Route 66 travel log intertwines history and a family's exploration of Americana
Brennen Matthews hasn't always been a Route 66 enthusiast. He was raised in Africa and only lived in North America for a handful of years before he packed up a Volkswagen SUV with his wife and eight-year-old son to tour The Mother Road. Now, the family travels Route 66 twice a year and Matthews is known for his coverage of the highway's history.
In mid-October, Matthews released his book, "Miles to Go: An African Family in Search of America along Route 66." The 285-page book chronicles the family's first trip along Route 66 in 2016. Matthews, along with his wife Kate and son Thembi, spent two and a half months traveling, starting in Wilmington, Illinois and finishing in Los Angeles.
When Brennen and Kate began planning for their trip, Brennen didn't intend to write a book about their experiences. It wasn't until afterward, on follow-up trips, that Brennen began to realize the need. There are plenty of guides to traveling along Route 66, but Brennen felt there was a lack of personal narratives.
Formatted like a travel log, "Miles to Go" brings readers through each of the big cities and small towns the family explored. Matthews also intertwines Route 66 history with his personal narrative, fleshing out details about iconic eateries and motels they visit.
"I have this little tape recorder, and I record everything as I travel; that's just my style," Matthews said. "Even without any anticipation of writing, I recorded everything as we (went)."
A common topic throughout the book is the comparison of American culture to Kenyan culture. Brennen and Kate met in Kenya, at Daystar University, and gave birth to Thembi there. Time and time again, the family met visitor center attendants, restaurant staff and fellow tourists who were shocked at where they were visiting from.
Matthews often contrasts American food portions to those in Kenya, which are sizably smaller. At another part in the book, he compares America's respect for truck drivers versus Africa's distaste for them.
"In America, there is a romanticized notion of the truck driver, and truckers are given a level of respect that is miles apart from their African counterparts," Matthews wrote. "There are no country songs about African truckers, even though they are the backbone of many African economies. Instead, they are generally considered a nuisance and a menace on the highways."
The book's forward is written by Michael Wallis, author of "Route 66: The Mother Road," published in 1990. Considered an expert on Route 66 history, Wallis is popularly known for his work with Pixar Animation Studios to create "Cars." He served as the voice actor for Sheriff in the movie.
More:All-American Road: Why Route 66 is important to Missouri and the world
'Let the people of Springfield celebrate themselves'
Chapter 11 of the book outlines the Matthews' time in Springfield. The trio stayed at the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven on Glenstone Avenue and explored the Steak 'n Shake down the road, Park Central Square and the History Museum on the Square.
"Our goal had generally been to steer clear of larger towns as much as possible, but Springfield was one that we could not afford to miss," Matthews wrote.
The Matthews' most recent Route 66 trip was this summer. They spent about three months on the road, exploring new spots and revisiting old favorites. While in Springfield this year, the family visited Fantastic Caverns and Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum in Mansfield.
Matthews said Springfield remains one of his family's favorite cities, for its diverse culture and collective celebration of being the Birthplace of Route 66. On a typical visit, they stay about four or five nights.
"Let the people of Springfield celebrate themselves; they should," Matthews said when reminiscing about his time in the city.
Now, a Route 66 enthusiast himself, Matthews has a piece of advice for folks: slow down. Matthews said the majority of tourists he has met along Route 66 are eager to get out West. While Matthews enjoys that area of the country, he stressed the importance of taking the time for what's offered in the Midwest.
"Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma ... the first four states (mentioned in the book), we think people need to slow the heck down," Matthews said. "If people don't have the time to do what we do — and most people don't, then do it in stages, but give those first four states their due."
More:Route 66 documentary explores women's discrimination, segregation along the Mother Road
Ultimately, Matthews hopes "Miles to Go" inspires readers to experience the uniqueness of Route 66.
"For too many people, Route 66 is like an amusement park, it's like a Disney ride," Matthews said. "That's not really what Route 66 is. It's a living, breathing artery that runs through the country and represents Americans of different cultures, classes, ethnic backgrounds, economic backgrounds and interests. It showcases many different pieces of who America is, what America is."
"Miles to Go" is available for purchase on Amazon at amzn.to/3FpX0a2. Paperback copies are $24.95 and Kindle e-books are $8.99.
Today, Brennen, Kate and Thembi live in Toronto, Canada. Brennen is the editor of "ROUTE Magazine," a bi-monthly publication dedicated to documenting the history of culture of life along Route 66.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'Miles to Go' follows a family's exploration of America on Route 66
