For our first real vacation together outside of MA, we visited AZ. Part 6 of the trip centered on Route 66. For other segments of the trip click on the hyperlinks below.
1. Apache Trail
2. Sedona
3. Grand Canyon
5. Lake Powell
6 Route 66
7. Las Vegas
U.S. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway (The Main Street of America) and the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System. Established in 1926, Route 66 spans over 2,400 miles from Chicago, IL, passing through the lower Midwest to Santa Monica, CA. California. For fun we drove the 87-mile stretch between Seligman and Kingsman, AZ.
The Mother Road carried many folk west as they fled the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. In the 40s and 50s it became the route for vacation-seekers. Roadside motels and eateries sprang up, and whole towns survived solely from the trade of this passing traffic. The whole motor holiday came alive and then became legend here on Route 66.
As the interstate roads and air travel overtook this way of travel, Route 66 was relegated to byways and once bustling rest stops became ghost towns. But the legacy of Route 66 couldn’t be quashed that easily, and sections of the old route have had a resurgence, as people try to relive the heyday of this era in road travel. For someone like Dave who loves mid-Century lifestyle and design, this was heaven.
Taking Route 66 out of Kingman can feel like going down memory lane in 1950-something.
It was like a mini version of Vegas with the neon lights.
We popped into several vintage stores but didn't pick anything up. The drive was a fun change from hiking the past week. But now it was time to unwind in Vegas for a few days before flying home.
