RAPEA - Day 18 - Part 2 - Shamrock TX

Ever wanted to kiss the Blarney Stone for a little luck but not had the means to get to Ireland? Then come to Shamrock TX! I know Reno and some place in Michigan claims to have a piece of it too but as Biden says, "Come on, man." What town name could possibly give off a more Irish luck kinda vibe than Shamrock?

Local lore has it that a Shamrock official brought it there in 1959 and that it was so important to the town that the mayor called out the TX Highway Patrol and National Guard, who, reportedly set up a machine gunner on the roof of the local pharmacy as the stone was wheeled into town. Who was the local official? 'Blarney' Fife? (If I have to explain that reference, you're too young to read this blog.) The stone was encased in a concrete cylinder and originally placed at Edmond Park but that was a little tricky for tourists to locate so now it resides in Blarney Stone Plaza at the corner of Main and 2nd Street just a couple doors down the street from The Jumping Leprechaun.

Shamrock TX has experienced many ups and downs over the years but I'm afraid they, as well as many small towns in America, are currently in an economic downturn. It's sad really because it has quite a few things going for it. In the 80s it was the largest town in Wheeler County. It had over 95 businesses supporting Cattle, Agriculture, Chemicals, Gas and Petroleum. The Gas and Petroleum businesses are gone now leaving behind a glut of motels and many restaurant buildings empty. The population has dwindled to less than 2,000 as the high school graduates seek their pot of gold elsewhere.

On March 14th, 2013, the 83rd Texas House Legislature passed HCR83, designating the Shamrock St. Patrick’s Day Celebration as the official St. Patrick’s Day Celebration for the State of Texas. Started in 1938 by band master Glen Truax, Shamrock has had an annual St. Patrick's Day celebration on the weekend nearest March 17. This multi-day affair features Irish food, fun, and festivities, complete with a parade, a banquet, various other entertainments, and the crowning of Miss Irish Rose. In previous years it has brought in as many as 30,000 people to the event. Although they managed to pull it off in 2020, (despite very uncooperative weather and a devastating fire in the community center where thankfully, no one was hurt) there will be no celebration this year due to Covid. But the force is strong in this tough little town and the plans are already in the works for their St Patrick's Day 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary March 17-20 2022 so start making those reservations folks.

And while we're on the subject of reservations, I stayed at the cutest little motel while I was there called the Route 66 Inn. The proprietor, Mike, was so gracious and helpful. It has this adorable little gazebo in the center of the property that includes a porch swing where you can watch the cars go by on Route 66. It even has two grills in case you want some grillin' to accompany your chillin'. The place is beautifully maintained with gorgeous murals painted by local artist Tye Thompson throughout the property. (Tye's artwork can be seen all over Shamrock and surrounding towns.) And rumor has it that Elvis once stayed there in Room 18!

And if you happen to arrive on a Sunday as we did The Jumping Leprechaun is the only game in town to bounce out your hunger (unless you want fast food). Don't let the outside appearance of the building deter you. One side of the building is for indoor bounce house rentals and the other side is a restaurant that serves the best Tex-Mex I've ever tasted. I was really wanting to try the Barbacoa (cow's tongue) because I had already heard from a couple people it was delicious but alas, they were all out. But the Pastor Torta (pulled pork seasoned with pineapple) was incredible. Beautiful, petite Marisol is the chef and proprietress and her dutiful son, Daniel, helps serve occasionally on weekends when his college studies permit.

Mike,  from The Route 66 Inn, and Marisol and Daniel, from The Jumping Leprechaun were just two of the great people of Shamrock I was fortunate enough to meet during my short stay and I hope to come back and see them again one day.

Vintage gas stations are prevalent on Route 66 but the most iconic is the U-Drop-In at the corner of Route 66 and Main Street. Back in the day it was a gas station and cafe for the weary traveler and it boasts of a visitor list that includes none other than...you guessed it, Elvis Presley. Now it serves only as a visitor center and fantastic photo opportunity, both night and day. Although it no longer provides fuel for the combustion engine, outback it now hosts several charging stations for the electric set. A sign of the times I guess.

Tower Plaza is an extremely educational stop which is also on Main Street. It is the home of the Shamrock Water Tower. In 2015 it was praised to be the tallest water tower in TX at 176 feet.

RAPEA - Day 18 - Part 1 - Glenpool OK to Shamrock TX via Route 66, John Kilpatrick Turnpike and I40

Today began as another dark, dreary day with the threat of a downpour imminent but we arrived at our destination in sunshine with a few fluffy clouds. So all in all it was another great day on the road.

Today was another snap happy frenzy. We began our day with a stop in Sapulpa OK just down the road from Glenpool. Here we found Bridge #18 at Rock Creek on Route 66. It was built in 1924 and served as part of the Old Ozark Trail. It became part of Route 66 in 1926. My fascination with this bridge, besides it being in better condition than some I've seen (it's still drivable), is that it has a brick road bed. I haven't seen that before. Cool, huh?

We stayed on Route 66 but didn't stop again until we reached Arcadia OK. Just after entering the city limits we pulled off the road to allow someone who was in a bigger hurry than us to pass. Right in front of the local constabulary. And I happened to realize we were right across the road from the now defunct Hillbillee's Cafe and BnB. It looked like it might have been a rockin' place to stay back in the day. It's right across the road from the 66 Lake Stop Convenience Store.

Just down the road a piece is the Arcadia Round Barn which was completed in 1898. Lovingly ensconced in its circular frame is a time capsule of all things Arcadia. The works of my beloved Bob Waldmire even made the cut. The original owner, William Harrison Odor did not obtain the land as a participant of the Land Run of 1889, however the land where the round barn stands was part of the 320 acre farm he and his wife purchased in 1896. And they managed to accomplish this on two teacher's salaries! Imagine trying to accomplish that today! The Round Barn Rendezvous was just setting up as we departed. I would have loved to hear them play with the acoustics in that old barn but Shamrock TX was beckoning and we had many miles to cover before check-in.

Just down the street and around the bend we stopped at the infamous Pops 66 Soda Ranch where we quenched both the van's thirst and mine. Now I'm more of a sweet tea kinda gal than a soda pop drinker, but when at Pops...and this Henry Weinhard's Vanilla Cream was just calling my name. Online I have seen the night shots of that big bottle outside as it bursts into a kaleidescope of colors against the night sky and it's amazing.

Just before I entered the store I was intrigued by this pickup truck that pulled up. Two senior gentlemen with military bearing exited the vehicle right behind the large pop bottle and immediately started unloading US Flags from the bed. They walked to the edge of the grass in front of the bottle right next to the road and started planting the flags. I met one of the gentlemen as he returned to the truck for more supplies. I thanked him for both his prior service and the service he was still providing to his country on this day. He shook my hand and presented me with a wrist band. Once I got to my room and started researching this group of Patriots, Stand Up For America (NOT to be confused with Stand Up America or Stand For America), I was dismayed that the only information I could find is the linked photo gallery from the Oklahoman. As I flipped through the photos I was astonished to find the man who shook my hand. He was none other than the COL Leonard B Scott (Retired), who goes by Old Ranger, author of a multitude of military/action adventure novels beginning in 1985 and continuing today. Some of which I've read! Look him up on Amazon and Penguin Books. Theirs is evidently a local grass roots organization of Patriots with no online presence of which to speak. We need more Old Rangers in this country! Patriots who aren't afraid to speak up and stand up for what they believe in! As the late, great Irish statesman Edmund Burke once stated in a letter to Thomas Mercer, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Ronald Reagan believed that "Standing Up For America means standing up for the God who has so blessed our land."  I will wear my Stand Up For America bracelet for the rest of my days with honor.

In the interest of time, we hopped off of Route 66 shortly after Pops and skirted Oklahoma City by way of the John Kilpatrick Turnpike and I40 and continued on I40 until the exit that eventually brought us to the magically delicious Shamrock TX which deserves a blog all to itself. The sights, the people and the food here have all been transformative to my soul. But it's well after midnight and tomorrow is another travel day so Adios Amigos! Hasta Manana!

And thus concludes the Spanish lesson for the only Spanish I know.

RAPEA - Day 17 - Glenpool OK - Day of Rest

Aaahhh! A day of rest and recuperation. Just what the doctor ordered. No traveling. No taking pictures. Just a day to stop, reflect and recharge my creative batteries. Today's blog will be about random things. Sights, people and places.

While in Cyrus Avery Centennial Park yesterday I noticed the homeless weren't the only inhabitants living under the overpasses. When I looked up under the bridge I noticed what appeared to be a community of large dirt dauber nests. Upon closer inspection I discovered they were bird's nests. What an odd place to build a nest. The traffic above created immense noise and vibrations. Yet the birds appeared to be drawn to it. Fascinating! When I returned to my room I did some research to identify them. They're called Cliff Swallows.

I'm still kicking myself for missing an opportunity to take a picture of the Arrowood Trading Post , formerly known as the 'Chief Wolf Robe Hunt Trading Post' in Catoosa just across the road from the Blue Whale. It has a story all its own.

Chief Wolf Robe Hunt was the brother-in-law of Hugh Davis who owned the Blue Whale. He was a Native American painter, illustrator, silversmith and sculptor of the Acoma nation. Born at the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico in 1905, his family eventually left the Pueblo to travel with a Wild West show.

After his marriage he settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he owned a shop on 11th Street (Route 66) and sold the silver jewelry he made to tourists and Tulsans alike. After the freeways caused traffic to bypass his shop, he opened a trading Post in Catoosa, Oklahoma across the highway from the Blue Whale water structure. There he continued selling his jewelry until his death in 1977.
After his death the building sat empty for several years. The Arrowood Trading Post opened in 1990 as a gift, novelty and souvenir shop and closed in the late 1990s. In 2011 it was an auto repair shop.

Chief Wolf Robe Hunt illustrated The Dancing Horses of Acoma, and Other Acoma Indian Stories by Helen Rushmore where he created  750 of the 805 illustrations in the books.

In the mid 1950s, in a short lived partnership with Hugh Davis the name was changed to the Catoosa Indian Trading Post and pumps selling Phillips 66 gas were added. A cafe was also added at that time. 

When you're traveling an iconic part of history you're bound to run into like minded individuals traveling the same path at various well publicized stops along the way. Such was the case yesterday when we stopped at the Blue Whale of Catoosa.

I met a lady on a road trip with her daughter who was from Bedford NH. That's only an hour from where I spent nearly 14 years in Dover NH.

The volunteer from the gift shop, Linda, a brave and wonderful lady, was saying she was going to retire next year and devote herself full time to writing. She has several children's books on Amazon under the name of Linda Ross-Hobbs and a detective series for adults under the name of Gale L Rossi. She provided me with a wealth of information on the Blue Whale. She's a strong, beautiful cancer survivor with a wonderful way with words. Show her some love people!

A beautiful antique custom Chevy with TX plates pulled in while we were in the parking lot so of course I had to go snap some photos and talk to the driver. Turns out the driver was even more interesting than the car. Jim Zak is a man who has provided life long service to his community. He has been a County Constable, a Medic, a Firefighter and a minister and now having just retired he has decided to travel Route 66 in his show car. And if that's not enough, his neighbor is Frank Beard, one of the founding members of ZZ Top whose Top 40 Ranch is just down the road.

As we were having our dinner yesterday I happened to be reading a framed news article that was on the wall and discovered the restaurant was owned and operated by the former six year Mayor and Vice Mayor of Glenpool OK whose first name is Momodou but since the English pronounced it Mamadou that's what he named the restaurant. After a Google search I determined his was an immigrant success story well worth mentioning. From Gambia West Africa to OK Politics. Later during our meal he came in and cleared our table. Turns out his wife Mamie was our waitress. Help is hard to find here as well. He said he's had a Now Hiring sign up for 6 months and not a soul has applied.

And of course no travel blog about Oklahoma would be complete without mentioning their favorite native son, Will Rogers. OK's reverence for Will Rogers is evident everywhere you look. There are streets, roads and highways and turnpikes. Libraries, stadiums, museums, schools, event centers, campgrounds, trails, hotels, casinos, etc all have incorporated the Will Rogers name.

Back on the road tomorrow. Next stop - TX!

RAPEA - Day 16 - Part 2 - The History of the Blue Whale

The following excerpt was written by Hugh's daughter, Dee Dee (Davis) Belt, for the Catoosa Historical Society's "History of Catoosa" book, published in 2003 to celebrate Catoosa centennial:

"The Blue Whale was built by Hugh S. Davis, Boy Scout, photographer, zoologist, lecturer, father of two, grandfather of four, great-grandfather of nine and friend of many. Hugh believed that every day was a beautiful day, that people should use the talents God gave them, that one should keep busy by thinking, planning and creating, that people should love what they do and do what they love, that you should always finish what you start and that you should enjoy life and live it to its fullest.

The pond on the Davis property was always a fun place. Before the whale was built, the kids who were friends of the Davises son Blaine and daughter Dee Dee swam, canoed in dug-out African canoes, played King-of-the-Hill by throwing each other off the large floating rafts and fished for perch and bass. They picnicked in the summer and skated on the ice in winter. Then Hugh's children grew up and the pond was quiet... but not for long. When Blaine had sons John and Paul, their favorite place was "across the road" building and exploring with their Papa

Hugh always had a "project in the making... whether it was building furniture, creating an alligator ranch or constructing an ark, he was always busy After his retirement from the Tulsa Zoo, he devoted all of his time to developing facilities to educate people about nature. First he built the ark with it's cute cut-out wooden animals smiling at the kids who celebrated birthdays there, then the Alligator Ranch and Nature's Acres with its live alligators, snake pit and prairie dog village.

In the late 1960's at the age of 60, Hugh began to doodle pictures of a "fish" that he wanted to build at the pond. From that fish evolved a whate-larger and larger he grew from sketches on napkins to drawings on oversized sheets of paper. He left notes about the materials he used to build the Blue Whale:

Metal lathe-180 sq. ft. per bundle; 14 bundles would go 2,520 sq. ft. at a cost of $215.70

2 pipe-will need 1,179 feet for $451.00

3/4 & 7/8" rods, 2,650 feet for $77.50

100 ft. of 1 pipe

Dry concrete-126 sacks for $228.79

Ready-mix concrete-19 1/2 yds. For $296.08

19,400 pounds of rock

15 tons of sand

20 nails, copper tubing and screening for $40.76

Wood-2,454 linear feet for $473.93

To accomplish his plan, he needed help fashioning the iron framework-the skeleton of the whale. For this task he called on his dear friend, Harold Thomas, a welder, to weld the 20-foot-tall, 80-foot-long structure. Harold worked 100 hours and charged nothing he enjoyed helping out a neighbor and friend. It took two years, 1970-1972, to build the whale. According to Hugh's notes, he worked 2,920 hours applying the cement which he hand mixed and applied one 5-gallon bucket at a time.

In July 1972, the unpainted whale began attracting people who wanted to fling them selves off his tail, slide down his water-coated firs and poke their heads out the holes in the whale's head. So began what became one of the best loved icons on Route 66. From 11:00 a.m. until dark every day (except Monday or when it rained) people swam, picnicked and fished.

Blessings were showered upon the Davises during the time the Blue Whale was in operation. No one was ever seriously injured, no one ever sued and no one was ever bitten by a snake. It was a good time. It was a good place.

Because of Hugh's crippling arthritis, the Blue Whale was closed in 1988. Hugh died January 11th, 1990, and his wife, Zelta, to whom he had given the whale as an anniversary gift, passed away August 1, 2001. The Blue Whale is now owned by Dee Dee (Davis) Belt and her husband, Dick Blaine and his sons, John and Paul, keep the grounds maintained and the gates open so people can continue to enjoy the Blue Whale

Restoration of the Blue Whale has been an ongoing effort in 1997 the Catoosa Chamber of Commerce refurbished the fading landmark Governor Frank Keeting himself painted the pupil of the Blue Whale's eye. Volunteers, private companies, family members and the Hampton Inns have pledged time, money, and energy to maintain the site."

RAPEA - Day 16 - Part 1 - Vinita OK to Glenpool OK via Route 66

Step right up for the fresh kitsch of the day! Our first stop was the Blue Whale of Catoosa OK. In my opinion The Blue Whale is understated in the Route 66 Guides. I found it to be a delightfully funky rustic rest area with picnic tables and bathrooms that's open from dawn to dusk. It was built in the early 70s by Hugh S Davis on a pond on Davis' property as a 34th anniversary gift to his wife. It was initially intended only for family use but it soon became a major attraction of Route 66. It was recognized by the Hampton Hotels Save-A-Landmark Program as a site worth seeing on Route 66. It's currently being operated by volunteers and a small gift shop is available where you can purchase Blue Whale and Route 66 memorabilia and provide donations to support the park.

Next we drove directly to recon the site for my night shoot at Route 66 Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza in Tulsa OK. It's a beautiful park on the Arkansas River with geese, benches,  and a myriad of serpentine paved walking and biking trails that wind (under the three overpasses which carry I244E, I244W and Route 66 separately) and cross the Arkansas River where the park continues along the water's edge. In addition to walkers, joggers, runners and bikes the paths are well used by the Lime Electric Scooters which can be found and dropped off all over the city. The park is the site of the  Cyrus Avery Memorial Bridge aka the 11th Street Bridge. Cyrus Avery was known as the Father of Route 66 as he brought about the creation of the route while he was a member of the federal board appointed to create the Federal Highway System.

Having nothing to do until the sun went down we then drove to our motel in neighboring Glenpool to check in and for the very first time of our trip (I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later) we were told by the jovial Janice at the desk that we didn't have a reservation. But not to worry, for once the pandemic, which shall not be named, was in our favor. With a few clicks of her keyboard Janice announced "There are rooms available!" Not only that but the rooms totally ticked all our boxes for requirements: two rooms close together; first floor egress to the parking space; TV, Refrigerator, Microwave, Coffee Maker and Wi-Fi (Believe it or not some rooms have not included appliances. In some they were only available upon request. First come, first served.) ; AND ASHTRAYS! That's right folks, in this PC land of ever diminishing rights (What do you mean I can't buy menthol cigarettes anymore?!?) we have managed to occasionally find motels that allow smoking in your rooms! Chalk one up for smokers! We ain't dead yet!

A short time after we checked into our rooms we decided to forage for sustenance. Lucky for us sustenance was close at hand and only two doors down. Now normally I don't plug any restaurants here in the blog although I have been actively reviewing them on Google Maps. But this one I have to tell you about. The name of the restaurant is Mamadou's and tonight I ate the most delectable fried catfish with Cajun seasonings I've ever eaten while 50's top 40 hits played softly in the background. It was lightly breaded with cornmeal and fried crisp without being greasy. And the portions are so large that I brought tomorrow's lunch back to my room with me. If you're ever in Glenpool OK you've got to check them out.

The night shoot was a total bust. I had been looking forward to it as we eased our way ever closer to Tulsa. I had originally read about the Neon Park of Tulsa in a news article online. Although we've seen many Route 66 heyday era neon signs along the way, all of our travels have been in daylight since we're both experiencing the challenge of less than stellar eyesight after sunset.

My first inkling that something was amiss was when we passed by the accessible only on foot, under the overpass Neon Park site while driving to our motel after our recon...it was very small. When I returned to my room I scoured the internet for any news I could find. Curiously, all the news articles were dated September of last year during or right after their grand opening. Undaunted we headed back to the park about 45 minutes before sunset to be certain to snag a good parking spot since it was Friday night. No worries on that front. It was completely empty when we arrived and the occupants of the few cars which arrived minutes later didn't exactly give off those, "We're here  to do touristy things" vibe. It felt more like a "We're here to conduct illegal activities" vibe.

Earlier in the day we couldn't help but noticing the tell tale signs of homeless activity. Behind the bronze East Meets West monument what I had first suspected was a senseless act of littering, upon closer inspection, was actually the detritus of an unfortunate life that had been carelessly abandoned. What had happened to the owner? Had they been injured or killed? Had they been arrested? Had they jumped from the bridge? We'll never know. While following the path to view the bridge I would later walk across to Neon Park, once under the overpass I quickly turned and took a quick shot up the concrete embankment which when blown up revealed people and possessions up on the ledges under the steel girders.

As I was walking across the Arkansas River at dusk I glanced up trying to see where the lights were. What lights? There were no lights! How is it possible that trails in a park advertised as "open 24 hours" aren't all lit for night time use. I kept walking thinking of how dark it would be by the time I was making the return trip. Unfazed, I decided I would simply use the flashlight on my phone to light my way. I finally made it to the park on the other side and quickly found the Neon Park site. It was very small. Three neon signs, which I soon discovered were replicas, stone information markers explaining where they had been originally and a large Route 66 Tulsa road sign painted on the walkway. 

As I waited for darkness to fall and the light show to begin I spotted a young man approach walking his German Shepherd puppy (which I had to pet of course). I asked him approximately when the lights come on. "Oh, they haven't come on for months. They were disconnected because the homeless kept tapping into them," he replied. Seriously?? What a complete letdown. He also advised that the beautiful park by day quickly turned into a rather sketchy area after dark and that I should cross over Route 66 and take the street level sidewalk on the bridge for my return trip to the parking lot. Figuring a local knows best the area in which he resides I followed his advice. At least I got a couple of good shots of the river and skyline as well as a sunset shot from the parking lot before the light completely dissolved.

Tomorrow is a day of rest so we'll probably just replenish our road trip supplies from Wally World down the road and take it easy. When we purchased our items at the Blue Whale gift shop this flyer was place in our bag so I added a Part 2 tonight to share it with ya'll. I'll still write a blog tomorrow (today?) but it will be much shorter. This one is going out very late but at least I don't have to wake up early tomorrow. See ya on the flipside!