Day 8 – Springfield, MO. to Tulsa, OK
Today was another big day on the Mother Road, with around 413 km (256 miles) between us and our destination of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We had a long list of places we wanted to visit, including ghost towns, historic bridges, old service stations, museums and, naturally, a couple more Harley-Davidson dealerships.
The plan was to explore as much of the original Route 66 as possible, although by now we’d learnt that following this historic highway could sometimes be a test of patience, navigation skills and the ability to recognise when you’ve gone completely the wrong way!
Plano – A Ghost Town with Little Left to See
Not far out of Springfield, we headed towards the ghost town of Plano, Missouri.
There isn’t much left of Plano today. Among the surviving remnants are the remains of a general store and a private residence that was once used as a service station.
It’s a little eerie seeing places that were once part of a busy community gradually disappear. Where there were once businesses, people and passing motorists, nature and time have slowly reclaimed the landscape.
Our journey was interrupted by another unexpected detour when we encountered roadworks on the back roads. There had been no warning of the road closures and, to make matters worse, there were no useful directions showing us how to get around them.
Thankfully, we had GPS navigation on the bike, so I followed the map and worked our way around the roadworks.
Another little adventure before we’d even properly got going!
Gay Parita Sinclair Station – The One That Got Away
Next on our list was the Gay Parita Sinclair Station, a much-loved Route 66 attraction in Missouri.
Unfortunately, this was one of those days when the road signage seemed determined to make life difficult.
We came across signs indicating that Highway 266 had ended and that Highway 226 was the old Route 66 alignment. We followed the road around towards Highway 96 and Spencer, believing we were heading in the right direction.
Only later did we realise we’d missed Gay Parita by about 200 metres!
You couldn’t make it up. We’d travelled halfway around the world to ride Route 66, only to sail straight past an attraction we’d specifically planned to visit.
Some of the Route 66 signage was absolute rubbish to follow. Signs were missing, confusing or simply not where you’d expect them to be.
Still, that’s part of the reality of touring the old road. You need to keep your eyes open, watch the GPS and accept that sometimes you’ll miss something. We weren’t about to let one missed service station spoil the day.
Spencer, Missouri – Back on the Mother Road
From there, we continued towards Spencer, another small historic stop along the old highway.
After our navigational adventures, we were happy to get back on the road and make some progress.
We continued along Route 66 without stopping at every attraction, as we had a fair distance to cover and plenty more on our itinerary. There is always a balancing act between stopping to explore everything and actually getting to your accommodation before bedtime!
Cars on Route 66 – Galena, Kansas
We eventually arrived in Galena, Kansas, where we stopped at Cars on Route 66 for a cold drink and a look around.
The attraction is famous for the vintage tow truck that helped inspire the character Tow Mater in the Cars animated movie franchise. For fans of the films, it’s a fun photo opportunity and another recognisable stop along the Mother Road.
Personally, I wasn’t entirely convinced it was worth making a special trip just for the attraction, apart from getting the obligatory photo to prove we’d been there.
But that’s the beauty of travel: one person’s must-see attraction is another person’s quick photo stop. Everyone has their own interests, and Route 66 certainly has enough variety to keep most travellers happy.
With our drinks finished and photos taken, we were back on the Harley and heading towards our next stop.
Rainbow Bridge – A Historic Route 66 Landmark
West of Riverton, Kansas, we stopped at the historic Rainbow Bridge.
This single-span concrete Marsh arch bridge is a significant piece of Route 66 history. It is the sole surviving example of this bridge type along the entire length of the Mother Road.
The bridge is a reminder of the engineering that made early long-distance motoring possible. Before modern highways and interstates took over, structures like this were essential to keeping traffic moving across the country.
It’s also a lovely example of how Route 66 preserves more than just the road itself. The bridges, petrol stations, diners and roadside buildings all tell part of the story.
If you’re travelling this section of Route 66, make sure you allow time to stop and have a look. It’s a worthwhile piece of history tucked away along the route.
Picher, Oklahoma – A Town Reclaimed by Nature
Crossing into Oklahoma, we headed towards the ghost town of Picher.
This was one of the more unusual and sobering stops of the day.
Picher was once a thriving mining community, but more than a century of mining left the area badly damaged. Extensive underground excavation undermined buildings, while piles of mining waste contaminated with toxic metals were left scattered throughout the region.
The environmental damage eventually contributed to the town’s evacuation and decline.
Riding through the streets was a strange experience. Grass and trees had begun reclaiming areas that were once occupied by homes and businesses. It was difficult to imagine what the town must have looked like during its busiest years.
Unlike some ghost towns that have become tourist attractions, Picher’s story is a reminder of the long-term consequences of industrial activity and environmental contamination.
It was fascinating to see, but also a little unsettling. Nature may slowly reclaim the landscape, but the legacy of what happened here remains.
Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station – Commerce, Oklahoma
From Picher, we continued to Commerce to visit Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station.
This little historic petrol station is another of those classic Route 66 photo stops that enthusiasts love to seek out.
Old service stations are part of the fabric of the Mother Road. They remind us of a time when motorists relied on small independent businesses to refuel, grab supplies and get assistance during their journeys.
We stopped to take our photos before continuing west.
By now, we were becoming very familiar with the frustrations of following Route 66. Signs could be missing, stolen or difficult to spot, and on several occasions we’d found ourselves heading in the wrong direction.
At one point, we ended up at the entrance to a cemetery, with no obvious indication that we’d missed a turn. We eventually went left of the cemetery and picked up Route 66 again.
You have to laugh, otherwise you’d spend the entire day swearing at road signs!
Three Museums on the Wish List
We had three more attractions on our itinerary:
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Route 66 Vintage Iron Motorcycle Museum in Miami, Oklahoma.
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Afton Station Packard Museum in Afton, Oklahoma.
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J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, time was getting away from us. We still had a reasonable distance to cover before reaching Tulsa, and the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum was approaching closing time.
We managed a quick look through the J.M. Davis collection, although we didn’t have time to take photos.
It’s a truly impressive collection and well worth allowing enough time to explore properly. If you’re interested in history and historic collections, I’d recommend putting it on your itinerary and avoiding the mistake we made of arriving when time was running short.
Sometimes you simply can’t fit everything into one day, no matter how carefully you’ve planned.
A note for modern-day Route 66 travellers: Since our 2018 visit, both the Route 66 Vintage Iron Motorcycle Museum in Miami and the Afton Station Packard Museum have closed as businesses and tourist attractions, as noted in our 2025 update. Check current information before including either in your own itinerary.
More Harley-Davidson Dealerships
Our ongoing mission to visit as many Harley-Davidson dealerships as possible continued, and we managed to squeeze in two more stops today:
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Hideout Harley-Davidson in Joplin, Missouri.
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Route 66 Harley-Davidson in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The dealership visits were becoming a touring adventure of their own. Every stop meant another chance to browse the merchandise, check out the bikes and, of course, add another T-shirt to the collection.
At some point, I may need to admit that the T-shirt collection is getting out of hand. But not today!
Finding Route 66 Through Tulsa
As we approached Tulsa, we encountered another little puzzle involving the road signage.
Some of the signs indicated that old Route 66 was part of the highway system, which seemed to conflict with the information in our guidebooks and the Route 66 websites we’d been using.
The road certainly ran close to where we expected it to be, so perhaps we were following a later alignment.
This is one of the challenges of researching and riding historic Route 66. The road changed over the decades, sections were bypassed, and modern roads sometimes follow or overlap the original route. Different maps and guidebooks don’t always make those changes easy to understand.
If you’re planning your own trip, I recommend using more than one source and keeping a GPS handy. Even then, be prepared to make the occasional wrong turn!
Overnight Stop – Super 8, Tulsa
Our accommodation for the night was another Super 8.
This one was looking a little tired and dated and could certainly have benefited from some renovation work.
Mind you, it was a Super 8 motel, so we weren’t expecting five-star luxury. When you’re touring for several weeks, you learn to appreciate the basics: a roof over your head, a clean bed and somewhere to park the bike.
Still, after some of the better accommodation we’d experienced, this one wasn’t going to win any awards.
Mexican Food – Monterey’s Little Mexico
For dinner, we took a short walk to Monterey’s Little Mexico in Tulsa for another feed of Mexican food.
By this stage, Mexican restaurants were becoming a regular feature of our American adventure. Fortunately, we enjoy the food, so there were no complaints from our side!
After a long day filled with ghost towns, historic bridges, missed turns and museum visits, it was good to sit down for a meal and relax.
Another Day, Another State and Plenty of Stories
Day 8 was a big one, and not everything went according to plan. We missed Gay Parita Sinclair Station, encountered roadworks without proper detour directions, took a few wrong turns and had to rush through the J.M. Davis museum.
But we also discovered some fascinating places, including the Rainbow Bridge, the remnants of Picher and the historic Conoco station in Commerce.
That’s the thing about Route 66: the journey doesn’t always run smoothly, and the road doesn’t always make itself easy to follow. But the unexpected detours and quirky discoveries are part of what makes the experience memorable.
Tomorrow, we head towards Clinton, Oklahoma, for another day exploring the Mother Road.
Hopefully, the signs will be a little more cooperative. Either way, we’ll keep riding, keep exploring and keep looking for the next cold drink and good feed.
The Thirsty Tourists — Touring is thirsty work!
