Americans Are Still Getting Their Kicks Along Route 66

Many Americans can’t remember a time before the interstate-highway system streamlined cross-country travel into more-or-less straight, convenient grooves across the United States.

And those are many of the same people who might have traveled the famous, winding Route 66 from the Midwest, across the Great Plains and deserts of the Southwest, and ultimately to California. They’re also the same generation who dreamed about the open road to the lyrics of the song, (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66, first recorded by Nat King Cole:

And now, a bit of research partially funded by the American Express Foundation sheds new light not only on the historic importance of what’s known as America’s Mother Road but also on the economic contributions that travel on – and fascination with – Route 66 still make to the economies of the towns and cities along its route.

“This research really showed the potential that Route 66 offers to preserve our cultural heritage, and we look forward to seeing this research create new ways for historic places to drive economic prosperity,” Timothy J. McClimon, president of the foundation, said in a press release.

The song itself supplies the names of many of the places that still benefit from Americans’ nostalgic, vestigial curiosity about Route 66, which traversed parts of seven states:

Route 66 served as a major path for westward migration during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and afterward. In addition to the song penned in 1946 by Bobby Troup and performed the same year by

Met an English couple at the La Posada hotel in Winslow when there were only 2 or 3 rooms open. They had flown to Chicago, bought an old station wagon,and had driven to Winslow on 66 (as much as they could) and when they reached California, the plan was to sell the car and fly back.

I do not understand the Dutchies fascination with Route 66. It struck me as a bit odd. But there were other aspects of the Dutch fascination with Americana:

In Boxmeer on a cold April evening on our way to a restaurant I was surprised to see a 1960 Cadillac convertible cruising down the main drag, top down and the driver's scarf flapping in the breeze. Blasting on the radio was John Lee Hooker's "One Bourbon, One scotch, One beer"

In Maastrict we stayed at a small hotel that featured a live band whose repatoir included a mix of: Gene Vincent, Dick Dale, Righteous Brothers (Little Latin Lupe Lu) and Stevie ray Vaughn. They sang in perfect English, but when I talked to them they could barely speak English.

In Venlo I met an older man at a bar, he recognized me as a "yank", shook my hand and then said: "When ever I meet a yank, I have to thank them, because your country save my family in the war". He was a boy during the war but when he turned 18 he went to America, joined the army, served two years as a "thank you", he then pulled his discharge papers out to prove it!

Exactly, that was the crux of my post. She gave up a career in film for family and to be married to Jack Webb then he became a workaholic with Julie at home with kids and never saw him so she filed for divorce. I can’t understand why Jack would never want to come home.

Bobby courted her for about 6 years before she married him. They lived happily ever after. I don’t care what is read on IMDB. I know she was married to both. The fact that Jack Webb would rather be married to t.v. shows like Dragnet than come home to Julie after a hard days work befuddleds me.

Both guys served in the U.S Army too so she had great taste.

I guess I should add a lot of periods like you did in your post ............

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.