Q&A with Moon Author Jessica Dunham
With Route 66 celebrating its 100th birthday this year, it’s the perfect time to chat with Moon Route 66 Road Trip author and expert road-tripper Jessica Dunham about the legendary Mother Road.
What makes Route 66 unique?
Route 66 is not a static destination. It’s not one single place; rather it’s a coterie of people and communities connected across the miles, and across the decades. It’s the road trip that defines all road trips—an ambitious and meandering route that embodies freedom and adventure and new frontiers.
What do you love about driving this route to do research for your book?
My favorite thing about Route 66 are the people who call the Mother Road home. They are small-business owners, hotel operators, restaurateurs, historians—friendly folk who are passionate about sharing the odd, quirky, delightful, beautiful, one-of-a-kind, only-on-Route-66 curios and experiences with travelers from around the world.
Do you have a favorite hike along the route?
Route 66 is best enjoyed checking out kitschy attractions—oversized dinosaurs, the world’s largest fork—but if you’re a craving a hike, make a detour south of Amarillo, Texas, to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It’s the second largest canyon in the United States and offers some great hikes with stunning views.
Get the new book and plan your Route 66 adventure!
Moon Route 66 Road Trip by expert road-tripper Jessica Dunham reveals the ins and outs of this iconic highway as it celebrates 100 years, from sweeping prairies and retro roadside pit-stops to the stunning vistas of the Southwest.
Favorite place to grab a bite?
I always stop in Seligman, Arizona, at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap for ice cream. It’s a legendary, family-owned snacks shop where the staff’s punny humor and silly gag jokes are almost more of a draw than the food.
How about something surprising or unexpected along Route 66?
The Art Deco architectural tour in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a real surprise gem for me. I had no idea that the city was built by oil barons who invested money into constructing some of the most impressive Art Deco buildings in the country.
