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Rhys' Pieces

My travels through Oklahoma, Route 66, and beyond

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Author: rhysfunk

Rhys Martin was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1981. In 2009, he sold everything he owned and left the country, living out of a backpack for ten months. He discovered a passion for photography while traveling throughout Southeast Asia and Europe. After returning home, he looked at his home town and Oklahoma heritage with fresh eyes. When he began to explore his home state, Rhys turned his attention to historic Route 66. As he became familiar with the iconic highway, he began to truly appreciate Oklahoma’s place along the Mother Road. He has traveled all 2,400 miles of Route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles. He has also driven many miles on rural Oklahoma highways to explore the fading Main Streets of our small towns. Rhys has a desire to find and share the unique qualities of the Sooner State with the rest of the world. Cloudless Lens Photography has been featured in several publications including This Land, Route 66 Magazine, Nimrod Journal, Inbound Asia Magazine, The Oklahoman, and the Tulsa World. In 2018 he published his first book, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa. Rhys loves to connect with people and share his experiences; ask him about enjoyable day trips from Tulsa, locations along Route 66, and good diners or burger joints along the way.

Mountains, Dwellings, and Gardens

Note: I meant to post this in October, but I accidentally left it in Draft status. Oops! Anyway, here's the second part of our trip to Colorado. The first part is here. Manitou Springs is just as beautiful in the morning as it is at dusk. Instead of neon lights, it's the sunlight on the … Continue reading Mountains, Dwellings, and Gardens →

rhysfunk Colorado, Travel Leave a comment January 5, 2020 3 Minutes

The Waldmire U-Haul

Originally posted to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association blog on 11/7/19 When it was announced this summer that the contents of Afton Station were going to be auctioned off, I was tremendously sad. Afton Station had been a great asset to Route 66, not just in northeast Oklahoma but throughout all 2400+ miles. It wasn't … Continue reading The Waldmire U-Haul →

rhysfunk Oklahoma, Route 66, Uncategorized 1 Comment November 8, 2019November 9, 2019 2 Minutes

The Centennial State

Every year for our wedding anniversary, Samantha and I plan to take a trip. Not that I ever need an excuse to hit the road for a few days, but the celebration of our marriage (and our first date) is a great reason to spend a little time away from home. This year, we went … Continue reading The Centennial State →

rhysfunk Colorado, Travel, Uncategorized 1 Comment October 26, 2019 4 Minutes

Going West with Mom (Part 4)

(Part 3 is available here.) Driving from Bluff, Utah to Raton, New Mexico makes for a long day. When Mom and I woke up on October 2nd, we had to decide whether we were going to drive back into New Mexico, through Taos, or take the road through southern Colorado. Mom left the decision up … Continue reading Going West with Mom (Part 4) →

rhysfunk Colorado, Kansas, Travel 1 Comment October 14, 2019September 28, 2020 4 Minutes

Going West with Mom (Part 3)

(Part two is available here.) After a stunning day at the Grand Canyon, the first day of October marked a literal turning point in our journey. The day began with a re-entry into the National Park and a slow drive east before turning north into Utah. But on the way, we would be stopping at … Continue reading Going West with Mom (Part 3) →

rhysfunk Uncategorized 2 Comments October 7, 2019September 28, 2020 3 Minutes

Going West with Mom (Part 2)

(Part one is available here.) On the morning of Monday, September 30th my mother and I woke and had breakfast at the Globetrotter Lodge in Holbrook, Arizona. Peter Hoeller, the owner, is an excellent host. The small dining room attached to the lobby was full of travelers; each group had a place setting ready for … Continue reading Going West with Mom (Part 2) →

rhysfunk Arizona, Travel 7 Comments October 5, 2019September 28, 2020 3 Minutes

Going West with Mom (Part 1)

A few months ago, I realized I had a week of vacation I had to take this year and Samantha didn't have matching time available. I wanted to take a long road trip but I didn't feel like spending that week alone. So, I called my mother. "Where have you always wanted to go?" I … Continue reading Going West with Mom (Part 1) →

rhysfunk Arizona, New Mexico, Route 66, Texas, Travel 1 Comment October 3, 2019September 28, 2020 3 Minutes

The Eng Family

While researching my book, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, I met and interviewed a lot of people. During that process, I learned a lot about various family histories tied to eateries of the city's past. One of my favorite stories is that of the Eng Family. Their journey weaves in and around generations of family, friends, … Continue reading The Eng Family →

rhysfunk Oklahoma, Tulsa, Uncategorized 5 Comments July 21, 2019 5 Minutes

Bartlesville, Bridges, and Buddy

When I woke up this morning, I wanted to go somewhere. I also didn't want to go anywhere. My day-to-day has been so busy lately that I haven't had much of an opportunity to take any road trips and I've been fiending for more time behind the wheel. I'm also just plain worn out...so a … Continue reading Bartlesville, Bridges, and Buddy →

rhysfunk Oklahoma, Travel, Uncategorized 2 Comments July 6, 2019 4 Minutes

Gilligan’s Spring Tour (II)

If you missed my previous post that covered the journey from Paris Springs to Joplin, Missouri -- check that out here. As I ate my breakfast and visited with my New Zealand traveling companions in Joplin, I noticed they were all wearing small red pins. At first I thought they were little guitars, but I … Continue reading Gilligan’s Spring Tour (II) →

rhysfunk Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Route 66 Leave a comment April 28, 2019 3 Minutes

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