Tag Archives: Route 66

Our World – Rock Creek Bridge on Route 66

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Rock Creek Bridge is a single lane steel truss type structure located on an original section of Route 66 in the Tulsa suburb of Sapulpa. It was built in 1924 when the road was called the Osage Trail. It is not in bad shape for being almost a hundred years old even though it is now rated for no more than four tons. The modern Route 66 is off to the south a couple hundred feet or so more and has a more modern concrete bridge.

This bridge was part of ten Route 66 locations featured in a new type of Geocaching called Adventure Labs. They don’t require you to find actual containers or other physical objects. It’s a lot of fun if you don’t feel like disturbing snakes, getting spider bit, or explaining yourself to the local authorities. Read the link to find out more.

I am linking with Our World Tuesday

Skywatch Friday – Route 66 Rising

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A few nights ago we had the Full Pink Moon on a clear evening. I love taking moon photographs.

Howard Park west Tulsa

This is Howard Park in Tulsa. A funky little park, bounded on the west by a Freeway and to the north and south by decrepit commercial properties and to the east, right across Route 66, a refinery. There are no houses anywhere close with children to play in its playground but you know I like the park. You can see the refinery storage tanks on the left side of the photo.

Speaking of Route 66, this is the “Route 66 Rising” in east Tulsa, where Route 66 enters the city. It is in the middle of a traffic circle so to get a decent photo you have to park on private property and cross a busy street but you know, it’s my bloggers duty to do so. I don’t think one person in a hundred in Tulsa know about it.

I’m linking to Skywatch Friday. Come join the fun!!

Our World – Buck Atom on Route 66

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Buck Atom

Route 66 cuts right bisects Tulsa from east to west and we have a bunch of Route 66 monuments in Tulsa and the surrounding suburbs. Well we have one more. Buck Atom, a 21 foot tall statue holding a rocket marks the location of a tourist shop. It is right on Route 66 where it is 11th street just east of downtown Tulsa. Right next to Meadow Gold sign.

The unveiling was quite the scene with crowds of people and speeches. The mayor even showed up. Read all about it in local newspaper.

I love the goofiness of your typical Route 66 attraction. They are made with the express purpose of being an attraction. If you are going to do that, make it stand out is what I think and I think that is what Buck Atom does. Oh well, at least Buck Atom was done entirely with private money (as far as I know!)

Are you a Route 66 fan? I am kind of. I like the attractions and the many geocaches on the road but to get from point A to point B give me an interestate highway!!

I am linking with Our World Tuesday

ABC Wednesday – “R” is for Railroads and More

Frisco 4500 Locomotive

R is for Railroad Engine. This is the gigantic Frisco 4500 Steam Engine called the Meteor. Lovingly restored by retired railroad employees and now on display at the Route 66 Village in Tulsa.

Donkeys and Drilling Rigs edit

R is also for Ranch. That’s my wife on the right feeding a trio of guard donkeys at a ranch owned by some my wife’s family in western Oklahoma. Yes, guard donkeys are a thing. They protect cattle from predators such as coyotes. Check it out here. Maybe you need one and didn’t even know it. If nothing else, they are pretty comical.

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R is for Ratrod. Ratrods are my favorite kind of hot rod. People spend all sorts of money making them look rusty and run down. They are hot rods with an ironic sense of humor.

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R is also for Route 66. It goes right through the middle of Tulsa and our town is full of the highway’s landmarks. My brother visited last November and he turned 66 so we did a bunch of photos of him turning “66 on Route 66” Above is Tulsa’s latest monument to Route 66 on the east side of Tulsa.

So, that is my R’s for this week. Join in at ABC Wednesday

Tulsa Time – Out and About

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Orpha’s Lounge in downtown Tulsa. I’ve seen lots of scuzzy people going in and out. I’ve also seen lots of them passed out in front. If you are looking for a good place to go slumming, this might be it.

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I was out west of Tulsa in Sand Springs looking for a geocache and spotted this sign. I sure didn’t dump anything there. We love our guns in Oklahoma! Gun owners have all sorts of rights in Oklahoma. The rest of us just need to stay out of their way.

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This is the Rock Creek Bridge in Sapulpa. It is a landmark on Route 66. It runs several hundred miles in Oklahoma. That brick on the bridge deck is the original brick put in way back when. Route 66 no longer goes over the bridge. That is one thing I’ve learned about Route 66, the actual roads it goes over has changed continuously almost from the start.

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A bison sculpture on Route 66. I love public art like sculptures.

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A big tree out in the middle of an abandoned baseball field in Sapulpa.

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I stopped by the an industrial area of downtown Tulsa to take a look at the Creek Hanging Tree. Over 200 years old and supposedly many a rustler and other criminals have been hung off the branches. Great story right? I can find almost know documentation of it. I googled it just now and number one on the list is a blog post I did several years ago.

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I found this little rock hut about eleven miles from downtown Tulsa in Osage County.

How about you? What have you seen where you live lately?

I am linking with Our World Tuesday

Our World – New Route 66 Monument in Tulsa

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a bonus shadow selfie

Tulsa’s Howard Park right on Route 66 in the city’s gritty industrial west side has a brand spanking new monument consisting of three big sculpted pillars of Indiana Limestone by Utah artist Patrick Sullivan.

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The pillars depict Tulsa sights like Cain’s Ballroom, art deco architecture, the energy, aviation, and railroad industries and Native American heritage.

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I love stuff like this. This monument is here to stay. An F5 tornado may topple them but they are not going anywhere.

An article from Route 66 News with video and a lot of the backstory on the monument and the artist who created it.

Howard Park’s Facebook site

I’m linking with Our World Tuesday