A Pher's Guide to Route 66 Part 6 Texas
Discussion
66 runs across the windswept plain of the Texas Panhandle, the narrowest part of the state. This was originally a dangerous part of early journeys West, dry and featureless. Today this is still quite a lot of 66 to see.
SHAMROCK
Shamrock is the home of the famous U-DRop Inn, which has been there since 1936. No longer a gas and diner emporium ,it is recently being upgraded to once again serve shack.s We passed aa truck graveyard and an auto scrapyard on the way in . Amazing how many cars seem to be restorable.
McLEAN
McLean is a small town, now somewhat faded. If you have an interest in barbed wire, the Devil's rope museum is here..( Not visited).
There is also a nicely preserved Phillips 66 gas station, the Cacus Motel, and a very credible little steakhouse, ( no alcohol) called the Red River...very good for lunch on the way, great catfish.
GROOM
Route 66 is very wide through Groom.. a lonely town. Here the is one BIG deal...a 19 storey cross. No idea who funded it. On a smaller scale the leaning water tower was a deliberate illusion to attract routists.
2022 Update:
I will none to update this pic as the enter area now is infested with giant windmills so the cross no longe stand out on the horizon.
CONWAY
Everyone visits the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, but there is a slightly more modest version before you get there made from VW Bugs off the Conway exit.
AMARILLO
Amarillo is a handy place to overnight with lots of accommodation. 66 runs North of the interstate and is fairly seedy with a lot of car repair shops and a shorter strip with antique shops and the well known Golden Light Cafe, a music spot since 1946 and a Route original.
Once , the Big Texan steakhouse was on 66 but it has moved to its present location off of I-40. Home of the 72oz steak, free if you can eat it in an hour, with all the fixins' and no leaving the table. About 15% of the people suceed. If you fail the tab is $72. If you are staying in the area they will pick you p and drop you back in a huge old stretch Caddy with steer horns on the front, no charge.
|https://thumbsnap.com/ENcixmoJ[/url]
You can stay at the attached motel...cheap and not too shabby:
The Cadillac Ranch was never on 66 but is a popular attraction. Usually littered with spray paint cans, it must be the world's greatest graffiti attraction.
On original 66 there are myriad abandoned garages and yards
BUSHLAND
Here sit the great grain elevators, and you will soon be assaulted by the strong smell of cattle as you pass the vast herding pens at Wildorado.
ADRIAN
A popular litte restaurant ( great pies) is situated here. You are now half way from Chicago to LA.!
The original owner of the MidPoint Cafe, Fran, sold out to Dennis, the new proprietor. IF you can find room, you can sign Fran's truck still, as she has opened up a gift shop next door.
GLENRIO
Straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico is the ghost town of GlenRio. There have been many such towns, but most have nothing left but the foundations. Here the old Motel and the Juarez Cafe still stand. Originally, because of differing state gas and liquor taxes and rules, the liquor stores were on one end of the town and the gas stations on the other.
You have an option here. You can go back on I-40 to New Mexico or take the abandoned and unpaved section of 66 to Endee, NM. (Do not attempt if it is wet)
SHAMROCK
Shamrock is the home of the famous U-DRop Inn, which has been there since 1936. No longer a gas and diner emporium ,it is recently being upgraded to once again serve shack.s We passed aa truck graveyard and an auto scrapyard on the way in . Amazing how many cars seem to be restorable.
McLEAN
McLean is a small town, now somewhat faded. If you have an interest in barbed wire, the Devil's rope museum is here..( Not visited).
There is also a nicely preserved Phillips 66 gas station, the Cacus Motel, and a very credible little steakhouse, ( no alcohol) called the Red River...very good for lunch on the way, great catfish.
GROOM
Route 66 is very wide through Groom.. a lonely town. Here the is one BIG deal...a 19 storey cross. No idea who funded it. On a smaller scale the leaning water tower was a deliberate illusion to attract routists.
2022 Update:
I will none to update this pic as the enter area now is infested with giant windmills so the cross no longe stand out on the horizon.
CONWAY
Everyone visits the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, but there is a slightly more modest version before you get there made from VW Bugs off the Conway exit.
AMARILLO
Amarillo is a handy place to overnight with lots of accommodation. 66 runs North of the interstate and is fairly seedy with a lot of car repair shops and a shorter strip with antique shops and the well known Golden Light Cafe, a music spot since 1946 and a Route original.
Once , the Big Texan steakhouse was on 66 but it has moved to its present location off of I-40. Home of the 72oz steak, free if you can eat it in an hour, with all the fixins' and no leaving the table. About 15% of the people suceed. If you fail the tab is $72. If you are staying in the area they will pick you p and drop you back in a huge old stretch Caddy with steer horns on the front, no charge.
|https://thumbsnap.com/ENcixmoJ[/url]You can stay at the attached motel...cheap and not too shabby:
The Cadillac Ranch was never on 66 but is a popular attraction. Usually littered with spray paint cans, it must be the world's greatest graffiti attraction.
On original 66 there are myriad abandoned garages and yards
BUSHLAND
Here sit the great grain elevators, and you will soon be assaulted by the strong smell of cattle as you pass the vast herding pens at Wildorado.
ADRIAN
A popular litte restaurant ( great pies) is situated here. You are now half way from Chicago to LA.!
The original owner of the MidPoint Cafe, Fran, sold out to Dennis, the new proprietor. IF you can find room, you can sign Fran's truck still, as she has opened up a gift shop next door.
GLENRIO
Straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico is the ghost town of GlenRio. There have been many such towns, but most have nothing left but the foundations. Here the old Motel and the Juarez Cafe still stand. Originally, because of differing state gas and liquor taxes and rules, the liquor stores were on one end of the town and the gas stations on the other.
You have an option here. You can go back on I-40 to New Mexico or take the abandoned and unpaved section of 66 to Endee, NM. (Do not attempt if it is wet)
Edited by RDMcG on Thursday 5th May 02:39
Edited by RDMcG on Sunday 21st May 17:58
Edited by RDMcG on Thursday 3rd February 14:20
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