The Internet – Picture this: 4 Men, 1 Winnebago and 2,448 miles of seasoned highway. These three together set the stage for a journey of a lifetime on a road filled with history and painted with stories of young and old. There is only one highway that can provide such an adventure and that is “the Mother Road” herself Route 66. The highway has come be known as “the mother road,” which was given that name about 70 years ago by the world renown author John Steinbeck. The road itself gave individuals the opportunity to escape the “dust bowl” and travel where there was a greater chance of successful survival. By the early 50’s tourist attractions started to take there place along side the road of opportunity. The highway has always been a source of economic growth for all of the 8 states that it crosses through.
Before this national highway was constructed all of the existing paved roads ended at the city line, so it revolutionized the idea of traveling. Which is what we like to acknowledge as the birth of “road trips.” The art of road tripping has been lost somewhere in time. Today very few people take the time to get on the road and just drive and see what the nations highways have to offer. It wasn’t always about the destination rather the long rides in the car with the closest of friends. Presently there are only a few daring college students and many bands that dare to explore the open road.
The idea of getting out on the open road and meeting the people who have staked their livelihood on something that may not fit in a nice neat box is exciting. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, entrepreneurs of all kinds traveled to the first road that connected the country and started businesses all along the road. From greasy spoons to unique motels, they grabbed onto life and molded it to make their greatest dreams come true. The goal is to take 4 individuals with unique personalities and travel from Chicago to L.A. on Route 66 in the summer of 2007. The objective is to film the whole project and share the adventures that are made with the world. To talk with business owners and the individuals who have spent their lives along “the Mother Road” will prove to be astounding. Buckle up, Enjoy the ride, and keep checking for updates at www.thegreatamericanroadtrip.net.

I asked the gents in Abandon Films for a synopsis on who they are and what they do. So they gave me this:

Abandon Films began with movie parodies and light sabers, and has since grown into a network of skilled filmmakers with a vision to go far beyond conventional entertainment. The indi-production company was first conceptualized with a page on Blogger in the spring of 2005. Combining viral marketing and interactive media strategies to share dramatic cinema, AF is a forerunner on the battle lines of new media. But at its very core, AF’s passion is story-telling. As the name suggestions, Abandon Films’ purpose is to create movies that inspire us to seize every moment; and to tell stories that make us think and challenge us to live.

After reading this… I can’t wait for April.

The Lone Ranger had Silver and Micheal Knight had K.I.T.T. but when it came to thinking about what we would ride in there was a big debate brewing between me and the fellas.
The first thought was to get a rental car from one of the majors, like a big SUV and travel in style.  After some thinking we made the move to buying a van, like something vintage and enjoy the road.  The only trouble with a vintage van is the breakdown factor.  So we went back to the rental factor but we weren’t thinking big enough.  So we moved onto the obvious choice when traveling cross country – An RV.

I sent petitions to any and every RV rental dealer in a 250 mile radius to aid us in our quest to document Route 66.  I was able to find that info from a Go RVing.com  I had no idea how big this past years Robin Williams film vehicle (Coincidentally called RV, some are calling it the comedy of the year) would be so crucial for the RV world.  This movie was being promo’d everywhere, which is great for them. But of course I’m biased to 4 guys hitting the road like Jack Keroac, so we’ll see how the companies respond to the idea.

This past week I sent out emails to the most recent info I could find online for each states historical society.  One of the cool things about these societies is that these group of caring people keep Route 66 in the minds of travelers and work for preservation of the Mother Road.  Since sending out the emails I’ve heard from Marilyn Emde, Administrator for the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, and she’ll be sending me some info soon.

This week Abandon Films has signed on to the project. The dynamic duo of Won Novalis and Justin Snyder have agreed to become part of the project. From filming to editing to making the journey themselves watchers of the film will be engaged by the talent they posess as well as learn more about who they are and their experience as they travel the mother road. Stay tuned for more info on Abandon Films and other sponsors as they get added.

The site is continuing to get tweaked out and let the appeal for sponsorship begin.