Re: Best Road Trips for Packards & More

Posted by 55PackardGuy On 2009/2/6 18:07:34

Kev,

You are correct, sir! This is in Oklahoma, where, in spite of all the red clay, they used this nice, gray cement.. it's a little hard to see the expansion joints between each square of pavement, so I can understand some difficulty identifying it...

The following post moved from Big Kev's Progect Blog

Re Route 66

Several years ago I was traveling from MN to AZ and stopped at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton OK. I think almost anyone would enjoy that museum. They have much memorabilia, a film with lots of history, collector cars, etc. One of the nicest things they have is outside. It's one of the original cement mixers used on the highway--yes, they towed these things along and mixed the sections of good portland cement as they went. It is a long Rube Goldberg-ish contraption that is quite fascinating. I'm glad they put it out front, because without those machines and the crews that labored to lay down each section by hand, there would be no Route 66.

Also available at the Clinton museum is a little free "newspaper" publication that gives hints on how to find sections of the real "old road."

Some sections of the REAL Old 66 run just north and parallel to the blacktop of the so-called "Old 66". I kept looking to the right in that direction and noticed a flat area where there were several car tracks cutting across a weedy field.

I drove right off the blacktop and across the field about 1/4 mile to a very nice section of Old 66! One reason I think it hits those small towns is because it often runs right alongside of the RR tracks--another hint of how to find it, look for the tracks. The amazing thing is, although there were weeds growing in the expansion joints, the squares of cement pavement were PERFECT. No cracks at all to speak of.

One reason it's so hard to see these sections from the asphalt 66 is there are trees growing on both sides of the old road, draping right across it. I had my Dakota, which has been in the woods a lot, so I was determined to take it right through this canopy and really Drive Route 66 for a few hundred yards. It was an amazing experience, especially when you considered the people of Oklahoma just getting started on their journey in the Depression. I walked in the "ditch" between the road and the tracks and just imagined how many people changed tires, fixed engines, or just had picnic lunches there... it was like you could still feel them.

I have some pics somewhere and if you're interested will share some.

I'm sure the road marked as "Old Route 66" now goes over much of the real old road's pavement, but there are "virgin" slices of Route 66 like the one I found in quite a few places. Even the freeway kind of follows it, sometimes to the north, sometimes to the south--it crosses back and forth under the freeway, and there are exits for 66 marked occasionally that will put you on the "new old 66" but don't be fooled by cheap imitations, find the true Mother Road.

I'd like to do the Lincoln Highway some day too. Also, Highway 61 (revisited) goes through St. Paul near here, and that's another trip... Thunder Bay Ontario to New Orleans.