Bit by bit I’ve developed an appreciation for Route 66. I used to think it was just another road, at best an advertising gimmick. But, there’s a lot to this old road and here are some of the things that changed my mind about historic Route 66.
Let’s start with Steinbeck. Some years ago, I got to know the Steinbeck shelf at Pasadena Central and basically read the shelf book by book. Read Grapes of Wrath – twice. Then watched the the 1940 movie starring Henry Fonda.
Steinbeck famously called Route 66 “the mother road” — alluding to the road as a life giver and sustainer. But, he also called Route 66 “the road of flight.” Grapes of Wrath is a story of flight; a story of desperate people with nowhere else to turn and Route 66 is a way out. And, as Steinbeck writes, strange things happen to a people in flight, “some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that the faith is refired forever.” That’s the story that first drew me to Route 66.
Today, Route 66 nostalgia is not for the “road of flight” but more for post World War 2 road tripping.
Next, I think was Pixar’s movie Cars. Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Cars was released in 2006. With kids in the house, the story of Lightening McQueen and Radiator Springs was a must. Lightening’s love interest, Sally, gives him an extraordinary history lesson when she tells him of the glory days of Route 66 and how that glory was cast aside for the interstate freeway system.
Let’s loop back to Steinbeck. In 2021, I did my California League baseball tour and, on my way to San Jose (Giants’ minor league), I stopped at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. The stop reminded me of Steinbeck’s works including, of course, Grapes of Wrath, and his last book, Travels with Charlie: In Search of America, released in 1962.
Travels with Charlie contrasts with the fictional story in Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck’s Travels is not an escape. He’s not fleeing devastation like the Dust Bowlers of the 30’s. Instead, in the post depression, post war leisure of the 60’s, he’s on an quest, looking for his country.
And, that’s kind of where we are today. We have plenty of societal tumult, but still the opportunity to get on the on the road and search for America. That’s what one of America’s greatest writers did in 1960 and we’re still doing it today. No matter the decade, it’s the places you’ll see and the people you’ll meet along the way. That’s what a road trip is all about.
Here’s a window into Steinbeck’s 1960 road trip. He sees big cities getting bigger and small towns shrinking, regional distinctions being erased by national chain stores About the giant highways rolling across the country, he writes, “When we get these thruways across the whole country … it will be possible to drive from New York to California without seeing a single thing.” Sounds alot like something Sally would say in Cars.
In 2023 we took our road trip to the Field of Dreams, which I chronicled on this site. We had no reservations for the trip home, and about dusk one night we found ourselves in Gallup, New Mexico. On a fluke, we stayed at the El Rancho Hotel.
Unbeknownst to us, the El Rancho is one of the most iconic Route 66 hotels and it was easy to see why. Beautiful dark wood lobby with inglenook and photos of Hollywood stars lining the walls. Rooms named for stars from Hollywood’s golden era. Just enough rustic, the place is a full on trip back in time.
Up and down the street outside the El Rancho are hotels of obviously lesser quality but with historic signs nonetheless.
After the El Rancho Hotel and Gallup, NM, I was full on a Route 66 convert. So, that’s our Intro to Route 66. Before year’s out, and the Route 66 Centennial is over, we’ll take this back to east Pasadena and post some interesting photos from out exploration of Route 66 IEast Colorado Blvd.) out this way.
Meanwhile, what better way to close this out than a certain corner in Winslow, Arizona:
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