Saturday, September 7, 2024
A few weeks ago, I had to take a quick road trip all the way to northern Wisconsin and back. As I rolled through the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and finally, into Wisconsin, I started to get really nostalgic about the family vacations my family went on when I was a kid.
When I hear the old Roger Miller song “King of the Road,” my dad is who I picture. Until he was well into his 60s, he had never flown on a plane, and, to my recollection, that one time may have been the only time. He never took a bus or a train. Most of the world he saw was from a ship during his time in the U.S. Navy during World War II. But man, my dad LOVED. TO. DRIVE. He loved to drive more than any other person I’ve ever known. He was the undisputed King of the Great American Road Trip.
I suppose that’s where I get it from. I hate flying. HATE IT! But give me a vehicle and the open road, and I’m in heaven. I have such fond memories of seeing so much of the United States from the backseat of our 1966 Plymouth Belvedere. I remember the mighty roar of that 383 4-barrel car engine, the rhythmic thump of tires on asphalt, the whoosh of passing cars, and the clanging bell of a gas station pump as you pumped your gas.
Of course, this was before the proliferation of fast-food chains, so most of your meals were eaten out of a Styrofoam ice chest on the side of a road or, if you were lucky, at a roadside rest stop. I can proudly say I’ve eaten a sandwich on the side of the road in probably 38 of the lower 48 states!
I also remember the literal thrill of pulling into a Holiday Inn Motel after a long day of driving. All it took was to see that big Holiday Inn sign from the highway, glowing like a beacon with the yellow-tinted lights, and somehow, all was right with the world because it meant two things: a good dinner in the restaurant and a nice swimming pool!
There is no question in my mind that the baby boomers who grew up in the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s were the witnesses to and beneficiaries of one of our most uniquely American institutions: the Great American Road Trip!
When I got home from my most recent road trip, I decided to research the term “Great American Road Trip” a little more to learn its history. What I found was really interesting.
The term “Great American Road Trip” emerged from the cultural significance of automobile travel in the United States. Beginning in the early 1900s, the invention and mass production of affordable cars, such as the Ford Model T, made car ownership and travel accessible to many Americans.
In the 1920s, the establishment of the U.S. Highway System in 1926 provided a network of roads connecting various parts of the country, encouraging long-distance travel.
The post-World War II era during the 1950s-1960s saw a boom in car culture and the construction of the Interstate Highway System, starting with the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. This period also witnessed the rise of roadside attractions, motels and diners, all catering to road travelers.
The spirit of the road trip even worked its way into popular culture. Indeed, literature, music and films played a significant role in romanticizing the road trip. Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” (1957) and the film “Easy Rider” (1969) are iconic examples that captured the spirit of the road trip and embedded it in American culture.
The term “Great American Road Trip” itself likely gained traction as a way to encapsulate the allure and adventure associated with cross-country travel by car. It represents a sense of freedom, exploration and the discovery of America’s diverse landscapes and cultures. The exact origin of the term is difficult to pinpoint, but its popularization can be attributed to the confluence of automotive advancements, infrastructure development and cultural expressions throughout the 20th century.
So, the next time you plan a trip, why not make it a road trip? There is so much to see in this great country of ours. But you’ll have to change your mindset a bit. Be okay with getting off the Interstate and taking some of the lesser traveled roads. That’s where you see the really cool and memorable stuff!
And be OK with not keeping a schedule. Drive until you come across something you want to see, and then take the time to stop and enjoy. As they say, the joy is in the journey, and the Great American Road Trip is one of the best ways I know of to bring some joy into your life!
What are some of your fond memories of road trips you took as a kid? I’d love to hear them!
