© 2026 New Hampshire Public Radio

Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Own a business? Expand your reach and grow your business by becoming an underwriter on NHPR.

'How Many Miles You Got on That Thing?'

Sandhills Curiousity Shop in Erick, Okla.
Noah Adams, NPR
Sandhills Curiousity Shop in Erick, Okla.

Sandhills Curiousity Shop in Erick, Okla. -- home of Harley and Annabelle, "The Mediocre Music Makers."
Noah Adams, NPR /
Sandhills Curiousity Shop in Erick, Okla. -- home of Harley and Annabelle, "The Mediocre Music Makers."

If you want to drive across the United States, you could cruise at speeds up to 75 mph in most regions and get from coast to coast in a big hurry. But NPR's Noah Adams recently took a more leisurely route from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, following much of the storied Route 66 through the heartland of the nation.

"Maybe it's better to stop and linger now and then and get a sense of your companions out there on the road," Adams says. Often, the vehicles on the road tell as much of a story as their drivers.

Adams talked to many people on his way West by introducing himself with a simple question: "How many miles you got on that thing?" The answers proved to be just as interesting as the people themselves.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.