Get your kicks on Route 66

Vorwort

2006-04-21T06:27:00.008+02:00

before the journey...Route 66...

Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that's the highway
that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66

EINMAL...

...im Leben diese Straße fahren, von Chicago nach Los Angeles. Die unendliche Weite dieses Landes, die Schönheit der Natur, die Menschen dort erleben, the Open Roads, etwas, was wir uns hier im kleinen Deutschland gar nicht vorstellen können.

Langsam laufen die Vorbereitungen. Man setzt sich mental damit auseinander. Ein lang gehegter Traum in die Realität umsetzen. Am 4.5.06 geht der Flieger nach Chicago und nach kurzem Aufenthalt bin ich 'on the road'. Wie oft schon besungen in vielen Songs aus den USA.

Dieser Blog soll ein kleines Tagebuch sein, ein paar Eindrücke für alle, die zumindest gedanklich daran teilnehmen wollen. Um es mit MIR zu erleben.

Jürgen Feldmann, 13. April 2006

Ankunft und 1. Etappe (arrival and 1. leg)

2006-04-20T07:07:00.000+02:00

Th, 5/4/06
Arrival in Chicago
The Congress Plaza Hotel
520 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago IL, 60605
Tel: 312-427-3800

I had a safe flight to Chicago O'Hare on my very first day.
My first challenge was a drive with my rental car to
Chicaga downtown. Heavy traffic and I got lost while
I was on my way to the Hotel. But finally I found
the right way again!
Chicago has a nice architecture and you can see this
while being on one of the most tallest skydecks in the
world. The Sears Tower.

Sa, 5/6/06
Chicago-St. Louis (475 km)
Comfort Inn
12031 Lackland Road
St. Louis, MO 63146
Tel: 314-878-1400

Show me the way to St. Louis...who sang that song?
A long drive from downtown Chicago to St. Louis...endless
Highways, lots of music...and I left the I 55 at Wilmington
just to see the Giant and much more important...to drive
on the Historic Route 66. (some parts of course are closed
or no longer available)

After hours of driving I arrived at
the 'Old Chain Of Rocks Bridge' the Historic Bridge which
crosses the Mississippi. What a huge river!

...and finally The Comfort Inn (Hotel) St. Louis

2. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-19T13:28:00.000+02:00

Saint Louis - what a nice city on the Mississippi. And The Arch, the Gateway to the West, the highest monument in the USA.

Being on top you have a wonderful view to the city of St. Louis

The University City Loop is a nice area in St. Louis and there are places you have to see like the Blueberry Hill, a beautiful address for good food and music.

Chuck Berry, who is from St. Louis, is still playing there once in a month in a very small venue. And how interesting it is to walk along the Walk of Fame.

City of St. Charles, what a nice and cute little town riight at the Missouri. The times seems to stand still here. Yes this is America too.

Mo, 5/8/06
St. Louis-Springfield (355 km)
Best Western Rail Haven
203 South Glenstone
Springfield, Missouri 65802
Tel: 417-866-1963

3. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-18T13:31:00.000+02:00

On my way to Springfield, MO...
the myth of Jesse James (and Frank James?)

The Jesse James hideout...the Meramec Cavern
Stanton, MO

Route 66 (on the right) near Lebanon

Lebanon, MO: Used Car Capital of the World

old Route 66 companian - Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, MO

Best Western Rail Haven, Springfield, MO
Route 66 style...wow!

Tu, 5/9/06
Springfield-Tulsa (340 km)
Hampton Inn
3209 South 79th E. Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74145
Tel: 918-663-1000

4. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-17T13:32:00.000+02:00

Authentic Route 66 breakfast in Best Western Inn/Springfield

Hand In Prayer
World In Peace
(Webb City near Joplin)

A lonesome gas station on Route 66

The old Route 66 thru Kansas - lost and lonely

OK County 66 - Native America

Totem Pole Park near Chelsea Oklahoma

Old Bridge near Tulsa Oklahoma

We, 5/10/06
Tulsa-Oklahoma City (185 km)
Quality Inn Southwest
7800 C.A. Henderson Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73139
Tel: 405-632-6666

5. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-16T13:34:00.000+02:00

John Hargrove, OK County 66, very nice guy

Depew, OK

Strout, OK

Hargrove's stuff inside his little museum

the OKIE arrows and the Herbie Stonehenge :-))

the Hillbillies

Th, 5/11/06
Oklahoma City-Amarillo (460 km)
Hampton Inn
1700 I40 East
Amarillo, TX 79103
Tel: 806-372-1425

6. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-15T13:49:00.000+02:00

The American Stonedhenge:-)), Amarillo, TX

The World Famous...Texas Ranch, Amarillo, TX

Groom, TX

just entered Texas

highly recommended, Route 66 Museum, Clinton, OK

Route 66 Bar

Fr, 5/12/06
Amarillo-Tucumcari (175 km)
Hampton Inn
3409 East Tucumcari Boulevard
Tucumcari, NM 88401
Tel: 505-461-1111

7. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-14T13:50:00.000+02:00

Taos Pueblo, it's me with a Native American
the first I've ever seen

Santa Fe , Native Americans offering their jewelry

Santa Fe, La Fonda Hotel

Rio Grande rafting

The Rio Grande gorge

Taos Pueblo

a cute little animal called BUFFALO

Taos Pueblo

an American truck driver (fit right in:-)) )

Tucumcari

Sa, 5/13/06
Tucumcari-Albuquerque (290 km)
Fairfield Inn
1760 Menaul Road Northeast
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Tel: 505-889-4000

8. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-13T13:51:00.000+02:00

Gallup, NM, nice mural painting

Sky City, Pueblos

Arizona, the Grand Canyon State

just read it!

Isleta Pueblo near Albuquerque

Acoma Pueblos

Mo, 5/15/06
Albuquerque-Holbrook (410 km)
Best Western Adobe Inn
615 West Hopi Drive
Holbrook, AZ 86025
Tel: 928-524-3948

9. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-12T13:52:00.000+02:00

Standin' on a corner in Winslow Arizona,
is such a fine sight to see ... Take It Easy
(you remember that?)

Meteor Crater

(Rotten) Twin Arrows

Old Route 66 Bridge in Winona

Meteor Crater, 50.000 years old

Jackrabbit Trading Post

Route 66 mural painting, Holbrook, AZ

Recommended Steakhouse in Holbrook, AZ

Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, AZ

Tu, 5/16/06
Holbrook-Flagstaff (170 km)
Quality Inn Flagstaff
2500 E. Lucky Lane
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Tel: 928-266-7111

10. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-11T13:53:00.000+02:00

Pinch me, I guess I'm dreaming! The trip of my life!
Monument Valley (Utah)
NO picture can nearly show
WHAT I had seen today.
Can't find words...just look

And late afternoon I arrived at the
Grand Canyon.
The light was not very good for pics but what
I had seen...never before! Overwhelming!

Grand Canyon in the early morning, sunrise

We, 5/17/06
Flagstaff-Grand Canyon (125 km)
Canyon Plaza Quality Inn & Suites
AZ Highway 64
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Tel: 928-638-2637

11. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-10T13:54:00.008+02:00

Grand Canyon in the morning

Route 66 Diner in Williams, AZ

Seligman, AZ, a MUST for all fans!
(back to the 50s, the legend lives on)

Snow Cap, Seligman

Angel Delgadillo's Barber Shop

Where is he? Ready to shave...

Take a look at the plates...

and here again!

the roaring 50s

Th, 5/18/06
Grand Canyon-Kingman (300 km)
Quality Inn
1400 E. Andy Devine Avenue
Kingman, AZ 86401
Tel: 928-753-4747

12. Etappe (leg)

2006-04-09T13:55:00.000+02:00

born to be wild...?

reaching Nevada

Welcome to Las Vegas...a crazy city

Charlotte and me at the Hofbräuhaus...
in LAS VEGAS

dancing to German music...?

Fr, 5/19/06
Kingman-Las Vegas (168 km)
Hampton Inn Tropicana
4975 South Industrial Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118
Tel: 702-948-8100

13. Etappe und Abreise (last leg and departure)

2006-04-08T13:56:00.000+02:00

Welcome to California...

arriving in Los Angeles meant...
going to Dana Point as fast as I could...
to see John Hiatt's merch girl again:-))

and to see John Hiatt live at Dana Point
with the North Mississippi All Stars

and a meet-and-greet after the show!

made it home safe (in the meantime) but where am I right now?
Adjusting to life in "tiny" Germany....is a bit hard after such a trip

So, 5/21/06
Las Vegas-Los Angeles (458 km)
Radisson L.A. Airport
6225 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Tel: 310-670-9000

One of my last highlight:
Will see John Hiatt at Dana Point, CA, close to L.A.!