Well, we saw three states, today: Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Not so big a deal when you realize that Route 66 is only about 13 miles long in Kansas. We went through Galena, then found an old bridge. The Route 66 book we have says that we have to take a side trip to cross this bridge. The side trip turned out to be a road about 200 yards long, parallel to 66, and about 50 yards away from it. We swung over and crossed the bridge. Wow. Anyway, it's an arch bridge called the Rainbow Curve Bridge and was built in 1923 over Brush Creek by a man named Marsh. He built three, and two are now gone. This is the only remaining Marsh arch bridge. Words just don’t do justice to the fun we’re having.

Then it was into Baxter Springs, Kansas, where we found a very interesting museum. We spent about an hour there, then had lunch outside the museum in a little park. The park had a red train caboose from the "Frisco" line, and a tank (the cannon on the tank was pointed away from us; we’re not dumb, you know). A couple of things of interest in the museum were a quilt, made in the early 1800s (Belinda, that’s for you), and the world’s longest hand-carved wooden chain. It measures 1145 feet long, which is as tall as a 95 story skyscraper. It was carved by James Porter, who appeared on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show”, where he spent 22 minutes chatting with Johnny about whittling. Two things about that: it sounds typical of Carson, and this beats the giant ball of string by a mile, assuming we ever find the giant ball of string.

Oh yeah, there were other things in the museum, too.

After lunch, we left Kansas and crossed over into Oklahoma at 1:15 pm. Forty minutes later, we saw a dead armadillo at the side of the road. I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Found Keystone State Park in the AAA camping book. I programmed it into the Garmin, and it took us to hell-and-gone before we finally got here. Went through some interesting neighborhoods, too. Don’t thing I’d want to live there (or stop there—or drive through there again). But it was worth it. We have a nice site, overlooking a lake (if you crouch down and move the leaves apart). Not many people here, either.

DAILY ENTERTAINMENT... courtesy of Shannon
Listened to the country mix CD. Great music. We both liked The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

Also, courtesy of Jared, we played Slug Bug. I’m not sure if Mom understood the rules, because my arm is still sore. First we looked for white cars. Mom beat me 10 to 6. Next, it was red cars or trucks. Mom wiped me all over the road. I think the problem is that Mom calls out “Red car,” and I add 1 to her score. By the time I look up, she’s said, “Red car…Red car…Red car.” I try to give her 3 points, and she’s got 5 more. We stopped after the red cars.

STATS
Day: 20, 9/23
Leave: 10:45 am; Joplin KOA
Breakfast: RV
Lunch: Picnic at the park outside the Baxter Springs Museum
Dinner: RV
Arrive: 5:00 pm, Keystone State Park, Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Travelled: 162 miles; 6.25 hours
Comments: Mom drove all day. I enjoyed being able to see things along the way that aren’t on the road. I don’t think I like navigating, though. Most of the day I had maps and books all over my lap and falling on the floor while I was trying to program the Garmin and check Google maps on my iPhone with Mom yelling, “Quick! Am I supposed to turn at this intersection?” I wanna drive tomorrow….