Route 66

I though most of Rt66 had been decommissioned and abandoned now, making quite a lot of it inaccessible or unrecognizable. I think you have to work quite hard to find it in places (where it still exists).

Well, I guess it depends on your definition of "long"; but, yeah, after all, it does run from Chicago to LA (like the song says). I'm very familiar with it in Arizona and New Mexico, but not much east of there. You have to look for your shots, because they're not always obvious. There are places that are touristy, like Seligman, AZ, but there are also hidden treasures along the way...

Bob is right, but that just makes it more of a treasure hunt. There is one stretch in Arizona, between Ash Fork and Seligman, that even has replicas of Burma Shave signs. (If you don't know what those are, you're too young ;-)

By the way, there are better sources of info out there than Ken Rockwell...

Not with Ken. The Route 66 architecture developed along with the volume of traffic the road carried. Two, perhaps three major migrations occurred. The Dust Bowl and Depression sent many traveling west to try to escape economic disaster. World War II drew people west to the booming industries of southern California. The "car" as recreational vehicle as the economy improved brought massive tourist travel along the route as well. The interstates bypassed portions and the architectures, as usual, was replaced by other ideas of "modern." The natural photo ops are coincidental and the romantic architectural elements came to the road because of the travelers, not really to be photo subjects.

Here in the Los Angeles area, there are still elements of the route that can be followed but it seems that many of the places pointed out as being on Route 66 are perhaps as much a part of the growth of the whole area and not strictly from the highway. However, once you climb east over Cajon Pass, both Route 66 and the railroad are the dominating features of 20th century history across much of the route.

Albuquerque, NM. to Springfield, MO. was a bored for the most part...tho there must have been some cool parts. Anyhow, it was long ago for me...But eastern NM and west Texas is always a bored no matter what route one takes:(

Southern IL is very Christian but neat and super motorcycle friendly...

Leslie, I'm not sure I agree about eastern NM, but you're dead right about west Texas. At least, along the 66 route, you only have to deal with the panhandle...

Have a home on a ridge in Flagstaff that overlooks a stretch of 66 that is not freeway. The commercially developed stretches are still quaint - the train station, many of the 1940s era hotels. It's just the same as it was and that is probably the quandary. If you've never been there it's new to you. If you were here five or ten -or 20- years ago ...kind of like slot canyons or dry lake beds, once you've done it you've done it. I haven't seen 66 further east than New Mexico. Maybe that is different but as far as I have seen it is one long heritage park. Great for what it is.

Tombstone is the same- great to see (just a different era) with cool photo ops but then it's in your portfolio and you're done. Any location which has a contrivance to it always feels less satisfying but then I remember all those amazing films shot on sound stages and that the location is only part of it. And I go back to work.

Anything close to the L.A. end worth seeing?

Dennis, is that old Ford pickup still around? That's the grille I'm looking for. Haha!