There can be no better way to learn about America than to drive the fabled Route 66, meeting Rotarians along the way. That is precisely what writer Mark Mitchell did for a story that appears in the May issue of The Rotarian magazine. From Chicago, (the birthplace of Rotary) to Los Angeles (home of the RI 2008 Convention), Mitchell covered more than 2,500 miles, stopping in big cities along the interstate, but also veering off course to visit small towns. Everywhere, he says, Rotarians greeted him "quite literally, with open arms."

Route 66 is steeped in history, and there's plenty to do. You can eat at vintage diners, take in the majesty of the Western landscape, or sleep in a motel shaped like a Native American teepee. But Mitchell says the most interesting part of his trip was seeing "how tightly Rotary is wound into the fabric of America. Rotarians really are the movers and shakers just about everywhere I visited. They run the businesses, they're active in government, and they help define the civic life and values of their towns. The country wouldn’t be the same without them."

When he wasn't pushing the speed limit to get to his next destination, Mitchell was able to snap a few photographs. Click on the gallery to see some of the sights, or take your own trip across America – Rotary-style.