Photograph © Jeremy Wade Shockley 2011.
Simi trailers line the horizon on Interstate 40, crisscrossing the desert in each direction, hauling their wares around the clock. An icon of days gone by sits to the north, memorializing the historic road bed of a once parallel thoroughfare: Historic Route 66.
Speeding away from the setting sun, at a comfortable forty-five miles an hour, I took a moment to embrace the aging highway through the painted desert, wondering if America can ever return to its former pace, and the glory of its open roads, a country that perhaps better understood the freedom, that we fight for today.
Do you ever find yourself seeking the identity of lost landscapes, byproducts of iconic generations and way of life now forgotten?
Photograph © Jeremy Wade Shockley 2011.
Jeremy Wade Shockley | Photography Travelogue 
Hey man. Have traveled various stretches of the Mother Road, including the part you just posted about! Last time we were in AZ we went from Kingman to Oatman, Rachel behind the wheel, me hanging out the window with video camera… it was a blast! Another time, on one of my many solo cross-country trips, I stopped in Santa Rosa NM at the Club Cafe (sadly, no longer exists!) and had the best steak and egg breakfast ever! The eggs were done up perfectly (over medium) and the steak! the steak was a beautiful tender center cut loin. No shit! Medium rare. Wonderful. Coffee, OJ, home fries… $6.00!! Great way to start the day. Anyway, nice shots. And yes, I'm forever thinking about days long past whenever traveling through historic places. (every place, I guess, is historic though right? Just depends on whether you're aware of that particular history.) ;^}Cheers,-M
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I lived in the states from the age eight till I was twelve…mum didn´t like it, so we all headed back to Europe. Always wanted to go back and stay… dreaming of route 66 and reminiscing past times.Paul
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Mike, perhaps another trip out West is in order. There is always change on the horizon-for better or worse. …and as you well know, there will always be something new (or interesting) to put in front of your lens!Cheers, Jeremy
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Paul, Welcome!It is interesting how so many Americans long for the cafes of paris, or the streets of Venice, while Europeans romanticize the Old West and the grander of North Americas open space, and or National Parks. It makes perfect sense too. How I would love to be driving the rural roads of Spain- perhaps seeking the perfect plaza as the shadows grow long and a tall glass of beer to go with it!Thanks for sharing your thoughts here …I hope you can make it back to photograph the American West someday soon!Keep checking in.Best, Jeremy
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Jeremey…yes! There is magic in those rural Spanish roads, I think I´ll convince my wife to take me out for a ride with kids and get lost for a while!If you ever seek a plaza near my home tell me and we will meet up and enjoy a couple of beers!
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Paul, Sounds perfect. Thanks for the invite! Cheers, Jeremy
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