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