“It was really the people I met along Route 66.” When I asked author Yolanda Lopez-Muniz Rodrigo what inspired her to write Voices of Route 66: The People Who Keep The Mother Road Alive, this was her answer.

It was the people. That simple statement explains the magic of the Route 66 experience. Regardless of what city or country they call home, this is what people remember most from their Route 66 adventure.

As with the highway itself, Voices of Route 66, is a book that will be enjoyed by Route 66 adventurers or armchair enthusiasts that enjoy the journey vicariously. It is also an opportunity to see this storied highway through the eyes of a traveler from Spain.

A Visit With Yolanda Lopez Muniz Rodrigo

After reading this book, I reached out to Yolanda. I was curious about why she wrote the book, and the origins of her interest in Route 66. It was an enlightening discussion.

Was Voices of Route 66 your first book?

No, it isn’t. My first book was a children’s Christmas book called Los cinco días antes de Navidad (The five days before Christmas), which I published in 2021. I’m now working on my third novel.
Before getting into writing books, I worked in television and for communications agencies. So, I’ve always worked with stories in one way or another.

Voices of Route 66

What inspired you to write this book?

It was really the people I met along Route 66. But there was one moment in particular that made me see the trip differently. It was at Ambler Becker Texaco Gas Station in Dwight, Illinois. One of the volunteers started telling me all these stories about Route 66, and everyone was so friendly. They were genuinely happy to have people stop by, listen to them, and learn about the road.
I’d already talked to people at other places along the way, but something clicked for me there. I realized that what I was enjoying was meeting the people and hearing their stories.
I remember thinking, “This trip is going to be about the people, not just the places.”
And that’s how the idea for Voices of Route 66 began.

The Spark

Where did your interest in Route 66 begin?

It actually started by chance. I was about 17 when we first got the internet at home. One night, out of nowhere, a picture of Mr. D’z, in Kingman, had become my desktop background. I remember looking at it and thinking, “Wow, what a cool place!”
So I started looking it up and found out it was on Route 66. Then I started reading about the road, its history, and all the places along it. I got completely fascinated by it. And from that moment on, traveling Route 66 became a dream of mine.

An American Experience

In your opinion, why does Route 66 have such an international appeal?

I think it’s because Route 66 brings together so many things we find fascinating about America; its history, the movies, the music, and that image of America in the 1950s… Route 66 also offers a different way of traveling. You get away from the big cities, drive through small towns, meet people, and discover places you might never have heard of otherwise. It’s about experiencing a different way of life, even if only for a little while.

How did you choose the people that were profiled in the book?

I started with the people I already knew from my own trip, because I’d met them in person and had my own memories of those places. Then I started discovering other people through recommendations, Route 66 associations and social media.
I wanted to include people who were actually keeping Route 66 alive: business owners, volunteers, families, and people who put so much time and effort into preserving it.

Inspiring An Adventure

What do you hope people get from reading your book?

I hope it gives people a different kind of experience, maybe even a different way of looking at life.
I’d love for readers to get a little closer to the real America and the people who live along Route 66. Sometimes we think that the America we associate with Route 66 belongs to the past, but when you travel the road, you realize that’s not true. It’s still there.
You meet people who work incredibly hard, who are kind and welcoming, and who get up every day trying to keep their businesses and this road alive. It’s not always easy, and I think that’s something worth understanding and appreciating.
More than anything, I hope people see that Route 66 isn’t just a road. It’s the people, their memories, and all the stories they have to tell.

The Adventure Continues

Have you traveled the entire length of Route 66?

Not quite yet. In 2022, I went to California and visited Los Angeles, including the famous Route 66 End of the Trail sign. Then, in 2023, I drove Route 66 from Chicago all the way to Arizona. So I still have a little stretch of California left to do, and I’d really love to finish it someday soon.

If so, is there anything that surprised you or that was unexpected?

One place that really surprised me was Holbrook, Arizona. I wasn’t expecting much when I stopped there, but it ended up being one of the places I remember most fondly. There was something about the atmosphere that I really loved. It felt so peaceful, especially at sunset. Honestly, I think it was the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen!

Beyond The Centennial Celebrations

Do you think that after the centennial celebrations Route 66 will remain popular?

I think there will probably be a little less excitement once the centennial celebrations are over. That’s normal. Something gets a lot of attention for a while, and then things quiet down.
But I hope people don’t forget about Route 66. The centennial has been a great opportunity to remind everyone that the road is still here and that there are people working hard to keep it alive. It’s not just a piece of history. It’s still part of people’s lives.
There’s a lot of work to be done to preserve it, and I hope the interest we’ve seen this year helps keep that work going for many years to come.

An Invitation

Would you recommend Route 66 as a holiday destination?

Absolutely, but I’d say one thing: take your time. Don’t just stop somewhere, take a picture, and get back in the car. That’s not really what Route 66 is about. Take the time to enjoy each stop. Talk to people. Listen to their stories. Let them tell you about the road and what it means to them.
Don’t go with your camera in your hand, just looking for all the places you’ve seen online because you feel like you have to take a picture there. Just slow down. Breathe. Enjoy it.
And if it takes you five, six, or even seven trips to really experience Route 66, then so be it! I honestly don’t think you can truly experience the whole road in just one trip. There’s always something else to discover, and that’s part of the magic.

It’s The People

Do you think that some of Route 66’s popularity is based on it being a microcosm of the American experience?

Route 66 gives you a chance to see a side of America you might not see if you only visit the big cities. You get to see small-town life, how people live, and what their everyday lives are really like.
And you meet the people who work so hard to keep the road alive. It’s not always easy for them. A lot of small businesses have closed over the years, and you can see how much effort people put into keeping their businesses going and preserving the places that mean so much to them.
In many cases, they’re helping preserve a piece of American history, and that’s part of what makes Route 66 so special. You see the history, of course, but you also see the people, their struggles, their hopes, and their sense of community.

A Personal Perspective

In your opinion, do you think that the decline in international tourism to the United States will have a negative impact on Route 66 preservation and marketing?

People who truly love Route 66 will keep coming back, regardless of what’s happening with tourism in general. Of course, fewer international visitors could make things harder for some of the businesses along the road; they need people to stop, visit, and support them. But I think there’s a difference between someone who visits Route 66 because it’s popular at the moment and someone who really loves it.
For those of us who are passionate about Route 66, It’s a trip that stays with you, and you always want to go back.

Do you have plans for a Route 66 trip soon?

I’m already thinking about my next trip, although I don’t know exactly when I’ll be able to go. I really hope it’s soon because I’d love to go back and meet in person some of the people I interviewed for the book. So far, I’ve spoken to some of them from a distance, and it would be wonderful to sit down with them and spend some time together.
I’d also love to meet people who have bought my book and spend time with other Route 66 fans, sharing stories and experiences. I’ve spent so much time talking to people about the road and their lives that it would be really special to see them again, this time face to face in many cases.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

What were some of your favourite places along Route 66?
Oh, that’s a really hard one! I have great memories of Wilmington, Illinois. It was one of the first towns where I stopped, and I really enjoyed being there. And Devil’s Elbow in Missouri was another highlight. Cuba, Tulsa, Kingman…It’s hard to choose just one place because each stop gave me something different. Some places surprised me, others made me feel at home, and others just made me want to stay a little longer.

Route 66: An American Story

My brief conversation with this talented author, and my daily encounters with travelers from throughout the world, leave no doubt in my mind. Route 66 is an American story. It is every chapter in the American story made manifest. And as long as that story provides inspiration, Route 66 will remain popular.

At Jim Hinckley’s America we share America stories and inspire road trips by telling people where to go. In Voices of Route 66: The People Who Keep The Mother Road Alive, Yolanda Lopez-Muniz Rodrigo gives us a glimpse of Route 66 beyond centennial celebrations.

This book will surely inspire a road trip or two. And as the years pass it will become a valuable time capsule that preserves the stories of the people that kept the Mother Road alive as America’s longest small town began the countdown to bicentennial celebrations.