Getting our kicks on Route 66

What a fun way to spend the day road tripping along Route 66.

By 1939, with the publication of John Steinbeck's “The Grapes of Wrath,” Route 66 had achieved iconic status and was nicknamed "The Mother Road." Route 66 stretches about 2,448 miles through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

Route 66 emerged as a symbol of freedom and mobility for numerous Americans, particularly during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl period. It offered a route to new opportunities and a better life, especially for those heading west.

Arizona's stretch of Route 66 is sprinkled with small towns featuring eclectic and retro attractions, vibrant history, roadside diners, historic eateries, and some of the Southwest's most stunning landscapes.

Route 66 has been featured in books, movies, songs, and television shows. The 1946 song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" and the 1960s CBS television series Route 66 made it a cultural icon.

Our first stop was in Seligman. We stopped in at Angel's Barber Shop and Visitor's Center and had the sweetest gentleman working behind the counter, so welcoming and full of great information. He gave us a route map that provided us directions and numbered points of interest. We stayed and chatted with him for a while and picked out a Route 66 biker t-shirt and a new sticker for the rig before heading out on the road again.

We blew through most of the smaller towns on the map, slowing down long enough to catch a passing glimpse of "this and that" and old Route 66 structures along the way.

By the time we reached Kingman, our stomachs were growling, so we hit up the popular Mr. D'z, a '50s diner with its colorful, vintage decor featuring chrome, vinyl, Formica, and checkered tile flooring. Bill ordered a cherry Coke, and I a vanilla Coke. For food, Bill had the pulled pork sandwich, and I had a burger.

While in Kingman, we made a stop at Thunder Rode, an old-school biker shop full of biker gear, accessories, and sew patches.

Across the street lies the Kingman Route 66 Museum, a museum of history, situated in a historic building that lit the path for the earliest Route 66 travelers. We quite enjoyed our tour of the museum and stopped for a photo op in their Route 66 drive through.

There was much more to see and do in Kingman and along Route 66, but the day was getting on, and we had a two-hour drive ahead of us back to Flagstaff. Before leaving, we took a drive up the main street to catch a look at the storefronts before making our way home.

A trip back down Route 66 is definitely in our future plans, maybe next time during warmer weather and on the motorbikes.

Bill & Cat