I recently completed a book that is a collection of photographs taken along the stretch of Route 66 from Moriarty, NM to Topock, AZ taken during a road trip in September , 2022. More than just a book of photographs, the book is a story of reflection and discovery. Many of the places we went during our trek and the things that we saw weren’t always what they appeared to be at first blush. At times, the photographs really were the whole story, but there was often a story behind the story – and maybe even a story behind that. Like James at Herman’s Garage said “(People) all want to take pictures….but not many want to stop and talk”. This became the plot of the story and the driver behind the photographs and the book project. Keeping Route 66, and more importantly, the stories surrounding it is far more important to me than just getting from Point A to Point B. Route 66 is a story of going where you want to go, doing what you want to do and stopping to talk to your fellow traveler to hear them tell their story and then to share your story. In today’s social media dominated world, nobody tells their story, rather they tweet their opinion without a real concern that anyone’s on the other end of the story except to give them “likes”. Its the dialog that we’re all to often missing these days. Today, its more acceptable to walk around with your head in your phone generating sensational likes than of hearing what your fellow traveler has to say. This is what I miss from Route 66, The Dialogue. The Interaction. The Back and Forth. followed by a Moving on that is dominated by Reflection. I’d like to think that my book is a a story of where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going.
Route 66 is a road that is filled with stories. I have only scratched the surface of this storied road. There are stories of joy and stories of sadness. There are stories of hope and stories of despair. Route 66 has grown from a dirt road that led people from place to place to a paved country road to a highway that has largely been replaced by a giant interstate. The road has been re-aligned several times over the years to help move people and commerce ever faster. But the pace of travel has very little to do with the souls that traveled on Route 66, its predecessors, or its successors. And the soul of this route can be found in these stories.
My photographs generally show you what you can see today. But as I took and developed these photographs, I found myself more connected to the place and the place in time. When you’re there, anywhere along Route 66, and you dial down your pace back from the I-40 “let’s just get there” speed, you start to really feel the collection of the stories. What I am attempting to do in this book is to show you some sights but also to show you the stories. It’s the difference between watching a movie and actually living it. I feel that if you slow down to think about the image and just a small fraction of the stories behind the images, you might better understand Route 66 and reflect on some of your own personal journeys.
I spent a week and probably a thousand miles with my good friend and guide Larry Lindahl living the Mother Road and reflecting on the people, the places and mostly the stories of Route 66. As time continues to consume this road, the story will continue to evolve and your chapter is out there to be experienced and shared.
I hope that you have a chance to read my book and enjoy your own experiences …”on the road”.
