Day 7 - Midway!

Sleeping in was a must this morning after our crazy night last night. We got on the road around 11am with one thing in mind....Get to Texas.  I think that all of us were done with New Mexico - definitely some interesting things in NM but, of the three states we have been in thus far, it gets a unanimous vote for our least favorite.  Sorry NM!

After all that being said....we got to Tucumcari, NM on our way to the NM/ TX border.  We needed gas, ice and lunch.  As we pulled into town, I noticed a TON of really cool signs (vintage signs).... hotel signs, shop and restaurant signs; all that have been kept up really well.  Most of them neon signs that I was sure would have looked really sweet at night. Unfortunately, we weren't going to stay all day in this tiny town so I could take pictures at night!  So, yes...I had Shale drive me all around to take my daytime photos and then I looked on line this evening for night-time photos of each of the places I shot earlier today and put them all together for you so you can see what I am talking about!

Top to Bottom: The Blue Swallow Motel (note the "100% Refrigerated Air sign - classic!), The Buckaroo Motel and Del's Restaurant (where we ate lunch)

Left to Right:  TeePee Curios, The Palomino Hotel and
La Cita Mexican Restaurant

Left to Right Clockwise: Motel Safari, Sign outside of the Tucumcari Convention Center,
The Trails West Lounge and just a cool wall I found next door to the Blue Swallow Inn

 We thought that once we left Tucumcari that we were done in NM and would actually get to Texas....finally.  Nope, guess again - I took us down some crazy dirt/gravel road to see an old abandoned double-seater outhouse that claimed it (at one point anyway) had toilets that flushed which, way back when would have been a pretty big deal...."Modern Restrooms" is painted on the side of the small building.

"Modern Restrooms"

Next stop, Texas!  YeeHaw!

                            

Just a little way east of the border of NM and TX, you will find the little town of Adrian.  Adrian is the midway point between Santa Monica (LA) and Chicago, IL.  Stopping here was a must to take a picture and wow did we run into something (shall I say someONE) unexpected that absolutely made our day!

There is a small gift shop just as you turn into town off the highway...The Sunflower Station.  Next door is the Midway Cafe.  We pulled in right between the two, nobody was around...at all.  Outside of the gift shop with her dog (Brody) was Fran.  Fran owns the gift shop and is the former owner (for 23 years) of the next door cafe.  She and I got to talking about our trip, where we were from, the Airstream, her shop and her former diner next door.  Shale and the kids busied themself in the parking lot of Fran's store signing her old red Ford pick up truck.  I know this sounds strange but she encourages anyone that stops to leave their name, a message, a picture or anything on her truck!  Fran and I went inside where she told me about her connection to the movie, "Cars".  Fran herself was the inspiration for the "Cars" character, Flo.  Flo is the owner/operator of Flo's V8 Cafe in the movie.  You see, when the movie was being researched for production, John Lassetre and his crew took a guided tour of Route 66 and met Fran when she ran the Midway Diner.  Most all of the characters in the movie were inspired by real people that John and his crew met on Route 66!  Betcha didn't know that!  Pretty cool!  Thank you for the memory Fran!  We will be back to visit sometime - I hope!!  

Fran's Red Ford Pick-up with thousands of signatures, pictures, messages.
Fran (Flo) is with us in the bottom right photo!

Fran gave us this signed photo as she does with all her guests!

Midpoint Route 66 - Adrian, TX

Amarillo, TX was our destination point for the night.  Only a 50 mile drive and we pulled in to set up camp.  We are cooking up something real great for tomorrow but you'll have to stay tuned for details on exactly what!  Below is a hint (we are armed and quite possibly, dangerous!)

No, nothing else on the Airstream has broken...yet!

Tonight as I catch you up on today's events, we are all once again huddled together in our cozy trailer watching a movie...."Cars"

(this is for you Fran!)

Until tomorrow y'all........