We started the day with an early breakfast at the Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas. As expected, it was excellent. We had another chance to visit with Joann Harwell before saying goodbye—until next time! By this point, we both agreed that the Midpoint Café had become our new favorite place to eat along Route 66.

The “Evil I” and Route 66 Again

After leaving Adrian, we once again found ourselves on the “Evil I” (Interstate 40) heading east.

Once we were east of Oklahoma City, we exited the Interstate and returned to historic Route 66, passing through Edmond, Arcadia, and Warwick.

Seaba Station

One of our most memorable stops of the day was Seaba Station, where we met fellow Route 66 e-group member Sue Preston and her husband Sonny.

They were absolutely wonderful hosts, and we ended up staying and talking with them for nearly two hours. We would have loved to stay even longer—or even join them for dinner—but we needed to continue on since we had to be home Sunday night so Pat could return to work Monday morning.

Sue’s station is fantastic and is truly a “must stop” destination on any Route 66 trip.

Joplin Motel Adventures

Our evening lodging experience in Joplin, Missouri turned into a bit of an adventure.

In complete contrast to the wonderful mom-and-pop El Rancho Motel in Williams, our first choice in Joplin turned out to be an example of when NOT to support independent motels.

We stopped at the Roadside Motel on U.S. 71 near I-44, which looked decent from the outside and even had a great vintage neon sign. Unfortunately, after checking out the bathroom, we discovered the floor was crawling with insects—along with several dead ones.

Those unwelcome guests weren’t limited to the bathroom either.

We immediately went back to the office and asked for our money back, which we received. It was the first time we had ever done that, and if we ever encounter a place like that again, it won’t be the last.

A Better Choice

Instead, we checked into the Hampton Inn next door, which turned out to be an excellent decision.

Not only was the hotel clean and comfortable, but we were happy to support them because of their support for Route 66 and efforts to help restore and preserve Route 66 landmarks.

A much better way to end the day.

All Route 66 Honeymoon Photos