Throwback - Route 66

In Arizona we were able to catch a part of Route 66, the iconic pre-interstate highway that stretches 2,400 miles across two-thirds of the continent from Lake Michigan to LA. This fabled highway had its beginning in 1926 and connects not only the East and the West, but also the past and the present.

Parts of Route 66 have received new designations as State and/or National Scenic Byways. A lot of it closely follows I-40, the last section to be bypassed in 1984. But at Seligman we were able to get away from the constant barrage of 18-wheelers bearing down on us and meander back in time through lovely countryside to Kingman.

The first stop that caught our eye was an old service station in Valentine, Valentine Station, where gas is still 27cents a gallon. No sign of anyone around but as we were taking photos a guy came rushing out. A very chatty guy, Ruben, who had bought a piece of a dream from an era gone by & is living in a gas station. He is restoring the place bit by bit. He was excited to tell us that he had just joined Harvest Hosts an would be offering a free place for nomads like us to stay. He had closed today to work on his vlog. Very enthusiastic! An artist. A filmmaker. An entrepreneur. Recommend the stop. (P.S. The car still has its Alaska license on it. Plus part of Easy Rider was filmed here!)

He told us about a stop not to miss 3 miles down the road. Hackberry General Store. We did. A veritable museum of the era. Clearly a bikers kind of place. I remember so much of this era and it was fun to see the choksi and memorabilia from those times evoking my brain with so many memories.

In 2008, the significance of Route 66 and the importance of preserving it were again recognized when the World Monuments Fund listed Route 66 on the Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. There is a spirit, a feeling that resides along this highway. It is definitely worth saving.

Traveling through time on Route 66 was a welcome short interlude from the non-stop truckers riding your tail or boxing you in on the interstate.

Next stop Hoover Dam….