Route 66 Bug Ranch

Route 66 Bug Ranch

Originally uploaded by DustyReins.

This was the first time I had ever visited the “Bug Ranch” in Conway on Historic Route 66. I had driven to Shamrock and back to Amarillo in an effort to travel as much as I could on what remains of the actual roadbed that used to be referred to as the “Mother Road” before Interstate 40 was constructed in the 60′s across the Texas Panhandle.

There are a least two reasons why this site east of Amarillo has not been as popular as the Cadillac Ranch just west of Amarillo. Number one, it is almost impossible to see the cars from I-40 so it doesn’t attract attention from the highway. Number two, it is too close to other structures to really stand out and it is almost impossible to get a decent photo without other man made artifacts in the frame. To me, it is very difficult to get a decent looking wall hanger when there is so much clutter distracting from the subject.

I wound up taking quite a few photos of my “Main Street USA” tour of the Eastern half of Route 66 in Texas. It was nice to drive along at 55 mph without the worry of an 18 wheeler crawling up my tailpipes while I am gawking over the landscape and looking at developing storm clouds.

The photos have been put into the www.captiveimage.us Multi-Media Gallery organized by the counties I traveled through starting with Wheeler, Gray, Donley and ending with Carson County where the Bug Ranch is located. You can take a look at some highlights of my Route 66 travels at the following link http://captiveimage.us/Gallery/Photos/thumbnails.php?album=179

When you click on a photo thumbnail, you will be taken to a complete album for that photo series. A different way to travel Texas Route 66 without having to pay for gas or diesel!