On the Road

It the 1950s, when car travel was pretty much the norm, a real mystic developed about taking road trips.  It was during that time, when the interstate highway systems were being developed in America that the famous “Route 66” came into being.  Before too long “Route 66” became a metaphor for getting out and seeing America.  That is really when the idea of sightseeing and trying to take in the really great things this country has to offer became possible.

That popular mythology of getting out there and discovering the world of America surfaced in many popular ways.  The book “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac, while about more than just travel and sightseeing, spoke to an exploding need and desire in all Americans to better know their country face to face.  A little later that urge to travel that was bubbling to the surface in all kinds of ways became more popularized by a TV show “Route 66”.

That part of being American which comes out as the urge to travel and see everything there is to see is part of our patriotism, but it is also a big part of the American spirit of adventure that brought our ancestors over here from the home country.  The courage and desire to explore is just part of what makes Americans tick, and it is one of the many reasons we love to get out there and see everything we can.

That desire to get out there “on the road” is just as much part of how you and I as Americans tick today as it was when travel was new.  Even though we have ample travel options especially by air, there is something irreplaceable about driving across the country, discovering its amazing sights from the front seat of an automobile.

So if you think I am suggesting you actually plan a cross country car safari for nothing more than the sheer joy of being “on the road again”, you are exactly right!  When we talk about the great sightseeing high spots in America, it’s easy to talk about the big ones such as the Washington Monument or Niagara Falls, but there are hundreds of tucked away sights that are a sheer delight to “discover” when you just come across them in your cross country car trip. 

Small towns and out of the way highways and byways have some unique and unforgettable sights of their own.  Those still current and former U.S. Highways that are now bypassed by the interstates have a lot of history to them that you can discover as you drive down them.  Think of how you will wow your friends when you come back from your road trip adventure with pictures of...

*        The strange but oddly beautiful Cadillac Ranch of song fame.  As you drive along the badlands of Texas, don’t drive off the road when you look out and see a field full of Cadillacs buried upside down in the Texas soil back ends sticking up like some bizarre experiment in farming. 

*        An off the road spot where you can actually mine for gold in the black hills of South Dakota.

*        A desert in the middle of Oklahoma with sand dunes suitable for dune buggy rides.

*        A massive replica of the pyramids of Egypt, and you don’t need a turban to see it.  Just take a few minutes off from the Grand Ol' Opry and visit this sight in the heart of Nashville Tennessee.

The fun sights you can see on a road trip across the majestic expanse of America will be sights that will stand out in your mind as much as the great and very well known sights that everybody enjoys.  Also, don’t be surprised if you see a look of envy in your friend’s eyes when they realize you were the one who had the guts to get out there and put your tires to the road and discover America all over again.

Smart Picks of the Month: Road Trip Destinations!