The Route 66 Polaroid Project Via Kickstarter

[sit properly]

Hi folks! I usually post in the Yellowstone Trail forum, but my original old road love is, of course, Route 66. I wanted to tell you a bit about a project that my gal Sarah and I are doing this summer and how you can get involved.

 

In June we'll be traveling from Seattle to Central Pennsylvania (mostly along US 2 and 6) to get married where we grew up. For our honeymoon, we'll be leaving almost immediately for Route 66. We'll be start from Chicago around June 25.

 

Over the next two-three weeks, we'll be documenting the Mother Road using vintage Polaroid cameras. These relics are 30 to 50 years old, and yet, Fuji still makes film for them! But this isn't really the fun part.

 

We don't plan on keeping these photos. Instead, as part of our project funded via Kickstarter.com, we're mailing them to people who support us.

 

You can read all about the project here.

 

Basically, we want to show people how amazing Route 66 actually is through the use of vintage Polaroid cameras. In the days of digital photography, sharing pictures means emailing or posting computer images. Actual film-made photographs exposed onto paper are all but gone. Maybe this will serve as a bit of a reminder that, like the Mother Road, film photography is still alive, though perhaps a bit rare.

 

This will be my fifth time across Route 66, though the last time I did it was in 2008 and I was on a Vespa. Sarah has done bits of it before, but this will be her first full adventure. Oddly enough, the idea of Route 66 as a honeymoon was her idea! For those who support us, we'll be sending the photos in screen printed, hand canceled envelopes from various small towns along the road.

 

Also, we'll be blogging along the way and updating our Facebook page (both of which are usually about travels in the Pacific Northwest).

 

So, if you care to give a bit of support, that's great!

 

Thanks!

 

Eric

[mobilene]

You know I'm in! Looking forward to hearing about your trip when you take it. -Jim

[sit properly]

Thanks! We're ridiculously excited about this. Honestly, we're more excited about this than the actually wedding. We're pretty awesome.

[DennyG]

With all those cameras and a new wife, you're going to need a bigger Vespa.

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Eric,

 

With the number of backers you have for this project, I hope you and Sarah have room for all the film!

 

I think it is a fun project and having enjoyed your and Sarah's company on the Spencer discovery trip, I'm confident it will be a good beginning for your long and loving marriage. Of course I'll be a backer.

 

I still have some Polaroids taken on my (first) honeymoon in 1960, and others taken on vacations in the 1960's, but I don't recall any on Route 66, so yours will be valued additions!

 

Because I can never resist putting in my old stuff, below is a 1968 Polaroid I took of an old wooden bridge and abandoned school house in Richmond, Oregon. Kind of amazing that these old Polariods have faded so little.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

[mobilene]

Wow, a shot from Polaroid roll film! And such a nice composition. That's awesome! I have a couple rollfilm Polaroid cameras in my collection but the film's been out of production for 30 years.

[sit properly]

Denny - Maybe we'll even need another Vespa! (or at least a side car)

 

Dave - Thanks so much! Every time we're out by Spencer (which is quite a bit), we talk about how much fun that day was with you. And I agree with Jim, great shot with the roll film! It really did seem to retain the color. I hope the stuff Fuji makes now will hold up as well. Looking at GoogleMaps, the schoolhouse seems to still be standing in Richmond. There's a good chance that we'll be headed that way prior to the 66 trip. If so, I'll try to grab a shot from the same angle (using a Polaroid, of course).