What a trip! This past weekend, I drove to central Missouri to take part in the second 'Save the Gasconade Bridge' rally near Lebanon. The gaggle of roadies that descended on the Ozarks from across the country also celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Munger Moss Motel / 45th Anniversary of ownership by Bob and … Continue reading Ozark Stonework & Forgotten Places
It's interesting to think that there was a time when certain words didn't exist. 'Motel' is a good example of a word that was invented relatively recently. Motel is a shortened version of 'Motor Hotel'; automobiles have only been around a little over 100 years. In between the traditional hotel and the modern motel, however, is … Continue reading Re-lighting the Boots
I arrived at the city limits to Erick Oklahoma around 10:30 AM on Saturday, having been on the road for about three hours already. I pulled up to a small brick building just off Route 66 called the Sandhills Curiosity Shop with no expectations other than a few photos. Although I'd driven through town before, the shop … Continue reading The Sandhills Curiosity Shop
Last weekend, I didn't have any road trip plans. I spent all day Saturday cleaning out the garage & organizing it so I could get the Mustang inside, in preparation for the inevitable Oklahoma storm season. Sunday was planned as a day of rest. As the morning wore on, I noticed the following week's forecast called … Continue reading Discovery in Familiar Places
After a cold (but lovely) weekend in Kansas City, I was very happy to see temperatures in Oklahoma reach the 70s last week. Although I had spent a lot of time on the road, I was eager to set out again on my day off this past Thursday. As usual, I had a few locations marked on … Continue reading February Bridgehunting
I'm a bit of a sap. There's not much I enjoy more than surprising Samantha with some kind of romantic gesture. Since 2016 marked our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, I wanted it to be something special. A few weeks ago, I started looking at potential weekend getaways...and quickly discovered that I had … Continue reading Kansas City Weekend – Part I
Yesterday afternoon, I received news that my dear friend and local Route 66 icon Laurel Kane passed away. It was unexpected; though she had struggled with some health issues for a while, none of them had been urgent. Alas, here we are, a little over a day into a world without her infectious laughter and keen wit, heard … Continue reading Farewell to Laurel
Although I've traveled a lot over the last few weeks, I haven't really felt that I'd done much exploring. The few weeks before the wedding, I went to Oklahoma City multiple times, even once via Route 66, but it was mostly errand work. The honeymoon was wonderful, but definitely had its own vibe. After I returned home and … Continue reading Gas Station Coffee and Two-Lane Roads
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
Since I started traveling around Oklahoma with my camera, there have been a few things I've seen that have stopped me in my tracks and filled me with a child-like sense of wonder. The abandoned high school in Skedee, the old Bird Creek bridge in Avant, and the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School immediately come to … Continue reading The Lincoln County Express
Rhys' Pieces 