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
I celebrated Independence Day near the banks of the Arkansas River in Tulsa. My perch was an exterior stairwell on the sixth floor of the Sophian Plaza, about a mile away from the city's largest nighttime fireworks display. Lately I've felt that I haven't had enough time in my days; it was nice to slow … Continue reading A Model Ford
On May 31st, my friend Nick came to town. He wasn't coming through to geek out over neon signs like he did last time he entered Tulsa City Limits; he was part of a group of people experiencing Route 66 from a bicycle seat! Twenty-six travelers set out from Amarillo, Texas several days prior on their way to … Continue reading Bikes and Books
Back in 2011, I had my very first public exhibit of my photography. I set up a single table at the Blue Dome Arts Festival and sat under my brand-new tent, eager to share the stories behind the photos I'd selected. I had a pair of canvas prints made and a selection of photos from … Continue reading No Place like Dome
"We're going on a secret road trip Saturday," I told Samantha on Wednesday. She asked for a hint; I told her there was a hint in the front yard. She guessed for days. Eureka Springs? A craft show? Some obscure diner in the middle of nowhere? Nothing seemed to tie to the front yard, though. … Continue reading Strawberry Feels
My mother-in-law is in town this weekend. I am thankful that these visits do not come with the stereotypical hand-wringing and stress; I'm always happy when Cindy comes to town from New York. She's a great lady. Additionally, Samantha is on Cloud Nine the entire time; they usually spend most of the time junk-store shopping anyway. … Continue reading Backroad Bridgehunting
Last weekend was the first (hopefully annual) NeonFest in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Several of my roadie friends decided to put on a small festival dedicated to the iconic roadside signage that has lined the Mother Road for decades. People were coming from all over the US to check it out! Arcadia is a town of ~250 and … Continue reading A Buzzing in the Air
I love getting to experience my city for new visitors. I also really enjoy showing people what's so special about Route 66. Today, I was able to do both AND showcase some of Oklahoma's unique landscape for my friend Rose. I met Rose in 2010 when I attended my first DragonCon. If you've never heard of that, … Continue reading Sooner State Show-Off
The last few weeks have been hectic in the Martin household. In fact, the Martin household no longer includes a house! We listed our home for sale in early March...and it sold in five hours. We found a house we want to move into, but, the schedule just didn't work out. We've been spending nearly every … Continue reading A Much-Needed Escape
Since I've had a pretty light travel schedule lately, I thought I'd do something interesting with the photographs I already have. I back up all of my photos on Google Photos, which has an appropriately great search function. I posed a question on Facebook last week asking folks to submit words or phrases I could … Continue reading Yellow
Rhys' Pieces 