The Route 66 Chick

Last weekend I took the new Route 66 in Kansas book on the road for a mini book tour to the Tri-State area. Three events were planned, sponsored by three terrific museums, for Friday through Sunday, July 22-24. It was a great weekend, and as a bonus, I stayed three nights at the wonderful Boots Court in Carthage, Missouri, and enjoyed the new neon. The first event was a book display and signing sponsored by the Powers Museum of Carthage at the Carthage Art Walk in - where else? - historic Downtown Carthage on the Square on Friday evening. Michele Newton Hansford of the Powers Museum secured a prime space for me inside the Carthage Deli, and she and her husband, Gary Hansford, joined me for the evening at the deli. Owner Chris was a gracious host as usual, and we enjoyed a fine supper and great conversation. The oppressive heat and humidity caused some of the artists to cancel out of the art walk. That, combined with construction around the square and the weather itself, made ...

But we were there - for a couple days of work on the new book.  I drove out to Baxter Springs on Saturday to get there in time to spend a couple hours at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center. There, I needed to pick up scanned photos from Museum Manager Linda Kennedy and take another look at the exhibits.  (On our trip there back in April, co-author Joe Sonderman and I enjoyed a guided tour of the museum from Linda. Then we spent hours perusing the exhibits and photos, snapping reference photos, and compiling a list of what we would use from their great collection.) Late Saturday afternoon, after some time at the Center and a visit with Linda, I took some photos of the Fort Blair site on nearby grounds. Baxter Springs has a significant military history, which we'll reflect in the book. Then it was downtown (a whole couple blocks away) onto Military Avenue/Route 66 for some photos and a light supper at Cafe on the Route.  Next was...

Now don't get me wrong, I do love a road trip. In fact, I love multiple road trips. But when I've got tons of work waiting for me at home, and somehow three trips end up scheduled in less than a two-week period, even I get tired out. The first trip (April 21-22) was a two-day retreat for all the Illinois Scenic Byways (we have seven!) directors, board members, and associated stakeholders, including, of course, the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway. The event was held at the scenic Pere Marquette Lodge on the Great River Road up north of Grafton, Illinois. Not a far drive for me at all, but I wanted to try out the lodging there (it was excellent) plus we had a scheduled soiree at the Grafton Winery (never to be missed!), and so I just stayed there overnight. The retreat sessions provided us with updates on Illinois tourism funding - or lack thereof - partnerships, byway programs, and a great chance to network with other Illinois tourism folks. Next up was a three-day trip (Apri...

I knew I'd returned to the Midwest when I stuck my nose out the door this morning at the Boots Court in Carthage! The humidity was back with a vengeance. Well, I suppose it was already there and it was me that had just arrived in town. Anyway, it was great to stay at the Boots again and I tried out a different room this time. I've included an interior photo for those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of staying here. This place is a real treasure. I just love the feeling of going back in time when I enter one of those rooms - period furniture, wood floors, and no TV - but a "radio in every room," playing 40s-50s tunes. If I ever get around to writing one of the period novels I'm thinking of, I might just have to enter the Boots "time machine" and stay awhile. Before leaving Carthage this morning, I had an early lunch and good conversation at the Carthage Deli with Deborah Harvey and Debbie Dee of the Boots. Always good to catch up with ...

On Sunday morning Steve and I had a leisurely breakfast and visited some more with Debye and Debbie Dee at the Boots. Here we are in our Boots Court t-shirts. We took a few more photos in the Central/Garrison "Crossroads of America" neighborhood, where Route 66 and the Jefferson Highway both once rolled through. Here are daylight shots of the Boots Court and, across the street, a credit union which was once the Boots Drive-In.  We stopped at the Conoco Station to put gas in the Prius and also to take photos of local artist Lowell Davis' "Crap Duster" (made from a manure spreader, among other things). From there, we drove to Red Oak II to check out Lowell Davis' recreated village. Everything is here - from metal sculpture to chickens (real) to a musical instrument garden to a church service (occurring during our visit) to a steampunk-style water fountain, all scattered here and there among houses, store buildings, barns, automobiles,...