Oklahoma!

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Today’s journey followed Route 66 along a 13-mile slice of Kansas and then into Oklahoma where, according to Route 66 Adventure Handbook author Drew Knowles, the road “finally enters that part of the country with which she is most intimately associated.”

The Mini entered Kansas on old Route 66 highway at Galena.

Old Route 66 concrete, Galena, KS.

The road then dipped further southwest, entering Oklahoma at Quapaw and soon after winding through the very small and sparse town of Commerce, boyhood home of Mickey Mantle.

Main road through Commerce, OK.

Old Coca-Cola sign outside general store, Commerce, OK.

After passing through two more towns in fairly close proximity–Miami, where I gassed up at a Phillips 66 station, paying $2.37 for hi-test, and Narcissa–the well-maintained “OK66,” as it’s now known in this state, began to show some of the stuff of its legend. In the space between Narcissa and Vinita it coursed along vast open stretches, rising and falling like a rapid succession of waves in Waikiki. Before the age of straight and fairly level superhighways, the old highways did that–they followed the shape of the land and almost always took the path of least resistance.

On the Mini’s radio a local station played hits from the ’80s–Adam Ant’s “Goody Two Shoes” and Mike and the Mechanics’ “All I Need Is a Miracle.”

Talk about exhilaration…

Every now and then loops of vintage roadway would appear, reducing adrenalin and inducing wonder like this stretch outside Kellyville.

Vintage Route 66 outside Kellyville, OK.

And in almost every town, living and long-gone remnants of the glory days hid in plain sight.

Delicious and Refreshing Coca-Cola ad, Old St. Cloud Hotel, Chandler, OK.

Russ' Ribs, still in business, Bristow, OK.

Chelsea Motel, Chelsea, OK. Only the sign remains.

Tower Theater, Oklahoma City, OK. Closed, but seeking funds for renovation.

Thanks for watching. More tomorrow!