Day 3: St. Louis to Joplin, MO

Day three has passed without a hitch! To be honest, I didn't expect much in the way of scenery and Route 66 icons today, but I was wrong. We ended up driving some amazing stretches of America's Sidewalk today. Leaving St. Louis, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Missiouri has the Mother Road well marked with "Route 66 By-way" signs directing you exactly where you need to go. Just outside of Kirkwood, MO is the town of Eureka. Near Eureka, we discovered Route 66 State Park and the best souvenir shop on the road so far. The park also is full of history, not only about the Route, but also about Times Beach, MO. Times Beach was a popular destination for travelers in this region. In fact in the 1920s, resort lots could be purchased for a $10 down payment and $2.50 a month! The lots sat on the Meramac River waterfront. Recurring floods were a huge problem for Times Beach, but they continued to draw tourists and weekend travelers. In fact, the older gentleman that was helping at the State Park today used to recreate with his family at Times Beach in the 1940s...his grandparents owned a lot there. But in the 1980s, it was discovered that a company contracted to oil the roads to control the dust was using waste oil contaminated with dioxin, a highly toxic chemical. The ground was contaminated with hundreds of thousands of tons of dioxin from years of waste oil contamination in the soil. The site became condemned, residents were forced to leave and the area was leveled and any remnant of human occupation was destroyed. Now the area is a state park and the visitor center sits in a vintage roadhouse that was on Route 66. I look forward to reading the history of this area after I get back home, it was quite fascinating.

After leaving Eureka, we ventured down some awesome stretches of 66 through a Allenton, Pacific, Gray Summit, Bourbon, Cuba, Fanning (Home of the world's largest rocking chair), St. James, Rolla, Doolittle and many other cool little towns. A highlight was Paris Springs, where "Gary Turner's Gay Parita" sits. This old gas station was awesome! We met George, the current owner, who was quick to share information and tips about our trip down the road. He also loved the car and we enjoyed getting our picture taken together.  After leaving Paris Springs, we passed through Spencer and on to Carthage, home of the 66 Drive-In Theatre, which has recently been renovated and shows first run movies. If we were one day later, I think we would have stayed just to enjoy the experience, but alas, the road called and we moved on through Carterville, Webb City and on into Joplin for the night. 

After today, I can see why our tour books encourage up to a month to travel the Road to see all its intracacies. We are going to have to pick and choose our path and worthwhile stops moving forward...or we're going to run out of time! 

People who come up to us and ask about the Dodge Dart we are driving are shocked when they discover that we are taking it on such a long trip. I've been somewhat curious as to why...the car is in excellent mechanical condition, it's comfortable (even without A/C) and probably more roadworthy than several other vehicles that are much newer I've seen heading down the highway. I suppose I'm used to working on older cars a little bit, but I'm no professional mechanic. I'd encourage anyone with a little "gumption" that wants to go a "real" road trip...buy a classic car and hit the road! Our Dart was not an expensive car. I have far less money into it than I would a newer four door sedan. The experience, the stories, the look on my kids' faces, the joy of seeing my wife tell people about our trip...these are priceless memories. Running a classic car is a relatively cheap hobby in comparison to others - so if you're interested...GO FOR IT! Like the guy in St. Regis, whose words keep ringing my ear said, "Don't just talk about it...DO IT!"  We are traveling on as tight a budget as we can...opting for inexpensive lodging, cheap food, a cooler full of snacks and limiting our souvenir and purchase of expensive attractions...there's enough to see without paying money! So...enjoy the pics from our third day and if these posts are inspiring you to consider a classic car road trip, I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about our adventure. There's more adventure ahead!