As if taking a trip to Oklahoma City last Thursday wasn't enough, Sunday brought another whole day in the car. This time I went a bit farther south. My goal was to find a new desk for the office, as mine is not much more than a plank of wood with four legs. I needed … Continue reading Day Trip to Dallas
Some weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me a message letting me know that historian and author Michael Wallis, arguably most known for his 1990 book about Route 66, would be speaking in Oklahoma City on July 30th. That book is widely recognized as a major contributor to the current revitalization of the Mother Road. … Continue reading Meeting a Legend
I didn't plan on going anywhere last Tuesday. It was my day off and after having worked the weekend I was eager to sleep in. Monday night, I got home around 11:30 PM (man this new shift is still an adjustment) and crawled into bed with no thought towards the next day's agenda. I simply … Continue reading A Kansan Detour
A day off for me rarely means "relaxation" in the traditional sense. Even if I plan to stick around the house, I will often make a snap decision on the day to take a quick drive somewhere...and that usually turns into an all-day excursion. Considering my current working schedule is 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM, I've … Continue reading The Choctaw Nation, Memorials, & Forgotten Spans
Yesterday, I had a wonderful opportunity to show off my home town to a couple of Route 66 travelers. These weren't just any roadies, either; I would be hosting Willem and Monique Bor, the creators of the Route 66 Pictures group I'm a member of on Facebook. Their group served as my first window into Route … Continue reading Sharing Tulsa
Alternate title: "There and Back Again: A Route 66 tale by Rhys Martin". After a week of driving Route 66, I spent the majority of Sunday taking the concrete super-slab that is I-40 all the way back to California. I was on the road for twelve hours total, which included two breakfasts, some time on the … Continue reading The Beginning is the End
After six days on the road, I'd seen a lot of fantastic things. I also had a lot of conversations with folks. I love to drive, and Route 66 is a passion of mine, so it's a fulfilling and enjoyable experience all around. That being said, it was nice to stay in the same place for … Continue reading Holbrook Day
Sleep was fitful on Thursday night. I kept waking up, walking over to my phone to check the time (no outlet next to the bed) only to see it had been an hour, maybe an hour and a half, since I'd last performed the same ritual. Finally, at 4:55 AM (five minutes before my alarm) … Continue reading The Route 66 Relics Tour
Waking up with the sun isn’t that difficult when you have a full day of exploration planned. What IS difficult, for me anyway, is ensuring that I balance my time adequately between wants and needs. As I wrote about a few days ago, I can sometimes get carried away and take way more time than … Continue reading A Dash of Enchantment
Wednesday morning, my alarm went off at 5:30 AM. Now, some of you may think I'm completely bonkers for setting an alarm when I'm on vacation. Heck, with my new work schedule, I don't set an alarm on a regular basis at all anymore. However, I had two good reasons. One: since I ran out … Continue reading Through Old Arizona
Rhys' Pieces 