The Mother Road Run Begins
Joliet to Pontiac, Illinois — the first 100 miles
The last-minute build thrash that almost kept Brownie home
Read the chapterThe Series · Chicago to Santa Monica
Watch the Series
Chicago to Santa Monica on historic Route 66 in a 1978 Ford F-150 named Brownie. The whole run, day by day, episode by episode.
- 2,500+Route 66 miles
- 8States crossed
- 1978Ford F-150 4x4
- June 2026Chicago to Santa Monica
Every episode plays right here. Nothing loads before you press play
Hot Rod Power Tour Kicks Off
Route 66 Raceway — Hot Rod Power Tour day one
The Denim Machine — a 1976 Econoline with a story woven into three American brands
Read the chapterRoute 66, Hot Rod Traffic & First Problems
Wilmington through Dwight, Illinois
The first sign something is wrong under Brownie's hood
Read the chapterIllinois to St. Louis: The Fight Begins
Illinois backroads to St. Louis, Missouri
The roadside diagnosis that split the crew into rival theories
Read the chapterBigfoot, Pacific Missouri & Brownie Breakdowns
St. Louis toward Springfield, Missouri
Standing next to Bigfoot #1 for the first time
Read the chapterSpringfield to Tulsa: The End of Power Tour
Springfield, Missouri through Kansas to Tulsa, Oklahoma
Whether the long-hauler plaque happens at all
Read the chapterOklahoma to Texas: Shamrock & Big Texan
Elk City, Oklahoma to Amarillo, Texas
What happened when Harley Russell waved us inside
Read the chapterCadillac Ranch to Albuquerque
Amarillo, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico
Leaving our layer of paint at Cadillac Ranch
Read the chapterAlbuquerque to Holbrook: Roadside Engineering
Albuquerque, New Mexico to Holbrook, Arizona
The O'Reilly's parking-lot fix that should not have worked
Read the chapterHolbrook to Kingman: Arizona Magic
Holbrook to Kingman, Arizona
Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona
Read the chapterKingman to Barstow: Into California
Kingman, Arizona to Barstow, California
Pulling into Roy's — the town almost frozen in time
Read the chapterBarstow to Santa Monica: We Did It
Barstow to Santa Monica, California
The San Bernardino Wigwam surprise
Read the chapter
Around the Run
Before the start line, and after the pier.
The build that made the run possible, the factory stop worth its own film, and the long drive home.
The build, before the road: getting a 1978 F-150 ready to cross the country.
The last thrash before the start line in Joliet.
The Flagstaff factory visit from episode 10, in full.
After Santa Monica: a rescue, and a dentside collection worth the detour.
Miami and back. The last miles of the whole 6,313-mile loop.
From the Road
Daily clips, Illinois to the Pacific.
Short, vertical, shot the day it happened. Swipe the rail.