Once I completed the blog yesterday morning, the family was awake and wanting to watch the powerful episode of John Oliver's Sunday evening show on why we all need to support the reasoning behind the imperfect motto "Defund the Police." Dana and Maddie had worked to set the Roku up the night before to watch it, but I had fallen asleep before victory was attained. While such a morning viewing choice might seem an odd way to begin the second full day of our trip, we have all been deeply aware of the protests throughout the country (though I was somewhat surprised to see no longer in OKC, after they had a powerful presence there the weekend before), and our conversations often turn to what we can do, as a country and as individuals, to make things right.
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| The TV across from our hotel broadcast stories from the protest the entire time we were there. |
Still, with just a single day left in Oklahoma, Daniel and I began to get just a tad twitchy that we needed to maximize our remaining hours. Daniel, in particular, was concerned that if we didn't see Tulsa, he may not feel confident saying he had truly been to Oklahoma. Though Tulsa had not been on our original agenda, it was not impossible to get to Wichita, KS by way of Tulsa with just a bit more driving, and so our plan was hatched.
First up... brunch at Sunnyside Diner, where "it's always Sunday morning." Once we were fortified with another delicious OKC breakfast (which has inexplicably become some sort of breakfast mecca, according to a recent newspaper article), we were off to explore a few more districts. When we walked around the beautifully revitalized Bricktown, an area blighted since the Great Depression that the mayor and city council reimagined in the late 90's, we didn't realize that Frederick Douglass High School once stood there. Why not add historical markers to your lovely stone pathways?
The Paseo Arts District, home to local artists, was a wonderful final stop in the city. The Paseo Plunge, a store/gallery/cafe/independent press all in a space once housed by a community pool, is committed to promoting stories told by those often overlooked. In retrospect, it was the perfect stop to follow our walk through Bricktown!
Our final destination was the one Dana had been anticipating since we first planned the trip - the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Maddie and Daniel knew nothing of the bombing, so this was a day filled with reflections on how some historical events are taught by parents and teachers, while others, sometimes inexplicably, are left hidden until a trip such as this one calls on us to recall and explain. While the museum was still closed due to Covid, the Memorial itself is astounding. A husband and wife team created the design that was chosen, and their attention to detail makes every element all the more powerful. The empty chairs are the most iconic image associated with this spot, but I found the permanent portion of the chain link fence, forever covered with images and letters to the loved ones who died here to be especially powerful. So, too, the east and west "gates" forever etched with the minute before and the minute after the bombing took place. The Survivor's Tree, which has grown and flourished since surviving the bombing, is perched just above the rest of the memorial, providing an overlook that is beyond moving. It is perhaps the most effective Memorial I have ever visited.
While we all could have spent another several hours (or days) exploring OKC, the Mother Road was calling. When we opted to indulge Daniel's Tulsa whim, we initially thought we'd take the fastest route. Luckily, as we gassed up the car, we did a bit more searching and realized we could take Route 66 the entire way. Our family's love for Route 66 may not have been appropriately explored on this blog, but it is deep, so this was happy news indeed. The next 2 1/2 hours consisted of driving through one darling town after another - Arcadia, Chandler, Davenport, Depew - and wondering how that crazy writer overlooked them to name Davis the best small town in Oklahoma!
Maddie's quick research revealed that we were about to come upon the town of Stroud, where the Rock Cafe (built with rocks unearthed when they built this part of Route 66) is owned and operated by Dawn Welch, the woman who inspired the character of Sally in Pixar's Cars. While the Cafe was closed, we were able to take lots of pics and soak up the charm and kitsch that inspired John Lasseter and his crew.
As we made our way into Tulsa, it was time for another black history lesson. If you never have heard of Tulsa's infamous 1921 Race Massacre, as I had certainly not, I would encourage you to read about it here. I was heartened to read this story just this morning about efforts being made to insure that this tragic chapter of Oklahoma's history is not only remembered but leads to "reconciliation and healing." 99 years later, and in the summer of 2020, this seems both long overdue and absolutely timely.
We only had a couple of hours to drive around Tulsa, check out their downtown Art Deco buildings, the Riverview Historic District, Brookside, and Cherry Street (the neighborhoods I had determined would provide us with the best overview in our quick tour) before we settled in for our most delicious meal of the trip thus far in the Palace Cafe. When you only get one shot for a meal in the city of Tulsa, you better get it right, so I was really glad that I did.
Our bellies and brains full from our day, it was time to settle in for the drive from Tulsa to Wichita, until the rolling green hills of Oklahoma at sunset disappeared, and we entered Kansas on one of the darker highways I've driven. Daniel kept the music popping, until Wichita was in sight, and we were treated to a couple different renditions of "Wichita Lineman." Apparently there have been quite a few covers of that Glen Campbell gem, so I imagine we'll be hearing "is still on the liiiiiine" once or twice more before we head to Kansas City tomorrow.
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