Day 20--St. Robert to St. Louis, Mo: Watch your elbows!

Being that today is Sunday, it was nice that for us it was just a leisurely driving day through the beautiful Missouri countryside. Not too many places are open around here on Sunday, there isn't much traffic (never is on Route 66), and it was another gorgeous day. We drove around with our windows down most of the day and just enjoyed what Missouri had to offer:

Our first stop was to the Elbow Inn, located in Devil's Elbow. Once again, to quote our online guide, "The community got its start back in 1870 and was named for a particularly bad bend in the Big Piney River. Lumberjacks would float logs down the river and they would seem to always jam at this place. There was a large boulder in the river at this point that some lumberjacks swore was put there by the devil himself just to cause them grief." This building was built in 1929, when this was becoming a resort town because of its close location to the Big Piney River (basically right behind it). I felt like we were back in Mt. Baldy (where Gma Waterwheel lives). When Route 66 was realigned in the 1940's, it completely bypassed Devil's Elbow, but The Elbow Inn and the town seems to be going strong still.


This is the Big Piney River just behind Elbow's Inn. I know, I know, it's another bridge picture. We never get tired of them, though, so bear with us!


It is a very steep drive through Devil's Elbow, so in the 1940's they made a cut through this nearby mountain to make an easier pass. Because of this cut, Hooker's Cut, the traffic now completely bypassed Devil's Elbow. At one time, this was the deepest rock cut in America.


We have been amazed on our trip how many old cars we see just lining the roads, yards, etc. Some of them are a bit rusty, and some are really nice. I don't know what the winters are like here, but I'm guessing by the amount of old cars we see around it can't be all that bad--if it was anything like Utah, the salt would have killed them off a long time ago!

This car could definitely use a paint job from Ramone (yes, another Car's reference)

And sadly, perhaps fortunately for the rest of you, I believe this is the final Car's movie reference we will see. When Lightning and Sally visit the ruins of the Wheel Well Motel, that was inspired by this motel in Cuba, Missouri. I can't wait to watch Cars again when we get home--this trip has made that movie even more dear to our hearts :)

We saw this car behind the Wagon Wheel Motel...always keep them in your prayers!

Like I said, it was a very leisurely day, and after we were done playing at a park, we were driving away and saw this beautiful cloud formation. Hmmm, I wonder where Ben gets his interest in weather from?!

So this is what the boys are usually, I mean always, doing in the back seats--watching movies. Ben and Will are the true junkies, with Jake along for the ride. If Jake has a better offer, he will take it. I think I mentioned that we bought the Indiana Jones trilogy last week. Since then I think they have watched each movie at least 5 or 6 times (seriously, how many times do you think they play the theme song during each movie--and we hear all three of them sing it every time it comes on!), with the second one, Temple of Doom, winning out as the favorite. You know when they are watching that one because you will hear Jake call out from the back, "No Indy, take the left tunnel...the left tunnel Indy!" They all love "Shorty," the young kid in the movie, and that's why Jake wears Daren's baseball cap backwards nowadays. Shorty reminds them of Craig, our Vietnamese next-door neighbor, who I don't think had any idea we were leaving for four weeks and probably wonders what in the world happened to us!!

When Will gets a hold of the camera he loves to take pictures of what he's watching, whether it's "Captain Jones" (still not sure where he came up with that one!)...

...or the other favorite, Scooby Doo. Notice Will's feet up on the seat, just kickin' back!

Eventually the day will catch up with them, though. But its not a good idea to let them nap if you want them to go to bed before midnight!! We are so far off on our schedules here. We can't seem to get off this bad pattern of staying up late and sleeping in late! Daren thinks it's a little slice of heaven, so we'll let him enjoy it for another week or so.

We made it to St. Louis before dark, and I got a shot of the city building--it's beautiful! We are going to see this town tomorrow, and then on to Springfield, Illinois for a couple of nights before we hit Chicago. I can't believe we are this far! Seven states down, one to go!!

Sign language:

All the old cars in the pictures above were at this place, Route 66 Motors, near Rolla, Mo. Too bad it was a Sunday when we passed this place--apparently it's a car-lovers dream place.

Photo 1: Elbow's Inn sign, Devil's Elbow, Mo.; photo 2: classic cafe in Cuba, Mo.; photo 3: of course He is!; photo 4: old motel somewhere between Hall's Place and Villa Ridge, Mo.; photo 5: classic Route 66 motel (now closed) just outside Pacific, Mo.; photo 6: cool motel sign in St. Louis, Mo.

Total mileage to date: 4,089!

Weather: mostly sunny, 83 degrees--windows down all day weather!

Premium gas price in St. Louis: $4.09

p.s. Somehow in the last day I (Heather) managed to lose my cell phone. I can be reached through email, this post of course, or Daren's cell phone.