Candacy Taylor - Moon Route 66 Road Trip

CANDACY TAYLOR

Route 66 is the quintessential road tripan artery stretching more than 2,400 miles, connecting urban and rural communities from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California.

During its heyday, gas stations, motor courts, and diners dished out hospitality to thousands, from Great Depression and Dust Bowl escapees to postwar suburbanites in Airstream trailers. Though much of the myth surrounding Route 66 has been an ideation of the past, underneath this nostalgia the Mother Roads asphalt curves have been shaped by progress, gender, and race. Carved within the grooves of this fabled highway is a troubled social history lined with abandoned buildings, dusty trailer parks, and rusted oil refineries that bear witness to the legacy of the Interstate as it bypassed towns and people. Threaded throughout are the stories of the earlier times of the routeof the Trail of Tears and of the Green Book properties during the Jim Crow era.

These bumps, bruises, and battle scars shape the Mother Roads cycle of triumph, redemption, and survival. Laid out around every bend of this beloved and timeworn trip are sights and experiences that speak to the spirit and stamina of Route 66. Historic Harvey Houses still service road-weary travelers, diners that have been run by the same family for generations open their doors, and art deco buildings sit restored to their vintage shine. This layered patina of roadside history retains the tenor of a bygone eraits visible on paint-chipped signs, weather-beaten barn-side advertisements, and cracked neon bulbs. As Leonard Cohen sings Theres a crack in everything, thats how the light gets in.

Crack open the pages, hit the road, and let the light in. Youll rediscover America like never before.

Route 66 crosses eight states and three time zones. Some of its best-preserved sections include the stretch between Springfield, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma; the road west of Seligman, Arizona; and the Oatman Highway through the Black Hills of Arizona.

Chicago: Where it all begins. The Mother Road starts in the Windy City and stretches through Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri. Though much of the route has been replaced by I-55, theres still plenty of two-lane blacktop left to explore. Starting in Chicago, Route 66 heads southwest to Pontiac. Visit the Route 66 Hall of Fame and stretch your legs over the historic Swinging Foot Bridges. In Springfield youll learn about the 1908 Race Riots, and in Staunton stop to pet some furry friends at Henrys Rabbit Ranch.

In Missouri, the Mother Road enters Ozark country passing through lush rolling hills, quaint historic towns, and pristine farmland. This leg of the trip starts in St. Louis, where youll walk across the Chain of Rocks Bridge, play in the artistic wonderland of City Museum, and treat yourself to frozen custard at Ted Drewes. Cross another signature bridge in Devils Elbow, visit landmarks from the Trail of Tears in Waynesville, and spend a day in Springfield, the official birthplace of the Mother Road.

Route 66 only covers 13 miles through Kansas, but there are several places worth a stop, like Cars on the Route in Galena for souvenirs and Angels on the Route in Baxter Springs.

Oklahoma has more drivable miles of Route 66 than any other state. Youll cross some of the earliest roadbeds and one of the longest bridges on the Mother Road. Start in Catoosa with a visit to the iconic Blue Whale then stop for a soda at Pops in Arcadia, where youll choose from more than 600 varieties. Head to Tulsa and explore the stunning Art Deco downtown. Learn about the Tulsa Race Riots at the Greenwood Cultural Center and the devastating Dust Bowl at the Woody Guthrie Center.

Route 66 bisects the Texas panhandle, running parallel to I-40. The drive offers that middle-of-nowhere feeling with rusting grain silos and abandoned motor courts. Dont miss Shamrocks Tower Station and U-Drop Inn, a Depression-era Art Deco marvel. Stop in McLean, a ghost town preserved in time, and head west to Amarillo with a quick detour to the Cadillac Ranch, where 10 tail-finned Cadillacs sit buried-nose deep in a Texas wheat field. The MidPoint Caf in Adrian marks the halfway point of this road trip.

After entering the state near Tucumcari, well follow the pre-1937 alignment and leave I-40 behind. Head north to Santa Fe, stopping to enjoy some of the best chile at Tia Sophias. Route 66 then dips south to Albuquerque, home of the opulent Pueblo Deco KiMo Theatre. Learn about American Indian culture at the Acoma Pueblo and then head west to the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup.

Parts of the original Route 66 are not passible in the east side of the state, making I-40 the most practical driving option. Lunch at Joe & Aggies in Holbrook and then spend an afternoon browsing downtown Williams. The best overnight option on Route 66 is La Posada Harvey House in Winslow. After reaching the iconic Delgadillos Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Route 66 opens up to 159 miles of a pristine two-lane black top all the way to Kingman. Brave the hairpin curves through the Black Mountains on the way to the mining town of Oatman.