Bygone Byways
(TM) 2001

Click on one of the picture buttons below to begin your journey!

     I accidentally discovered old Route 66 while motoring one sunny day along superslab I-40 near Flagstaff, Arizona.  I'd heard of it, but it really existed?  Wow!  From then on, a special interest was born, not just of Route 66, but of the glitz, kitsch and excitement of all of America's roadside past.  From childhood trips, I vaguely remembered buzzing neon signs, albino rattlesnakes, mysterious teepees; greasy spoon diners and rubber tomahawks.   Where had they all gone?  Replaced by the dull sameness of the mega-corporations and a spreading numbness across the land.

     Well I still remember them!  How long has it been since you saw something unique along the road?  Probably far too long.  So come with me as we reminisce about some of the fun and flair that used to make every trip a special occasion.  Click on one of the images below for some pictures of my experiences along the American road and please send me some of yours...I'm looking forward to seeing what's out there.

"The highway, oh, the highway.  No place, in theory, is boring of itself.  Boredom lies only with the traveler's limited perception and his failure to explore deeply enough."  William Least Heat-Moon in Blue Highways.


"Gee, I wonder how I can get a copy of some of those cool pics...?"  
Find out HERE

Route 66.  Since 1926, this road, perhaps more than any other, has come to define America's unique roadside culture.  From Chicago to Santa Monica, a whole new way of life consisting of the roadside cafe, motor court and unique roadside attractions sprung up and made their way into our pocketbooks, and our hearts.

  Highway 80, the Broadway of America, the Bankhead Highway, the Dixie Overland and the Ocean to Ocean Highways...well, it used to be.  Decommissioned first in California, then subsequently in Arizona and New Mexico, now now even all the way back to Dallas, Texas, old Highway 80 seems to be shirking away from the west coast like a turtle retreating into its shell.  However, due to the arid conditions of much of the Southwest, relics and evidence of the old highway abound. 

Highway 99, the Pacific HighwayBorn at the same time as its cousin 66, old 99 quickly became the main thoroughfare for North-South travel in the West Coast states.  Unfortunately, 99 has undergone the same onslaught of 'progress' as has 66.  Those quaint cafes and motels of yesterday, once thriving on the main route, continue to disappear.

101-OR-Lookout near Oswald State Park.jpg (58929 bytes) Highway 101, the Redwood and Pacific Coast Highway, is a fantastic drive over virtually its entire length.  101 carries one from San Diego surf to Redwoods; Oregon coast to Washington's Olympic peninsula.  I've had the privilege to drive it from San Francisco to Washington, and it was a wonderful trip.

The flair of yesteryear lives on!  Enjoy some memories of the road.  I'll start with goodies from my own  personal experiences, but I'm looking forward to getting guest photos.  Help me 'flesh-out' the country by sending me some of your favorite stuff!  Location, state and credit are given when known.

 

Comments?  Questions?  How can I serve the roadie better?  
   Please let me know by contacting me here!

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 Hot links to other cool roadie websites!

    

Author's note: All photos on this web are my own and copyrighted with 'Digimark' unless indicated otherwise.  Click on a thumbnail and peruse these for your personal enjoyment.  But please respect my ownership rights...do not use these photos for sale/distribution without my permission.

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