Epilogue

We started this odyssey listening to John Steinbeck. He wrote a line that stuck with us; "People don't take trips, trips take people". This trip took us places we never expected.

Although we toyed with the idea of renting a Corvette or Mustang to drive the route, we are glad we just went with our crystal blue mica Mazda 6. It was comfortable, easy to drive, and the trunk allowed us to store lots more than just a few clothes. 

We drove to The End of the World, The Center of the Universe, as well as The Center of the Nation. Who knew there were so many centers? Along the way we saw 63 different license plates. We had dinner with a rough-looking tattooed group of Harley riders from Paris. Seems as though everyone is on the move after several years of being home-bound, a case of world-wide cabin fever. We also discovered that a highway or freeway is a direct public road that is paid for by government taxes. A turnpike is a tollway where fees are collected, often privately owned and operated - an unusual concept in the west.

We thought we would see red states and blue states. All we really saw were states. Although we crossed 18 state lines through countless red, blue and purple counties, these crossings were not evident in the land nor even the use of the land, nor (for the most part) were they apparent during our visits with the people we met along the way. We didn't see people openly packing guns and we didn't see the anger or intolerance that seems to dominate Congress and the media. Moral of the story seems to be to get out there, and if you can, sidle up to the bar where you can talk to the locals. 

As usual, the greater differences were between rural and urban. New subdivisions were growing in mid-sized cities while smaller towns, especially in the west, had more boarded-up buildings. In states where the oil and gas industry is the strongest, windmills were everywhere. Some solar farms, too, but miles and miles of windmills. New businesses were striving in large and small communities. There were lots of new white pickups driving down the roads.  The highways were packed with semi-trucks transporting goods. Prime beat out Walmart 3 to 1.

Route 66 seemed to be dominated by retirees. The age group of people like me, who still write postcards. Most of the people we met were taking time to experience all of Route 66. Everything from classic cars and half-buried Cadillacs to neon lights and fried food in diners. That includes grizzled Harley Davidson groups who sped by us going the other way.

There was definitely a nostalgic theme along the route, but everyday modern life was on full display, too. After 6600 miles in 39 days, we were glad to be home, but I think we will look at the country differently from now on. We thank everyone who read this blog, who commented, or who just came along for the ride. We hope to see many of you over the summer and fall. In the meantime, this is RnB out!

The Parting Glass - YouTube

Cars

When all is said and done, this trip was ultimately about cars. Old and new. It started with our 2020 Mazda 6. Here are some of the beauties we saw on the way - delighted we did not have to drive any of them. 

1929? Model A Coupe

1940 Ford Coupe

1951 Buick Special Sedan

1960 Ford F-500 Flatbed at the renowned corner in Winslow, AZ

1955 Chevy Wagon

 1957 Chevy Bel Air Coupe

1957 Fairlane Convertible

   

1958? Hudson Hornet

  

1955? Customline Ford Coupe

1948 Ford Coupe?

1938? Chevrolet? Coupe

1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible

1997? Lincoln Town Car Stretch with tiled finish

Mystery - like a 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser but not quite.

1958 Ford Sedan

1940? Willys Jeep

1937? Chevrolet Truck

1942? International Pickup

Same as above

Phillips 66 Service Station with 1942? Ford Truck

John Deere Bicycle - ageless!

For all of you who love the open road, here is your song. John Fogerty's Hot Rod Heart.

John Fogerty - Hot Rod Heart (Live at Farm Aid 1997) - YouTube

Signs Along The Way

"And the sign said ..." On our journey, we were constantly entertained by signs along the route. Our favorite bumper sticker was on a Tesla that said, "I bought this before I knew he was a jerk." We thought you might enjoy some of the signs that helped us find our way. See if you can guess where we saw them. 

We even have a song for this one. Check out the Canadian band Five Man Electrical Band who had an A side hit in 1971 called Signs. The song was written by Les Emmerson when he was road-tripping on Route 66 in California and noticed that the beautiful scenery was littered with billboards. 

Five Man Electric Band - Signs with Lyrics - YouTube