Part 1 in a series In 2021, we wrote two articles about our travels along the Mother Road (Route 66). In the last six months, we have had three inquiries about our experiences along the Route. Per requests, we have decided to resurrect the articles with different titles, one addition and some minor changes.
Sit back, relax and enjoy. When we moved to Arizona in 2010, we were thrilled to discover that our adopted state contains 385 miles of the Mother Road within its boundaries. Did we see the entire 385 miles? Almost — there is one small section we have been unable to locate.
Sit back and relax while we share with you our journey, heading west from the New Mexico border. Our first encounter with the Arizona section of Route 66 was in the Petrified Forest National Park . At one point within the park, we arrived at a surprising stop.
The signage read: “Highway of Dreams - Petrified Forest is the only National Park in the country with a portion of the Historic Route 66 within its boundaries. You are currently standing where the Mother Road used to be, with the line of telephone poles paralleling its alignment through the park. This stretch of Route 66 was opened from 1926 until 1958 and was the primary way millions of travelers initially experienced the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.
Imagine driving to this spot in the 1932 Studebaker before you, when this road was in its heyday!” We left with smiles on our faces and tons of photos. The next stop was Holbrook a city .
