For over a year, I've been telling myself that once I get vaccinated I'm going to take a nice long road trip. My 40th birthday came and went and now, finally, I've gotten to stretch my legs a little bit. I didn't decide on where I was going until two days before I left; it … Continue reading A Long Awaited Journey (Part One)
This is Part II of our early May weekend trip to Oklahoma City. If you missed Part I, it's here. After enjoying an excellent breakfast at the Sunnyside Diner near our motel on Sunday morning, Samantha and I checked out and headed to the Britton District to visit with the owner of Brew Brother Coffee. … Continue reading OKC Weekend – Part II
Sometimes I get stuck in thinking the only valid way to take a vacation is to plan an entire week of exploring places I've never been before. That's a lovely experience and something I enjoy greatly -- but I have to be reminded that a weekend trip, even to an area I've been to many … Continue reading OKC Weekend – Part I
On Friday, I got shot. har har har My second COVID-19 Vaccine shot, that is! I spent most of Saturday feeling like I'd just barely avoided hangover and didn't quite make it. That's good - and today I woke up feeling completely normal. Normal enough for a little bit of driving - so I set … Continue reading Renewal in Osage County
I love it when I come across an unusual postcard; it always encourages me to look a little closer. Sometimes, it is tied to quite a story. Such as this postcard for a grocery store in north Tulsa: I'd never seen a postcard for a grocery store before. The cars in the image are quite … Continue reading Mann’s Grocery
In June of 2014, I discovered a hidden treasure alongside Route 66. I was driving home after a two-day trip; it was the first time I'd traveled Route 66 west of Oklahoma City. I only went as far as the Texas border, but it was enough to know I wanted to explore the rest of … Continue reading New Life for the Lincoln County Express
In war, a foxhole is a space in the ground that troops use as a shelter against enemy fire. When you're on the line, leaving that foxhole is a dangerous and potentially fatal action. The COVID-19 Pandemic isn't war - but I feel the risk when I leave the house. I have to have a … Continue reading Out of the Foxhole
It's odd how the days in 2020 seem to stretch on forever, yet at the same time they become a compressed, jumbled mess in my memory. A lot of that is COVID, sure, but part of that is grief and other stresses. The last few months I've done some scattered traveling but all of my … Continue reading Pieces of the Road
The vast majority of travelers that spend time on Historic Route 66 are familiar with the 2006 Disney/Pixar film Cars. The animated movie tells the story of Lightning McQueen, a race car that finds himself stuck in the small western Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. The town is the home of many colorful characters … Continue reading The Cars Story and Route 66
A few days ago, Tulsa's city council passed an ordinance that requires masks to be worn at all times in public to help curb the spread of COVID-19. As is the case everywhere in this country right now, it was met with a mixture of support and anger. I've wondered how Tulsa dealt with the … Continue reading Tulsa’s Experience: The Influenza of 1918
Rhys' Pieces 