It is considered as the dream road of the USA, the way to the promised Land of California and to the nature of the national Park wonder. Today it has become an attraction for nostalgia trips.
26. November, 1926, is the birthday of a native American myth. On this day, the Route 66 got its road number, and was officially the first continuous East-West connection of the United States. About 3939 kilometres of the two-lane road from Chicago to the East wound its way through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arziona to Los Angeles on the California coast.
Nostalgic: Diner on Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Decline and resurrection
With the growing traffic, it went with the Route 66 downhill. In the 1980s, a new Interstate Highway was built and the old two-lane Highway seemed to be soon history. With their kitschy Motels, the Diners and gas stations that pay attention to their Look.
After the partial routes have been decommissioned. “What was once a huge, almost 4000 miles long, the carnival parade, was only a Ghost. Whole cities disappeared,” said David Knudson, founder and Director of the “National Historic Route 66 Federation”. The Association has been working since 1994 for the preservation of Route 66 as a cultural heritage of America.
The mother of all roads
The Route 66 is not only in the United States, a Synonym for the great feeling of freedom, embodies the spirit of optimism and independence. This is the myth of the American writer and Nobel prize winner John Steinbeck, great share. He sat on the dusty road in his novel “the grapes of wrath” is a literary monument. The story is based on a true story: In the time of the “Great Depression,” to escape, hundreds of thousands of farmers from the Drought-stricken Oklahoma. Follow Route 66 to the West, a seemingly better life. In the case of Steinbeck, Route 66, the road of hope is, “the mother of all roads”.
Straightway to the West: the Route 66 in Texas
Later, after the Second world war, another Generation is on the way, with other intentions: “to get their kicks on Route 66”. The popular Song from 1946 captures a sense of life, the visitors of today want to experience – into the car swing and the feeling of freedom and independence to enjoy. In Winslow, Arizona, the song is dedicated to even a memorial. The Road-Movie “Easy Rider” (1969) makes this desire for freedom finally to the cult. Whether it’s a Chevrolet, Mustang, or a Harley – the journey East to West is a life dream that many of US want to meet visitors.
The myth still attracts
85 percent of the old route are still drivable. Travelers don’t let this not deter you, there is the Route 66 in their entire output. You know them from books, films, television shows and Songs and want to experience the feeling of great freedom. “You want to experience the old America, an America where everything was possible,” says Michael Wallis, historian and author of “Route 66: The mother road”. “Here, adventure is always calling, nothing is predictable,” he adds. “I always say, everyone knows what you get at McDonald’s, but no one knows what gets you on the edge of an old, two-lane road like Route 66. You could go to a Café, a Snack bar, a bakery, a Diner because there are still genuine Surprises.”
Style of traveling: in the Chevrolet Corvette
From China and Brazil, most of Route 66 tourists, Wallis explains. Followed by the Europeans. They are all in search of the adventure of the endless Expanse.
“I have clients who are 20 years young, others are 70 – they are all fascinated by Route 66. Everybody is looking for for his Trip to a real car, a Mustang convertible or a Harley Davidson,” says Zsolt Nagy, organized twice in the year tours. It costs 7000 euros per Person. “You realize that the business run better. The road is in better condition, the signage is better – the Route 66 comes back to life,” says Zsolt. Ten years ago, travelled the Hungarian-born for the first Time on the Highway across America and was so excited that he stayed. “I think the myth is attracting more and more people.”
Route 66 brings cities to life
Bob Russell is the mayor of Pontiac, two hours South of Chicago. Its a small town with nearly 12,000 residents, is a Prime example of the ever-increasing interest in the legendary Road-Trip. “For us, it has done incredibly much,” he says enthusiastically. The city has four museums, including a Route 66 Museum with historic memorabilia and 27 huge murals, many of which relate to the famous street. Pontiac was one of the jewels of Route 66. “I think people from Overseas feel a certain atmosphere, because Route 66 is freedom, Driving with the top down, hair Wind-tousled, and the look goes to the horizon.”
Typical: neon sign shows the way to Motels and Diners
The most part are driven pieces in the vicinity of tourist attractions. Who is today on Route 66 on the way, also discovered in the case of the less travelled routes, newly renovated Motels with bright neon signs, new museums, many attractions, quirky and even more souvenir shops. But there is also the abandoned towns, the Ghost towns, they, too, are part of the picture and have a charm all their own. Here one thinks immediately of John Steinbeck’s novel “grapes of wrath” and sees the long trek to the Farmer formally. You will feel like in a time machine.
The great freedom – just an Illusion
The Route 66 awakens nostalgic memories. Half of the 89 sites along Route 66 were as “Sundown towns,” cities had a ban in which black Americans after dark output. Rather coincidentally, the author Candacy Taylor fell in the Research for her travel guide to Route 66, a book with the title “the Negro Motorist Green Book” in the hands. It lists safe places along the Highway. So you learned that the Ku Klux Klan is the operator of the tourists are very popular and Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, was Missouri. It is the only navigable cave in North America. In the Cave of the clan held a ritual cross burnings.
One of the few places where Blacks were welcome: the De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque, New Mexico
“All of these stories of the great freedom and the Vastness are the stories of white Americans, black Americans tell something else,” says Taylor. You don’t encourage people to let the flashing chrome of the Chevrolet ends of the panels, but to question it.
“The Route 66 is an American Icon, like Marilyn Monroe or Elvis,” she explains. “But she is not so perfect, there are a considerable number of cracks in the heal world. The heal America, Route 66 is only an Illusion.”
jz/ec/at (AFP)