Route 66 and I Have a Lot in Common by Vonnie Davis

Historic highway Route 66 runs from Chicago to Santa Monica. Though it was developed from trails used by pioneers and settlers in the California Gold Rush, the route wasn't officially commissioned until 1926. Major cities on the famed route are St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Flagstaff. It was originally 2448 miles long.

Now, you might not realize this, but Route 66 and I have a lot in common. Take the number, for instance. Today I turn 66. Now, it's a young 66, you understand. We aren't dwelling on numbers...much. But I do have to admit, we're both seen a lot of hard miles. As a single mother of three, working to keep them in stylish sneakers and the brand of jeans of the day, plus put them through college, I often worked two jobs. Twelve hour days were light workdays. Yeah, these size 9's have seen a lot of  long, hard road. But the journey was full of beautiful sights and happy memories.

Here's a pic taken in '86. Any was a freshman in college, Steve, a junior in high school and Mike, a 9th grader. It's an old pic and I have no clue what that mark is near Mike's face. Amy was a cheerleader until she switched to Band Front and became the captain. Steve was into theater, school choir, a rock group called Shrapnel and karate. Mike was into football and wrestling. I was the taxi driver.

Diners along Route 66 have served a lot of burgers and french fries. So have I. Heavy on the mayo, hold the lettuce and PLEASE no onions for Amy.

 

The Wild Rose Press has a series set in a honky tonk along Route 66, just outside of Amarillo. The Lonesome Steer was run by a man named Gus, who thought himself a bit of a matchmaker. Within the paneled walls of his honky tonk, couples met, argued, danced and fell in love. My two contributions to the Honky Tonk Hearts series are the award winning Those Violet Eyes and Back Where You Belong.

BUY LINKS FOR THOSE VIOLET EYES: -- http://amzn.com/B008EX95DS

BUY LINKS FOR BACK WHERE YOU BELONG -- http://amzn.com/B00BK9QVKI