BACKBONE of AMERICA

Backbone of America is an interactive photographic essay capturing the story of a unique motorcycle journey across historic US Highway 50 from the Harley-Davidson™ Factory in Missouri to California. Writing about HWY 50, Blue Highways, author, William Heat Moon, says “for the unhurried, this little-known highway is the best national road across the middle of the United States.”  The route offers a compelling cross section of our nation that Time magazine devoted nearly an entire issue in 1997 calling the story the “Backbone of America”.  HWY 50 passes through literally hundreds of time worn small towns, most still remaining untouched by box stores and fast food.  From Kansas, following the Arkansas River along the historic Santa Fe Trail, climbing over the Colorado Plateau, into the Great Basin, across the Loneliest Road in America, into California, the route shares vanishing Americana. 


The essay contains photographs and interactive galleries of landscapes, historical locations, points of interest, and the colorful individuals who make up the character of the West.  Interactive highway maps provide the reader an opportunity to pin point locations along the route.  A daily journal documents the people, places, and thoughts of the road. Each chapter contains a list of motels and local cafes found to be authentic Americana experiences.  Backbone of America tells the story of the classic American road trip.  


"The steel's barely cooled before Carlan Tapp steers a fresh Low Rider from

the H-D factory in Kansas City onto Highway 50. From there, it's everything

from Dodge City to Lake Tahoe as he captures a fading, rough 'n' tough

America in stunning black and white."  HOG® Magazine