That great big McDonald's
up on the Will Roger's Turnpike
I’ve been driving back and forth to the city often to see my mother in the hospital, and while I’m driving I keep rocking out to James McMurtry. McMurtry is an Americana rock musician, who I regrettably didn’t get to see when I lived in Austin.
One of my favourite things about the song Choctaw Bingo is when he references “that big McDonald’s. You know that one thats built up on that big old bridge across the Will Roger’s turnpike.”
In July 2007 my mother and I were on a road trip across the country and we stumbled upon that big McDonald’s up on the Will Roger’s turnpike.
It looks awesome, but it’s pretty much just a giant McDonald’s.
Taking up a whopping 29,135-square-feet of space, this Micky Dee’s was a popular tourist destination for road trippers for decades. I am not sure if it’s still there; I’ve read mixed reports. Some claim it’s closed while others claim it’s alive and well (though has terrible customer service).
The giant McDonald’s is one of those things I love about road tripping across the country. There is so much Americana to take in, if you only know how (not where) to look.
Open your eyes and pay attention and you’ll see so many oddities and kitsch that make up the fabric of life in the modern United States.