Nostalgic joyride: Abrahams, Kleins get their kicks on Route 66 years ago
Staff writer
Ray and Sylvia Abrahams and daughter and son-in-law, Bev and Darold Klein spent eight weeks tracing historic Route 66.
The history didn't just include the highway, the Abrahams and Kleins drove a two door 1972 Buick Skylark.
"I mentioned the idea that taking a trip on Route 66 would really be fun," said Ray. "When Darold purchased the Skylark, it really got us going on the idea."
Last Christmas the Abrahams got some videos about Route 66. "They really got us fired up about the trip," said Ray.
"Our boys were all car nuts," said Ray. He, Darold, and son Kim worked on the car before the trip. "We wanted to make sure it was in good condition."
The family left Hillsboro Sept. 23, headed for the start of Route 66 in Chicago.
They stopped on the way in Springfield, Ill., at the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival.
"Darold had done a lot of research," said Sylvia. He found information online, and in books, and wanted to stop at the three-day Route 66 festival.
The group got to Chicago on Sunday hoping for less traffic.
"We wanted to find the exact spot where it started," said Sylvia.
Route 66 begins in the heart of Chicago, and the group stuck their heads out the window to snap pictures at the highway's origin because there wasn't anywhere to stop.
The family took 42 days to make the trip, with four and a half weeks of it on the route itself.
"If people tell you they've driven Route 66 in three weeks, they haven't done it," said Sylvia. "One of the nice things was meeting the people that had been there when it started."
They stopped at a lot of the old gas stations, motels, and restaurants. Some have been restored, some are museums, and some simply were abandoned.
In Amarillo, Tex., they ate at The Tall Texan, known for its 72-ounce steak. If you can eat it all in an hour, it's free.
"We always tried to stay overnight in an original Route 66 motels," said Sylvia.
In Gallup, N.M., the group stayed in El Rancho, opened in 1937, El Rancho is known as "Home of the Movie Stars." As proof of the name, they even saw Rick Schroeder as they were checking out.
In Tucumicari, N.M., they stayed at the Blue Swallow Motel. The Blue Swallow has been on Route 66 since 1939, and is listed on the National and State Historic Registers.
In Holbrook, Ariz., they stayed in the Wigwam which was a motel with units that looked like little wigwams.
"They were old, but kept up very well," said Sylvia.
"At some places the highway was four lane, and at others there were trees growing between the cracks," said Sylvia. "At one spot it was only nine feet wide."
The family took their time, averaging about 75 miles a day. "One day we only went 30 miles," said Sylvia. "We had no problem with traffic. It was such a joy. We didn't often travel 55 miles per hour, we traveled slower, and could enjoy the scenery."
The group ran into a photographer from Winfield who was taking pictures for a book at two different stops on the trip.
Meeting people along the way and visiting with them was Sylvia's favorite part of the trip along with the scenery and slow pace.
She described one scene as they drove back east from California. She said they were in Williams, New Mexico as it began to snow. "There were red plateaus, and white snow, it was beautiful."
Ray enjoyed the old service stations.
"I used to own a gas station, and looking at the old equipment, and seeing all the old cars is probably what I enjoyed most," he said.
The couple returned home Nov. 2, Election Day. "We got back in time to vote," said Sylvia.
"During the trip, I kept thinking of "The Grapes of Wrath," and their trip on the route. I just couldn't imagine what it would've been like for them," said Sylvia.
The 1939 novel, "The Grapes of Wrath," by John Steinbeck immortalized Route 66 as the Joads follow the narrow concrete highways from Oklahoma toward California.
Sylvia kept a journal of daily events, weather, and places for the trip. From beginning to end, they drove 5,828 miles according to Ray, averaging 16.7 miles per gallon, and using six quarts of oil. Ray said the highest price for gas they saw on the trip was $3.29, but didn't pay that much. They kept driving.
"One of the hardest things was finding room in the trunk," said Sylvia.
Before they left they had to practice putting things into the trunk. With the limited amount of space, each couple was allowed one 21-inch suitcase, and one overnight bag, "and we were gone six weeks," said Sylvia.
Every time Ray got a new T-shirt along the way, they teased him about where he was going to put it, and if they had room.
"The luggage had to go in exactly the same place every morning," said Sylvia.
Among the few souvenirs they brought back was a rock from the petrified forest, and a chunk of Route 66.
The couple said they didn't really have any problems with the Skylark, "after you got into it, that is," said Sylvia. The two-door was a little tight. However, the back window leaked when it rained, so they taped it up with clear packing tape.
"It ran beautifully otherwise," said Ray.
Sylvia said the four of them had a wonderful time. "It worked out real well. We had a good time, and they did too."
"This was probably our last big trip," said Ray. "It was the most important one."
Route 66 is also known as "The Mother Road," "The Main Street of America," and The Will Rogers Highway.
To others interested in trying to make the trip the Abrahams say you need to go at your own pace. "If you're going to take the trip, that's the way to do it."
Route 66 was the first paved highway connecting Chicago with Los Angeles and was commissioned in 1926. It wasn't completely paved until 1937. The route goes through eight states and crosses three time zones, going through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and ending in California at the Santa Monica Pier.
"Kansas has the smallest portion," said Ray, "just 15.7 miles. There's a lot of history."
The couple said they didn't get to spend enough time on the Kansas section of Route 66, and may have to go back and see it all again.
Route 66 is 2,448 miles long from beginning to end, and you can only drive bits and pieces of it today. It has been replaced by interstate highways.
It's not well marked in places, and Sylvia said they had two books and a map, and it took all three to stay on the highway.
Some Route 66 enthusiasts think driving from west to east is historically wrong, but mostly it's just more difficult, as all the available directions are the "right" way.
