Roadtripping Okie

09/03/2026

Last few free days before heading back to work. We made it to Redings Mill, Missouri today. Just a quick trip, but its always nice to get out and see the world. Especially when you have such great company.

07/20/2026

07/09/2026

Its almost the weekend.... a little poetry by me. :)

07/05/2026

More pictures from yesterday. Rock Cafe in Stroud. We got there 8 minutes before closing. So I still havent gotten to eat here. All these years of passing by it and I never catch it when its open. Rare photo of Bubs

07/05/2026

Urbexing off route 66 today, beat the storms home!!
1) Exterior Sparks Masonic Lodge, built in 1926, meetings were held in part of the building up through the early 1980s. The back half of the building was Clay Nixon & Son service station and garage.

2) Entry to the service station office which also led to the stairs that took you to the upstairs meeting area for the lodge.

3) Notice the vine pressed against the glass from the interior

4) Interior view of the service stations (I believe) office. Notice the same vine. Very spooky/apocalyptic.

5)Another view of the interior of the service stations office. Notice the key box built onto the door.

6) Remnants of curtains still hanging on the curtain rods

7) Interior of the garage bay area, if you look closely, you can still see the hanging light fixture in the upstairs lodge area. I was amazed with all the falling ceiling that the fixture was still in place and the globe looks intact.

8) Interior of the service station bay showing the second floor caved in. But the window screens are still in place on the 2nd floor windows.

9) The other curtain panel is still hanging on but entangled on debris. Very eerie.

10) Notice the Newell post dangling in the air. The entire set of stairs collapsed, but this Newell post is suspended by the metal handrail that is somehow still standing.

11) Curtain view from exterior

12) The little room on the second floor is a restroom. Funny to think aboit it, and again it seems almost suspended in air. Thats a great plumbing job I am assuming.

13) We couldnt figure out this odd situation out. A newish propane tank coming through the ceiling, suspended by some sort of weird netting. A pipe hanging on a wire with an older Walmart plastic bag hanging from it. Very clearly intentional. Glad we were there in the daylight.

14) Remnants of the tin ceiling that covered the filling station bay.

15) Complete collapse of the stairs. I wondered how it didnt disconnect the old heaters stack. Again, good plumber.

16) Shop light still dangling from the electrical wiring.

17) Beautiful signage from the Nixon &Sons Garage. Such a cool thing, you could work on your own car, but rent the space and tools to DIY. I had no idea that was a thing. But the sign is beautifully preserved, what remains of the roof has shaded it from fading. I adore vintage graphics, so this was a little treat that I didnt expect.

18) Screen door that leads from the garage area to the service station office. Notice the little handpainted sign on the door frame. Golden 🔑 Gift Shop. I wonder what kind of gifts they sold. I wonder if it was little trinkets that the gentlemen could buy their wives last minute for forgotten anniversaries and birthdays. 😆

I dont expect the interior of this building to last much longer. And it made me curious if people in the community would hear the groans coming from the building each time a bit more of the floor comes down. Did anyone hear that massive staircase as it gave up the ghost? Or does it just silently pass through time? Once such a bustling building, I am sure. Built the same year as route 66, I would imagine lots of people welcomed a spot where they could work on their car and hop right back on to the road. The comraderie that once was enjoyed, it makes you melancholy in a way.

06/29/2026

Took a drive down Route 66 to Chandler, Ok. Where we saw the new roadside giant, 30 foot tall Route 66 Man. They are currently working on their rt 66 interpretive center, which will have their grand opening on the 4th of July with free live music. Played a little at the municipal splash pad, but not aptly dressed to get too crazy. We plan to head back some Saturday morning soon to visit their weekly farmers market and go equipped to enjoy the splash pad more thoroughly. Came back home, again via 66 and stopped in Stroud for dinner at Lin Cuisine. A locally owned Asian restaurant. Very good, lots of food, reasonable prices. Had two take home boxes. Decided to swing over to Shamrock, Ok which is considered a "ghost town" but still occupied. On the way, we were taking a side road and a dog jumped out from the bushes, ran alongside and in front of the car. Then stopped and watched us. We saw that he looked rather skinny. So guess where one of the boxes of leftovers went. Very tempted to bring him home, but after the passing of the stray kitten a few weeks ago. We thought it best not to bring home strays and potentially get our own baby sick. Still not sure if this dog was a stray, or this was his way of getting food. Lol. Made it to Shamrock, but apparently many years too late for the local museum. The building is in bad shape, but amazingly, it hasnt been looted. Got some interesting pics from a broken window in the door. Then down the road a bit to a building that was built 1 year after Route 66. Abandoned now, it looks to have been a gas station/garage. But online searching says the guy built batteries. I have no idea what kind of batteries. Assuming for the oil industry that established the town. Oh, and we picked up a camel mascot. Our little nomad for the new to us car.