Did you notice we unlocked two separate pieces in today's SummerQuest picture? It seemed like a good idea because both are about road travel in the state.
Before the huge and impersonal interstate highway system was built, before high-speed travel by car or plane was easy and comfortable, Americans still wanted to pick up and move -- and the great "Mother Road" of Route 66 was how we could get from the more heavily-populated midwest out to the promised land that was California. Route 66 brought the Dust Bowl migrants westward in search of a better life, and it introduced Arizona to the countless thousands who passed though. Some visitors stayed, falling in love with the wonders of the southwest.
If you travel away from the main urban centers and leave the interstate behind, then you'll be familiar with the windy roads and the warning signs like the 15 MPH road sign in the upper right of the image. Switchbacks can still separate careless drivers from those who proceed more carefully!
Route 66 has been the subject of countless books, movies, and even a TV show from the 1960s. Find out more at this link: http://bit.ly/about-Route66
Route 66 was also called the Will Rogers Highway. Do you know who he was? If not, you should really learn more about this remarkably clever and insightful man! Try one of the books or movies in this list: http://bit.ly/about-Will-Rogers
And if you are looking for ideas for day trips around the state, hunt up one of these books from our collection. Just be careful on those switchbacks! http://bit.ly/Arizona-day-trips
