It has been more than a week since I returned home and I have had some time to reflect on our journey.
The trip we took as cousins was and will remain one I will always retain fond memories of for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I was able to take the trip with two of my favorite people; my brother Michael and our cousin John Phillips. Both are older than me and as such were instrumental in my developing an interest in sports cars and road adventures from the time I was a small boy. It was a trip that I have thought and fantasized about from time to time for decades. There is within my generation a nostalgic and perhaps even a romantic notion about the Mother Road, Route 66.
Younger generations might not realize it’s significance in American culture, but for the baby boomer generation Route 66 was the backdrop for a myriad of movies we grew up with from “Grapes of Wrath”, to “Easy Rider”, “Last American Hero”, “Midnight Run”, “Thelma & Louise”, “Get Shorty”, and others.
And who of my generation can forget the iconic ’60’s TV show “Route 66” starring George Maharis and Martin Milner portraying two free spirited young American men experiencing adventure all across the USA, all while traveling in the iconic car of the era, a Chevrolet Corvette. What young boy wouldn’t be captivated by the fantasy of a road that promised that much adventure?
Then of course there is the Bobby Troup song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” first immortalized by Nat King Cole. Many other versions of the song followed performed by various artists including The Andrew Sisters, Perry Como, Chuck Berry, Manhattan Transfer, Glen Frey, Asleep at The Wheel, and even The Rolling Stones. While being a pretty good tune, I believe the song has survived and reappeared with new artists primarily because of its subject matter, the iconic Route 66. The road is an indelible stamp on American culture and begs to be explored by all who possess a sense of adventure and are drawn to the open road. If anyone reading this has the inclination to taking the Route 66 trek, I say just do it. You will not be dissapointed.
My trip back home though not on Route 66 was in itself a very enjoyable trip for two reasons. First, it allowed me to travel through many areas I’ve never driven and to revisit areas I have driven through but not for many years. But the most enjoyable factor of the ride home was that I was able to enjoy it with my youngest son who flew out to Los Angeles to meet up with us at the end of our trek and share the drive home with me. It helps that he is a sports car fan and on top of that a very good driver in his own right. After witnessing his driving acumen on this trip even though he has never has done so I am certain he would do well on a race track with a club that offers driver experience days. Maybe that’s something else we can do together in the future. Pretty sure he would enjoy that. I know I would.
Our trip home took us through Las Vegas, Provo, Cheyenne, Broken Bow and the sand hills of Nebraska, Omaha, rural Iowa, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Columbus Ohio. We encountered some weather along the way, with tornado sirens going off through the night in Omaha, and severe weather with deluge level rains outside St. Louis but we traversed it all in safety. And as on the trip west our trip east afforded beautiful scenery some of which we captured in the photos below. Hope you enjoy them, and for those who have followed this adventure online, thank you for your support and prayers for our safety. It was wonderful knowing you were with us in spirit.
– Mitch
