Six days on the road
Travelogue from a road trip to the West
Greetings from the Crossroads of Southern music, history, & culture. This post is brought to you by Winter Haven1, Florida native Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels, specifically their cover of the truck-driving anthem “Six Days on the Road.”
It’s been a whirlwind of late centered around a 4-day, 3-night, 1900-mile road trip with my older daughter and her dog Moxie.2
It was a pretty great trip that included a whole bunch of music and explorations. Thought I’d take y’all along the ride with us.
And of course there’s a Playlist, several actually. Music is one of the joys of road trips. This one is mostly road songs, several are specifically about our stops and/or destinations.
PLAYLIST “Six Days on the Road”
In no particular order, with commentary when I felt the spirit move.
Windfall - Son Volt. I played this album to Ryan in its entirety, just as I did for her mom 32 years earlier on my first trip West. I feel every bit of this essay from Steven Hyden, “The Quiet Legacy of Son Volt’s Trace,” which I didn’t see until after I got home.
Route 66 - Chuck Berry
California Zephyr - Jay Farrar, Ben Gibbard. Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) supplied the melody to Jack Kerouac’s words.
Learning to Fly - Tom Petty. Apropos on so many levels. This one coulda been the theme song of the whole trip.
Truckin’ - Grateful Dead. My favorite road song from a band with a slew of ‘em.
Key to the Highway - Derek & the Dominos. DUANE!
Driving Song - Widespread Panic. “An honest tune with a lingering lead has taken me this far.” Produced by Duane’s old friend/bandmate Johnny Sandlin.
Stranger in a Strange Land - Leon Russell
Midnight Rider - Allman Brothers Band
Willin’ - Little Feat / Willin’ - Linda Ronstadt. We did this run backwards: Tucumcari to Tucson.3
King of Oklahoma - Jason Isbell
24 Hours from Tulsa - Ian and Sylvia. One of my folks’ favorite artists.
Take Me Back to Tulsa - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
Wiser Time - Black Crowes
Pilgrims - Widespread Panic. From a staple road trip song/album for me and my family.
The Letter; Girl from the North Country; She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Tedeschi Trucks Band & Leon Russell. From the Mad Dogs & Englishmen revisited release, featuring vocals from Susan Tedeschi, Leon Russell & Claudia Lennear, and Warren Haynes.
Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix. Moxie’s nickname.
Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan. See below for original lyric sheet.
California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco. Woody Guthrie’s lyrics survived (see below), his melody did not. Jeff Tweedy and Wilco used the lyrics to create a real gem of a song.
All You Fascists Bound to Lose - Rhiannon Giddens/Resistance Revival Chorus. More Guthrie Lyrics set to music posthumously.
Six Days on the Road - Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels
Travelin’ Light - J.J. Cale. Eric Clapton collaborator and Tulsa native on a song I first learned from Widespread Panic.
Moxie
We have to start off with the queen of the show, Foxey Moxie.
The Intrepid Travelers & their Ride
Like me, Ryan’s a pretty seasoned traveler and we had a blast together on the drive.
National Parks
The U.S. National Park system is the envy of the world and its employees are some of the finest public servants I’ve ever known and worked with. Good thing my kids are NPS junkies as well.
We hit National Parks in Arkansas—Little Rock Central High School and Hot Springs; Oklahoma—Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial; New Mexico—Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument; and Arizona—Saguaro National Park.
I’ve been from Tulsa to Tucumcari
We got our music history rocks off in Tulsa at Leon Russell’s The Church Studio and the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers. That night, in honor of Lowell George and Little Feat, we stayed in Tucumcari.4
PUT ALL THREE ON YOUR MUSIC ROAD TRIP BUCKET LIST.
The Mother Road
We stuck pretty much to I-40 for the westward journey. I-40 follows (somewhat) the old Route 66.
Roadside attractions are classic Americana. The two notable ones we hit were Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, which we graffitied per custom and Tinkertown in New Mexico.5
We took a left turn at Albuquerque6 and headed south to show Ryan the historic site I have been working on outside of Las Cruces. Took in some stargazing that night before the final stretch through Tucson.
Phoenix
We arrived in Phoenix on Monday (we left the previous Friday). I stuck around a few days to get her settled in before heading home.
🍄Mushroom Magic: ABB-related sightings
When you’re looking for it, you’ll find it.7
The Church Studio in Tulsa. I set this one to “Southbound.”
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument and Phoenix
Contents of Bob Dylan’s wallet
Lagniappe
Two+ hours of Warren Haynes with Tedeschi Trucks Band September 3-10, 2025.8
Thanks for reading.
Until next time.
Pretty choice, right Brad?
The most aptly named dog on the planet.
Rewrote the chorus to reflect this:
“I’ve been from Tulsa to Tucumcari,
Tinkertown to Mesilla.
Driven a beat up old car that’s ready for trade.
Driven the backroads so I wouldn’t get weighed.”
One of the great victories of this stage of parenting was hearing her harmonize on “Willin’” by the end of the trip.
Created by artist Ross Ward and managed by his widow Carla, Tinkertown is my favorite museum/folk art installation I’ve been to.
Bugs Bunny taught me this very valuable lesson many (many) Saturday mornings ago.
As my dude Abel says, “Ya tu sabes.”
You’re welcome. Thanks to my dude Mike Ummel for putting it together.
Woody Guthrie’s penmanship was impeccable!
Sounds like a good, family vacation.
I need to spend a couple days in Tulsa my next trip out west. I love me some Leon