On May 16th, I was halfway between Tulsa and Oklahoma City when the Mustang had a massive coolant system failure. After several hours of unproductive roadside assistance, I was towed back to Tulsa and out of commission for nearly a week thanks to a busted water pump and thermostat housing. Couple that event with the … Continue reading War Eagle & Crystal Bridges
Most of my road trips lately have been solo journeys. My days off don't align perfectly with Samantha's currently, so I have been without a co-pilot during my jaunts down Route 66 or my exploration of forgotten bridges in the rural Oklahoma countryside. Sunday, however, was a different story. We both had the day off and spent … Continue reading Home of the Cherokee
My original plan for this weekend was to venture north to the Tallgrass Prairie with a few friends for a cleanup project, but that didn't pan out for me due to a high chance of rain and a cold that was trying to gain strength. Still, I had already taken Saturday off of work and found … Continue reading Change of Plan
I still consider myself the 'shy kid'. Although I recognize that I've grown a lot in the last few years and my worldly experiences have broken me of many habits, I still have the same tendencies when I am with a group of people for the first time. My little demon of insecurity tells me … Continue reading Friends for Life
There's a small town southwest of Springfield, Missouri called Paris Springs. Well, "town" is generous; technically it's a "small unincorporated community". It probably wouldn't even be that, but it has a special lifeblood: it sits on old Route 66. In Paris Springs, there's a small service station called Gary's Gay Parita. It's an odd name, but … Continue reading The Turning of Time
When I saw the weather forecast for this weekend, which called for sunny skies and sixty+ degree temperatures, I knew a road trip was necessary. I haven't done much since traveling in the New Year and I was itching to put some more miles on the odometer. Samantha had to work a show for the Tulsa … Continue reading Sunrise to Sunset
I left the house this morning with two items on my agenda: get a bunch of stamps for our wedding 'Save the Date' mailers and take a short drive southeast to see about a bridge I'd tried to visit this summer. When I'm behind the wheel, though, it's easy to say, "It's just a LITTLE farther … Continue reading One Things Leads to Another
Today, I finally made good on a promise I made to myself a few years ago. My father's family is from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It's a town of a little over 3,000 people and the county seat. The grand Osage County courthouse sits atop a hill, overlooking the rest of town. It's also the home of the … Continue reading Sally’s
When I first returned home from traveling, my focus was on sharing Tulsa with the rest of the world. As I became familiar with my home town, I noticed that I was sharing it with people that lived here, too. I was amazed at how much my photography was appreciated by those that had lived … Continue reading Bridges Between People
I woke up this morning with an itch to hit the road. This itch had been nagging at me since the middle of last week, when a Facebook friend posted a photo of an old filling station in Webb City, Missouri and mentioned it was going to be restored soon. I'm all for restoration of … Continue reading From Halltown to Commerce
Rhys' Pieces 