It’s Day Five of our Route 66 road-trip, driving from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Weatherford, Oklahoma. Who are we? Jeff and Jane, expat Brits living in Santa Monica, California. We have just finished our number one bucket-list item – driving Route 66 from Chicago back to our home town. Our mission? To Eat Vegan on Route 66 and share our experiences with you.

Route 66: Bridges and Bikes

I don’t know why, but abandoned bridges hold a great appeal for Jeff and me. Maybe it’s just that you can wander on and get a new perspective from the middle of the road. Anyway, here’s another perfect example in Rock Creek Bridge, just near Sapulpa, with a lovely view across to the railway bridge.

Next stop, we had to make a quick U-turn to visit an unassuming little red-brick gas station, Seaba Station. Inside, a veritable cornucopia of motor bikes are on display, and outside, a very early plumbed outhouse complete with old toilets. Thankfully, the newer restroom inside is a little cleaner!

Route 66 then meanders back and forth around the I44 Freeway, passing through many partially abandoned small towns, It is a shame that the building of this freeway has led to economic devastation for so many places along the old highway 66. A sad reminder of the migration of so many Okies to the West, back in the 1930s. Their farms were bankrupted due to the Dust Bowl that ravaged their agricultural lands. On this journey, I re-read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, which famously describes the ordeal of one family of Okie migrants.

How to Eat Vegan on Route 66: Subway and Salads

We headed on for our lunch stop at Rock Cafe, another place that inspired the Cars movie director, John Lasseter. It didn’t inspire us much – as it was dark and dungeon-like inside, with a typical meat-eaters diner-style menu. We ploughed on and found a Subway for yet another Veggie Deluxe!

As we passed through Oklahoma City, we reflected on the white supremacist bombing of the Federal building, although we did not have time to make a stop. Onwards to Weatherford, a disappointing strip of a town dominated by motels and fast food diners. Happily, our Best Western Plus hotel was rather nice – especially the high-ceilinged lobby bar and restaurant. Sadly, the menu was not vegan-friendly but we cobbled together a meal of salsa with corn chips followed by a meagre salad. Even more sadly, the salad arrived with a cheese garnish, so that had to be sent back with a long wait for a remade one. Once again, breakfast was peanut butter and crackers… not a great place to Eat Vegan on Route 66.

One careful owner

Tip of The Day – Don’t worry about ticking off all the Route 66 must-sees. Many of these tourist roadside attractions are kitschy and not worth a stop eg Blue Whale, Paul Bunyan, Gemini Man. The real interest lies in the ever-changing scenery, the desolate towns, the overnight stops and the total driving experience. Pick out what you like!

Finally, use my public shared Google Map Route 66 Vegan to locate all the places mentioned on this trip.

Miles Traveled Today: 193

Total Miles Traveled: 935

Next stop – Amarillo, Texas.