Focus on the Backroads » Photo Journeys

FOCUS ON THE BACKROADS: ROUTE 66 ARCADIA OKLAHOMA

Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926. Running from Chicago, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, ending in Santa Monica, California. This highway, that stretched 2448 miles, became an American icon know worldwide as The Main Street of America. During the Great Depression, thousands of farm families displace from the Dust Bowl, made their way west to California via Route 66. Again after World War II thousands more travel this route from the east to the west, modern day pioneers in search of of a better life in the Sun Belt.

Route 66 has been the in many songs (Route 66/Bobby Troup; The Mother Road/Alan Rhody; 2200 Miles/The Mad Cat Trio; and others). From 1960 to 1962, two young men weekly travel this highway, across America, on the CBS TV show Route 66 in a red Corvette. Route 66 was the inspiration for Pixar’s 2006 hit Carswhere Speed McQueen, a red Corvette, discovers the magic of this historic Backroad.

On my “bucket list” is to travel this famous highway, take photographs, and eat chicken fried steak, and cheese burgers (and drink a few Malts). I recently visited Arcadia, Oklahoma one of the hundreds of small towns along Route 66. This visit reenforced that this is a trip that “needs to happen”. Arcadia was established after the Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889. Most of the settlers were cotton farmers. Arcadia means any real or imaginer place offering peace and simplicity
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Located 15 miles of Oklahoma City this town of 279 is now famous for a Big Red Barn and POPS.
POPS has become a must stop for the Route 66 traveler. Out front is a 4 ton 66 foot multicolor soda bottle that lights up the night sky with a dazzling light show. Inside you will find great food, over 600 different sodas – THEY HAVE OVER 80 VARIETIES of root beer and over 50 flavors of cream soda (I have no idea who drinks cream soda). At POPS you can fill your gas tank and they have CLEAN REST ROOMS – it does not get any more peaceful or simple!

There is a famous quote by Lighting McQueen from the movie Cars that sums up the Route 66 experience:
Ka-Chow!

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