My first trip on Route 66-3

As we traveled across Missouri, making the usual stops for gas, eats and potty breaks, I came to realize that everyone in America did not conform to the typical Rockford inhabitant.  The sounds of the language began to have different intonations to them.  The hills had become taller as we motored west from St. Louis.  Little did I know how varied the people and the terrain would become.

I recall that in that time auto dealerships mounted pot metal trim to the trunk of cars that they sold. When we stopped at a 'service station', the attendant would comment about where we were from.  On several occasions it went something like this.  "So you're from Rockford eh?  My uncle was there at Camp Grant in the War.  He went to Italy, and when he came back he decided to live in Rockford.  Name's Bob Stockton.  You know him?"  Far more involved and interesting than, "Thank you and have a nice day."

What this trip, and subsequent ones, demonstrated to me was the tremendous diversity in our country.  That said, we all get along together yet the peoples in the countries we came from cannot do the same.  Cases in point are the slovaks, the Lebanese, the peoples in Africa that are out to exterminate their neighbors.  I never meant to get this somber in this blog, but this thought has persisted over the course of almost 50 years of my life.

My company Crossroads Sign sells authentic route 66 highway marker signs.

Own A Piece of Real Americana
Collect all 8 US route 66 state shield signs or check out our deep-embossed hi-ways & bi-ways metal sign products. Crossroads also offers route 66 clothing that features a 1929 old historic route 66 map reproduction. These make awesome gifts!