The second (and last) day of the Arizona Route 66 Fun Run took me through one of my favorite segments of the entire road: the Oatman Highway. The original alignment of Route 66 between Kingman, AZ and the California border takes drivers through the Black Mountains for 48 miles, reaching a height of 3,586 feet … Continue reading Galloping West for the Fun Run – Part 3
After driving over 1,000 miles in two days, it was time to drive some MORE - but my time on the road Saturday, April 30th was not spent trying to GET somewhere. It was time just GOING somewhere. After all, Route 66 is about the journey...not the destination. And the Fun Run is a multiple-day … Continue reading Galloping West for the Fun Run – Part 2
In 2015, I rented a car in Los Angeles and drove Route 66 from the Pacific Ocean to New Mexico and back. It was the first time I'd driven that westernmost section of the Mother Road; I hadn't been that far west since. "Hey, you should come out to the Kingman Fun Run!" suggested the … Continue reading Galloping West for the Fun Run – Part 1
An old family photo leads to a little-known piece of Tulsa history
The Jefferson Highway was one of America's earliest highway systems. It connected New Orleans Louisiana to Winnipeg, Canada about a decade before the federal numbered highway system was created. Over time, it was supplanted by other highways (much like Route 66) but it still enjoys enthusiasm from dedicated fans and communities that take pride in … Continue reading Okay No Longer
In 1927, the town of Red Fork on Tulsa's southwest side was incorporated into the city. It's where Tulsa County's first oil discovery was made (Sue Bland Well No. 1) and is still home to a large, active rail yard. There were several communities in what is now Southwest Tulsa, actually; all still home to … Continue reading Tulsa’s Crystal City
This past weekend I was lucky to experience a unique journey through southwest Oklahoma. I wasn't on Route 66 this time, nor was I sitting behind the wheel of my Mustang. This journey put me in a vehicle that was altogether new to me on a path quite a bit older than any highway: the … Continue reading Speeder Excursion and the K&T Motor 9
For decades, the giant Skateland neon sign stood near the corner of 11th and Sheridan in Tulsa. The roller rink there just off Route 66 was a Tulsa mainstay for decades. Ed and Wanda Enlow, who had been teaching skating at the Continental Roller Rink near 11th and Peoria, opened the family skating rink on … Continue reading Saving Skateland’s Neon
When I travel, I love to stay at historic properties. You can learn a lot about a place if you get the chance to live its history, even if it's in an abbreviated way. In May, I was exploring Casper, Wyoming and hadn't quite found what I was looking for regarding accommodations. I expanded my … Continue reading The Hotel Higgins
I love trains. I'm not a "foamer" (a term used by some for die-hard train enthusiasts). I can't tell you what all the parts and pieces do or differences between one train line and the next but I can tell you how they make me feel. There's something about the sight and sound that taps … Continue reading Welcome Back, Big Boy
Rhys' Pieces 