Driving US Rte. 56

Hey, anyone out there know about driving west from St. Louis on Rte. 56 into Kansas, on the Santa Fe Trail accross Oklahoma into New Mexico? We're planning a trip west and are thinking this route might be fun. It is noted as a "Scenic highway" on the maps and we have AAA and the great book, "Road Trip USA" by Jamie Jensen. He describes a trip he calls "The Loneliest Road" along the Santa Fe Trail. We want to go through Taos and we'd like to go out of Dodge City KS and Boise City OK through Clayton NM into Taos. Any suggestions?