During the 6000 km road-trip along Route 66 we talked to homeless people, meet an ex-arsonist, pretended we were Lebanese working for Radio Lebanon, and shot big guns. America is just as crazy as I always thought it was. The roads are huge and there are plenty of burger joints. The beer is absolutely better than its reputation with microbrewery’s popping up almost anywhere. Even the criminals are friendly and welcoming and the police let us of with a warning when we were caught speeding. The media is crazy and the information people have about the Middle East is normally punchlines picked up from Fox News.
For me personally Hollywood was an enormous disappointment. When I went to Universal Studios to tell them I was ready to work, they wanted me to pay money to enter the area. God knows that would not have happened in Beirut. After that I tried to call Napoleon Dynamite’s Aunt. Twice. And she still didn’t pick up. But I did meet one of the most famous Lebanese bloggers, Gino Raidy. So I left Hollywood a bit disappointed because I realized Hollywood isn’t as cool as they say it is. It’s like a scam or a tourist trap for actors or something. Luckily my girlfriend, Adrian, came to LA and helped me get out of there.
Anyways, below you can see the road-trip movie and 66 pics from Route 66.
Route 66: Road-Trip Across America from Matias Nordahl Carlsen on Vimeo.
-
- The historic Route 66 sign, that guided us from Chicago to Los Angeles
-
- Mr Web and the Nissan that was our ride across America
-
- Chicago was super cold and freezing, but Mr Web liked the Architecture a lot.
-
- We saw some high Sky scrapers in Chicago.
-
- Peter from Chicago, wanted Obama to win the elections so he could get his teeth fixed.
-
- The famous cloud gate aka the Bean is worth checking out in Chicago.
-
- Finally we got into one of the high rises and got a beer.
-
- The plants were dying and we started heading West.
-
- Route 66 aka the Mother Road aka Main Street USA was calling.
-
- Just entering Missouri we met John. He was a homeless from Texas.
-
- To my big surprise they have Lebanon in America also!
-
- In Lebanon, USA they also have a Bookshop selling only bibles.
-
- America is full of Coca-Cola signs.
-
- I had never even heard of Kansas before entering it.
-
- In Kansas they have gas stations for women.
-
- We loved Kansas, but it was way to small.
-
- So we went to Oklahoma, the Native American state.
-
- Some parts of Oklahoma seemed to believe very strongly in God.
-
- Getting a bit lost in Oklahoma we found a Bikers shack.
-
- We were so Lost Mr Web had to take a look at his map.
-
- But we were lucky and found the sign to Hollywood.
-
- Route 66 is full of strange attractions – like the barn with a round roof.
-
- We also saw a weird soda Statue.
-
- In oklahoma we finally found an Indian Market place!
-
- We didn’t find any Indians, but a lot of goods “made in China” and a Mexican seller.
-
- During long road-trips it is important to remember breaks.
-
- Oklahoma offers a lot of sights along Route 66. Here some Horses.
-
- In Eric we found the fantastic Roger, King of the Road, Miller museum.
-
- In Oklahoma you can also see rednecks operate in their own environment.
-
- These two worked in the family business of cashing checks…or something
-
- Finally we made it to the legendary TEXAS.
-
- Not all of Texas is as well kept at the Bush Ranch…
-
- There is plenty of space on the wide roads of America
-
- In Texas we saw a modern Cowboy rolling into Cowboy Motel.
-
- All of the United States is full of pawn shops. Here is a kid skating in front of one in Amarillo, Texas.
-
- Great atmosphere in the biker bar of Amarillo, Texas.
-
- We found the Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo, Texas.
-
- Not everyone made it across America.
-
- The sun is setting in Vega, Texas.
-
- My girlfriend has a city named after her in Texas
-
- Old dude that wanted to move to Mexico if Obama won again.
-
- Just entering New Mexico we were caught speeding. Got a Warning.
-
- In Albuquerque, New Mexico, we found some hipsters.
-
- In Albuquerque we spent the night at an old friends place.
-
- We passed a Tape Cassette Wall, or something.
-
- In Billy the kids Hometown we met this cowboy!
-
- This guy from New Mexico sold me sunglasses for 5 bucks.
-
- Arizona, baby!
-
- Bush screwed you all, America!
-
- Mr Web in hippie heaven, Bisbee, Arizona.
-
- The hippie village Bisbee in Arizona was one of the few places walking was possible in the States.
-
- Our Nissan parked outside our Hotel in Bisbee, Arizona.
-
- The Tiger Diner just after Tombstone, Arizona.
-
- In Arizona we found a graveyard for planes. This was my favorite plane. Funny look.
-
- A bit of Route 66 we drove into the awesome Grand Canyon.
-
- Next to Grand Canyon we found some authentic Navajo Indians with horses.
-
- This little Navajo girl wants to become a horse rider when she grows up!
-
- We met the chief and got a tour in a Hopi village.
-
- Mr Web is doing a Hopi-trick to make it rain.
-
- In the middle of nowhere we passed a Hopi-Indian-veterans-memorial-day parade. Strange.
-
- Old hopi vietnam veteran, who hoped he had not killed anyone in Vietnam, because Hopis are not supposed to kill humans.
-
- The road out of the Indian Reservation.
-
- In Silingman, Arizona, this norwegian runs a bikers Motel.
-
- In the crystal meth capital of the world, Kingman, I got to try some guns.
-
- Finally hanging out in Hollywood.
-
- The end of route 66 at Santa Monica beach, California.
If you want to listen to Mr Webs Radio stories (Norwegian) You can find some here.
