The Launching Pad Drive In is still in business in Wilmington,IL. There are restored gas stations in Dwight and Odell, IL.
Largest totem pole. Near route 66 at Foyil, Oklahoma. Also at Foyil there is a statue of the little Indian boy who won the marathon race used to promote the opening of route 66. story at http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9055 One of my favorite landmarks is the Devils Elbow bridge near Fort Lenord Wood, Mo. The bar and grille next to the bridge is named the Elbow Inn. John
Interesting. I will see what i can find on that. thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
Thanks for the link. I will have to check that out thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
We, my best friend and my better half did the trip in 07 and it was probably the best the 3 of us ever did.... there's a lot of tips you wont find in a book in the thread we did back then. Klaus http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167995&highlight=the+swedes+do+route+66
I have a huge love for artistic photography of vintage roadside/field art or old forgotten cars. When i was in high-school my parents took me to vegas. And i brought both my 32mm pentax k1000 and my vintage Agfa ansco that used 120 film. I still use both today along with my digital camera and IFlip video hd camera. (I am old school and new school) Good idea for me, but bad for my parents. I made my poor parents stop and or turn around probably at least 150 times so i could take shots of the old gas stations, motels, and other roadside relics that were on the way to vegas. From SF bay area to Vegas, 540 miles and a 9.5 hour drive that turned into a 16 hour drive thanks to me.. but man it was fun! Best vegas trip i ever had.. that i can talk about j/k This site is AMAZING! Thanks so much! Well I was planning on going to sleep.. but because of you.. i guess i will sleep tomorrow.. lol thanks that is so awesome! thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
Anyone been to the "trail of tears" located in Jerome, Missouri? I heard it may be closed now... thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
My favorite place to eat on route 66. On the route since 1924. http://www.ariston-cafe.com/ I have been by Jerome many times and never knew the Trail of Tears existed. I will check it out. John
Awesome. Makes me hungry. Reminds me of a local joint in my area. Quaint, vintage, but wonderful service and great food since the beginning. thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
I've found that the best food along the old roads in the west is in the cafes close to the grain silos in small towns. Look for a row of pickups in the early morning to find either the best coffee and food or the best looking waitress in town.
A lot of the old 66 hwy is still here in Okla. but has another Hwy. number now. I have drove from west of Springfield, MO. to west of Oklahoma city on the old road with out getting on the Interstate. I needed a guide when going through the bigger towns. The road took several different routes at different times. One of our favort stops was west of Okla. City at Lucille's. It was an old gas station and motel that is still there but not open the last I went by . Lucille made every one feel like family when you stopped in. Lucille R.I.P. We had a drive-in here on 66 called Billy's Drive-In, home of the "WOOLEY Burger" It is just a memory now. While taking the old road stop often and listen to the stories the old timers have to tell. Hooley
Started the first 6 chapters. I will post once i rearrange a few things. But the best part is the main character is driving a 53 chevy sedan. Anyone want their 53 to be the car in my story? Post some pics and lets see which one i think suits the character best. Keep in mind he is from chicago, and is 74 years old. So he would have been born in 1938. Which would allow him to have been driving around 1954 (@16 years old) or so.. so this chevy could have been a car he had while in high-school. It can be a hot rod or minor custom. But has to be something that can make the full trip from Chicago to LA and back.
If I may be so bold to suggest: In 1954, even in Cali...a hot rod was a "roadster" of some sort, stripped down. A square bodied '32 or '33/'34 Ford was the next 'hot rod' in popularity to be put on the streets in stripped down shape. Most 'fat fendered' cars of the '40 Ford variety, were street kustoms...whitewalls and fender skirts. The point of all this is a '53 Chevy would have been a mild kustom for some youngster going to high school...IF Daddy could have afforded the payments...or IF Daddy had co-signed for the kid... a '53 Chevy would have been a "new" car then...and a '53 Chevy would not have been looked upon, or built, as a 'hot rod'. I know the idea of a fiction story is to "suspend disbelief", but the story needs to be somewhat factual with regard to cars, locations, etc., especially if you are using Route 66 and the places along it. R-
Thanks for that suggestion. I should have mentioned, that the story takes place in current day. The character has had the car since high school. It is still in development if he had customized it either during high school or post high school. But i agree with you on making sure the facts are correct. I am open to other vehicles, although i would like to stick in the early 1950's (1950-55). The characters father was the owner of a model making business (making concept models of washer/dryers, appliances, etc), so it could have been fairly easy to say daddy bought him a reliable car.The car doesnt have to be heavily modified as the car only plays a small role to transport the character from place to place and add to the nostalgia. So the car can be in any drivable condition, from lightly custom to completely stock. It doesnt have to be a chevy either. I just chose a 53 chevy as it is an easily identifiable car as opposed to a 53 nash or packard where the general public may not have seen one of those. The target demographic of readers will be ages 18-45. Most of the older readers may know the cars but the younger crowd may or may not. Although if i can get the book published i plan to add the car on the cover so it will easily be visualized.
I am currently researching places and locations. As well as places that are closed now that he can visit to experience the great amount of nostalgia that is in every dotted yellow line, every mile marker, or every cafe sign and or vacancy sign that is Main street USA; Route 66. It is still in development. I have only written 6 chapters so far. I will post them soon.
Hey VividlyVintage, Pardon my hazy short-term memory, but I believe you should look at a rather recent motion picture featuring Anthony Hopkins playing the role of the late Bert Munro, a much-revered Australian motorcycle racer who conquered many obstacles to race his two-wheel creation at Bonneville Salt Flats late in his career. Others will quickly chime in with the proper movie title. Point is, Hopkins drives a 1953 Chevy four-door sedan pulling his trailered Bonneville racer in the film. Viewing these filmed sequences would give you a feeling for how such an early Chev would move through American landscapes similar to the ones you envision in your forthcoming novel. Also, have you considered going through various historical photo files maintained by historical societies located along the highway route? Documents and photos originally made by state highway patrols and highway departments should give you a better "feel" for the Highway 66 heyday era. Lastly, how do you plan to challenge the reader "age barrier" I think you will have when you try to interest younger readers in absorbing the trials and tribulations of a senior struggling to recapture his relationship with a big American icon of the past? This will be a neat trick if you can find a way to pull it off! Best of luck!! mr50s
True about the age barriers. But i think its the nostalgia that will draw them in, not the memory issues the character has. That and the fact that you can replicate the trip in the book. So it is interactive. I have given a few tweens and a few teens that live on my street copies of the first few chapters and they wanted more. I was surprised of their reaction. I think it is the mystery aspect of it that makes it work. How you dont get it all at once. You get clue by clue and not the whole plot at once so it makes you want to read on to get to the next clue. Like how the hardy boys books used to be I love the fastest indian! Great movie. But Burt was from New Zealand.. he was a kiwi.. (sorry to correct you) I have been in touch with multiple historical societies for info an pics. Thanks for the tip though. I didnt think about contacting the various highway patrol offices. thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
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