June 14 - 15, 2013

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June 14 we drove to Commerce,OK. from Lebanon,MO.

Ron wanted to visit the home of his boyhood idol "Mickey Mantle", Number 7 for the New York Yankees.

Bellow is a great example of Spanish revival architecture, the Colman Theater in Miami, OK

Did not do it much justice as I shot it on the way out from the car!

We then continued on to Tulsa.

It truly is a beautiful city built on the rolling lush green hills of this part of the state.

The magnolia trees are immense and filled with blooms.

We visited the well known Museum created and donated to the city by Thomas Gilcrease

which is named after him.

The greatest collection of American history and Art especially native and Western American Artwork including paintings, sculpture and historical artifacts and early maps that put the frontier region into it's historical context..

We were in awe of this incredible  institution, we also had a scrumptious lunch while there.

Bellow two wonderful examples of the sculpture located in it's beautiful grounds.

As we were driving through Tulsa to get back on the highway, we passed this building, it had touches of Art Deco, and its immense front window had etched glass of trees as if they were a reflection of the outside, I tried to erase some of the cars from it's front and distractions, still I guess hard for one to notice.

On 15June, we left Tulsa/ Stroud and headed toward Oklahoma City. On the way near Arcadia, we saw the famous round Barn-supposedly the only one in the USA.  

The ...local shop was closed!

We arrived  at the "Pop's Shop" with it's well known 500 different types of soda and 200 different Root Beers. On the outside of this amazing pavilion type store, was the 80 foot high, shape of a soda bottle 

that lights up at night.

I know it is crazy to keep describing this place, I just have to show you how extreme  things can get on Route 66!

 Ron was at a loss, as he had to make a decision on which Root Beer he would choose.

Wait there is more, can you believe this?

Off to Oklahoma City, we visited the National Cowboy Museum, luckily our timing was perfect, they had a show of the absolutely best artists from all around the country that specialize in American Western Art. The juried show " Prix des Art" and sale takes place every year most of the work is sold and the prices are as much as $120K. Truly magnificent work.  The museum is beautiful and quite impressive.

Just to give you an idea of the type of work displayed. 

We also visited the Oklahoma Museum of Art, once more lucky to enjoy the incredible work of "Herb Ritts". The wonderful photography he created was such a feast for the eyes.

In addition a most amusing puppet installation called "Cubistic style Rodeo" as well as the work of Dale Chihuly who's work is described as the most important work in glass since Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The sun finally came after a crazy thunder storm that we avoided while in the museum.

The city was jumping with music and people walking around, it was some type of celebration. We stopped at the only place we could find space to park, would you believe it was a very unique 

and popular spot, specializing in "Cupcakes", we both shared a chocolate malt delicious 

treat and continued with a visit at the somber "National Memorial and  Museum at the Murrah building".

Not much can be said about this site, silence and contemplation of what evil can accomplish!