2020 I am Rt 66 Calendar
Sep 28, 2019
No, the calendar is not the book but it is a small preview, not so much of the portraits which are the meat of the book, but the art. Help us get the book in print by getting your copy of the Calendar HERE
This journey is not over by any means, Putting the book together is a lot of work and there are some very small things left to gather. 98% is in the "can" so to speak. There has been a lot of help in getting this material. It was not done just by me. But the part I played was one of the most demanding things I have ever done largely because of my own health issues and those of my wife.
This last trip was a whirlwind, surgical in getting photos. I knew what I wanted and needed for the book and I went and got them and had little time for anything else. I wrote this after driving some 700 miles, doing some portrait photography. It was a 20 hour day, I was sitting the driveway of my home and was too excited to sleep. so I wrote some thoughts:
"1:49 AM, I shut the truck off; home. Writing this kind of fuzzy. My original plans had me staying in Albuquerque last night. Mechanical issues killed my budget and I missed my wife so much I pushed through. Sitting here reflecting on the events since November of 2018. There have been a few harder years of my life. But I can’t remember any year accomplishing so much with so many obstacles rolled in my path. So many friends stepped up and helped.
I have traveled alone or with friends an average of 1388 miles a month in 2019. Not counting this last trip, I have taken over 17,000 photos for this project. 1000 or so hard edited at 1 hour per edit or so computer time. 431 of those portraits.
All of that while June and I both struggled with major health issues. My arms look like a junkie from so many bruises of blood draws this last month. Even so, I just finished a whirlwind trip to the end of Route 66. Amarillo to the pier in Santa Monica. And a few side trips, 2417 miles. 8 days. 4 64 gig cards full of photos. Thinking 2800 or so images.
There might be a few small things I hadn’t thought of but fundamentally all of the material for the book is “in the can” so to speak. About 10 portraits of people missing I wasn’t able to catch up to and am thinking how to get those.
Because of the cost of the mechanical issues, I pulled into my driveway with 1/4 tank of gas, 7 dollars in my wallet, $1.38 in change in my console and overdrawn $67 dollars in my bank.
BUT the freaking book is in the can!!!! My dad told me about sales (he sold insurance), you can make excuses or you can make money but you can’t make both. I wanted to take off sooooo many days this year. But I kept my eyes on the ball. And here I am. My dad would be proud, no excuses, I pushed right through and brought it home.
Just before I got to Amarillo I heard the song, “minutes to memories” by John Mellencamp. “Riches grow wings and I don’t take stock in such uncertain things, family and friends, are the best things I’ve known, through the eye of a needle I’ll carry them home.” This book is about family and friends.
That’s the value and joy of Route 66 to me, the people. To those who hadn’t traveled Rt 66, It’s hard to explain how this asphalt ribbon of dreams ties strangers together. Over and over you hear those on the road talk of a 2400 mile long family. “I am Rt 66” has become my family photo album.
Roadie is a term those folks involved in Route 66 often use affectionately to describe each other. Before tonight, I felt funny being called such, after all, I hadn’t done the whole of it, Chicago to LA. My fascination is less than a year old. Tonight, for the first time since starting this crazy journey, I feel I can say, “I am a roadie!” I didn’t just travel 2400 miles of Route 66. I crisscrossed it over 12,000 miles in 9 months.
The few times I felt this much pride was my sweetheart, June saying yes, looking at my diploma for my master's degree or holding my newborn son. It’s not done by any means, but coming home with the last photos, the last portraits...
Stage one, the documentation is DONE!!! Now to put it all together. I am Rt 66."
No, it's not done, there is a lot of editing and a lot of work in putting this book together but the journey is fundamentally over. Well, that is not true, honestly, I can't wait to get back on the road. Route 66 is addictive like that.
It would honor me and help me to get the book done if you would consider getting a calendar!