call me [griswold]

this past memorial day weekend found me visiting a route 66 icon.


while visiting tulsa, wandering in and out of gift shops i discovered we were very close to one of route 66's most famous icon's, the blue whale of catoosa.  being a fan of the famous highway, i had to see it!  the trip would not be complete until i had stared into the eye of this fictional beast.

after starting the morning enjoying an amazing breakfast, we set out.  although it was a short trip we encountered several mishaps.  not only was weather a factor, but i had a slight freak out at a gas station, thinking i had put the wrong type of fuel in.  there was also a few choice words spoken to the gps after it took us in circles.  frustrated, i stopped the car.

"this was no longer a vacation. it was a quest. a quest for fun."

like some strange mix of clark griswold and captain ahab, i was bound and determined to find this fictional creature. thankfully for all involved, i.e. my girlfriend, the destination was just around the corner, and what a sight it was!  i giant aqua colored artifact from another time; a reliquary of roadside kitsch!  i spent the better part of an hour climbing around it, taking pictures and chatting with the other tourists who had made the pilgrimage to see this marvelous man-made mammal.

having spent most of the weekend enjoying the comforts of the digital age, this whale was a giant reminder of days gone by, back to a time where sites like this were the only salvation from squabbling siblings sardined in the sweltering back seat of a station wagon and possibly the only entertainment for miles.  although it was tricky to find, it was worth it.

"it is not down in any map; true places never are." - herman melville