You are standing near old Route 66. The line of the roadbed and the telephone poles in front of you mark the path of the famous "Main Street of America" as it passed through Petrified Forest National Park. From Chicago to Los Angeles, this heavily traveled highway was not only a road. It stood as a symbol of opportunity, adventure, and exploration of travelers.
A trip from Middle America to the Pacific Coast could take about a week - no interstate speeds here! For many, the journey was not just across miles, it was across cultures and lifestyles - from the most mundane to the exotic. Of course, getting to your destination was important, but the trip itself was a reward. From the neon signs of one-of-kind motels to burgers and chicken fried steaks of multitudes of restaurants, from the filling stations that served as miniature oases to gaudy tourist traps, these more than 2,200 miles of open road were magical.
Gaze down the long road and listen. You may hear echoes of the past - echoes of Route 66.
It winds from Chicago to L.A., More than two thousand miles all. Get your kicks on Route Sixty-six.
Bobby Troupe, Route 66, 1946
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