the mother road.

...a nick name for route 66. it is also called the main street of america. in albuquerque, the nice old parts of route 66 are on what is now (and maybe then) central street. although probably considered garish at the time, i am awfully fond of the old motel signs that dot it. they speak of american dreams - you know, big gaudy independent business advertising. this was also the america in which two brothers named mcdonald opened a burger shop in a fit of american independence. it's too bad that so many of the old business and motels along route 66 are boarded up, even though their big signs remain. i guess america hit a point where it wanted those with an independent spirit to grow up. also, the interstate system put a swift end to the boom of route 66. interstates are better, after all, for get lots of stuff from one big place to another. travelling through the main streets of small town america became less important.

i think about this sort of stuff in a microcosmic way when considering my own independent lifestyle and business. is it somehow a failure of purpose or a character flaw to want to stay small? is it wrong to aim for sustenance instead of infinite (even incremental) growth? i truly wonder.