IMPASSABLE WHEN WATER IS HIGH’; the tide sure goes out a long way here.

What a welcome we got when we arrived at the Big Western Hotel in Tulsa, the management came out to greet us and asked for a group photo. They laid on a fruit punch and cookies in the reception area for us and in the rooms we had a welcome note, two bottles of water and two packs of cheese and peanut butter biscuits (strange taste these Americans have) and the room was excellent.

Went out for dinner across from the hotel, the problem here is trying to eat healthily and what I would class as normal size portions. Went out with our French representative of the group tonight and killed the French language, unfortunately he speaks no English just French and Portuguese, but we get by.