The map told me that I could hop on Route 40 and head all the way to Albuquerque. In fact, all the way to Los Angeles. Route 40 has replaced the famous Route 66, it follows the same course. Not only was I liberated from the barking of the GPS, I was taking part in a revered tradition. I know the song by heart, my favorite version being by Depeche Mode (favoritism, I know), but I didn't know much about the history. So when I pulled off unexpectedly in Clinton, Oklahoma, I realized that I was on the true two lane Route 66. And within a couple of miles, there it was, a Route 66 Museum. I pulled in, and I'm sure glad I did.
The Harleys that you see in the picture above are owned by four Frenchmen, all in their forties. They pulled in just before me. After taking a few pictures, they gathered around one of the men and wished him a happy birthday in english. Once inside, I overheard their excitement in French at where they were standing. There was a Spanish couple touring the museum, a group of Mexicans, and a handful of middle aged Americans. It was an all too rare moment where I felt positive American cultural impact on the world. No, not McDonalds, Starbucks and corporate homogeny. Jazz, Rock & Roll, dreams, hope, and manifest destiny. I learned that this route, from Chicago to Los Angeles, goes back as far as the Native American tribes, then the Europeans, and so forth, who all moved Westward in search of a better life. As time moved on, people found better modes of transportation and a better route to pursue their dreams. John Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath highlighted the plight of fleeing the dustbowl. And Bobby Troup's 1946 song has covered countless times and made it famous to the world. Route 66 is a pilgrimage. Sure, I had thought about traveling on it, but it came though osmosis. I was supposed to head towards Colorado. Regardless of the design, I found the right path today. Everything happens for a reason.
Now there's more than one museum along the way, but this one was great. The old Wurlitzer plays Jackie Wilson, The Beach Boys, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, James Brown. Each exhibit has an accompanying song from the decade, so Woody Guthrie through Elvis, The Beatles, The Eagles. But, as my tribute to Route 66, I won't offer you the title song or those above. Instead, as an example of positive American cultural influence, and in honor of the four Frenchmen on their pilgrimage, I present Johnny Hallyday and the classic, "Joue pas de rock n'roll pour moi." (we'll excuse his eyeliner, he rocks those Elvis moves like nobody's business)
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