When Route 66 opened in its original form in 1926, Americans finally had a way to avoid inconvenient occurrences of roads ending once they hit the state line. That’s because before R. 66, every state was left to its own devices when building their roads, and they wouldn’t necessarily talk to the neighboring states about what ended where.

So it took some canvassing of congress by industrialist Cyrus Avery—the “Father of Route 66”—and that's how the first interstate – “The Mother Road” was born.

Now, it’s been decommissioned as of 1986 in favour of a new wave of interstates, but parts of the road’s last alignment (there were three altogether according to our expert guide Gary Fleshman) can be driven on today; while other parts have either been paved over or abandoned alongside major routes.

There’s something special when you come across that wonderful old tarmac. We’d stop our vehicles—either a 2015 Nissan Altima sedan or Rogue crossover—on the shoulder just so we could lay our feet on a piece of tarmac that had been around for 90 years.

Since we left Chi-town four days ago, we’ve covered over 2,000 kilometers, cutting through places you’ve likely heard of including St. Louis, MO or Oklahoma City, OK—and some you likely haven’t, such as Dwight, IL and Shamrock, TX. We’ve seen gas stations turned into nationally-preserved monuments with highlights being in Galena, KS at Ramone’s paint shop from the film Cars and the U-Drop Inn found in Shamrock). We’ve crossed the Mississippi and passed Joliet Prison, where Elwood picked up Jake in the opening scene of the Blues Brothers film. And yes, we’ve seen a replica of the Bluesmobile, flying high above the Route 66 Food and Fuel in Joliet, IL.

While I’m in Albuquerque, NM as I write this, it was actually some sights closer to our last starting-off point of Amarillo, TX that really epitomize the vibe on the trip thus far.

Amarillo is the site of Cadillac Ranch, a National art exhibition featuring a string of 10 half-buried Cadillacs sprouting like flowers from the soil below.

Unlike so many art exhibitions where you’re not even allowed to snap a photo or two, visitors are actually compelled to leave their mark on the cars with the numerous cans of spray paint that litter the ground below.

Indeed, folks have been dousing these great examples of luxurious American metal since 1974, to the point where the paint is over an inch think in some places.

It’s an indicator of just how many have been through here and how many want to leave their mark somewhere—anywhere—on the magnificent Mother Road.

The image is repeated about 60 miles down the road in Tucumcari, NM where relics of old hotels named “Blue Swallow” and “Pony Soldier” remain. In some cases they're still operational; in other cases just as abandoned buildings with many stories to tell of a good time gone by.

It’s invigorating, but at the same time saddening. It reminds of that famous scene from Cars where we learn what Radiator Springs, a fictional town that can be swapped for so many similar towns we’ve come across so far—and the road on which it sat—was all about. As cool as some of the dilapidation on the road is, it’s hard to forget that these are not just roadside attractions, but were once thriving businesses that lost out, mainly because that famous road they sat on got erased both in the physical and official senses.

This is what makes this Route 66 trip so special and it's thanks to people like Fleshman, who continue to run tours along this legendary route. The Nissan Altimas and Rogues have been a relaxing and fuel economical family hauler throughout this journey without any back or shoulder trouble thanks to Nissan's NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats.

Give Route 66 its due time, maintain an open mind and through all the rubble, you’ll meet some fascinating people that are proud of their road, whether finished in gravel or Portland cement.