Route 66 Part 2: Missouri to Oklahoma | Through Fields and Dreams
📍 Part 2 — Missouri → Kansas → Oklahoma
- Main Highlights: Chain of Rocks Bridge, Devil’s Elbow, Galena’s Cars on the Route, Blue Whale of Catoosa
- States Passed: Missouri · Kansas · Oklahoma
- Distance: Approx. 350 miles (560 km)
- Travel Mood: Slow, nostalgic, reflective — discovering beauty in forgotten places
- Theme of the Day: The quiet poetry of old bridges, small towns, and lingering memories
Missouri — Where Bridges Carry Stories
Morning light spilled across the old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, and its steel trusses casting long, thoughtful shadows. As we walked, two worlds moved beside each other: the silent, abandoned bridge beneath our feet, and the modern highway buzzing with life just beyond.
Rust and sunlight intertwined here — a reminder that even what no longer serves its original purpose can still hold memory, dignity, and quiet beauty. The Chain of Rocks Bridge is a truly unique landmark, primarily known for its distinct 30-degree bend mid-span—a quirky feature that adds to its legendary status. More than just a relic of Route 66, this bridge once carried the weight of the nation's westward expansion and served as a vital crossing for the mighty Mississippi River. The experience of walking on its abandoned surface, with the wind carrying the sounds of the modern world from the nearby highway, creates a powerful sense of juxtaposition. It is a massive, beautiful structure that has transitioned from a route of necessity to a pathway for quiet reflection.
At Route 66 State Park, another lonely bridge rose from the riverbank: broken and unreachable, yet teeming with untold stories. Someone once crossed it with hope, urgency, or longing. Now it seems to whispers: “Walk slowly. What you seek will meet you on the way.” This bridge is the final testament to the original Meramec River crossing, a massive structure that now leads only to the sky. More poignantly, the park stands on the site of the former Times Beach community, a place with a complex, recent history that adds an unexpected layer of depth to the Route 66 narrative. The park serves as a quiet memorial to what was, where the old Mother Road whispers its loudest lesson: finding beauty in transition and the necessity of letting go. The bridge's broken structure powerfully symbolizes the road's fate—a glorious path that inevitably yields to the new.
At Ted Drewes, the frozen custard slowly melted into a perfect summertime memory: sweet, simple, and grounding. This family-owned stand has been a Route 66 institution since the 1930s, offering travelers cool relief and a taste of old-fashioned simplicity. The frozen custard is famously thick—so much so that they serve it upside down! More than a dessert, it’s a required pilgrimage stop—a shared tradition connecting generations of road-trippers. Sitting there, observing the local life and fellow travelers, the simple sweetness provided a perfect, grounding pause before continuing our journey westward.
Its silence held a certain tenderness, a quiet loyalty to the past. Devil's Elbow was once one of the most treacherous and infamous curves on the Mother Road, notorious for the sharp turns and difficult Ozark terrain. It embodied the wilder, untamed spirit of early Route 66. The old firetruck, a sentinel guarding the past, provided a vivid contrast to the area’s once-chaotic reputation. It felt like the perfect, peaceful culmination of our rugged journey through the Missouri stretch.
Kansas — Only 13 Miles, Yet Full of Life
The iconic neon sign of Boots Court Motel in Galena, Kansas, is a perfectly preserved piece of Mother Road history.
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Everything felt delightfully imperfect — the charm of a small town that refuses to be forgotten.
Oklahoma — Neon, Silence, and Stories
The Route 66 Museum in Oklahoma glowed like a time capsule, with neon lights flickering across jukeboxes, gasoline pumps, and weathered signs. Everything inside felt suspended in a hopeful era. The museum’s collection includes personal, touching items, such as the beautiful, hand-stitched quilts that vividly depict the highway’s landmarks.
A woven piece of history: A beautiful quilt celebrating the spirit and landmarks of Route 66 at the museum.
In Catoosa, the giant Blue Whale rested quietly by the water, a quirky symbol reminding us that joy sometimes appears in the most unexpected shapes. Oklahoma claims the longest continuous stretch of Route 66, offering mile after mile of classic Americana and roadside wonders. With its carefully curated collection, the Route 66 Museum vividly brings the highway’s golden age back to life, allowing us to step directly into the optimistic spirit of the past. The Blue Whale is a beloved piece of eccentric roadside architecture, built in the early 1970s as an anniversary gift. It perfectly captures the charming folk art that defines the Mother Road’s character, offering a moment of pure, unexpected delight on the vast plains. Stopping for a colorful, vintage soda pop and admiring the neon bottle displays solidified the nostalgic atmosphere. From the massive roadside figures to the smallest collectibles, the journey here is filled with iconic characters, both real and imagined.
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