#standingonthecorner

Winslow, Arizona

Happy birthday to the most famous highway in the world, Route 66! The Mother Road opened 95 years ago. It stretched for more than 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, crossing N. Arizona and changed forever how Americans traveled. Route 66 would go on to be immortalized in novel, movie, television and song—a pop culture legend that symbolized freedom and sense of adventure. It connected us as a nation and became known as the “Main Street of America.”

Sadly, with the rise of interstate system, the old road became a relic. US 66 was decommissioned in 1985. America no longer had a Main Street. But you can’t suppress a sense of adventure. The old highway is back, now known as Historic Route 66, and is more beloved than ever. And it was a handful of folks from Seligman, Arizona leading the charge to reinstate the Mother Road. Today, it still offers the sweet taste of freedom. A road trip on 66 is a chance to dip into the past and rediscover a bygone era when life was less complicated, less stressful, and full of flavor. Put your wheels on that sliver of pavement and aim for the horizon sometime soon. It’s a journey you’ll never forget.

Friday - and the heat is ON!

We rode out of Socorro and headed towards Arizona. This was predicted to be the first real hot day of the ride. And the predictions didn't let us down. It got up to 106 degrees.

We crossed over the Continental Divide and wiggled over the mountains into Arizona. While the pictures of the flat desert landscape make you think you aren't at altitude, we had been well over the highest point on Virginia's Skyline Drive for the past few days. We hit a couple of small, and welcome sprinkles that gave us a quick cooling, but when we pulled into Winslow, Arizona, it was hot.

We did the touristy thing and got our pictures standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, only I'm sure we were not a fine sight to see. After getting our pictures and some needed ice cream to cool things off a bit, we headed out towards Flagstaff.

We hit Interstate 40, for a rare Interstate run. While it was an interstate highway, the views were still amazing and we watched the storm clouds drop their rain on the mountains in the distance. No matter how much we tried, we couldn't wish one of the clouds over to us to drop some on us.

The Quest goes on as when I threw the cover my machine, she needs 411 miles to get to the 100,000. I know she will be in Arizona when that happens, the question is, where will that be?