Mile 145: kicks on Route 66

A big part of my trip would follow the old Route 66: swallowed up by I-40 in most places, segments of the old road still exist, running through a series of Western towns. I knew a lot of areas were preserving and restoring their parts of Route 66, so I followed an impulse and jumped off the 15 (freeways still retain the definite article inside San Bernardino County) at Victorville, Calif.



It was cute, though there was that air of high-desert freakiness that always makes me think behind one of these doors in a future serial killer. I strolled around a bit and met a lady named Rose as she caught a smoke outside her storefront-church-slash-thrift-store.



I think she picked up on my I don't have to work, not a care in the world vibe - she told me "I can always tell when people are happy and joyous inside." And, I mean, sure: happy, joyous, why the hell not? Not like I don't have things on my mind, but I have pretty much been trained from birth to be an optimist... and what's more joyful than having a mostly-full tank of gas and an open road calling?

She wanted to talk about Jesus, but I had Buddha in my pocket, so I wished her well and moved on.



the trip so far