Route 66

[fredmcain]

Group,

Last week I was able to travel over Route 66 from Joliet, IL to Springfield. I was terribly disappointed to see that after all this time the Route signage was just terrible. I can't say there were NO signs; there was an occasional U.S. "Historic" 66 marker once every few miles. But there was no mention made on I-55 at exits to show that Route 66 even existed.

In Gardner, for example, there was no mention of Route 66 at the intersection of Route 66 and State Route 53.
Here's a street view if this URL doesn't break:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1856268,-88.3179217,3a,75y,99.15h,70.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIiRvoABLlgFDothCEbElUg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

How in the world, is the traveling public, many of whom are not die-hard 66 fans supposed to find this road? How indeed? Why are we unable to get Route 66 adequately re-signed?

Here are some theoretical diagrams of how routes in the U.S. are supposed to be marked:

http://www.bringbackroute66.com/signs.html

While those exact locations are fictitious, this was supposed to present the basic concept.

I have an idea. Joe Biden and the Democrats have been pushing a massive infrastructure bill to rebuild our highways, bridges and rail lines. What about 66? Could we succeed in getting money to adequately resign Old Route 66?

Regards,
Fred M. Cain

[Max Rockatansky]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding. 

[HighwayStar]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding.

Agreed, US 66 has become too much of a "checklist" for urbane hipsters.

[fredmcain]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding.

Agreed, US 66 has become too much of a "checklist" for urbane hipsters.

Well, O.K. but that's a bit off the topic of the thread.  I didn't ask "How many are getting burned out on Route 66 and are ready to move on to new endeavors?"  I asked what can be done about the signage?

So, to reiterate, what can be done?  Anyone out there still interested in seeing a revived U.S. 66?  What can be done?

[SkyPesos]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding. 

Add me to the "I think US 66 is overhyped" list. Personally, I find US 40 to be a more interesting road to study, and arguably as important as the Lincoln Highway and US 66, from its origin as the National Road, the first highway built by the federal government, to various auto trails like the Victory Hwy, and part of the National Old Trails Rd that you mentioned.

[Avalanchez71]

Don't forget about the portion of US 66 in Evansville, IN.   

Looks like the Alphabet soup Google has tagged US 66 in Evansville, IN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9755683,-87.5369397,15.75z

[HighwayStar]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding.

Agreed, US 66 has become too much of a "checklist" for urbane hipsters.

Well, O.K. but that's a bit off the topic of the thread.  I didn't ask "How many are getting burned out on Route 66 and are ready to move on to new endeavors?"  I asked what can be done about the signage?

So, to reiterate, what can be done?  Anyone out there still interested in seeing a revived U.S. 66?  What can be done?

I would prefer we not sign it, that will keep the hipsters away. However, if we did do a national renumbering of the US highways (something I would love to see come of the infrastructure bill, but know better than to expect), than US 66 could be signed as a new US highway distinct from the old one in whole or in part.

[ozarkman417]

Don't forget about the portion of US 66 in Evansville, IN.   

Looks like the Alphabet soup Google has tagged US 66 in Evansville, IN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9755683,-87.5369397,15.75z

Google has the road name as US Route 66 alongside local names for the whole route. I suggested an edit to Google to rename it but to no avail. At this point, I have given up on trying to make edits on Google Maps. I made an edit to Google reporting a bridge near me as permanently closed, but they only marked it closed on the map for one week. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Really at this point I find myself get burnt out on US Route 66.  I'm all for historic status and preservation but a lot of the real substance gets lost in the mix of it being part of popular culture now.  Personally these days I'm finding the National Old Trails Road out west to be way more interesting given it was the direct predecessor highway west of Santa Fe.  Part of the fun in finding old highway alignments for me is doing the research necessary to locate them. 

But what about other corridors?  Stuff like US 99 and the Lincoln Highway are just as important historically as US 66.  The Lincoln Highway Association has done a ton of signing projects and there is at least one US 99 group that endeavors to do the same.  I'm not sure you can really draw a clear line where to start or cut off historic highways if you're talking Federal funding.

Agreed, US 66 has become too much of a "checklist" for urbane hipsters.

Well, O.K. but that's a bit off the topic of the thread.  I didn't ask "How many are getting burned out on Route 66 and are ready to move on to new endeavors?"  I asked what can be done about the signage?

So, to reiterate, what can be done?  Anyone out there still interested in seeing a revived U.S. 66?  What can be done?

But that's the thing, enough has been done.  The information on how to find almost every vintage corridor of US 66 is easily obtained with a little research.  The reason I'm "burnt out"  on the corridor isn't because I don't like it, but rather there is rarely anything new to explore.  Why would a lot of us in the road community be interested in doing the same thing everyone else has done several times over? 

To me I much rather go find out more information about lesser known highways.  Example; recently it was a lot of fun tracking down how the Arrowhead Trail and early US 91 traversed the Mojave Desert.  The only place to make a dent in finding something isn't common knowledge in that same corridor with US 66 is finding how the National Old Trails Road evolved and became an early US Route. 

So with the wealth of information out there why would Federal dollars be need to sign US 66?  Community projects, some cities, some counties (San Bernardino) and some states (Arizona) already do a adequate job at signing US 66.  Perhaps the solution is petitioning people in the communities where signage is lacking or create a local level historic group? 

Either way, I think it is over due for the myth of US 66 to be brought back down to reality.  There are numerous highways and US Routes that match the importance of US 66.  To me, you can find just as much Americana following stuff like former US 99 or even jogging onto former alignments of US 101.  US 66 had the right elements (I argue the number has a lot to do with it being catchy) to make it pop culture icon, but definitely not nearly as unique as the mainstream would have us believe. 

[Scott5114]

Well, O.K. but that's a bit off the topic of the thread.  I didn't ask "How many are getting burned out on Route 66 and are ready to move on to new endeavors?"  I asked what can be done about the signage?

So, to reiterate, what can be done?  Anyone out there still interested in seeing a revived U.S. 66?  What can be done?

There really isn't a whole lot that can be done. State highways and active US routes have clear and consistent signage because responsibility for that signage is under the jurisdiction of one entity, the state DOT. In states where route signage is punted to local entities, you often see the same problems that you see with old US 66–turns going unsigned, lack of reassurance signage, lack of signage on junctioning routes...

The problem is especially aggravated by the fact that jurisdiction over the route is broken across so many different agencies and levels of government–state DOTs, dozens of county road commissions, and hundreds of city DPWs. All it takes is for one of those to decide it's not worth the money to sign US 66 through their town or county and the route is broken.

So really the only thing you could do is legislation in each state that the state DOT, or another statewide agency like the tourism department, are mandated to, are responsible for, and have legal permission to post US 66 signage on roads that they don't otherwise own or maintain.

You could also try to get US 66 recommissioned, but that'd be even more expensive.

[ozarkman417]

Pretty much all of Route 66 in Kansas is signed as Historic Route 66, as of earlier this month when I took a trip on the route. I know that isn't saying much since Kansas is by far the state that has the least Route 66 mileage of the states the route ran through.

[skluth]

The only reason to sign historic (note lower case) US 66 is if locals want to sign it. It's not a highway used for navigation to a place, only an historic route which has many gaps and multiple former routings. Drivers can easily download apps and articles that will keep you on US 66, even in those places like St Louis which had several route changes. Here's a sampling:

Route 66 Ultimate Guide
Route 66 Travel by TripBucket
Route 66 Navigation
Road Trip 66

There is obviously no shortage of options for drivers wishing to recreate the "Get your kicks on Route 66" trip. I suggest drivers check these out to see which they like best.

[JoePCool14]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

That being said I think states should handle signing the route however they see fit. I like the states that applied SR-66 to the route (or similar). I don't care if it's useful for navigation, it's a part of Americana and it's worth noting.

I will say, with the common "Historic Town X" stuff we see all over, I think a Historic US Route is worth signing.

[Max Rockatansky]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it. 

[HighwayStar]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

[Max Rockatansky]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.   

[HighwayStar]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

[Max Rockatansky]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

But still, who exactly is going to a US 66 destination to engage in some form of ironic counter culture?  Just because a place became popular doesn't necessarily mean it has become the mainstream of "hipsters."   The majority of people who visit places on US 66 are just run of the mill people.  Run of the mill people generally post things on social media and things like it. 

[Max Rockatansky]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

But still, who exactly is going to a US 66 destination to engage in some form of ironic counter culture?  Just because a place became popular doesn't necessarily mean it has become the mainstream of "hipsters."   The majority of people who visit places on US 66 are just run of the mill people.  Run of the mill people generally post things on social media and things like it.

Hipsters are not counter culture, that is an archaic definition. They are the scum that run around with their selfie sticks, etc. while riding bicycles, eating vegan food, and generally being an irritant to the rest of us

Again, how is a normal person doing things that are considered normal behavior for the present time period hipsters?  You're completely describing normalized tourism and the typical people who engage in it.   

I mean, I don't like crowd and I especially don't like being obstructed by other people from enjoying things.  I found an easy solution to problems like this a long time ago; go early or go in the off season for places I want to visit.  Example; Zion National Park is hugely popular right now with the crowds you describe.  Generally most people go around 9-10 AM during the Spring-Fall seasons.  I could arrive at 5 AM and get way the hell out on a trail before anyone even showed up to park.  Or I could just go during the winter when most people are hesitant to travel.  Similar strategies are workable on US 66 locales too; especially out west when they involve trails or a cool driving segment.

[HighwayStar]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

But still, who exactly is going to a US 66 destination to engage in some form of ironic counter culture?  Just because a place became popular doesn't necessarily mean it has become the mainstream of "hipsters."   The majority of people who visit places on US 66 are just run of the mill people.  Run of the mill people generally post things on social media and things like it.

Hipsters are not counter culture, that is an archaic definition. They are the scum that run around with their selfie sticks, etc. while riding bicycles, eating vegan food, and generally being an irritant to the rest of us

Again, how is a normal person doing things that are considered normal behavior for the present time period hipsters?  You're completely describing normalized tourism and the typical people who engage in it.   

I mean, I don't like crowd and I especially don't like being obstructed by other people from enjoying things.  I found an easy solution to problems like this a long time ago; go early or go in the off season for places I want to visit.  Example; Zion National Park is hugely popular right now with the crowds you describe.  Generally most people go around 9-10 AM during the Spring-Fall seasons.  I could arrive at 5 AM and get way the hell out on a trail before anyone even showed up to park.  Or I could just go during the winter when most people are hesitant to travel.  Similar strategies are workable on US 66 locales too; especially out west when they involve trails or a cool driving segment.

There is nothing "normal" about being so self absorbed and narcissistic that you only care about taking photos of yourself in tourist traps so your equally narcissistic and deranged friends can give you a virtual thumbs up on some website. That is a diagnoseable pathology, regardless of how popular or "normalized" you try to make it.

[Max Rockatansky]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

But still, who exactly is going to a US 66 destination to engage in some form of ironic counter culture?  Just because a place became popular doesn't necessarily mean it has become the mainstream of "hipsters."   The majority of people who visit places on US 66 are just run of the mill people.  Run of the mill people generally post things on social media and things like it.

Hipsters are not counter culture, that is an archaic definition. They are the scum that run around with their selfie sticks, etc. while riding bicycles, eating vegan food, and generally being an irritant to the rest of us

Again, how is a normal person doing things that are considered normal behavior for the present time period hipsters?  You're completely describing normalized tourism and the typical people who engage in it.   

I mean, I don't like crowd and I especially don't like being obstructed by other people from enjoying things.  I found an easy solution to problems like this a long time ago; go early or go in the off season for places I want to visit.  Example; Zion National Park is hugely popular right now with the crowds you describe.  Generally most people go around 9-10 AM during the Spring-Fall seasons.  I could arrive at 5 AM and get way the hell out on a trail before anyone even showed up to park.  Or I could just go during the winter when most people are hesitant to travel.  Similar strategies are workable on US 66 locales too; especially out west when they involve trails or a cool driving segment.

There is nothing "normal" about being so self absorbed and narcissistic that you only care about taking photos of yourself in tourist traps so your equally narcissistic and deranged friends can give you a virtual thumbs up on some website. That is a diagnoseable pathology, regardless of how popular or "normalized" you try to make it.

I didn't say that I engage in those types of behaviors.  You would struggle to even find a single photo of me anywhere on Gribblenation or this forum.  I'm the least interesting part of anywhere I visit or write about. 

That said, you're the one who seems to be in denial about how most regular people act nowadays.  I don't care for a lot of the behaviors you describe either, but I don't see a point in being offended by how others want to enjoy their time.  The best way to get around dealing with people you don't want to interact with on a road trip is to know how to avoid them.  That is way easier to do than you're giving consideration for. 

[Rothman]

I see nothing wrong with signing the old US-66. I know the "normies" and "hipsters" ruin it, and part of the fun is hunting for the old alignments without signage, but the elitist attitude is also pretty stupid as well.

I don't recall seeing hipsters (I'm convinced someone in this thread doesn't know what a real "hipster" is) very often out any segment of US 66, but I do see a lot of people trying to enjoy an old highway and looking for something that has nostalgic value.  There is nothing wrong with regular folks enjoying anything in the road world and I would argue that US 66 has been by far the most accessible entry point to the road community at large.  That said, US 66 was a lot more fun a decade ago when a lot of us in the road world were out there gathering the information that is so readily available now for the mainstream.  US 66 ended up seeing a spike in popularity along with the emergence of social media and after things like the first Cars movie. 

So to that end, there definitely a worthwhile conversation regarding the merits of preservation of other important historic highway corridors.  There is a lot of opportunity in the road world for us in the community to document highways in a similar manner to US 66, in some cases like the Lincoln Highway that has been started.  Whether it be spreading documentation or even pushing signage projects the only way to seemingly get movements like that going is the friendly approach US 66 groups largely had.  I would go as far to say that taking the opposite approach and not being inclusive to those outside the road world has hurt some efforts in the community to similarly preserve other highways.  This was actually a topic of discussion between the admins at Gribblenation awhile back, we even talked about maybe doing a podcast regarding it.

Hipster in this context describes many of the people that now go to US 66 and make it a miserable experience. The type that cares far more about having the perfect selfie to show to all their friends on whatever social media platform they are glued to than understanding or enjoying the highway itself. They have zero respect or interest in the historical value of the road, it is purely a trip to satisfy their disgusting narcissism.
As to other efforts, I think it is best to learn from what happened to US 66 and take a page out of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's playbook
Call some place paradise kiss it goodbye

What you're describing is more of suburbanites going to rural areas as a form of tourism.  And yes, the influx of additional crowding at traditional sites or interest on US 66 have seen a huge uptick in tourism in the era of modern social media.  As an example; Oatman used to be a sleepy old mining town on Oatman Highway which was mostly known by Arizonans (I was one of them at the time) and couple tour groups in Laughlin.  You used to be able to go to Oatman at any time of the year, find parking and not deal with too sizable crowds.  The community took off with the emergence of social media and can often get close to impossible even to traverse now through route now. 

US 66 isn't alone in this phenomenon, certain National Parks (Zion especially) and even trails have seen a similar tourism boom post social media.  So in that sense I would say that there is no shortage of a footprint for US 66 information to get out to those seeking it.  Certainly enough information is available  that it isn't necessary to petition the Federal Government for signage funding.  If anything a lot of other highway groups (a certain US 99 group comes to mind) underutilize social media to voice their message.  It might have the added side effect of spreading the wealth and drawing crowds of US 66 sites.

No, it is not about if they come from urban or rural areas or anything between, I have lived in both and could care less about posting on social media.
And as I said, the best thing to do is keep it a secret or be overrun by hipsters and their stupid Iphones.

But still, who exactly is going to a US 66 destination to engage in some form of ironic counter culture?  Just because a place became popular doesn't necessarily mean it has become the mainstream of "hipsters."   The majority of people who visit places on US 66 are just run of the mill people.  Run of the mill people generally post things on social media and things like it.

Hipsters are not counter culture, that is an archaic definition. They are the scum that run around with their selfie sticks, etc. while riding bicycles, eating vegan food, and generally being an irritant to the rest of us

Again, how is a normal person doing things that are considered normal behavior for the present time period hipsters?  You're completely describing normalized tourism and the typical people who engage in it.   

I mean, I don't like crowd and I especially don't like being obstructed by other people from enjoying things.  I found an easy solution to problems like this a long time ago; go early or go in the off season for places I want to visit.  Example; Zion National Park is hugely popular right now with the crowds you describe.  Generally most people go around 9-10 AM during the Spring-Fall seasons.  I could arrive at 5 AM and get way the hell out on a trail before anyone even showed up to park.  Or I could just go during the winter when most people are hesitant to travel.  Similar strategies are workable on US 66 locales too; especially out west when they involve trails or a cool driving segment.

There is nothing "normal" about being so self absorbed and narcissistic that you only care about taking photos of yourself in tourist traps so your equally narcissistic and deranged friends can give you a virtual thumbs up on some website. That is a diagnoseable pathology, regardless of how popular or "normalized" you try to make it.

Pfft.  Tourists have been taking pictures of themselves almost since cameras were made portable.

[Max Rockatansky]

So, given I use an iPhone for my road photos does that make me a hipster?  The last time
I recall seeing someone with a selfie stick was at the Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park during October 2012. 

[kendancy66]

I see that Oklahoma is funding new US-66 signage in preparation for 2026 and the centennial of route 66. It would be great that other states would follow that lead.

[bugo]

I live in a US 66 town, and I agree that it is completely overrated. There are other highways that are just as interesting, with smaller crowds and less faux-retro kitschy tackiness. I don't get why they get so excited about 1 single highway, but don't care about any others. In some states, there are thousands of abandoned highways that have often survived and are in better shape than much of 66. There are cool things along 66, but it isn't the be all end all of US routes.