Yesterday, I asked Samantha to marry me.  We’ve been dating for ten months (as of this coming Friday, anyway) and I felt it was time.  Never in my life have I felt more simpatico with someone…

YouTube video by First + Main Films

On the morning of June 6th, 2026, I woke up before my 6:00 AM alarm went off. It was Day One of the Route 66 Centennial Caravan – so much planning and preparation had led to that day. I went to the lobby to get a cup of coffee and a quick bite, where I bumped into a few of my Caravan compatriots that were similarly wrestling with too much excitement to sleep any longer. This would become my pattern for the next three weeks, my tradition: wake early, eat a small breakfast, make last-minute preparations, and get our group out the door on time.

From June 6th to June 20th, I helped lead the Main Street of America Route 66 Centennial Caravan. It was exhausting, exciting, devastating, and rewarding. Overall, it exceeded my expectations, though that came with a high cost. It was the first time I had traveled Route 66 from end-to-end in a single trip. For the next few weeks, I will be writing in detail about our journey across the country and you will hopefully understand why I chose all of those words. But first, I need to write about how it all came about.

100 prepaid signups are needed before the plates enter production and you can sign up today!

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association recently announced that its 2026 Route 66 centennial T-shirt features artwork from late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. Waldmire, a well-traveled hippie whose intricate pen-and-ink drawings were beloved by the Route 66 community, was also the inspiration for Fillmore the Volkswagen minibus in Disney-Pixar’s 2006 "Cars" film. He was also the son of Ed Waldmire, who founded the iconic Cozy Dog Drive-In restaurant along Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois.

Volunteer with Tulsa Tough, Inc.

It's 7:00 in the morning and Westside Lilo's opens for business. The first customer in the door is an old man, and the waitress has a cup of coffee on his table before he sits down. In 20 minutes, the entire dining room is full. There's electricity in the air. Brenda Bryant, owner and operator of Westside Lilo's, starting her day. It's the day before the 37th annual Fun Run, an event put on by the Arizona's Route 66 Association to celebrate the first segment of the famous highway that was designated as historic.

ALT: an elderly man is sitting in a chair and talking to someone .

by Rhys Martin As I stood outside of Sweetie Pie’s Amish Bakery and Café on Tulsa’s stretch of Route 66, I could hear the little car coming. It wasn’t struggling, per se, but the engine just sounde...

Explore the centennial, history, and culture of America’s iconic Mother Road through scholarly talks and archival resources. the Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series presented by Research Route 66

Explore the centennial, history, and culture of America’s iconic Mother Road through scholarly talks and archival resources. the Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series presented by Research Route 66

The last time I took the time to sit down and write a post here, it was January. The Drive Home tour had just come through Tulsa. I had spent a few days in Arizona and was marking the anniversary of my father's passing. It's been about two months since then. I just marked the anniversary of my mother's passing while I was on the road in western Oklahoma. Things are moving so fast right now and I can't believe we're halfway through March already. I'm going to try to make this more substantive than just a photo slideshow of what I've been up to but it's hard not to because there's so much to cover!

Francis Tuttle Technology Center students are tasked with restoring Bob Waldmire's box truck for Route 66 centennial celebrations.