Imagine a time before Interstate highways, before tens of thousands of miles of concrete and mind-numbing homogeneity. Imagine a time when driving across the country was an adventure, when one could drive through real towns—full of character and intrigue—instead of bypassing them at 75 miles per hour.
Those days are long gone, but part of the excitement lives on when listening to Nat King Cole sing about the nation's most popular highway, Route 66, on this 1946 recording.
Makes you want to hit the open road, doesn't it? Albuquerque, New Mexico claims the longest intact section of historic Route 66 remaining in the country and I experienced the thrill of that long-ago time recently while lunching at the 66 Diner. What a place! Neon everywhere, and the diner is decorated with 40’s and 50’s memorabilia, including hundreds of pez dispensers and an entire display case devoted to Elvis and his pink cadillac. The 66 Diner boasts the best milkshakes in Albuquerque and, after a sip of our chocolate chip mint and Dreamsicle shakes, my parents, twin sister and I would have to agree.
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| Two icons of the pre-interstate era—Marilyn and Elvis—welcome visitors to The 66 Diner. |
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| Hungry yet? The luncheon sandwiches were quite tasty but the milkshakes were out-of-this-world delicious! |
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| The tidy stainless steel lunch counter, the teal-clad wait staff, and the 50s decor invite one to linger at The 66 Diner. |
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| Dine with Betty Boop, alongside the grill of an old Plymouth at The 66 Diner. |
Historic Route 66 has been mostly replaced by Interstate highways, but various segments of the old road still remain and some are undergoing revivals and renovations. Learn more about Route 66 in New Mexico by visiting the New Mexico Route 66 Association. Also, now on display at The Autry National Center of the American West in Los Angeles and continuing until January 4th is the exhibition Route 66: The Road and the Romance.
This August, whether on Route 66 or some other highway, get your kicks by leaving the interstate and rediscovering America's scenic byways.
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| Route 66 was established in November of 1926. Here, my Dad—born two years later in November of 1928—is ready for fine dining—sandwiches and a shake along "The Mother Road" . |
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| This collection of roadway signs anchors the parking lot of the diner. No doubt my parents passed by many of the older signs while cruising the highways of their youth. |
