Though we are less than two weeks into a 50 day jaunt on Route 66, this writer suspects that the tiny town of Cuba, MO will be remembered as one of our favorite towns on America's Main Street. First, let's share our drive from the St. Louis area to Cuba, MO.
Our first en route stop was at the Jessie James Wax Museum in Stanton, MO. Wild west outlaw Jessie James was murdered in his home in 1881…or was he? Still there are folks who believe that his "death" was a hoax and that he lived under another name until his final death in 1951. Though the museum allows no photographs, we saw wax figures of James in a hospital type bed…and he was wearing a shirt and tie! Strange.
In the nearby Meramec Caverns, this humble cabin is thought to be one of several hideouts of Jessie James.
But what was even more interesting in Meramec Caverns, was that this great ballroom within the cave, was used for dance parties. Cars from the Route 66 heyday were driven into the privately owned cave and hundreds of people partied there. Even today, there are chairs and serving counters inside the cave…ready for the next party, concert or movie. And this is where our guided tour began. 
The Meremec Caverns remain at a constant year round temperature of 60 degrees or less, so jackets were appreciated for our hour and a half walking tour. Our guide was able to tell us about the various formations within the cave system that continues for miles.
Lighting within the cave was strategically placed to highlight the natural formations. The tour culminated with a beautiful light show on the cave's geologic features. Definitely a memorable morning!
Then it was on to Cuba, MO. First on the itinerary, a bus tour of the town's murals!
Our campground's bus doubles as a canoe livery bus, but it was a fun way for us to tour the small town with a most enthusiastic guide.
Cuba, a town of 3,500, decided it could disappear as Route 66 was decommissioned, or it could put itself on the map as the officially designated "Route 66 Mural City." Twelve official murals were painted throughout the downtown, and many smaller murals were added as the town's enthusiasm for the project grew.
The Frisco Mural…..
The Battle of the Huzzah mural commemorates the 1864 Civil War battle that took place nearby.
The Amelia Earhart mural is on the side of a car wash building.
The Largest Rocker mural is the artist's rendition of a local attraction -- a rocking chair that is 42' 1" tall and 20' 3" wide. The Fanning 66 Outpost invites all to stop by to see the Guiness Certified World's Largest Rocker…and to shop in their Route 66 souvenir shop.
We ventured a short distance to the neighboring small town of St. James, home of the Vacuum Cleaner Museum and Factory Outlet on Route 66. Now, many of us were not excited to be headed for a hour of learning the history of vacuum cleaners --- but here was another surprise --- It was one of the most interesting and enjoyable tours ever! Two great guides who knew their stuff and used humor in their presentations can make even cleaning up dirt a fun topic! 
The first vacuum was invented in 1908. This museum claims to have one of every vacuum cleaner model ever made in its collection. The engineers in the vacuum factory in the museum's second floor use information from the many vacuum to design their own vacuum models. They question the museum curator: Which model has the best beater? Which one is the lightest weight? Which vacuum has the best suction? Then they evaluate the winners in each category to design and build their own best vacuum sold under the Simplicity and Riccar labels--- designed and built right here in America --- St. James, Missouri. 
So, after a fun tour, Gary Weiss just had to give their vacuum a go. Don't you just love the hip action he's putting into his "work". Actually, though Gary's efforts with the vacuum were fun to watch, curator Tom Gasko gave Gary a few tips…like, "slow down so the suction has a chance to pull up the fibers and grab the dirt"!
In the end, after a few vacuums were purchased, we decided that this had been a perfect gift shop for men!
What's next on Route 66? The Wagon Wheel Motel!
Many of the motels on historic Route 66 are the court type motels, but the Wagon Wheel is multiple buildings, each with several motel rooms. The motel, with its original ozark stone buildings, has been recently purchased and refurbished, with a shabby chic gift shop in the registration/cafe building. We were able to visit several of the rooms, and found them to be so very nice. The shaded grassy areas and comfy lawn furniture, the Wagon Wheel Motel is a wonderful place to relax while traveling Route 66. The Wagon Wheel Motel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
If all this was not enough in Cuba, MO, there was one more surprise in the area -- Bob's Gasoline Alley! Bob's Gasoline Alley is not necessarily open to the public, but our Adventure Caravans group had been invited to visit Bob and Darlene, and their fantastic collections. What a treat! 
Bob and Darlene are collectors --- large metal signs, neon signs, retired gas pumps, cookie jars, John Deere toy tractors, and so much more. And every sign, every toy, every cookie jar was artfully displayed and immaculately clean! This building houses much of their sign collection as well as a wonderful banquet hall where Darlene had prepared a delicious and generous ham dinner and a huge assortment of pies and desserts.
Bob has a collection of car models. Darlene has 800+ cookie jars.
Together, they are Bob's Gasoline Alley.
A most delightful surprise on Missouri's Route 66! Thank you, Cuba, MO for two wonderful days!
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