ROUTE 66 SCENERY

I seek out the odd because it harmonizes well with my personality. This may turn into a bit of an explanation, so bear with me.

I don't know if you have ever traveled in the desert before, but around here, you will often find berms that extend along a road for great distances with the purpose of deflecting water on the rare occasions it rains. So you can drive along the desert for miles with this wall off to the side of the highway. It is necessary to control flash floods. Route 66 was no exception, and had miles of these berms across California and Arizona. In the heyday of Route 66, (fifties and sixties) people had to travel long distance, most often without air conditioning and either would not find restaurants and places to stop very often, or deliberately packed food with the intention of stopping and taking a break. So, while they were stopped for a little respite, the kids, and sometimes adults started amusing themselves by picking up rocks and arranging them into words. Most often it was names of the people, but sometimes it might be hometowns. I can still remember as a boy traveling with my parents on Route 66 and being entertained by reading all those names and other pronouncements. Even to this day, some of these monuments remain from as far back as the migrant Okies.

Fast forward to today, and the rocks suddenly are painted and as often as not spell out profanities. And, because we have so much crap, there are things left behind that people could not have afforded to do sixty years ago. Thus we have this display. I have no clue what it is meant to say. I have not comprehended the message. The flag, I suppose was meant to be a patriotic gesture, but, as is often the case, it is not properly displayed, and, therefore, is a disrespectful exhibition of the flag.

Overall, it's an interesting little bit of Americana, and I continue to be intrigued with the scene. Sorry for the long explanation, but hope you find it of some interest.