In 2026, the Oklahoma Tourism Department expects hundreds of thousands of tourists to drive into Oklahoma – and then immediately hightail it out – as part of the country’s Route 66 centennial celebration.
To go along with all the street signs, the city also announced this week that they are erecting a special roadside monument to pay homage to the Mother Road.
Dubbed Kicks 66, the work by local artist Cameron Eagle will pay tribute to Oklahoma fashion stereotypes, cacti, and feature lyrics from the classic song nobody really remembers called “Get Your Kicks on Route 66.”
Shady Pete with OKC Talk had the news:
Honestly, that’s not too bad, but I still preferred my submission – Red Rocket 66. Featuring a 35-foot-tall red rocket, it pays tribute to our state’s aerospace industry, Route 66 and – of course – the OKC cockring.
Okay, so we didn't get the Os, Ks and Cs lined up like the original, but that would have been a hit. Oh well.
Just like any well-intentioned public art project, Kicks 66 has received a lot of jeers, boos, and hisses from the social media peanut gallery.
I can see why. It’s kitschy, leans heavily into western Oklahoma clichés, and feels like a weird piece of room decor you’d find at a thrift store. Then again, that’s all intentional and part of the appeal.
In the presentation, Eagle explains his inspiration came in two parts – “first, the spirited lyrics of Get Your Kicks that celebrate the open road, and second, the whimsical, larger-than-life roadside relics that dot the iconic Route 66.”
The goal of the project, he continued, is to create a modern-day classic Route 66 roadside attraction and park, blending timeless Americana with just the right touch of nostalgic kitsch to spark joy and smiles for generations to come…
If I’m being honest, and I usually try to be, my only real criticism of the piece is that it feels out of place.
It looks like a sight you’d see while standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, and not while trying to cross six lanes of traffic on Classen Boulevard in the heart of Oklahoma City.
Then again, maybe that quirkiness is part of the random charm. We already have a milk bottle building, an abandoned geodesic dome, and a giant Asian supermarket in the area, so I guess we should toss in a giant pair of red boots and a cactus, too.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how this monument takes off as a selfie spot, and the media circus it generates after its inevitable vandalism. Until then, stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
