Time is just running. We are still following Route 66 religiously but don’t stop everywhere anymore. We drove by Red Cedar Restaurant in Pacific and the Sunset Hotel in Villa Ridge, did stop however at the Gardenway Motel west of Grey Summit. We liked the sign with the glass blocks so typical for the time of Route 66.

The old sign of the Diamond Restaurant we missed but photographed the remnants of the building.

Time for a change of scenery, the Meramec Caverns in the Stanton region were our next stop. Amazing caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites and stories on bandits Jessie James and his brother staying in the caverns, sharing their loot and escaping via an unknown exit.

From cave to springs we went this day by visiting Maramec Springs and the ruins of a 19th century iron works. Very nice park and lots of information on working with iron.

We stopped later at the beautiful Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba and missed hwy 19 Drive-In Theatre and did not stop for the world’s largest rocker in Fanning-Rosati but went instead to the Elbow Inn close to Devil’s Elbow with its beautiful bridge for dinner and bear with the boys. The locals were mostly retired officers and specialists of the near by Army base and we had the opportunity to have great conversations with these super nice people. We even parked our RV at the fence of the Inn and slept right there.

We left our private ‘campground’ at the Elbow Bridge early in the morning before breakfast, crossed elbow bridge, traveled through Devil’s Elbow and booted it to Lebanon to visit the Munger Moss Motel.

The former restaurant and the motel, which is still in business were established by the same people how had a sandwich place where the Elbow Inn is today. We talked to the female owner and discovered that there are states in the US that are not necessarily Obama fans.

We had liked Springfield Illinois and we liked Springfield Missouri as well first of all because of its wonderful chocolate store Askinosie, a famous judge. He established chocolate manufacture after a cup cake stint and imports the coco beans from select farmers in a couple of counties. He produces his own chocolate and shares the profits with his selected farmers. 3rd world projects are another item on Mr. Askinosie’s list. Food items are for sale in his store and the proceeds go the countries in need 100%.

The nearby Jefferson Avenue Footbridge across railroad tracks is still in use, we walked it and it is in very good shape for being in use since 1902.

We left Springfield and our next ‘quick’ stop was Gary Turner’s gas and repair station in Paris Springs.

We had a lovely visit, good chats with the family and bikers from Austria during a torrential rain. Gary, one of the experts when it comes to Route 66 in Missouri, suggested we pay Lowell Davis a visit in Red Oak II, which is what we did.

Driving through sheds of water we finally arrived on Red Oak II and met with Lowell and Rose. Lowell was born on a farm and used some of this land to create his own town using the buildings from the old village of Red Oak (I) and having them transported to his land and building Red Oak II. Art work from metal, chickens, cats and dogs add to the colorful architecture. But Lowell himself with his wonderful stories, small sculptures from metal and china, his paintings, cartoons and books was absolutely fascinating.

Finally we had dinner in Carthage at 9pm at the Sirloin Stockade, not a Route 66 must visit! And we received permission from the restaurant to sleep in their truckers parking lot. The truckers were not too pleased with us because we parked right in the middle of the lot, because it was the only level point. All had to drive with their long trucks around us.