Traveling Along Route 66

When writing Ruby Slips and Poker Chips, I thought of ways to incorporate the iconic parts of The Wizard of Oz into a story that was loosely based on a few real life people. What better way to represent the yellow brick road on the way from Kansas to Las Vegas than Route 66. It’s the most commercialized byway in the United States which I’m sure the yellow brick road is in Oz.

So, what’s so special about this highway that in parts is rundown and overgrown? Why do people buy t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other memorabilia depicting the digits 66? The highway that has been around since 1926 runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. It’s not only enough to travel along  this road in your Camry, but it almost seems essential to travel it on your motorcycle (if only I had one.)

Along the route, you will see remnants of a bygone era of Americana.

Dottie and Shay stayed at the Bluebird Motel, but I changed the name to protect the innocent. The Blue Swallow Motel is located in Tucumcari, New Mexico a little over a hundred miles from Shay’s hometown of Amarillo.

Painted truck near Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas. This is where Dottie meets Shay for the first time after he falls out of the back of a truck. A fun fact is that close to the Cadillac Ranch is a Volkswagen Beetle Ranch. I missed out on this gem when I visited Amarillo in March.

Dottie, Shay, and Tina spend the next night in Holbrook, Arizona. What trip along the yellow brick road, I mean Route 66, would be complete without an overnight at the Wigwam Motel? There was no way my characters would pass this up. Hopefully, if you spend the night at the Wigwam, it ends up better for you than Dottie, Shay, and Tina.

[image error]

Have you traveled Route 66? What experiences have you had? Leave a comment below.

The post Traveling Along Route 66 appeared first on Heather Kindt.