America’s Mother Road, Route 66, is turning 100 this year - Los Angeles Wave Newspaper Group

America’s Mother Road, Route 66, is turning 100 this year - Los Angeles Wave Newspaper Group

By Susan Montoya Bryan Contributing Writer ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — If you’ve ever planned to motor west and take the highway that’s the best, this might be the time. Route 66 turns 100 this year. The Mother Road, as author John Steinbeck dubbed it, has evolved over the years from an escape for poor farmers fleeing the devastating dust storms of the 1930s to perhaps the quintessential American road trip that’s still delivering kicks. Although th…

Happy birthday to Route 66! The quintessential American road trip turns 100

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There are faster ways to get from Chicago to Los Angeles, but none have the allure or cultural cachet of Route 66. To John Steinbeck, it was the Mother Road that led poor farmers from Dust Bowl desperation to sunny California. To Native Americans along the route, it was an economic boon that also left scars. To Black travelers, it offered sanctuary during segregation. And to music fans, it was the place to get their kicks. Ro…