"Get Your Kicks on Route 66" is an anthem for those of us who enjoy travel

If you ever plan to motor west,
travel my way, take the highway that is best.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

There are several popular songs that inspire some of us to travel. One of my favorites is "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" which was written by Bobby Troup in 1946 and was initially recorded by the Nat King Cole Trio.

You might have thought that this was the theme song of the TV show from the 1960s, "Route 66". But according to Wikipedia, " The producers of television show Route 66 commissioned a new theme song because they wanted to avoid making royalty payments for Troup's song."

In 2007, Vivian and I took a two-week bus tour of the west, mostly visiting National Parks. Part of the journey was on Route 66 and the sign posted here was snapped in Seligman, Arizona. To me, Route 66 is a symbol of the awesome travel opportunities that the United States has to offer, from sea to shining sea.

When I was a youngster, stamp collecting was one of my hobbies. In 1934, the United States Postal Service had issued a series of stamps featuring National Parks. My favorite was of Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser. As a result, I longed to see it in person. Vivian and I visited Yellowstone in 2007 and it was a dream come true.

At times, when you travel, it is difficult to remember some of the places you have visited or just driven through. Therefore, I take photos of signs. The above are some of them from our National Park tour.

Photos by Frank Barning, except Old Faithful