A Little Bit of Faith and Photography

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Road Trip Memories: Discovering the Icons of Route 66

I took a road trip from the east coast to Yuma, Arizona. I visited my children and grandchildren for the holidays and then I hit the road. I traveled down I-40 and it took me six days with lots of stops along the way. My trip was blessed! The weather was great and I arrived safely at my destination. My family and friends were a bit apprehensive as I was traveling alone. My main focus was seeing Rt. 66. The historic and iconic route has lots of quirky things to see. I spent several hours in Nashville, TN absorbing the sounds and the colors.

A street view of Nashville, Tennessee, featuring a mix of historic buildings and modern architecture, including the prominent AT&T Building with its iconic spires against a clear blue sky.
A vibrant view of downtown Nashville, showcasing a mix of historic and modern architecture, perfect for immersing in the iconic sounds and colors of the city.

I traveled through Missouri so I could start my Rt. 66 exploration in Kansas. I dropped down into Oklahoma and then drove across the panhandle of Texas to New Mexico and finally Arizona, my ultimate destination. Following the authentic Rt. 66 in Oklahoma was pretty awesome. I explored New Mexico and stayed in a budget motel; it was clean, but the shower had no showerhead, just a pipe protruding from the wall! It was hard to take a proper shower, but I managed. After leaving this Wyndham hotel, I wrote an eye-opening review—they will give me credit for the room. I spent several hours in Arizona exploring, and then I decided to drive to Yuma, which turned out to be a long drive that day.

I used a Rt. 66 app and a book with street directions to find a few places. But, I found it is easier to use this book with another person. I missed my hubby, Frank, on this venture.

Come along with me along the “Mother Road” and “Get your Kicks on Rt. 66”!

My first stop was Galena, Kansas. I thought it would be interesting to visit a town named “Galena”. I think of the old west towns from the black and white westerns when I read the name.

The railroad was built through the territory of Galena, Kansas in 1871. However, the community did not start until the discovery of lead in the spring of 1877. The population is around 2700. Galena is named after the mineral that is found in the area. Galena is the first major city in Kansas for westbound travelers from Missouri along Rt. 66.

Kansas

This mural was across the street and cati-corner to the Coca-Cola mural, Baxter Springs.
Vintage Coca-Cola mural advertising 'Refresh yourself' and 'Delicious and refreshing' with Route 66 signage in Galena, < KS
This was the first mural I saw when I pulled into Baxtor Springs, KS.

I knew I hit pay dirt when I arrived in Galena! So much to see!

A large vintage statue of a mechanic in green overalls, holding a wrench, stands outside a white building with a mural of an American flag made from license plates.
Big A Giant and an American flag made out of Kansas License plates.
Gearhead Curios in Galena, TX. A vintage Texaco gas station featuring classic pumps, a green garage door, and a small toy race car in front.
A nostalgic Texaco gas station featuring vintage pumps and a child’s ride-on car, capturing the spirit of the iconic Route 66. Gearhead Curios, Galena, TX
Rt. 66 murals are all unique. They tell colorful stories.
This mural was right next to the one above.
Victorian-style house with a colorful stained glass window featuring a reclining figure, surrounded by bare trees and a clear sky.
Murder Bordello, Galena, TX. Local legend has it that a madam by the name of Ma Staffleback did away with as many as 50 of the establishment’s clients, but historians differ over whether this is the actual location of the murders.
Historic train depot building in Galena, Kansas, featuring vintage wagon wheels and a sign for 'Vintage Cars'.
The train station was converted into museum but was closed when i arrived in town.
A lineup of animated car characters from the movie Cars, featuring a red fire truck, a rusty tow truck, and an old pickup truck, set against a clear blue sky.
Colorful Cars from the ‘Cars’ Movie Series on show in Galena, Kansas. The inspiration for “mater” came from an international truck model. Galena is home to the International truck L-170 truck that became the inspiration for the character “Mater in Disney’s Cars.

Oklahoma

A retro green roadside sign for Oklahoma Route 66 stands in front of a colorful mural featuring historic images of Commerce, Oklahoma.
A vintage Route 66 sign in Commerce, Oklahoma, illustrating the iconic highway’s historical significance and vibrant culture.
A large brick building with colorful murals painted on its exterior, featuring an iconic Conoco Gas Station in Commerce, Oklahoma.
A colorful mural on a brick building in Commerce Oklahoma. showcasing vibrant art that captures the spirit of Rt. 66. Commerce is the birth place of Micky Mantel.
A vintage Conoco gas station structure painted green and red, positioned in front of a colorful mural depicting Route 66, with two classic gas pumps in the foreground in Commerce, Oklahoma
A historic Conoco gas station facade with vintage pumps, set against a vibrant Route 66 mural in Commerce, Oklahoma.
A colorful mural depicting historical elements of Route 66, featuring iconic symbols, figures, and text in Yukon, Oklahoma with a vintage design and vibrant colors.
A colorful mural celebrating the historic Route 66, featuring iconic imagery and messages from Yukon, Oklahoma.
A life-sized statue of a longhorn steer with a plaque, located outdoors in a grassy area in downtown Yukon, Oklahoma
A charming longhorn steer statue commemorating Oklahoma’s history, ideal for travelers on Route 66.
Historic grain elevator with a large mural and text reading 'Yukon's Best Flour,' located in Yukon, Oklahoma.
Historic Yukon Mill and Grain Co. in Yukon, Oklahoma, showcasing the iconic Yukon’s Best Flour sign.
A black and white photograph of a large statue of a longhorn bull, adorned with a historical plaque dated 1907, situated on a grassy area with a backdrop of buildings and a cloudy skyin Yukon, Oklahoma.
A vintage longhorn steer statue marking a historic stop along Route 66 Yukon, Oklahoma. Black and whiter version.
Mural depicting a scenic view of Route 66 in El Reno, Oklahoma, featuring a vintage car and a highway sign.
Colorful mural depicting the historic Route 66 in El Reno, Oklahoma, highlighting the essence of Americana road trips.
A retro-style filling station with a prominent sign reading 'THE FILLING STATION,' featuring large windows, red outdoor seating, and vintage cars visible inside located in El Reno, Oklahoma..
A nostalgic gas station along Rt. 66, known for its vintage charm and iconic signage in El Reno, Oklahoma.
A vibrant mural depicting a bird, sunflowers, butterflies, and a sunset, on a brick wall with a clear blue sky above.
Colorful mural depicting a sunset with butterflies and flowers, showcasing local art in El Reno, Oklahoma.
Sign for the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, featuring a stylized Route 66 shield.
Sign for the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, showcasing the iconic Route 66 heritage.

Texas

A colorful mural depicting a vintage motorcycle against a stylized map of the United States, located on a black building wall, with 'Route 66' written above located in Amarillo, Texas
A vibrant mural of a motorcycle illustrating the iconic Route 66, located on a building in Amarillo, Texas.
Close-up of a painted car body in a vibrant graffiti art installation, Bug City, Merillo, TX.
Bug City, Amarillo, Texas
Colorful graffiti-covered cars arranged in a desert setting under a clear blue sky in Bug City, Amarillo, TX.
Bug City, Amarillo, Texas
A roadside attraction featuring a colorful building with signs for a gift shop, restrooms, and merchandise, including a prominent 'Bug Ranch' sign. Vintage cars and Route 66 memorabilia are displayed on the exterior.
A colorful roadside attraction known as Bug City in Amarillo, Texas featuring quirky signs and artifacts celebrating Route 66.
Colorful graffiti art covering a concrete surface with various letters and abstract designs.
Bug City, Amarillo, Texas, graffiti on the side walk.
Vibrant graffiti-covered Cadillacs and Volkswagons standing upright in a desert landscape, with a clear blue sky in the background.
Colorful graffiti-covered cars at Bug City in Amarillo, Texas, an iconic roadside attraction along Route 66.
A concrete slab covered in colorful graffiti, prominently featuring the word 'JESUS' in red among other vibrant colors, with a background of painted cars at a graffiti art location known as Bug City, Amerillo, TX.
Bug City, Amarillo, Texas
Exterior view of the Big Texan Steak Ranch, featuring a bright yellow building with bold black lettering on the sign.
The iconic Big Texan Steak Ranch, known for its vibrant yellow exterior and famous steak challenges, welcoming travelers along Route 66. If you can eat your 72 oz. steak in one sitting you get your meal free.
Mural featuring 'Welcome to Vega' and 'Texas US 66' on a building facade, showcasing vibrant colors and bold lettering.
A colorful mural welcoming travelers to Vega, Texas, along the iconic Route 66.
A black and white photograph of a broken arrow stuck in the ground, with power lines and trees in the background, depicted in a stylized, high-contrast manner with an artistic flair.
An arrow in the ground behind the gas station in Vega, Texas with an artistic twist.
Historic gas station exterior with green accents and vintage gas pumps, located on Route 66 in Vega,Texas.
Historic Route 66 station in Vega, Texas with vintage gas pump and signage.
A mural the length of a building depicting a white buffalo running across a red rock landscape with a blue sky and wispy clouds in the background. Vega, Texas.
A vibrant mural showcasing a bison against a striking blue sky and reddish rock formations, capturing the spirit of the American West in Vega, Texas.
A vintage truck with a cow statue on its bed parked under a tall cafe sign featuring diamond shapes. Found along my journeys.
A retro cafe sign featuring a cow on the roof of a vintage truck, capturing the quirky charm of roadside attractions along Route 66.

Arizona

A colorful mural map of the USA highlighting Route 66, displayed at the Tee Pee Trading Post in Lagunitas, Arizona, with a distinctive teepee-shaped structure in the background.
A colorful mural depicting the iconic Route 66 map at the Tee Pee Trading Post in Leggett, Arizona. Lupton is a tiny village on the Arizona – New Mexico state line.
It is famous for its red and ochre Painted Cliffs, which appeared in the award winning movie The Grapes of Wrath and inspired a Cars animated movie location.
There are many sights not only by the foot of the cliffs, but also along the original Route 66 segment that runs through Lupton.
A colorful building in front of a rocky cliff, featuring signs and blankets for sale, set against a clear blue sky. Located after crossing the Arizona line from Texas. Navajo Nation, Lupton, Arizona.
A vibrant shop nestled against stunning rock formations along Route 66, showcasing local culture and unique crafts. Lupton, Arizona.
An abandoned jewelry store with a white facade and a red building in front of a rugged rock formation under a clear blue sky. Navajo Nation, Lupton, Arizona
An abandoned jewelry and leather store nestled against colorful rock formations along Route 66. Found at the rest stop when entering Arizona from New Mexico. Many of the buildings are now gone.
Abandoned Pancake House diner with a vintage sign and surrounding overgrown vegetation, captured in black and white. in Houck, Arizona.
The historic Pancake House, a nostalgic stop along Route 66, captured in striking black and white Houck, Arizona.
Black and white photograph of a weathered wooden structure covered in graffiti, surrounded by a barren landscape Houck, Arizona, Camp Courage.
A historic building adorned with graffiti, showcasing the remnants of the Old West, discovered on a journey along Rt. 66, Houck, Arizona, Camp Courage.
Black and white photograph of abandoned buildings with graffiti, including a silo, in a desolate outdoor environment located in Houck, Arizonza.
A nostalgic view of abandoned structures along Route 66, showcasing the charm and history of America’s iconic highway in Houck, Arizona. Built in the late 1960s to capitalize on the popular television show F Troop, Fort Courage is a replica fort built to resemble the one from the program. The trading post also included a gift shop, Armco gas station, and coffee house/restaurant. F Troop was a television series that ran from 1965-67 set in the fictional Fort Courage. The replica fort, while not officially affiliated with the show, did not let this potential legal hurdle stop them, selling official merchandise and proudly displaying actual F Troop props. Because there was only so long that F Troop impersonating could be considered even vaguely financially viable, there was also a general store that sold groceries and Native American arts and crafts. Also on the trading post property were an Armco gas station and a pancake house, both now, like the fort itself, abandoned.  Fort Courage / Abandoned Place in Arizona

I hope you enjoyed my trip! Do you want to travel the Mother Road?

cindyarchbellmattson

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One response to “Road Trip Memories: Discovering the Icons of Route 66”

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    Anonymous

    What a trip . Next time together 😳

    Reply

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