Route 66: Historic or depressing?

BY SCOTT VOGEL

Washington Post Service

Question: Some friends and I are planning to tour the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, but I was told that a portion of that road is somewhat depressing. What can I expect?

Answer: ''One person's depressed building is another person's historical landmark, I guess,'' said David Knudson, who heads the National Historic Route 66 Federation (909-336-6131, www.national66.com). ``But I have rarely heard that, I must say.''

True it is that the road has seen better days, and you can expect to come upon your fair share of ''dilapidated, falling-down motels, diners and trading posts,'' but you'll also discover small towns ''just out of a picture book,'' mom-and-pop inns with $39-a-night rooms and quaint breakfast cafes where the eggs come straight from the farm, Knudson said.

You'll also see what Knudson modestly termed the largest restoration project in history. A 2,400-mile project, that is. The government has been ''issuing matching grants to the tune of about a million dollars a year,'' he said. As a result, restored cafes and spruced-up storefronts are popping up all along Route 66, and this storied bit of roadside Americana is becoming ever more popular with tourists, especially foreign ones, who account for 40 percent of its visitors.

''I've been live on drive-time radio in Australia, England and Japan,'' said Knudson, who attributes this fascination to the old Route 66 TV series, which, believe it or not, still airs in some countries, and the animated hit movie Cars.

So what kinds of questions do they pepper him with on drive-time radio? 'One is, `Are the Indians still dangerous?' And the second is, 'Can we survive driving across the Mojave Desert?' ''