Route 66 - A Photographic Journey

During a visit to Las Vegas, I ventured on Route 66 to get away from the craziness of Sin City. The mythical road immediately sparked my interest and my curiosity, so I needed to come back and do the entire journey. I have not experienced the glory days of Route 66, but the vestiges of it made me realize how unfortunate it is that one day this historic highway will be forever gone.

2011 marked the 85th anniversary of Route 66: The Mother Road. The most famous road of the USA was bypassed by Interstate 40 and removed from the United States Highway System in 1985. With fewer visitors year after year, the road is being left to itself and to the few good Samaritans who are doing their best to take care of it.

More than 3,000 buildings in ruins are scattered along the road. During my road trip, I have documented some of the motels, restaurants, villages and tourist attractions that marked the heyday of Route 66.

The historic journey of 2,448 miles (3,940 km) took me from Chicago to Los Angeles through 8 States: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The trip included several overnight stays in non-luxury motels, numerous stops for gas, and a whole lot of greasy but delicious food!

This book is the result of my adventure and will hopefully help preserve the memories and history of the highway once known as The Main Street of America.