Today I drove from Tulsa to Oklahoma City on Historic Route 66. Sure, I could have taken the turnpike and shaved 30 minutes off of my time, but driving Route 66 in a MINI is far more satisfying!

Being able to see small portions of the original road crop up next to the newer state roads that replaced U.S. 66 really adds to the trip. I pulled over and drove off the shoulder of the state highway to take a pic of my Cooper S on the original road. This is near Stroud, OK about halfway between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Most of the remaining original sections were left there to serve as access roads of sorts to people living off of the state highway.

Route 66 fed countless 'Okies' into the west as they fled the great depression. Maybe I'm waxing nostalgic, but the MINI's connection to the road somehow made me understand their travels just a little bit more.

 

If you go to Google Maps in that area you can see parallel, abandoned stretches of pavement in the Satellite view. I think they mostly left the old Route 66 alone since it costs money to deconstruct a highway. The old 66 was narrower and therefore smaller so nature will have an easier time reclaiming it.

Val

 

Next time, travel East and get your picture taken with a movie star at Galena. (See signiture picture below.)