Thursday, October 1st, 2009
It wasn’t quite like leaving my heart in San Francisco – but yes, I did leave my bra in Devil’s Elbow. (My poor parents. Really.)
The Elbow Inn Bar and BBQ Pit at Devil's Elbow, MO
“Tougher than boiled mule wang.” This is one of the expressions I learn at the Elbow Inn. This should give you an idea of the sort of place I’m talking about.
Red from Boondocking with Solar had sent me a list of his Route 66 must-stops, and one was the Elbow Inn Bar and BBQ Pit at Devil’s Elbow, MO. Seems the name “Devil’s Elbow” comes from a curve in Big Piney River that created a lot of log jams during logging back in the day. The bar itself occupies the very same building that housed the Munger Moss Sandwich Shop, originally opened along Route 66 in 1929. They still smoke their own meat and serve up good BBQ at decent prices here, and the place is a regular stop for bikers, army types from the nearby base, and Route 66 travelers.
I’d read about the “unique ceiling decorations”, so as soon as I walk in, I look up – and found a sea of bras. Yes, bras.
Big, small, lacy, plain, colorful… the whole gamut. In most cases, the bras are signed by their former owners, with Route 66 notes and the like. And since Missouri is one of the few states where smoking is still allowed in public places, the bras up there are slowly being smoked. It reminds me of the fish smoking shacks back home on the east coast, all the fish hanging from the ceilings… Come on: I *have* to leave a “pictureRoute66.com” bra – I mean, really!!
I was told I was "cheating" since I didn't actually leave the one I was wearing at the time...
Speaking of back home… when I say I am from Canada, I discover that Kris Huckins, the man behind the bar, is first-generation American: his father’s family is from Saint John, New Brunswick. I am from Moncton, New Brunswick, and I can tell you that most Americans I meet don’t know where or what New Brunswick is, let alone have family there. Kris asks “don’t you want your free shot?” (for leaving the bra)… at first I’m hesitant – since I’m driving, this is a heavy-duty biker bar, and I feel pretty out of place taking pictures of the bar by myself while men with beards and black leathers quaff their suds and puff their smokes. I thought about camping in the back of the place ($10 for a spot right by the pretty river) but I’m worried about my safety. As I’m packing up my tripod, a woman with a nice smile at the bar gets curious about what I’m up to, and chats me up.
pictureRoute66.com, immortalized on the ceiling of the Elbow Inn
Wendy Freeman is a total sweetheart who moved here from Illinois a few years ago, and she reassures me that the place is totally safe. Someone else at the bar also reassures me with this: “no worries honey, you’re at the toughest biker bar on all Route 66.” (to which I respond with look of terror) …”and that means you’re also the safest.” Popeye, dude with the awesome ZZ Top-like long white beard, makes a point to pull me aside and reassure me that I will be totally safe camping in the back. Popeye lives right across from the bar, and does “nighttime security”. As always, I feel somewhat silly talking about my reluctance and fears to those who feel there is nothing to be afraid of… but I think people do get it, since I’m a female traveling alone. In fact, a lot of women I’m meeting along the way tell me they think I am “brave” to do this trip on my own, so I guess a lot of us feel the same trepidation.
So I tell Kris I guess I’ll have that shot after all. After we all do Jager Bombs together, I drive the trailer down behind the bar and set up camp for the night.
I am in Missouri, I still haven’t had any BBQ, and I am at a well-known historic Route 66 bar/BBQ pit… I think it’s time I finally buy some local dinner. Hamburger Helper in the trailer can only go on for so long. Beers are only $2 here (!!) so I enjoy a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and onion rings (delish), a few beers, and more free shots than I ever wanted – all for a mere $15.
The night is mostly spent sitting at the bar, passing notes to Wendy grade-school style while we kibbutz with the friendly staff and various bikers who drift in and out. Barkeeps Kris and Jamie guide me in sampling various American beers while they argue on the merits of the various brands (”that one tastes like piss!”, etc.).
Meet Jamie Perdue: ex-drill instructor, proud new mom, and “the coolest bartender”. As nice and pretty as she is, I would not want to screw with this woman. We get talking about having kids (actually, we were talking about NOT having kids), and she tells me the amazing story about the bizarre timing of her pregnancy. “You’re shitting me!” I say. “That’s exactly what I said to the doctor!” she says. Her daughter clearly was meant to be. In spite of the seeming unlikelihood of Jamie becoming a mom, she’s a natural. When I get hiccups near the end of the night, she insists I take some Coke because the sugar will help – she gives sugar water to her baby when she gets hiccups. I thought Coke gave me hiccups, but Jamie is right: they stop.
I spend a lot of time talking with Kris, the cook with the New Brunswick heritage. He is yet another nomad who saw no reason to buy property and own a house. He lives in his trailer, has low living expenses, works long hours at the bar, and spends his money and attention on his passion: music. He’s the lead singer and a guitarist in a local band, Piney Creek. Kris and I talk about family and stuff, and I am moved by his life stories. “I don’t pretend to be anything I ain’t” is another of my favorite lines from him.
One thing about this trip, it’s reaffirming this notion to me: humans just want to connect with other humans – and travel makes this easier. When you’re on the move and you meet strangers, it feels safer to open up. You know you’ll probably never see that person again, so it’s OK to be just as real as you want to be. It’s fleeting, it’s genuine. And it’s awesome. I noticed this same dynamic when I traveled alone in Europe after graduating from university (another journey of mine that kept my mother biting her nails for a few months).
Wendy and I make requests at the juke box, which contains selections like Meatloaf, AC/DC… and that old classic “…piss me off, f*cking jerk, get on my nerves…” song. Jamie keeps the beers coming. Kris kicks my ass in pool. Everyone kicks my ass in Jager Bombs. And the night is topped off with late-night hash browns smothered in toppings.
Needless to say, it took me awhile to get on the road yesterday.
camp near the river, behind the Elbow Inn (seen in the background)
Someone asked for more details on where I’m camping, etc. Just to save money, I’m parking at Wal-Marts as much as possible. It’s safe, they have all the supplies I’d need, and there are washrooms to use. As much as I never shopped at Wal-Mart before this trip, I have to hand it to whoever thought of allowing RVers to park overnight – it’s genius. We all go in to buy stuff, so it generates sales without any added expense to them. Every few nights I try to stay somewhere I can get a shower and wash my hair. Last night I stayed at the Lazy J RV Park in Marshfield, MO. I found it on the Route 66 News list of campgrounds. Only $15 and I have water, electricity, and a shower. Owners Richard and Jessie Mae invited me in for pizza when I arrived, and they gave me two little jars of homemade jam as a “welcome package”. Richard informed me that I need a regulator for my water hose because the pressure coming out of the spigot is too strong for the trailer – this was the first I’ve heard of that. He also loaned me one of his regulators to use, insisted I take some mustard greens from the garden, and offered up his laundry facilities. This place may not be high-end, but it sure is high on hospitality! I recommend stopping here if you’re in the area. It’s down a dirt road and is very peaceful and quiet.
Well, it’s quiet except for the thunder I hear heading this way…
October 1st, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Sandi,
Sounds like you’re having a fantastic adventure. I’m glad the rest of Missouri proved to be a bit more hospitable than your brief time in St. Louis. Keep the stories coming – they’re a great read!
October 1st, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Sandi,
This is so great. I am really enjoying reading about your adventure not to mention the pictures. Enjoy Girl and be safe!!
October 1st, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I’m glad you’re having some fun and finding some meaning — and that it’s mixed-in together. That’s the BEST!
October 1st, 2009 at 10:05 pm
You ARE brave!!! What a good time it sounds like you had and you were so daring to leave your own bra behind!
October 1st, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Sandy – Really enjoying your blog and I have been forwarding it on to friends and family. Sounds like the trip has been amazing.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Congrats for knocking back a few at the Elbow Inn. That is one of the great beer joints on Route 66. The only one I think is comparable is the grand old Luna Cafe in Mitchell, Ill., where you can hear two Hanks on the jukebox and steelworkers slake their thirst.
I think Jane Dippel, a longtime Route 66er in St. Louis, holds the record for the biggest bra hung at the Elbow Inn. (And, no, it was definitely not hers … King Kong’s, maybe).
October 1st, 2009 at 11:17 pm
well those bras look way too nice for me! pink, green, yellow. and weirdly all breast shaped *without* being full of breast. there is an awful lot of padding in this world, n’est pas?
October 1st, 2009 at 11:47 pm
King Kong’s bra, that’s funny! I’m so glad that I picked “one of the great beer joints on Route 66″ to stop and have a few.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am
Sandi, I am back in business with my computer, I think. Only time will tell. Just as a tip, because I know how dependent you will be on your computer. If you ever get a strange pop-up that you don’t recognize that tells you that your computer is infected with a virus and you reboot it immediately… Hit the off Button!!!
As always, I could not be more proud of you and more happy for you. These blog entries prove something that I’ve always suspected about you and that is, Margo ain’t the only writer of this family. The lighthearted side of your personality shines through in your articles and make them equally adorable and a pleasure to read.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:59 am
P. S. by the way Sandi, the quality of your photographs is up to your usual standards… just the best in the entire planet. They are a real bonus we all receive for clicking on your blog.
On behalf of anyone who benefits from this experience, I sincerely thank you.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
sounds like a boiled mule wang is similar to a mountain goats nut sack which sounds like this is my kind of place.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Hi Sandi! Just wanted to let you know we were watching your progress! Looks like you are building some great memories there Sandi! Drive safe, shoot lots of great pictures, and suck the marrow out of this adventure!
Also just to let you know, I have told EVERYONE about your blog, including my reps @ Pentax. I’ll see if we can get them to acknowledge you somehow. Also I will be featuring your blog on our site as well. Drive safe, see you soon!
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Okay, I was hoping someone else would bring this up for me, but… I can’t help wondering who the first person was to discover that boiled mule wang was “tough.” And that further begs the question, tough for what? Oh never mind. Really.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Yes, boiled mule wang… I have no idea. Deb, it’s sort of like when I wonder: who was the first person to eat a lobster?? Or, drink cow’s milk?
Curt, thanks for being my biggest fan, as always! Of course you came to mind when they gave me the coleslaw option on the BBQ.
Trevor == awesome! Thanks for sharing it around and especially thanks for passing it onto the Pentax reps. I want to contact many people about it (coz, people seem to like it, which frankly is surprising the heck out of me!) – but I am so busy trying to do the trip and blog and camp and… I’ve got no time for stoking the press/product fires! It’s frustrating – so I am very thankful that you’re doing a bit of that on my behalf. Thanks so much. I started burning through IR film today, groan… every click is like a little pin prick of pain, knowing it’s the end of it… damn Kodak…
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Sandi, I am enjoying following your trip. It is bringing back many wonderful memories. We did this trip in July of 2006, camping in a tent all the way. What a great time. When you get to McLean, Texas, stop and see the Devil’s Rope Museum. It is a museum dedicated to barbed wire and was open from 10 am to 4 pm Tues to Saturday and had free admission. McLean itself was fascinating – four lanes of Route 66 and not much town left.
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
“Tougher than boiled mule wang.”….lmao…*throws up a little*
Loving your posts Sandi…I read everyday and get a little perspective of how things are on Route 66…keep up the great work! Hope Moncton gets to exhibit some of this adventure!!!
Stay safe!
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:50 pm
What an adventure! Love reading about your journey! Stay safe and rock on!
xoxo
October 4th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Eva – thanks for the tip!
Karen – just find me a Moncton gallery, I would dig to show in my hometown!
October 4th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Will do Sandi….I know of a couple…I’ll check it out for you. Moncton would love to have you back, if only for a short time!!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Glad you had a good time here and the “Boiled Mule Wang” was a saying my grandfather always said (the one from St. Johns). Had to give credit where credit was due! Jamie and Wendy both say “Hi” and keep safe and sound!.-Kris
October 5th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Thanks, Karen! That would be great.
Kris! I was hoping I’d hear from one of you guys – thanks for checking in! Say hi to Wendy and Jamie and Popeye for me. (p.s. the nice Christian family I’m staying with right now told me I didn’t have to leave a bra here…) ha! :0)
October 6th, 2009 at 6:35 am
i’m soooooo using this post in an esl lesson….
THIS is american culture!!!!!!
October 6th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
this is amazing!! I wish i would have started reading this sooner! You are doing an awesome job sandi! Sounds like your trip is alot of fun. you are one very brave girl i do know that!
October 7th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Wow, Love the bra-ceiling. Maybe I could do that at home!
October 8th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Sounds like you had a lot of fun there!
October 9th, 2009 at 2:37 am
[...] blog about her photographic trip down Route 66 at PictureRoute66.com (her post about her colorful time at the Elbow Inn in Devil’s Elbow, Mo., was particularly [...]
October 9th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Sorry we missed you in Cuba, MO. We have great BBQ at MO HIck BBQ and some murals by Canadian artist Michelle Loughery. Check out our town at cubamomurals.com/wordpress if you come back this way. There is a lot to see along Rt. 66, which goes through the center of town.
You have taken some great photos and have shown that there is still a lot of “character” left to the road.
Travel safely.
October 13th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Hi Sandi, I have to say I am enjoying your Route 66 adventure, vicariously! Wow, wish I would have hitched a ride with you! You are following your dream and having a blast too! what more could you ask for?!! I’m so happy that everyone you meet, are looking out for you too. This is truly incredible, certain more than you ever expected! be safe, Julie
October 15th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
[...] This may be the first cyclist event the Elbow Inn has hosted, but it likely won’t be the last. Cycling on Route 66 is gaining in popularity. And the Elbow Inn is known far and wide for its hospitality. One recent traveler can attest. [...]
April 2nd, 2010 at 6:49 pm
This is my first visit here, but I will be back soon, because I really like the way you are writing, it is so simple and honest