The Mother Road
September/30/2008 12:54
Well if you ever plan to motor west... Travel my way, take the highway that's the best... Get your kicks on Route 66...
Among the peeling paint and cracked pavement of a decommissioned US Highway, lies the broken pieces of America's original Mother Road. Route 66 is no more, yet it has miraculously been revived as a counterculture time travel experience via the wanderlust of adventuresome road travelers worldwide.
Recently, while photographing Jack Landree's latest project, the topic of Route 66 somehow crept into our conversation. It seems Jack and his family had made a memorable trip to California during 2007 to participate in the 75th anniversary of the 32 Ford celebration that was held at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Not lost on me was the fact that Jack was the fourth person I had meet who made a trek westward by intentionally traveling what was left of the momma road. So this entry is a bit of a Route 66 travelogue as experienced by a couple of this blogs readers. Since all of us hit the highways occasionally, this road should be a good fit for anyone who does so in their personal hot rod.
Well it winds from Chicago to LA...
More than two thousands miles all the way...
Well it goes to St. Louis... Down to Missouri...
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty...
So Jack and his crew did their thing to LA. Muscle car aficionado Dave brought a California Chevelle back to Memphis via Route 66. John drove the whole enchilada from Chicago to Santa Monica with a group of like minded enthusiasts, and Ken moved across country while sticking to the vintage highway. Each told tales of adventure and witnessed examples of vanishing Americana. Nostalgia reigned supreme, and remnants of our car culture were prevalent among the decay. Of course, a perfect soundtrack for such a road trip would have to include the 1946 Bobby Troup song "Get Your Kicks on Route 66" which is a pop standard that has been recorded by almost everyone. The travelogue-like lyrics are interspersed throughout this post for your convenience.
You'll see Amarillo... Gallup, New Mexico...
Dave hung out with the burros in Oatman Arizona while patching together the wiring on the Chevelle, further adding to his numerous on the road war stories. A delay that should have been an aggravation, actually turned out to be one of his more memorable stops along US 66 when an almost complete lack of resources transformed into a herculean effort by the local mechanic to assist him in getting back on the road. A similar Chevelle seared into the mechanics memory was the key to his dedication. The fact that there are about as many burros roaming the streets of Oatman as people was just icing on the cake. Dave has since become so enchanted with the Route 66 experience that he often attends the Mother Road Festival in Springfield MO. One of many such events held along the famous road.
Flagstaff, Arizona...
Don't forget Wynonna... Kingman....
Of course, traveling US 66 is not entirely a ghost town experience. There's much along the way that has survived, been restored or preserved, or is otherwise thriving. From natural wonders such as the Barringer Crater in Arizona, to man made curios like the oddball Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo Texas. And of course, the road is rife with vintage neon signs, motels and eateries, and roadside attractions that have serviced travelers for decades.
Jack made sure that his Route 66 experience would provide some memorable highway time when he unloaded his bare metal 32 Ford roadster from the trailer near Kingman Arizona, and drove the storied highway to Barstow California. He set forth in the roadster at the World War II era Kingman Army Air Field Where 50% of wartime aircraft were relegated to the scrap heap. Nearly 25,000 airplanes in all. Eventually Jack would find his way to Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. admiring other 32 Fords at the 75th anniversary celebration. It's a trip that I envy, especially the idea of arriving in Southern California for the special Deuce hootenanny in a personal family heirloom with it's own pedigreed invitation.
Barstow, San Bernardino...
Won't you get hip to this kindly tip...
And go take that California trip...
Jack explained that the big Deuce celebration was a spectacular experience, and that stunning examples of the most timeless of all hot rods were on hand. Here, Jack poses at the birthday party with a sterling example of a highboy roadster, featuring nothing less than a supercharged, Ardun equipped, Ford flathead engine.
Get your kicks on Route 66
The lore of US 66 has attracted visitors from across the world in recent years. There is a keen interest in experiencing the automotive history that still exists in fits and starts from Chicago to Los Angeles. If you doubt the lack of interest, notice the latest calendar of special events that occur annually along Route 66. Also note that many of these events are focused on the automobile and travel.
So, there's a lot to see out there on the Mother Road. If you can spare a little time while traveling by car, consider leaving Ike's Interstate Highway system and the accompanying traffic woes for a slice of Americana on the well remembered, original, east-west corridor.
Get your kicks on Route 66... (song lyrics by Bobby Troup)
LK