Sisters Get Their Kicks on Route 66
by Karen West
and Susan Ford-West
photography by Karen West
published by RJW Publishing
produced by Sweetgrass Books
- In 2014, a group of bold women decided to make history and embark on an unforgettable adventure down America's most famous road-a journey of exploration and sisterhood where they could fulfill every woman's fantasy of leaving-it-all-behind. Their rules were simple: no men, no pets, no kids, and be nice. Their motto: "We have more fun than anyone!"
Sisters Get Their Kicks on Route 66, by Karen West and Susan Ford-West, chronicles the epic 2,448 mile adventure that may have set a world record. Share the wild ride of over 300 adventurous "Sisters" from the national outdoor women's group, Sisters on the Fly, as they tow their vintage trailers and tell their stories while crossing America's Mother Road from Chicago to Santa Monica. Along the way, experience Route 66's iconic tourist sites, rodeos, dances, karaoke, shopping, museums, flea markets, catered dinners, national parks, parades, dirt roads, and wrong turns.
Through over 500 color photographs and the Sisters' stories of courage and empowerment, grief and moving on, sisterhood and camaraderie, this photo journal of their spirited journey across America's legendary Route 66 will hearten readers young and old to embark upon their own bucket-list adventures.
144 pages, 10, 3 b/w photos, 536 color photos, 1 map(s), index
softcover
ISBN 10: 1591521645
ISBN 13: 9781591521648
$29.95
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| Sisters Get Their Kicks on Route 66 |
| Finally, after traveling a grueling 136 miles, 105 Sisters on the Fly gathered at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds for two nights of camping and doing what we do best, "having more fun than anyone!" At check-in, it was merely raining. The weather was inconsequential, however, because the SOTF hostesses DeAnn Merritt Parham, Sister #3853, Becky Rickard, Sister #3886 and Jackie Lachance-Henry, Sister #2274 put together an amazing variety of events to keep the Sisters indoors and busy.
That evening we were invited to a special dinner hosted by the vendors at The Rink, an old skating rink with 28,000 square feet of antiques, furniture, and an assortment of memorabilia from over 100 dealers and artisans. It was a perfect opportunity for the Sisters to shop and enjoy a hot dog dinner with all the fixins. The next morning we were treated to breakfast and a docent tour of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the premier home of Western art and artifacts. It features a collection of works by Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, and sculptor James Earle Fraser's The End of the Trail. After breakfast the Sisters visited a variety of Oklahoma City's shopping highlights and the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, a place of "quiet reflection." A highlight of the day was an invitation to participate in the Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association (OGRA) Grand Entry Promenade at the fairgrounds. We were encouraged to wear our "sister finery and wave!" The stick pony races were canceled the previous evening due to weather, so the participants brought their ponies to the rodeo. The OGRA had never seen such a sight or had so much fun. The Sisters loved every minute of it! -from pages 55-57 |
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Karen West, Ed.D., is a retired community college administrator and professor of philosophy. She began her career as a nature photographer in 2002. Her specialties are intimate landscapes and macro botanicals. For the past five years she has been on the road full time in her 1960 Shasta trailer photographing the national parks. She has traveled over 120,000 miles and photographed all but one park (Dry Tortugas) in the contiguous United States. She previously published three books on grant writing. |
| Susan Ford-West is a retired K-12 teacher and administrator. For the past two and one-half years she has practiced the simplicity of sharing 60 square feet with Karen and their toy poodle Butch and the expansiveness of observing the world with new eyes through Karen's lens. As if that is not enough for a lifetime of gratitude, she now has the gift of a community of 6,000+ Sisters with whom to travel, play, learn, and grow-a dream come true! | |