Oklahoma City boasts the only urban whitewater rafting and kayaking centre in the United States.
Oklahoma City boasts the only urban whitewater rafting and kayaking centre in the United States.
"Do you know Steven Adams?" the girl making my Subway salad asked."
He's from New Zealand. I heard he comes from a big family ... I'd love to meet him. Have you met him?"
She looks disappointed when I admit I haven't met him and I don't know his family.
"You'll come back here, now you hear," she sings as she passes me the biggest Subway salad I've ever seen.
The Oklahoma Thunder player featured in many conversations with waitresses in the city - they love his charismatic personality, facial hair and of course prowess on the court.
Oklahoma Thunder player Steven Adams with a group of Triathlon New Zealand athletes.
As it was pre-season I'd given up any hope of spotting the kid from Rotorua around town.
I was strolling through a replica Western town when I got a message that Adams was in fact in the city and part of a press conference at the stadium - a block away from my hotel.
I was across town and immersed in a world of cowboys, Native Americans, railway builders and bandits - inside the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
While the Victorian firearms and Western movie memorabilia was fascinating, I was disappointed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A few of my Triathlon New Zealand teammates however, were in the perfect position - outside the Chesapeake Energy arena.
They waited and waited, spoke to a security guard, who spoke to someone inside the conference who told Adams there was a bunch of Kiwis outside waiting for him.
So he made time to pop outside for a quick photo. Understandably they were stoked.
I admit, I didn't know much about Oklahoma City when I accepted my slot in the World Triathlon Long Distance Championship race.
Adams had put the city on the map for Kiwis for the first time since the bombing in 1995.
The block where the Murrah Building used to stand is framed by two arches, one etched with 9.01 the other 9.03.
It marks the moment of innocence, before the explosion at 9.02am and the moment afterwards, when everything changed.
The story of how an ordinary April day unravelled, when a truck loaded with explosives pulled up outside the building, is told inside the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.
It peels back the plaster over the deep wound of destruction, revealing flecks of hope as bloody-faced colleagues in torn shirts help each other in the aftermath.
It's unnerving walking past remains of filing cabinets amongst rubble knowing that a trip to the photocopier could have determined whether a person lived or died.
Details of the police hunt for Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are displayed right through to their trial and imprisonment.
The exhibition explains how the city and its people changed that day while maintaining respect for the 168 people that lost their life.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial lit up with the CBD in the background.
I retire to my room at Hotel Skirvin, one of the oldest hotel in Oklahoma City. When it opened in 1911 it was labelled: "The newest finest hotel in the Southwest."
As you come through the revolving doors and step into the lobby you walk into a classically beautiful setting. Music floats above the chatter of patrons in the Red Piano Bar.
I'd read stories that the hotel was haunted but if there was any paranormal activity I slept right through it.
To refuel we headed to an old warehouse district, Bricktown, revamped to house restaurants, bars and retail stores.
Bricktown Brewery had a hipster edge to it with its website boasting to be the only brewery in North America to have two brewers without a beard. The beer was good and the burgers even better.
Also tucked away in Bricktown is the National Banjo Museum - of all things. Now it might sound quaint but the banjo is still cool - think Mumford and Sons.
Actor Steve Martin is a banjo fanatic and much of the museum is dedicated to his musical pursuits and efforts to promote the instrument that many have relegated to the attic.
Although my musical skills are limited I enjoyed the museum as it was something a bit different.
Oklahoma City was never on my "must visit" list, but I'm glad I did.
- Tracey Chatterton travelled to Houston courtesy of Air New Zealand and hired a car for the road trip to Oklahoma City. She was a guest of Visit Oklahoma.
