Day 2 - Joplin, MO to Oklahoma City, OK

The interesting thing is you may be driving along and then find "old" sections of Route 66 that either parallel or cross the newer paved sections. We found what we think is one of the oldest sections, a 9-foot wide (only good for one lane) path that meanders through hay fields outside of Afton, OK. We also came upon an old rusty bridge with a red brick deck built in 1921. When you drive through some of the small towns, you see both the history and the resurgence of interest in Route 66. On the same street, this burned out grocery (Bassets, in business since 1922) is across the street from a DX gas station that has been restored. But - the town looks deserted for the most part. A run down building on Main Street is a home for hundreds of nesting birds. We stayed overnite in Oklahoma City - went to Bricktown, a lively nightclub/restaurant district near Mickey Mantle Stadium. Tomorrow will go by the Murrah Building memorial before heading west to Texas.