Highway Through History

Route 66 in Arizona

One of the main East/West routes through Central Arizona is I-40, two lanes each way traveling from Needles, California all the way across the state: from the Colorado river, through desert landscapes, 7,000 ft mountain passes, pine forests, to more desert and through towns that at one time were thriving and are now disappearing.

Today I-40 is the main route for trucks bringing merchandise from east to west and back again. Never far from view railroad tracks run parallel with the highway, strings of freight cars fading into the distance, almost as far as one can see. But this route has a history as old as our country as a route of migration and Westward Expansion. The three hundred miles we drove in a day across one state, began as an arduous long trail for settlers in wagon trains moving West. The railroad followed, linking East and West more easily. 

 

 

As cars made leisure travel more possible Route 66 linked natural wonders like Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert in Arizona and made them accessible for tourists from Chicago to Santa Monica. 

 

This “all weather” route along the 35th parallel, was scouted and developed to unite our land with a year round route, but it has seen plenty of strife and division…conflict between Wagon trains and Indians, hatred from Californians toward emigrants fleeing the dust bowl in Oklahoma.

 

Today historic Route 66 beckons people from all over the world to come and get a taste of our history, culture and natural wonders. 

 

 

On this trip we traveled this Highway (600 miles in two days) to cross from California to spend time in New Mexico but found so much to see along the Route in Arizona, that made the long drive days enjoyable.

 

 

 

Route 66 Museum in Kingman, AZ details the history of the State and the history of Route 66. Our time at the museum also helped us anticipate sights on the road ahead. Route 66 , is an

 interesting intersection of history, legend,

literature (Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck), music (Take it Easy, by the Eagles), Cartoons (Bugs Bunny, the Roadrunner and Pixar’s movie series Cars), natural wonders, small towns, diners, old cars, trains, and lots of quirky and iconic roadside attractions, sights and souvenir shops.

 

 Sharing the Gospel

Dinner at a Cracker Barrel along the way brought us an opportunity to talk with our server, Miley. We asked about her full sleeve memorial tattoo, which opened great conversation. Through the course of her serving our meal we shared with her about the hope of Heaven and encouraged her to check out our CCFR online church service. We will be continuing to pray that this meeting will be a turning point in Miley's life

One More Coming Attractions from Route 66: Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks!