On Route 66 Outlaw Willie will draw his guns, arrest you with gunfire, and transform into Rev. Rod Hall, the wedding man, and perform your wedding in a mine, on the road, in a boat, on a hillside, wherever you say! That gives new meaning to a "shotgun wedding"! Route 66 or the "Mother Road" as it is called was the result of the need seen in the early 1900's for a national highway system. Eight states built the "Main Street of America" which was completed in 1937 from Chicago to Santa Monica.
Route 66 is right out of TV memory for us! The little towns are just as you might imagine - old and full of character. We arrived in Oatman (mining ghost town) just as the Ghostriders Gun Fighters were putting on the show that closes the road for 30 minutes! We arrived in Seligman as the 3 wheel motorcyles club were meeting in front of the Copper Cart restaurant!
I thought of my mother who travelled with her parents and "Uncle Bill" (family friend - more about that later) to California when she was 12 (1923). They were moving there from Hamilton to find work building houses in Oakland. Some friend had told them about this opportunity. There was no Route 66 completed yet. It must have been quite the trip. Route 66 is at best a 2 lane roadway, sometimes narrowing as it winds around a mountain; sometimes flat as a pancake and straight as an arrow. My Mom always talked about how long the trip took. I can see why now!
The towns were delightful and full of character - we loved the wild burros that wander the streets - the mountains were treacherous at times - no guard rails - lots of crosses where cars have gone over - the little shops and restaurants were quaint and owned by proud locals. On one mountain stop we climbed to a lookout point where a pool of spring fed water attracted bird and butterflies.
Lots of kicks on Route 66 - ghost towns, guns, burros, shot-gun weddings - who could want for more?
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