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Travels With Randy PodcastAuthor: Randy Smythe and Kevin Harmon
Randy Smythe has decided to retire at age 59 and spend an entire year traveling across the United States with the goal of visiting every US National Park. Our weekly podcast will follow Randy and get weekly updates on where he's been, what he's seen, and who he's met - as well as sprinkle in some retirement planning advice, income stream ideas, and e-commerce news and discussion with his good friend Kevin "Bubba" Harmon. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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TWR Route 66 Ep 14: Missouri - Springfield To St Louis
Episode 14
Tuesday, 21 April, 2026
Travels With Randy Route 66 Episode 14 is here! Missouri - Springfield To St Louis Randy's Washington Travel Experiences Bubba and Randy discussed Randy's recent travel experiences, including his visit to Washington State and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival near Bellingham. Randy explained the festival's timing and agricultural significance, noting that tulips only bloom for 3-4 weeks and the farmers harvest the buds for next year's planting. He also discussed Washington's apple orchards, which are located on the drier side of the Cascade Mountains, and Randy invited Bubba and Linda to visit the orchard country in the future. The conversation ended with Bubba mentioning they needed to continue discussing Route 66 from their previous week's podcast. Route 66 Ozarks Journey Discussion Randy and Bubba discussed their Route 66 journey through Missouri, focusing on the Ozarks region and comparing it to other mountain ranges. Beth provided insights about the geology of the Ozarks and their similarities to the Appalachians. They also talked about the distance between Lebanon, Missouri, and the Lake of the Ozarks and briefly mentioned the TV show "Ozark." The conversation included corrections about the location of Branson, which is more similar to Gatlinburg and Myrtle Beach than Joplin. Route 66 Discussion and Planning Bubba and Randy discussed Route 66, with Randy providing corrections about Steak 'n Shake being founded in Normal, Illinois, not Springfield. They talked about visiting various towns along the route, including Lebanon which has a Route 66 museum and park with murals. Randy shared an encounter with an elderly man showing off his Ford Galaxy at a Route 66 park, and they discussed the potential for conducting interviews with local enthusiasts for future documentation. Route 66 Photography Project Update Randy discussed his Route 66 photography project, including his collaboration with Route66photos.org to share historical and contemporary images of various towns along the route. He noted increased activity and events, such as new signage unveilings, particularly in Siligman, and observed that travelers are planning trips for May around Memorial Day. Randy also provided insights into the different alignments of Route 66 in Missouri, recommending taking the byways and loops to experience the diverse historical sections of the route. Route 66 Travel Discussion Bubba and Randy discussed their travels along Route 66, focusing on various towns and attractions. They explored the history of Rolla, Missouri, including the story behind its name and the closure of Totem Pole Trading Post in 2024. Randy shared details about a neon light park in St. Robert, Missouri, and mentioned meeting a mural artist who has created over 50 murals along Route 66. He also discussed visiting Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store, where Randy noted the presence of the world's largest belt buckle nearby, and highlighted the humorous nature of the attraction. Route 66 Travel Experience Randy shared details about his recent trip, discussing stops in various towns along Route 66, including a large candy store and the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri. He explained the history behind the town's name and described the murals in Cuba. Randy also recommended taking the original Route 66 from Gray Summit to St. Louis, highlighting the beautiful drive through suburban neighborhoods and the Gateway Arch, which he noted is the smallest national park in the country. Route 66 Discussion and Updates Randy and Bubba discussed the historical and current routes of Route 66 across the Mississippi River near St. Louis, highlighting the Chain of Rocks Bridge as a key historical site now closed to traffic. He shared personal anecdotes about traveling through challenging areas like Gary, Indiana, and discussed Randy's ongoing Route 66 photography project, which has generated significant engagement on their Facebook page with over 1 million monthly page views. The conversation also touched on their broader podcast history, which began with Randy's goal to visit all national parks in a year, and they teased an upcoming special announcement for next week's episode. SO. MANY. PHOTOS - Come join the conversation on Facebook with our 33,000 friends! https://www.facebook.com/travelswithrandypodcast Have a great idea for the guys? Want to sponsor us? Want us to sell something National Park or Route 66 related? Want to be a guest? Want to pay for both of us to go to Alaska? Want me to stop asking questions? bubba@travelswithrandypodcast.com !!
