Route 66 was the historic "Mother Road" from Chicago to Los Angeles that millions of Americans took, whether they were "Okies" during the Depression in search of a better life on the west coast or families enjoying a carefree vacation in the years after World War II.
With the completion of the Interstate Highway system in the 1970s, Route 66 was almost completely bypassed and abandoned. But some relics of the old highway . . . and the vehicles that traveled on it . . . remain to this day.
Over the past few months I have traveled with a couple of photo buddies to find and photograph some of the Route 66 relics west of Albuquerque.
A familiar sight along Route 66 between Shamrock, Texas, and Los Angeles were the Whiting Brothers service stations and motels. Some signs and buildings are still around.
Not only were the motels and service stations abandoned; many cars and trucks were left behind as well.
A favorite Route 66 relic for photographers is the Rio Puerco bridge about 15 miles west of Albuquerque.
The bridge is a classic example of a "Parker Through Truss" bridge; if you're interested, click here for more technical information about this type of bridge.
The Rio Puerco bridge was built in 1933 and was decommissioned in 1999 (hmm . . . in service for 66 years). It's 250 feet long and its beams and girders make for visually interesting perspectives.
And here's how I got the shot above (courtesy of my photo buddy Barry Schwartz):
I have photographed the bridge many times, but recently managed to arrive at sunset for some "golden hour" light and beautiful clouds:
If you would like to see these images in a larger format, please visit my photography website, Todos Juntos Photography, by clicking here.
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment