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
(other installments of this series here) Tuesday, the final full day of my journey with Michael Wallis. We got off to an early start since we had a drive to Illinois first thing. Before we even left St Louis, though, Michael had a live interview with the Sam Madonia morning radio show in Springfield. The … Continue reading On the Road with Michael – The Best Land Under Heaven
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
I started a new role at my workplace last week. It was the first time in a long time that I'd moved to a different office and worked with a completely new group of people; as such, they didn't know anything about me. I talked to my new coworkers about my professional history and personal life, … Continue reading My Route 66 Awakening
This is Part II of my time in Chicago last weekend. If you missed Part I, check it out here. After leaving the lobby hallway of the Monadnock Building, we continued east on Jackson towards my second must-see destination after Lou Mitchell's: Central Camera Company. I'd seen the neon sign on a friend's Instagram feed ages … Continue reading Chicago (part two)
I love visiting Chicago. The first time I set foot in the Windy City, I was re-entering the US after ten months of international exploration. This was February of 2010 and I was welcomed with ice and frigid temperatures. It seems like I typically find myself in Chicago during the winter months & this trip fell … Continue reading Winter in Chicago (I)
The first road trip I took that was focused specifically on Route 66 was July 5th, 2013. It was a Friday; I had the day off from work and decided to take the short drive from Tulsa to Miami, OK to see the Coleman Theater and take 66 back home. I had absolutely no idea … Continue reading An Ending in the Land of Lincoln
I never feel like I have enough time when I'm visiting somewhere, even if I've been there dozens of times. I definitely felt that way in Chicago, especially considering it was Samantha's first time. Alas, the drive home would take a lot of time and I didn't fancy driving all 11 hours straight home in a … Continue reading Through the Prairie State (Saturday, Part II)
Saturday morning was very relaxing. After waking up without an alarm (still early, but, out of pure excitement instead of necessity) Sam and I both took our time getting ready for the day. My buddy Scott (our host) lives in the suburb of Oak Park; his neighborhood is full of old trees and well-kept homes. The … Continue reading Breakdown in the City of Broad Shoulders (Saturday, Part I)
Rhys' Pieces 