I said goodbye to the Spears and set off to the northeast. One of the more refined qualities of Oklahoma is their concentration of Dunkin’ Donuts (you can take the kid out of New England, etc.). I stopped for a coffee and was astounded to find they offer kolaches. I had one in Utah, which was a glorified bagel bite filled with eggs and cream cheese. The Dunkin version was a gigantic pig in a blanket. Research indicates this may actually be a klobasnek, and the higher-ups got the name wrong. I chickened out on it today; maybe I’ll give it a go tomorrow.
I spent the next two hours on Route 66. Getting my kicks, I suppose. I like the Oklahoman November. Even though the trees are stripped of leaves and the tall grass has browned, it’s still naturally beautiful. You can imagine the future blossoms and greens, and sometimes imagining is even better than seeing the real thing. Finally the suburbs emerged around the highway, and I arrived in Tulsa.
As previously mentioned, one of the classic Oklahoman dishes is the Coney dog. The toppings out here are no-bean chili, onions, and lots of powdery sprinkle cheese. I tried a pair at a local shack, and my experience was similar to when Zack and I tried Chicago-style hot dogs. They’re good! But they’re still hot dogs. I have never had a Coney dog from New York, so I cannot compare the two. My stomach grumbled for a few minutes afterward, which means I’ve grown weaker in my healthiness.
I checked into a hotel shortly thereafter and began my slate of Monday phone calls. I enjoyed catching up with my friends, but I’m also ready to do some more exploring. We’ll see what I find tomorrow.
A Coney Dog. Has nothing to do with rabbits. Hmmm. Google describes them in detail. But if you look up Coney you get rabbit. Coney Dogs look delicious! I would be willing to try one. As a rule I avoid Dunkin Donuts sandwiches, having had a couple of greasy yukky ones when I tried them. No kolaches or klobasneks around here. A regional thing, I guess. Found your description of Oklahoma scenery interesting. When I think of OK I think of scrubby semi-desert. Good to know it is more like our northeast climate in spots. I am learning all kinds of new things from your blog! Love, Grandma
Speaking of memories — I once had a “coney dog” when I got off the bus in Pittsburgh some 50 odd years ago (and they have been ODD, if nothing else!). This was at a very greasy, greasy spoon diner across the street from the bus station. All the grease you could eat! And I ATE it! My stomach kept bouncing up and down like a basketball being dribbled for the next four hours!