The Mother Road

S

Son_of_Perdition

Senior Member
Sitting here thinking about this summer's possible travel I want to do for my bucket list. I have traveled what was called at one time 'The Heritage Highway' - US89. Completed that several years ago. Completed the I-70 trip from Cove Fort, UT to Baltimore, MD. Most recently traveled Highway 1 down the Pacific Coast from Washington to S California. I also took a few local trips Highway 13 down the Atlantic coast through parts of NJ over Chesapeake Bay, been down I-95 from NYC to Florida.

But the one that sticks in my mind was my fascination with Route 66 'The Mother Road'. I've wanted to take that trip since I was a child watching the TV show 'Route 66' (60-64). Two guys in their red Corvette cruising along the highway & byways. I bought a book years ago about the trip, sites to stop at, stories & highlights. One of my favorite classic movies is still 'The Grapes of Wrath' with Henry Fonda. During my travels I have covered the route from Oklahoma City, OK to Bullhead City, AZ & from Barstow, Ca to Santa Monica, CA even walked out on the pier. But to do it right I always wanted to drive to either Chicago or Santa Monica & track the route as best as I could. Taking pictures, staying in the quaint motels that still exist, do the whole tourist scene. Even sang along with Bobby Troup.

route66.jpg

Driving was my form of escapism, back when I was in my 40's I checked out a truckers school & almost quit my career to get on the open road in an 18-wheeler. I enjoyed TV shows about traveling with the wind in you face or windshield, adventure around every corner, 'Movin On' with Sonny & Will, 'Then Came Bronson' with Michael Parks. Could ever relate to 'The Fugitive' with David Janssen, avoiding Gerard traveling around the country, stopping for a few days. Great life or so I imagined. I probably would have enjoyed a hobo's life of hopping freight cars during the depression era. Watching those shows probably gave me a few moments to dream of a change to my routine.
 

I was fortunate enough to have traveled this highway back in 1958, from Paso Robles, CA. I was discharged, from the Army, and me, the wife, a puppy and my 2 month old son drove it in a 1950 Chevy, Woody station wagon. I traveled as far as Indiana, where I took another route into NY state.
My biggest regret was that I didn't take but two or three pictures of the trip. Too worried about getting the family home for joy riding and picture taking.

There was was so much to see and beautiful country to take in, except for some very barren lonely areas along the way. One flat tire, and a rebuilt carberator, in New Mexico, was the worst of our problems.

I still have the original Texaco road maps from the trip, along with some postcards.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Sitting here thinking about this summer's possible travel I want to do for my bucket list. I have traveled what was called at one time 'The Heritage Highway' - US89. Completed that several years ago. Completed the I-70 trip from Cove Fort, UT to Baltimore, MD. Most recently traveled Highway 1 down the Pacific Coast from Washington to S California. I also took a few local trips Highway 13 down the Atlantic coast through parts of NJ over Chesapeake Bay, been down I-95 from NYC to Florida.

But the one that sticks in my mind was my fascination with Route 66 'The Mother Road'. I've wanted to take that trip since I was a child watching the TV show 'Route 66' (60-64). Two guys in their red Corvette cruising along the highway & byways. I bought a book years ago about the trip, sites to stop at, stories & highlights. One of my favorite classic movies is still 'The Grapes of Wrath' with Henry Fonda. During my travels I have covered the route from Oklahoma City, OK to Bullhead City, AZ & from Barstow, Ca to Santa Monica, CA even walked out on the pier. But to do it right I always wanted to drive to either Chicago or Santa Monica & track the route as best as I could. Taking pictures, staying in the quaint motels that still exist, do the whole tourist scene. Even sang along with Bobby Troup.

View attachment 29567

Driving was my form of escapism, back when I was in my 40's I checked out a truckers school & almost quit my career to get on the open road in an 18-wheeler. I enjoyed TV shows about traveling with the wind in you face or windshield, adventure around every corner, 'Movin On' with Sonny & Will, 'Then Came Bronson' with Michael Parks. Could ever relate to 'The Fugitive' with David Janssen, avoiding Gerard traveling around the country, stopping for a few days. Great life or so I imagined. I probably would have enjoyed a hobo's life of hopping freight cars during the depression era. Watching those shows probably gave me a few moments to dream of a change to my routine.
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I've always wanted to do that too. A boyfriend and I wanted to drive 18-wheelers across the country, or a show bus to country music gigs (I was living in Nashville at the time). A more recent friend and I used to talk about buying a Winnebago when we retired. Now we both are but he drives people in his car for a living and I don't have wheels at all.

But I still love maps and road movies. A still more recent friend never really believed me when I told him yes, I really liked Dumb and Dumber (he'd recommended it).

I think it was our 6th-grade geography book that followed the Lincoln Highway from New York across country.
 

We spent three days in Tucumcari (it was the longest three weeks of my life) because...well....with a name like "Tucumcari" and being on the old Route 66, it just HAD to be great, didn't it? It wasn't. It was about the saddest place I've seen. I tried to imagine it when it was lit up like Las Vegas and full of people having a great time, but this time my imagination failed me. I had to settle for looking at old pictures.

OK, it wasn't ALL bad.....I did get introduced to Prickly Pear Margaritas. We are very good friends now.
 
I used to take one tank trips in my state of Ohio. I so enjoyed getting away from it all. It is such a good feeling. I hope you have a good time on Rte. 66!
 
jujube said:
We spent three days in Tucumcari (it was the longest three weeks of my life) because...well....with a name like "Tucumcari" and being on the old Route 66, it just HAD to be great, didn't it? It wasn't. It was about the saddest place I've seen. I tried to imagine it when it was lit up like Las Vegas and full of people having a great time, but this time my imagination failed me. I had to settle for looking at old pictures.

OK, it wasn't ALL bad.....I did get introduced to Prickly Pear Margaritas. We are very good friends now.
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The sites & locations I remember about the few journeys we took along 66 was on a drive from Tulsa down to I-40 we traveled along US62. Jim Thorpe's boyhood home is located at Yale, OK, he was born in Prague nearby but grew up in Yale. I was so disappointed when we parked out front, sorry display. Thorpe's widow and third wife, was angry when the government of Oklahoma would not erect a memorial to honor him. When she heard that the boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were desperately seeking to attract business, she made a deal with civic officials. According to Jim Thorpe's son, Jack his wife was motivated by money in seeking the deal. Lately his son has been trying to bring his remains home to OK. He was voted as the greatest athlete of the 1st 50 years of the 20th century, but because he was a native American & died an alcoholic his exploits were overlooked.
jimthorpehome.jpg

We toured the Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX
carhenge.jpg

In Santa Rosa, NM my SIL & I stopped for the night on our way to Texas via Ft Sumter (Billy the Kid's Burial site). We had dinner at the Route66 Cafe. He ordered hot sauce with his dinner, they brought chips for the salsa, I have never eaten anything so darn hot in my life. I couldn't breathe or taste me meal but it was an experience not soon forgotten. I bought a 66 road sign at the cafe for a keepsake. You got to admit that 'Tucumcari' is such a cool name for a city, it was even referenced in the Classic, 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly'. But yes it's appearance doesn't do justice to the name.
route66cafe.jpg

In Arizona we stopped took pictures at the Wigwam motel, drove through the Painted Desert & Petrified Forest along the route. Stopped at the Wigwam cafe used in 'Starman' & visited, 'The Crater'. Stopped in Seligman, AZ, were the only diners in a little Mexican cafe next to the store in the picture, it was a questionable meal but turned out to be really good. Visited Andy Devine's (Jingles) home in Kingman, AZ since the Cisco Kid was one of my early western heroes.
Seligman, Arizona route66.jpg
 
I live close to the mother road, it is a very cool road. I have never traveled all of it just portions of it at different times. A great piece of American history.
 
If you turn north in Williams AZ you can visit the Grand Canyon.
 

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