Albuquerque, New Mexico to Elk City, Oklahoma

I LOVE the sound of American freight trains in the night, but I loved not hearing them last night even more. They have kept us awake for the last two nights as they blasted their horns through Kingman and Flagstaff.

All the towns feature in the lyrics to Get Your Kicks On Route 66 and today was 'The Mother Road' all the way - all the way into Texas and out the other side into Oklahoma.

There is plenty of evidence of towns dying. The interstate I40 just passes them by and with faster journey times, longer-range vehicles and fuel and lodging right on the main road, travellers bypass these towns too. Watch Cars.

We were careful to sample food away from the main highway and take our time through old Route 66 towns like Santa Rosa, Tucumcari (where we took the mural photo above), Santa Rosa and Shamrock. After lunch in Tucumcari I won my bet by asking the waitress: "Is this the way to Amarillo?"

Cadillac Ranch, west of Amarillo was our final photo stop (right).

As we approached Elk City a massive storm blew in from the north and we dived for shelter at the Motel 6, ignoring the independent motels a nd supporting a corporate chain for the sake of wireless internet. We ate a hearty steak dinner in a real truckers cafe surrounded by the biggest, meanest-looking and most polite men you can imagine.

Albuquerque to Elk City = 433 miles.