The man whose feet pointed the wrong way.

Friday 🗺️ July 3, 2026 🗺️ Off-Grid near Kansas

Happy Friday, Reader!

We invited our dear friends from Kansas to join us for a weekend of camping, catching up, and riding the shortest stretch of Route 66. We'd spent the day before showing them around, reminiscing about the good old days that may or may not have included a few Bigfoot tales.

The 13 miles of Route 66 through Kansas may be short, but it's the only state where we've managed to ride every last mile of the original route. It was a treat to explore a whole state with our friends, soaking up the sunny day and getting plenty of wind therapy on the bikes.

Are you ready to see all Kansas has packed into such a short span?

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Cars on the Route is one of those quirky jewels you have to pull over for, right at the corner of Front and Main in Galena! I kicked off my visit by hanging back and watching a group of Italian tourists have the time of their lives snapping selfies with the rusty car collection. Honestly, in a town this charming, you have to slow down and soak it all in.

Galena totally surprised me with its energy! This place used to be a busy lead mining town, but things got pretty quiet after the mines closed. The old Kan-O-Tex station sat empty for ages until four awesome local women rolled up their sleeves in 2007 and brought it back to life as Four Women on the Route. Now it's Cars on the Route, and honestly, it's a tribute to what a little passion and elbow grease can do.

You can't miss the star of the show parked right outside: a rusty old wrecker with a story that's pure Route 66 magic! The legend goes that Pixar animator Joe Ranft was cruising down the Mother Road looking for inspiration when he spotted this very truck sitting in a lot. That's how Tow Mater was born! A super friendly volunteer at the visitor center filled me in, and the signs around the place back it up. Disney asked for a name tweak, so now everyone calls him Tow Tater.

While I was there, classic cars just kept rolling in, their drivers hopping out for a quick photo before heading off toward Oklahoma. That's what this spot is all about! You pull over, snap a pic, and soak up the fun of being on the road.

Between the movie truck, the station brought back to life by four powerhouse women, and a steady stream of cool cars, Galena is one of those stops you don't want to miss. Sadly, most folks zoom right by on the interstate, missing Kansas altogether. It's proof that the best adventures are waiting just off the main drag!

Most travelers hit this arch on their way into Kansas, but we caught it on the way out, one last "we were here" before Missouri.

Big A kept watch over the old Texaco lot while a steady parade of classic cars rolled through for their photo moment.

This kid had the right idea, cruising the lot on his own set of wheels while the rest of us stopped to read the signs.

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Built three years before Route 66 even existed, this marsh arch is the last one of its kind you can still drive across.

This little cottage station had been a gift shop, a dog groomer, and a chiropractor's office before it settled into life as the visitor center.

One Thing to Know

A real person inspired Mater's talent for driving backward. Dean Walker, a Route 66 regular from nearby Riverton, could turn his feet completely around and walk in reverse. The Pixar crew met him during the same research trip and worked the quirk directly into the character. That's two Kansas Route 66 stops, both hiding in the same movie!

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