Extreme heat, but great routes

August 14^th, 2026

Joplin, Missouri

Woke and got ready as usual.

Loaded the bike and checked the room as usual.

Locked the door and rode next door to the fuel station to fill the tank.

While there I also went inside to find some food, ended up with a small pizza.

Got on the road about 9:45, bit later than I had hoped.

Today most of the route should be on back roads using mostly the 1930s alignments, but a few sections of 20s and some 40s.

We will only have 1 small section of about 4 miles on the Interstate as the original road is under it.  (Note that in many places, the 1950s and later route was a divided highway that basically became the Interstate with only a few changes and updated interchanges.  So, driving the Interstate is still Route 66, just the later sections).

The roads were in fair shape, some a bit beat up, but they are just county roads that normally get local traffic for the most part.

Reached my first challenge of the day.  The bridge over the Interstate to reach the other side where road continues (I-44 having cut across the original route) was closed for maintenance.

Checking the maps there was no alternative way on the north side, so would have to take the Interstate.  And annoyingly, some of the 1920s route and an old bridge were on the section I am missing.

Rode the Interstate to the next exit, then backtracked so I could still ride the old section.  Missed the turn, so ended up following the road all the way back to the closed bridge, so got to ride it all, I guess.

This section is one of the few 4 lane sections that was not used for the Interstate.  It also has a rock cut (where they cut into the rock layer to allow a road through) that was the deepest cut in the US when it was made.

Reached the turn and went south a bit to an old bridge over the river.  Stopped to talk a few photos as the road was empty and great shot of an empty bridge.  Just had to wait for a pickup coming the other way to cross. 

Except they did not.  They stopped and blocked lane on other end, all 3 guys (late 20s) got out carrying big cups and stood at the railing doing who knows what.  So much for the great photo.

Back on bike and followed the road back to the 4 lane section and then back to the area where I came off the Interstate.

I stopped at gas station to use restroom and buy a cold drink as it was very hot already.

Rode a few blocks down from here to reach the Uranus Fudge Factory.

This quirky roadside stop is a Fudge shop selling fudge and other sweets made in the place, as well as other snacks.  They also have a huge gift shop leaning into the “Uranus” “Fudge Factory” innuendo for the dirty minded.

The place has a small sideshow museum, tattoo shop and few things around the property to do photos with.  (Dinosaurs, aliens, rockets, trucks and cars, and even old farm equipment.)

I checked out the sideshow and decided for $6 I would see what was inside (expecting a bunch of crap).

It was mostly just fake figures and stuff made up to look like freak show creatures and people.  Some might have real history, but the items here are mostly mockup.  A few skeletons of deformed animals and even a few live 2 headed turtles were onsite.

I did not spend too much time there, so probably a waste of my money.

I went into the fudge shop, hoping to buy some, but the place was just mobbed.  And I did not want to wait forever to buy sweets I probably shouldn’t be eating anyway.

Used the restroom and then left.

Back on the route we continued on for a short distance and then stopped at the St Roberts Neon Park.

This small roadside park which was created in the 1950s (and the only remaining roadside park on Route 66, and one of a handful left in the state from the 100s that existed in the 1950s) has been turned into an outdoor museum displaying some of the neon signs from places no longer existing or that were completed converted into different businesses over the years.

Nicely done place with the restored signs and information plaques about them.  They all light up as well, though only after dark, which I cannot wait for.  They also have a small memorial to veterans at the end with a big tank on display as well.

When done, I headed back to the road and while coming down a section of the roadway parallel to the freeway I spied an old bridge on a side road and turned off to check it out.

This section (which I looked up later) was the original route before the 4 lane section cut it and became the interstate later. At some point they built a new frontage road along the interstate you can drive, leaving this small section and no longer accessible bridge abandoned. (I will guess that the bridge was weak and not worth repair, so why the new frontage road).

Did a few photos, then back onto the road and continuing along the way.

Many of the routes you drive along here are not part of the original route.  The original routes depending on decade get cut off by other newer roads or even newer alignments of Route 66.  Some sections remain drivable but dead end.  You many times need to run down a different frontage or work around the freeway overpasses to get from section to section.

I stopped in Lebanon Missouri for lunch.  Just wanted quick meal, so ate at Taco John’s, a fast food Mexican chain I used to enjoy in the Midwest, but we do not have in Arizona.

Got back on the road and made my way into Springfield a bit later.

The route through town was a bit congested, but finally made it to my first, and only big stop of the day.  The Route 66 Car Museum.

Parked the bike and covered it as I would be inside for a bit longer this time.

Cost $15 to get in, but high for the size, but it is what it is.

Lots of older cars from the 20s and 30s.  A good selection of cars from each decade up to the 80s.  Even a few newer, but not many.

Some replica movie cars as well.

All the cars are owned by the one person who created the museum in his former factory space where he manufactured turbines used mainly in water management.  Owner sold the company to huge corporation in early 2000s, and created the museum for his car collection.

When finished, I got back on the bike and headed down the road.

We turned off onto one of the older sections and rode past a few places that were Route 66 themed, but was just too hot to stop at most.

I did pull of at Spencer to photograph the old buildings there which had been restored a few years ago.

I then entered the Joplin Metro, going through several smaller towns that surround it.  Saw a few other places I had read about, but again, hot, and tired.

I stopped for one quick photo at a Missouri 66 shield painted on a concrete wall as it was the only sign so far with just the state name, most also included the town name.

Traffic got really heavy around this time as well.

Finally got into Joplin and reached the point where the route turns west.  My motel is just a half mile down this route, but the road was all ripped up and under construction.

Was a bit of a challenge to get into the motel as you have to turn between the traffic cones and across a rougher gravel section to enter the driveway to the parking lot.

Parked and got checked in.  My room is in the back building, so rode around to that area and parked up in front of the room.

Unloaded the bike and then sat in the A/C to cool off as I was really feeling the heat now.  Actually, staring to feel a bit ill to be honest, but that might just be lunch?

After about 90s minutes, I was thinking of just going to bed, but needed to secure the bike, and really wanted to go get some water (drank much of what I had already) and some other drinks.

So got on the bike and rode down the road to a Target to get a gallon of water, some cold tea, and some more pain meds as I am about out and body is starting to yell at me more lately (my knees especially).

Once back to the room I decided definitely was not hungry or feeling like food, so changed out of the riding gear and went to bed.

I have all day tomorrow to work on blogs, videos, and route planning.  Will only leave the room to walk over for food to a restaurant nearby, and maybe a different nearby place for dinner.

On Sunday we will depart and will quickly leave Missouri and enter Kansas.  There are only about 20 miles of the route in Kansas, but a few places to stop and see, then will move onto Oklahoma and will stay there as I continue westward.

Catch ya down the road.

Todays Route: