Fleeting Expressions. Chronicles from the Road.
This is where every Friday dispatch lives once it's been sent. Stories, photographs, and the occasional thing we learned the hard way on the road. I'm Shelle, and Jody is the reason most of these stories exist.
A Sky That Painted Itself
Friday 🗺️ August 21, 2026 🗺️ Returning to the Badlands Happy Friday, Reader! We snagged a campsite right at the edge of The Wall in Badlands National Park—pretty much as close to the rim as you can get these days. Out here, mornings kick off early and the sky changes its mind about what kind of day it wants to be, every single day. One sunrise totally made that rude early alarm worth it, so let’s start there. Sunrise at our campsite on The Wall - South Dakota My alarm went off before the sky...
We Rode 2,448 Miles for a Hot Dog
Friday 🗺️ August 7, 2026 🗺️ Route 66 Finale Happy Friday, Reader! We made it to Chicago! I think we are still buzzing from crossing the finish line. Or maybe that’s exhaustion from the 2,448-mile journey from Santa Monica we started back in February, lol. We cruised the last stretch from Springfield to Chicago this week and closed out Route 66 the same way we opened it, on the motorcycle. We even crossed paths with Big Boy heading south out of Chicago, which was an unexpected but happy...
Lincoln's nose and the Mother Road
Friday 🗺️ July 31, 2026 🗺️ Hiding from the heat Happy Friday, Reader! We finally rolled into Illinois, the last stop on our Route 66 adventure! Neither of us has really explored this state before, so it's all new territory. Big cities aren't really our thing, so you know we're sticking to the backroads and checking out the quieter, quirkier spots. Route 66 has been our ticket to all those little towns and main streets we usually miss. Most of our 8 years on the road have been spent hugging...
The road that plays America the Beautiful at 30 mph.
Friday 🗺️ July 17, 2026 🗺️ Off the beaten path in the Ozarks Happy Friday, Reader! We spent the week hanging out at Lead Mine Conservation Area, which is basically horse central. Every morning, riders would trot by our campsite, and watching them became my new favorite way to start the day. Some friends swung by on their way home from Illinois, and what started as a quick meal turned into one of those long, meandering chats you just can't have over the phone. We also took a spin down Route 66...
Clark Gable's room is still available
Friday 🗺️ July 10, 2026 🗺️ Heading into Missouri on Route 66 Happy Friday, Reader! This week’s home base? Quapaw Casino! Ten bucks a night gets us water and electricity, so I’m already feeling like a jackpot winner without even trying my luck inside. The real gamble is with the weather, though. The heat and humidity are calling the shots, my hair has totally surrendered, and we’re only venturing out when the sun decides to chill out a bit. Last week, we rolled farther north to tackle the...
The man whose feet pointed the wrong way.
Friday 🗺️ July 3, 2026 🗺️ Off-Grid near Kansas Happy Friday, Reader! We invited our dear friends from Kansas to join us for a weekend of camping, catching up, and riding the shortest stretch of Route 66. We'd spent the day before showing them around, reminiscing about the good old days that may or may not have included a few Bigfoot tales. The 13 miles of Route 66 through Kansas may be short, but it's the only state where we've managed to ride every last mile of the original route. It was a...
The past is packed with stories worth sharing.
Friday 🗺️ June 26, 2026 🗺️ The old stomping grounds Happy Friday, Reader! We’ve landed in Miami, Oklahoma, and this stop feels extra special because it’s got my name written all over it. The town says it has the longest Main Street on Route 66, and when I stood under the Gateway arch and looked down that stretch, I totally bought it. Funny thing is, I used to zip through here as a kid and never really paid attention. This time, I made sure to actually see it. Yep, this is my old stomping...
The whale doesn't seem to mind.
Friday 🗺️ June 19, 2026 🗺️ Off Grid in the Ozarks Happy Friday, Reader! We’ve landed in the Missouri Ozarks this week, and let me tell you, the weather here is having a full-on identity crisis. One minute it’s so hot and sticky you’re praying for the AC, and the next it’s cool and sunny, and you just want to soak it all in. While I’ve been dodging the wild weather, Jody’s been on a mission to fix a weird battery issue and get the most out of his new 3D printer. The result? A hilarious little...
Tulsa has a thing for giants.
Friday, June 12, 2026 🗺️ Rolling through Tulsa, OK Happy Friday, Reader! We rolled into Tulsa, and right away, I noticed this city is obsessed with giants. Seriously, they’re everywhere along Route 66 on 11th Street, just hanging out in parking lots like it’s totally normal. Jody kicked back with the bike while I wandered around admiring these massive characters. I snapped about a million photos and ended up with a sore neck from all the looking up. Worth it! But the giant I wanted to see...
The truck on the bridge was a happy surprise.
Friday 🗺️ June 5, 2026 🗺️ Still in Oklahoma and ready to hit the road again! Happy Friday, Reader! We're still hanging out in Oklahoma, but the truck is itching to roll and so are we! This week was one of those where you blink and it's gone. With work projects and Jody off at a conference, there wasn't a whole lot to show for it except a full calendar. Recently we made our way over to Sapulpa to check out how they are celebrating the Route 66 Centennial. We treated ourselves to a tasty meal...