Luigi's Pit Stop on Route 66 in Galena, Kansas
Pit Stop!
After we found Cars on the Route in Galena, Kansas, during our October 2022 Kansas and Missouri trip, we could see another interesting sight just a short distance away down Route 66. We left our car at Cars on the Route and walked down to check out Luigi’s Pit Stop.
But First, Sheriff
The first thing that caught our eye was the character of Sheriff from cars, high up on a pole. It was as if he were up on a service lift to get some work done. Oh, and did I mention that despite some sprinkles of rain, the sky was really nice that night?
As you can see, Sheriff looks much like he does in the movie, complete with the Radiator Springs logo on his door. The main difference is that this is a 4-door car, while Sheriff in the movie had two doors. And if you look closely, just below the window you can see the signature of Michael Wallis. Wallis is a Route 66 historian and author, and he also happens to provide the voice of Sheriff in the Cars movies.
Luigi’s Pit Stop
But now on to Luigi’s Pit Stop. As you can see, Luigi is here, with his racing earphones on. He is adjacent to a covered pavilion, which has some tables and stools for seating. And inside, near the tables, there is a nice mural…
I did not have my wide-angle lens on the camera, so it was a little bit of a challenge to get the entire mural in a photo. But I liked the Route 66 sign along with the Galena graphic. Nice work!
And outside of Luigi’s is Lightning McQueen, looking scared because of all the tractors nearby. You can see those other tractors underneath Sheriff in the first photo up above. Maybe not quite exactly like the movie character, but still a nice addition.
Hanging out at Luigi’s
We did not linger for long, because it was quickly getting dark and we had a few other things to see around Galena. But it was a nice pit stop for a minute or two, and a nice place for a few photos, too. And the cover was a nice break from the rain sprinkles as well. I could not tell if this location was used for anything besides tourists like us dropping by for some photos, but it was a fun little stop.
And it was fun to see Sheriff, too. Even if in this photo he looks like he is trying to stare down Laura, although she is not looking his way. And way off in the distance at the right, you can see some of the vehicles from Cars on the Route, too.
But then, it was time for us to move on and see more of Galena. Check back for more later on!
O Lord, you examine me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. - Psalm 139:1-3
About the Photos
As with the Cars on the Route photos, I wanted to have these photos as colorful as possible, keeping with the look of the Cars movie. That was a little tricky as the day’s light was slipping away, but I think these turned out okay.
Photo: Each photo is a single Raw exposure, processed in GIMP and Raw Therapee. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.8
Date: October 10, 2022
Location: Galena, Kansas
