Ep14 Take It Easy on Route 66

Passport Podcast

The Route 66 road trip continues with a stopover in Winslow, Arizona where I visit the roadside attraction inspired by the Eagles tune Take it Easy.

It's funny how one little line in a song can lead people to the tiny northern Arizona town. But it's that whimsical charm and the curiosity of the attraction that causes people to pull over and take a look around.

I first traveled through Winslow on another road trip more than two decades ago, but back then the town had not yet figured out how many people were making a pilgrimage down old Route 66 to stand on one of their downtown corners. It was during a time long before the inventions of smartphones and selfies, so perhaps nobody took notice.

While wondering about the downtown looking for someone to interview, I spotted an honest and friendly shop clerk, and I beelined into her souvenir shop. Sabrina was kind enough to share her experience of growing up in the town, leaving for several years and returning to the quietude of small town living. But she soon discovered that the world was passing by her front door every day.

Travelers from all corners of the world take the journey along the Mother Road and a lot of them happily stop off in Winslow to stretch their legs and snap a photo with a statue in a downtown park created for such occasions.

Listen and enjoy this fun interview to get Sabrina's firsthand account of what it's like to run the Arizona 66 Trading Co. or better known as the Take it Easy gift shop located just across from one of the world's most infamous corners.

Thanks for listening and be sure to enjoy the ride.