Sittin' on a Corner in Winslow Arizona:
I met Rod in Windslow, Arizona, sitting on a Harley-Davidson; waiting for a trip companion, David, who had wandered off to photograph the 'Standin' on the Corner' memorial park. I instantly wanted to capture his expression! Rod and David had initially been part of a trio of friends that had decided to ride the old Route 66 from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois. Sadly, the third friend passed away just weeks before the trip. Rod and David decided to continue the journey anyway, taking with them the memory of their lost friend, in a small memorial poster taped to their bikes.
Winslow has always had a strong association with Route 66. Today, it conjures images of days gone by, the open road, and crossing America in the 60s and 70s—a period of so much turmoil in American history. At the height of Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and the Women's Movement, the open road, in particular, Route 66; signified escapism to many. Like so many other small towns along Route 66, Windslow would have more-than-likely fallen by the wayside, influenced by the implementation of Interstate 40 in 1979. The new interstate bypassed much of the road trade away from Route 66—bleeding many of these small towns dry. However, nine years earlier, in 1972, the release of the Eagles song 'Take it Easy' written by Jackson Brown and Glenn Frey, kept the town alive with tourism. The song, with its catchy lyrics, brought an estimated 100,000 visitors a year to the same spot, the Intersection of North Kinsley Avenue and Old Highway 66. Had it not been for the popularity of that particular tune, Windslow would have surely become another statistic. I came to Winslow in 2017—to stand on the corner; drawn by the nostalgia of a melody, and a town that continues to represent an era of romantic freedom. It was here, on the corner, in 2019, I met Rod and David making their own pilgrimage across America—a tribute to an old friend!
