If the first few days of the trip down Route 66 was about the small towns, the next four days were mostly about the road that crossed the countryside and the bridges that crossed the rivers and creeks. Route 66 was first commissioned in 1926 with only 800 paved miles, and fully paved 11 years later. The highway was the path to a new life in California for untold numbers of people during the dust bowl years. During the depression, WPA infrastructure projects for towns along the Mother Road helped provide a living wage for able bodied men and improved travel for those who could afford it or found it necessary to relocate looking for opportunities.
The road did take us through many small towns, some healthy and thriving, some existing primarily because of tourists traveling the route for it’s history or mystique, some not so lucky but hanging in there, and a few that are obviously breathing their last breath.
There were also a lot of Route 66 icons, restored or renovated, worthy of a stop to admire and appreciate. There were also Route 66 relics to see, some diamonds in the rough waiting to be discovered, some that probably won’t be that lucky, and many that are too far gone and will likely be lost to photographs and memories.