Some people consider traveling cross-country a bore, while others consider following the roads that keep our nation moving quite an adventure. I'm one of those adventurous types who see beyond the miles of flat asphalt that litter our hillsides and desert plains. Route 66, which connects the East and West, is arguably the most famous stretch of highway in U.S. history. Many have traveled its winding roads, and much of the original road has been torn up and rerouted as part of the newer Interstate 40.
Most of the remaining old Route 66 runs alongside Interstate 40, which is used by today's autos and truckers. The most common Route 66 remains are abandoned gas stations and empty buildings that once were filled with travelers heading to California. I hunted down some of these lost pieces of history and discovered a few new bits of autodom along the way.
This sightseeing side project was the start of an ambitious trip for me. I headed east to North Carolina to take part in the East Coast's biggest Mini Cooper event: "Minis on the Dragon." In its sixth year, it's held high in the mountains off Highway 129. Highway 129 is known as "The Dragon." This highway is 11 miles long with over 318 turns. It's a motorhead's paradise filled with twisty turns and amazing views. I'm traveling in our long-term 2007 Mini Cooper S and taking it on the ride of its life. Getting there is half the fun and nothing is more fun than driving a Mini across the U.S.
Check out these great must-see roadside attractions along Interstate 40, which you might want to visit next time you're planning a trip across the country.
California: Route 66/Interstate 15
My first dance with Route 66 was close to home. Nestled below the south side of the I-15, between exits 124 and 129, lies a 7-8-mile stretch of original road that can be accessed from either exit. The old two-lane road winds along the base of the ravine. Some of the old road can't be driven on and ends abruptly due to the new road that runs along its side. Old "eat" signs are overgrown with trees, and motels are no longer operating. There's an old bridge that's still accessible, but it's not recommended to drive on. A few locals still live in the area. I've traveled this road many times to avoid the hustle of the highway above. It's a short countrylike drive that most people on the 15 don't know about.
Arizona: Twin Arrows
One of our first stops in Arizona is to check out the famous Twin Arrows that stood some 50 feet in the air. The Twin Arrows sit just above the Colorado Plateau where the old Route 66 and I-40 crosses. You can get a closer look at them by taking the 219 exit on the I-40. These twin icons of the past marked a resting place for travelers who needed to gas up, have a quick bite at the diner, or just pick up a roadside trinket from the "Twin Arrows Trading Post" souvenir shop. Bikers and truck drivers have been known to tattoo the arrows on their bodies as a reminder of life on the open road. Twin Arrows was closed down in the early '90s. Sad to say, the whole area is sectioned off with concrete barriers, and the buildings are littered with graffiti and posters.
Arizona: Two Guns
Not more than a couple miles east of Twin Arrows off of exit 230, we stumble across our second abandoned gas-station ghost town. Two Guns was named after man known to be unruly, Henry E. Miller, who called himself "Two Gun Miller." This is also the site where the Navajo and the Apache once battled in the 19th century.
This area looks like it suffered from misfortune in history. The decline of this once vivid Route 66 stop started when the I-40 was being constructed. It held on for a few more decades but became totally off limits in the mid-'80s. A road alongside a late-'80s abandoned station leads you to a closed campsite. Two huge cowboy and Indian murals loom on the sides of old silos, the paint so old it flakes off at the touch. Just to the left of the campsite lie several decomposing brick buildings and Indian caves scattered in the Canyon Diablo that outlines the area. The most eye-catching building sits closest to the road with large letters that read "mountain lions" across the front. It's believed this was a small roadside zoo used to attract travelers off the old road.
The road that leads up to these ruins is rough with sharp rocks. I wouldn't recommend taking a small vehicle down the road. But if you can get to the area, it's a great place to explore.
Arizona/New Mexico Boarder: Tomahawk Indian Store
Crossing 200 miles of the Arizona landscape, I count nearly 20 teepees along the way -- all sizes and all colors to grab the attention of passersby. We stop to stretch our legs at an Indian reservation in Lupton, Arizona. The sight of the giant teepee prompts me to take a closer look at Tomahawk Indian Store wedged along the canyon site. The back of the teepee is lit up by the afternoon sun as we pull into the parking lot. Other smaller and more colorful souvenir shops lined the canyon side as you exited the highway. The Tomahawk Indian Store is filled with all kinds of Western and Indian souvenirs, homemade blankets, treats, and toys for kids. It's located off the I-40 and exit 359.
New Mexico: Rio Puerco Bridge
We stop to fill up the Mini and notice a steel bridge along the road that doesn't lead anywhere. The bridge is blocked off at both ends to prevent people from driving on it. The west side of the road that once led to the bridge has been cut off by the overpass and ramps of the I-40. A sign posted next to the road says the bridge was built in 1933, fabricated by the Kansas City Structural Steel Company, and erected by F.B. Shufflebarger of Albuquerque. It was repaired in 1957 and is being preserved by the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department. At 250 feet long, it also happens to be the longest bridge of its kind in New Mexico. It's located off the I-40 at Exit 140 -- 19 miles west of Albuquerque.
Texas: VW Slug Bug Ranch
When it's dark at night, that open road is empty and the land is black. The only thing you see for miles are the broken white lines of the highway and the lights from the overnight rigs. We're stopping to stretch our legs and get our blood flowing once again (and maybe take a cat nap). We take the first exit, which happens to be exit 96 in Conway, Texas, where we find a row of half-buried Volkswagen Beetles alongside the little motel, mimicking the idea of Cadillac Ranch.
Texas: Cadillac Ranch
The next stop on the list is the famed Cadillac Ranch. This roadside attraction is a must for all to see and take part in. Not more than a couple decades old, it plays a modern and somewhat twisted homage to the history of Route 66. Layers of paint cover the steel bodies of the Cadillac collection, which represents the "Golden Age" of American Automobiles (1949 through 1963). They're buried nose down, facing west, and at the same angle as the Cheops' pyramids. Why? I don't know. But that was how Stanley Marsh 3, who built this ever-changing piece of art in 1974, intended them to stand. Needless to say, I'm ill-prepared and don't have a can of spray paint with me. I do have a sharpie marker and leave my little marks and name on various vehicle parts. I'm now happy. Located off the I-40 between exits 60 and 62. Visitors are encouraged to stop and leave their marks as well.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
After being on the road for nearly three hours, we arrive at this great roadside Route 66 Museum. We decide to check it out and learn more about the history of the "Mother Road." The museum is filled with fun and fascinating artifacts that date back from when people traveled the dirt road in wagons through six decades of Route 66 history. There are several vintage vehicles on display throughout the building, which would bring back memories for those who traveled the road as a child. The museum was opened in 1968 as the Museum of the Western Trails. It was then revamped in 1995 and reopened as the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. It's also recognized by the Save-a-Landmark program as a site worth seeing. It's located in Clinton, Oklahoma, off exit 65.
Tennessee: Graceland
After our lesson on Route 66 history 101, we press on through the remainder of Oklahoma, seeing the landscape grow greener as we scale through Arkansas. We take a detour off highway 40 to make a pit stop at one of our nation's most visited attractions -- Graceland, home and resting place of Elvis Presley. We know it's off the beaten path of Route 66, but it's one of those places we have to stop and see. After all, most traveled Route 66 in the late '50s and early '60s with Elvis singing on their radios. To catch this marvelous attraction, take I-55, exit 5 onto Elvis Presley Boulevard, then south one mile.
After an exciting day of finding some great locations to check out on our way to "Minis on the Dragon," night falls again and we're wearying of the open road. We're only 300 miles from our main event, and we must catch some sleep before we meet up with over 600 other Mini Cooper enthusiasts high in the North Carolina Mountains for some real Mini Cooper action. We turn in for the night at a small town just out of Nashville and settled in just before the rain fell.