Thank you all so very much for coming. As I’ve talked to some of you this past week, I’ve come to realize that everyone thought as highly of my father as I did. I love my Dad very much, and I know he loved me. I was proud of the things he did in his … Continue reading Speech
Author: rhysfunk
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state.
As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.
Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books.
Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.
Today
Can't sleep.In about nine hours, I drive out of town and to the town where my father was raised. He helped at his father's grocery store. He graduated high school. He raced cars at the Pawhuska Municipal Airport. He moved back to care for his ailing mother. Tomorrow, he completes his journey and we all … Continue reading Today
My 2011 Starts Friday
2010 was a hell of a year. In February, I returned home from my travels abroad as a better refined and defined version of myself. I spent the next few months reconnecting with family, friends, and adjusting to being home again. In May, my marriage took a big hit and it seemed to be finished. … Continue reading My 2011 Starts Friday
Adrift
Went back to work today. It was mostly good to get my mind on something else for a little bit. I had several people come up to me throughout the day and offer their support. It means the world to me. I just wish I knew what I needed.I felt like a ghost, haunting my … Continue reading Adrift
Grocery
I awoke at the crack of 8 AM today to drive out to the Reasor's Foods store just north of Owasso. I'm not used to getting up early anymore, and it took some doing. Factor in that my apartment was roughly 57 degrees and you have an unhappy camper.The day I found out about my … Continue reading Grocery
Pieces
My life this past week has been a strange mix of tremendous sadness, fond reflection, and detached organization. This post is a bit scatterbrained, but so am I.As I mentioned before, I've been working at getting things straightened out for the services and getting the legal part of his estate settled. We settled on having … Continue reading Pieces
Missing
I woke up this morning hoping the last twenty hours weren't true. I hoped that I'd be able to turn over, grab my cell phone, and call my Dad. I could hear his, "Yellow?" as he answered his phone. I'd sit and listen about his day, hear the same two or three stories I heard … Continue reading Missing
Day Two @ Blizzcon
So, as you know by reading my previous entry, Blizzcon melted my face off. Thanks to the medical personnel on hand (as this happens all the time) I was able to save face (..........HA) and experience the second day of the Con, which was still awesome, but in a different way. Day One is chock … Continue reading Day Two @ Blizzcon
Blizzcon Day One -or- FACE MELTINGLY AWESOME
So, Blizzcon is over and I am back home. It was an epic weekend full of amazing times and I'll do my best to tell you about it without getting too long-winded. I'm quite passionate about this stuff, if you didn't know. I left Doug's place in Signal Hill and arrived to the Convention Center … Continue reading Blizzcon Day One -or- FACE MELTINGLY AWESOME
[Entering Blizzcon]
You know that feeling when you can't stop grinning? That's me. Today was registration day at Blizzcon. Before I really get into it, I want to tell you what Blizzard Entertainment is to me. It's a video game company. I started playing their games in 1993 with the release of Rock 'n Roll Racing and … Continue reading [Entering Blizzcon]
Rhys' Pieces 