October 4, 2026
If you ever plan to motor west. Travel my way, take the highway, that’s the best. Get your kicks on Route 66
From the song Get your kicks on Route 66 by Bobby Troup
We decided to take Bobby Troup’s advice and headed to Route 66, America’s Mother Road. Stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, it has come to represent, adventure, nostalgia and the great American road trip. It was an apt time to visit because it celebrates its centenary this year, having been established on November 11, 1926. It initially became famous during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s when thousands of families travelled to California, seeking work and a better life. In fact, it was John Steinbeck who gave it the name “Mother Road” in his classic dust bowl novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Later during the 1950s and 1960s it became a popular route for families to explore the American west, eating in diners and staying in Motels along the way.
Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985 after new interstate highways, including I-40, replaced much of its function. However, roughly 80-85% of the route still remains drivable. We headed toward Kingman which is mentioned in the famous song and still retains some of its historic charm.
We went all in for the full Route 66 experience, staying at a classic motel and eating at a classic diner.
The political leanings of this store owner were abundantly clear.
No night in the American west is complete without a beer (preferably Budweiser) at a cowboy bar lined with dollar notes.
