Get your kicks

Teepee motel on Route 66

Teepee motel on Route 66, originally uploaded by cynthiacloskey.

Back in 1999, when I’d just left my job in Virginia and had moved back to Pennsylvania, I took a vacation in the desert. My brother and I flew into New Mexico and rented a car, then drove around staying at campgrounds and motels, taking in the big sky and crazy terrain.

We drove on interstates for much of the trip, so I could get to California in time for a conference — the ostensible rationale for the trip. But we did hop off at a few points to get our kicks on Route 66, that unique American experience.

We came across this teepee motel in Arizona. Each of the teepees holds a single room. You can see in the windows; the insides look very 1950s, and they reminded me of the interior of a motor home. To the left of this shot is the main building of the motel, which is just a standard roadside motel and has a couple of extra rooms.

No one was staying in the teepees as far as we could tell. The finned cars outside seemed to be there for atmosphere.

If you’re a fan of Route 66 and the history of the American highway, the Silver Eye Center for Photography on Pittsburgh’s South Side is holding an event tomorrow (Thursday, 2/21) that you should know about:

Your Pix from Route 66
Thursday, February 21, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Admission is free.

Join us to share and discuss your photographs. Bring pictures of Route 66, the Lincoln Highway or other projects you’re working on right now. Prints or images on CD are welcome. Free admission. Reservations recommended. For reservations call Sylvia Ehler at 412-431-1810, ext. 11.

This is part of the Sliver Eye’s "In Search Of America" series. Visit the Silver Eye website for more information.

3 replies on “Get your kicks”

  1. Taking a cross-country road trip has been pretty high up on my list of “things to do” for a while now. One of these days, right? And maybe spending the night in a teepee should be on there too.

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