Route 66 might be the most famous road in the U.S. With numerous tourism destinations around the country and a number of faster interstates that can take people from one place to another, why does this specific highway attract so many visitors?
“I think it’s because it symbolizes the best of America, it takes us back to a more innocent time and the sense of freedom and adventure is just something that people want to hold on to,” author Roger Naylor said. “That idea that you can just get in your car and go and you don’t have to worry because there will be a little town ahead where you can get a burger and a piece of pie and you can fill up your tank and maybe buy a souvenir and then you can go some more and there will be another town and another, and you will always find something and you can just keep going.
“That sense of freedom, that translates to anybody. And I think that’s why Route 66 … has become such an international icon. And that’s why I wrote this book.”
Naylor’s “Arizona Kicks on Route 66” is the Sedona Public Library’s Read Around Sedona featured book. The travel guide pays homage not only to the “Mother Road,” but to the
communities that came together to revive the road, transforming it into the Historic Route 66. And it all started in Seligman, not that far from Sedona — if you consider the highway starts over a thousand miles away in Illinois, of course.
The travel writer gave a presentation at the library on April 5, in which he shared stories about his travels around Route 66 from New Mexico to California through, in his words, “Arguably – and I will argue with anyone — the most beautiful state in the nation.”
When Naylor asked who had traveled on Route 66, almost everyone raised their hands.
“I wanted to let people know, I wanted to tell that story and I wanted to understand why Arizona is so special in this,” Naylor said about the road. “And I wanted people to appreciate — I wanted you guys to appreciate — what’s in our backyard.”
During a separate interview, Naylor talked more about how he hopes Arizonans will pay more attention to the road and its historic importance, despite all the other destinations the state offers. He pointed out that no other part of the road, which today is a state highway, is so incredible — not only because Arizona has the longest unbroken stretch of Route 66, but because of the scenery it has to offer.
Library director Virginia Volkman said the library chose the book for Read Around Sedona due to public interest. However, the response has been overwhelming. As of April 15, every copy of the book had been checked out.
“We knew that there was great deal of interest in the Route 66 and we wanted to combine the historical presentation that had facts but it was also easy to read, so people would really enjoy reading it and being part of the program,” she said. “We also had a local artist, Wendy Jack, who had told us that she had this diorama, so we thought we could really tie those things together.”
Jack’s Route 66-themed presentation, “A Nostalgic Journey Along Route 66,” which includes a diorama and a framed map with hand painted iconic tourist sites along the road, is on display at the library.
“It was an honor for the book to be chosen and I’m happy people are having a chance to rediscover it,” Naylor said about having his travel guide become the project’s featured book.
“I hope it makes them want to jump in their car and go,” Naylor said.
As Route 66 is only a short trip away from Sedona, Naylor suggested that everyone should take a day trip, explore it and, obviously, have some pie.
The Sedona Public Library has events on Route 66 planned throughout April, May and June.
Naylor was back at the library on Monday, April 15, to check out a presentation from photographer Mike Koopsen, who will be showing how he views Route 66.
Koopsen was the photographer for Naylor’s book “Boots and Burgers: An Arizona Handbook for Hungry Hikers.”
Natasha Heinz can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 117, or email at nheinz@larsonnewspapers.com
