HAPPY APRIL, ROUTE 66 ENTHUSIASTS!
In this issue, we’re excited to interview Kaisa Barthuli with the National Parks Service and Jacob Hammersmith with American Legion Gaming, as well as highlight the upcoming P66 Rallye.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to join the Birthday Club! Check out the flyer below and sign up today to take part in this once-in-a-century celebration. If you’re interested in upgrading your membership, you can do so here.
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Our Online Events Submission Form makes promoting Route 66 Centennial celebrations easier than ever! The form allows users to submit events in just a few minutes—no technical expertise required. Once submitted, events are reviewed and published on the official Centennial calendar, helping visitors plan their journey and experience all that Route 66 has to offer for the Centennial and beyond. To submit your event or learn more, click here.
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We’re excited to spotlight the work of Route 66’s official publishing partner, Only In Your State, which continues to highlight incredible eateries, points of interest, and historic landmarks along the Mother Road. We hope you enjoy discovering them as much as we do. Read their latest Route 66 articles here.
Also, be sure to check out the Centennial Blog! Our Q&As feature interviews with writers, business owners, artists, sports teams, event coordinators, and others who live, work, or travel along Route 66. Learn more about upcoming or recently released books, projects, and more—and discover what Route 66 means to people across the country. Our latest posts include interviews with Karina Sedigh with Pierside Hotel, marketing team member Randall Smalley at Cruise America, Crystal Jimenez with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality—and more!
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The P66 Rallye is an art-forward, Porsche-themed automotive rally scheduled for October 10-23, celebrating the communities along Route 66. The rally will travel the full length of the Mother Road from Chicago to Santa Monica, highlighting the towns, people, and stories that have shaped America’s most iconic highway.
Designed as a celebration of craftsmanship and the open road, the P66 Rallye brings together builders, artists, and dreamers who share a passion for automotive and road trip culture. Participants will immerse themselves in iconic Route 66 communities and the spirit that continues to define the American road trip.
Unlike traditional rallies, the P66 Rallye is non-competitive. Learn more here.
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Kaisa Barthuli currently serves as a VIP (Volunteer in the Park) and liaison for the National Park Service's Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, housed within the National Trails Office based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Route 66 has always been an important vacation corridor,” Kaisa says, “and there’s always been an important connection between the national parks and Route 66.”
Kaisa has lived in Santa Fe near the original alignment of Route 66 for years, and grew up in the Los Angeles area not far from the Santa Monica Pier. She is an ex officio board member of the Road Ahead Partnership, and her commitment to preserving the heritage and legacy of Route 66 spans decades.
The Route 66 Centennial Rack Card and Route 66 Passport Stamp have been approved by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission as Official Route 66 Centennial Activities.
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The Route 66 centennial rack card highlights the dozens of parks located along and near Route 66. You can find the rack cards in participating parks across the country. Participating parks will also be offering a NPS-Route 66 passport stamp. The relationship is symbiotic: “The goal is to raise awareness of parks along Route 66, and of Route 66 within parks,” says Kaisa.
There are 24 parks within a 30-mile radius of Route 66 and 19 within a 100-mile radius. These include large-scale parks like the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree, as well as smaller monuments and historic sites such as Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Petroglyph National Monument, and Abraham Lincoln’s Home.
Through this partnership, Route 66 and the National Parks continue to guide travelers through the landscapes and history that define the American road trip. Explore the parks along Route 66 here.
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Jacob Hammersmith is the Chief Development and Operations Officer for American Legion Gaming, an organization that seeks to bring veterans together through gaming, podcasting, and media creation. “Upon returning home, a lot of veterans face isolation and mental health issues. By introducing them to gaming or podcasting—or media creation in general—they can share their stories with peers, or even a wider audience, like mental health professionals,” Jacob explains.
The American Legion’s upcoming road trip will celebrate the stories of veterans and active-duty service members along the historic highway—especially in an increasingly digital age—while helping to shape the future of America.
The road trip caravan is scheduled for May 9-19, beginning in Chicago and ending at the Santa Monica Pier in time for Fleet Week. The caravan will include roughly 8-10 people, including four cast members (all veterans or active-duty service members) and a support and camera crew. At each stop, a surprise competition will give participants the chance to earn points. These challenges will build toward a final winner, who earns 250 points in celebration of the U.S.’s 250th birthday.
Ultimately, the goal is to tell the story of what makes Route 66 historic and how it helped build America, as well as how nonprofits and veterans have contributed to that legacy.
For Jacob, his relationship with Route 66 traces back to road trips with his family—playing the license plate game, singing along to classic rock songs, and stopping at kitschy attractions like the world’s largest rocking chair. However, Jacob acknowledges that Route 66 is about more than just remembering. It’s about revitalizing the communities along the road and bringing people’s stories to light—both the good and the bad.
Learn more about American Legion Gaming here.
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Join speakers Michael Wallis, Ken Busby, and Rhys Martin at the Centennial Speaker Series on April 14! This talk is one of many events throughout the year highlighting the Mother Road’s lasting impact and legacy. Learn more and register here.
You can also learn more about Research Route 66 at researchroute66.org
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Check out our line of Centennial bumper stickers! The collection includes one national design, with two designs to choose from, as well as two designs for each Route 66 state.
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Shop Centennial merch and celebrate the Mother Road in style! Browse hats, hoodies, accessories, and more. There’s something for every season and everyone!
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