Route 66

[Plutonic Panda]

Oklahoma is extremely blessed to have this road go straight through the entire state and I don’t think many realize just how much a tourist magnet it is. I believe Oklahoma has some of the highest miles of the route of any state.

Here’s a cool video about it starting in NM cutting through the Texas panhandle to OKC:

https://youtu.be/BJie-HuihR4

[Bellaboo]

That was really neat.

[oklip955]

In the past I have met groups that toured Rt 66 that came from Europe. Its a big deal.

[shawnw]

In the past I have met groups that toured Rt 66 that came from Europe. Its a big deal.

My fave personal story like this was a Blu BBQ back before they started being open only for weekday lunch (probably five or more years ago at this point). I was having lunch in there on a Saturday and I heard a couple of guys talking and they had british accents. I asked how they found themselves in Oklahoma City. They had flown into the US and were driving the mother road end-to-end. Gave them a few tips on things to see in OKC.

Second fave was when I was eating at Ann's Chicken Fry for lunch on a work day and an bus pulled up full of Japanese tourists. They filled the place up.

[Plutonic Panda]

My fave personal story like this was a Blu BBQ back before they started being open only for weekday lunch (probably five or more years ago at this point). I was having lunch in there on a Saturday and I heard a couple of guys talking and they had british accents. I asked how they found themselves in Oklahoma City. They had flown into the US and were driving the mother road end-to-end. Gave them a few tips on things to see in OKC.

Second fave was when I was eating at Ann's Chicken Fry for lunch on a work day and an bus pulled up full of Japanese tourists. They filled the place up.

One of my best friends studying physics specifically he is a research scientist studying photonics who is from Belgium. I will visit him next year which will be my first time in Europe and I’ll be backpacking across the continent which I’m super excited for.

When I first met him he was at R&J and I asked how he came to be in OKC and he was told by many that Route 66 specifically from Tulsa to Santa Monica is the best drive. He stopped in OKC and loved it so much he bought a vacation home here. It really is amazing how much exposure the state gets from this road. I wonder if it’s comparable to something like the Great Wall of China to non Americans. I never realized just how much tourist traffic it draws until the last few years.

[Urbanized]

My fave personal story like this was a Blu BBQ back before they started being open only for weekday lunch (probably five or more years ago at this point). I was having lunch in there on a Saturday and I heard a couple of guys talking and they had british accents. I asked how they found themselves in Oklahoma City. They had flown into the US and were driving the mother road end-to-end. Gave them a few tips on things to see in OKC.

Second fave was when I was eating at Ann's Chicken Fry for lunch on a work day and an bus pulled up full of Japanese tourists. They filled the place up.

Back when we were running Oklahoma’s Red Dirt Emporium on the canal I was talking to some Scots when some OTHER Scots deeper inside the store overheard them. They came over and started chatting and found that they were from the same town, and had friends in common. I’ve had lots of similar moments over the years.

International travel has obviously taken a massive hit in the past 18+ months, but in a typical year many thousands of Route 66 travelers visiting from other countries stop in OKC. Most years I personally have many conversations with people from all over the world, and ESPECIALLY places like the U.K., Scandinavia, Germany, the Indian subcontinent and East Asia. But really, I’m rarely surprised by visitors from any region.

We’re all missing them these days, but fortunately a heap of Texans, Kansans, Arkansans and folks from Louisiana have helped fill the void in the interim.

It’s largely invisible to most folks who live here and who wander through life oblivious to such things, but Route 66 has a massive economic impact on the city and on the state. We recognized that to the point where we based our logo on the Route 66 shield.

[shawnw]

Since you started this thread, the state is prepping for the 100 year anniversary of the road in 2026. There was a committee of some kind formed a year or two ago to get to work on preparations. Not sure where they are with it yet.

[Bellaboo]

I think I've told this before. I was waiting at Lucilles in Hydro, which is a historical listing on Route 66. My friend had car trouble and was running a couple hours late. I sat there at the picnic table reading a book. In that 2 hour span, I took pictures (for the travelers) of people from Italy, Spain and France. Also a woman and her son from Ohio who writes a travel blog. It seems that the foreign folks, which were not traveling together, mostly flew to Chicago and were on their way to LA. They were all making the stop in Elk City at the National Route 66 Museum. I suggested to stop in Clinton at the Oklahoma state Rt 66 Museum.

This was probably 10 years ago.

[T. Jamison]

I'm glad this topic has come up. I drive to Tulsa practically every other weekend. I got stuck in traffic on the Turner Turnpike due to a semi roll over and It took me the same time to get there as though I took Route 66. Ever since then, I've been kicking myself for all the missed opportunities to take Route 66 and enjoy the drive.

Next time you go to Tulsa for leisure, maybe take the long way there.

[shawnw]

ODOT unveiled the US Bike Route 66 signage that will get put up across the state at today's downtown bike to work day event.