Most of my free time lately has been going towards research and writing of my book on Lost Tulsa Restaurants -- and I'm happy to say it's going well! But all that time at the Tulsa Historical Society and other archives has taken away from my time on the road. Not to mention it's been … Continue reading Eleventh Hour Bridgehunting
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I had one of the best in recent memory, as my Mom and brother came over to our house for the holiday. Samantha and Mom cooked together, Tyler and I played video games, and we all enjoyed a fabulous meal. The family even made it to a movie … Continue reading Crafts & Crossings
This is part two of my day spent traveling to Española and Taos. For part one, click here. The eventful morning had me in an excellent mood. My window was down and my radio was cranked high as I entered a valley. Small artistic communities dotted the shoulder as the two-lane road snaked around mountains … Continue reading Capturing Time (part two)
I hadn't taken a Route 66 specific road trip in quite a while. Sure, I followed a Military Vehicle Convoy in September...but that wasn't really about the road itself. I did spend some time on Mother Road with Michael Wallis in June; but, that wasn't directly specific to 66 either. I was having withdrawals! I … Continue reading Back to the Route
After enjoying lunch at the Cozy Inn on Saturday, I set out to explore more of Salina, Kansas. You can read about the first part of my day here. For a town of about 50,000 it has a TON of beautiful architecture. The United Building, just a few doors down from the Cozy Inn, was … Continue reading Sunshine and Storm Clouds: Part II
"It feels good to not set an alarm," I told Samantha Friday night. She smiled a knowing smile and said, "Doesn't matter. You have road trip brain; you're gonna get up early anyway." She was right. Since I was planning a day trip through Kansas on Saturday, I woke without aid before 7:00 AM. By … Continue reading Sunshine and Storm Clouds: Part I
When I have a road trip planned, it's easier to wake up early. Granted, I don't usually leave at 5:00 AM, but on Sunday that is what I did. I was attending a quarterly Oklahoma Route 66 Association meeting in Weatherford that afternoon and wanted to spend the morning exploring southwestern Oklahoma. Since that was … Continue reading Comanche Territory & Frontier Towns
This is the final entry in my series about my time with Michael Wallis on the Midwest leg of his book tour for, "The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny". If you've missed any previous installment, here they are: Springfield MO & KC Kansas City KC to Columbia … Continue reading On the Road with Michael – Home Again
Our last day in St Louis served as a bridge between the Route 66 world that Michael Wallis is so associated with and the western history that serves as the backbone of his literary output. It included a literal bridge, too, as it happens. During the downtime I had on Sunday, I'd made a startling … Continue reading On the Road with Michael – St Louis III
(other installments of this series here) When I set out to take this trip, I knew I would be updating my blog as we went. I didn't expect to update it every day -- but, as I should have known, our adventures have given me plenty to write about. Although we had no direct book-related … Continue reading On the Road with Michael – KC to Columbia
Rhys' Pieces 