Crossing the threshold

After leaving Muskogee on a to-be-continued note, I continued to trek US 69, parts of which is the historic Jefferson Highway, for another two hours which included a brief stop in Chouteau, Oklahoma.

 

A few miles out of town traffic picked up as a railroad decided to play cat and mouse with itself, unsure of going northwest or southeast. After the 15 minute delay, trucks, cars, and their relatives rode on. 50 miles later, I-44 came and I logged onto the Will Rogers Turnpike heading northeast. Zooming interstate characters fly by as my heart is still paced on the two lane highway. Nonetheless, the mind began to clear (a few work zones later) as I crossed the threshold into the Show Me State.

 

It was time to head to the motel to get a little rest and relaxation and figure out the next step. Alas, after getting off I-44, and caressing US 71 north for a few miles, I got off the MO 571 exit and made a right. Several yards later, I made a turn onto the golden 66. Unfortunately, I drove past the motel, but for every frustration is a revelation.

 

After following chapter two titled, "Make a Two Step in Middle of a Two-Lane road" from my mother's book of U-turns I made a left at the traffic light, scooted another quick left and found my home for the next couple of nights.

 

The truck finally stopped in front of the motel. After opening the screen door I encountered one of the two new owners of the Boots Court, Ms. Deborah Harvey, who was nothing short of polite. After the key-for-cash exchange, I pulled the truck to room 14. The door softly shut, footsteps made its way to the door. Bags plop on the tar macadam, key chain jiggling, cocked the key into the locked and turned. A transport back in time. No TV's just a Philco radio, a full size bed decorated in chenille bedspreads, original chrome light fixtures, monogrammed towels in the restroom, built-in dressers decorating the walls, and a walk-in closet. Here is some of the lay out

From a room with two flat screen TV's in McAlester, OK to a trip back to 1949 on the Mother Road in Carthage, it was admittedly a shock, and for someone who is obsessed with watching 1950's sitcoms on DVD (modern technology) this was a bit of a time warp. Moments later, the truck was ready, and the journey to Joplin, and Galena, KS began.