Day 2 - Everything IS Bigger in Texas

Since we got back to the hotel late last night, this morning we slept in a little. After breakfast, we took the scenic route from Canyon, TX back to I-40 so that we could stop and see Combine City. It was sprinkling a little (notice the cloudy skies?), but I was still able to get a couple of pictures. Combine City was started just a couple of years ago when a farmer bought a used combine for the spare parts. It was going to be too difficult/costly to scrap it so he buried it instead. Now there are 11 of them!

After leaving Combine City it started pouring. We were going to stop at Slug Bug Ranch, but since we could barely see the road, we decided to keep on driving. Maybe next time. What is it with Texans burying their vehicles anyway?

Back on I-40 and just before coming to Groom, TX we saw "the 2nd largest cross in the Western Hemisphere." It stands 190 feet tall and is a pretty amazing site to see from the highway. Around the base of the cross are life-sized bronze Stations of the Cross. I wanted to stop to see the sculptures around the base, but it was still pouring rain so we kept driving. Rich rolled down the window to snap this picture. If you make it larger you can make out some cars and trees around the base to give you an idea of just how big it is.

After passing Groom, TX we stopped at an Art Deco-style Route 66 themed rest area with interpretive displays in the lobby. I didn't get a picture of the outside, but if you click on the link you can see what it looks like at night. I would have liked to have seen that. A little history, some old photos, made this fun, informative and a little nostalgic. Not your normal rest stop. This tile mosaic was in the women's restroom. Rich said the men's room had one too.

As you can imagine, I'm starting to get a little sick of the rain about now. We made it to Oklahoma City, had a late lunch, checked into the hotel and crashed for a bit.