Friday, August 13, 1999
Day 13: Needles, CA - Santa Monica, CA
Today we were planning on just navigating through the Mojave desert and stopping in Barstow, but the desert driving went more quickly than we had planned, so Chris and I decided to drive the route all the way to the Pacific Ocean today.
We woke up early and rested, partly due to the great room we had for the night, plus also due to the time change. After a quick continental breakfast provided by the motel, we were off through the desert. Though the temp rapidly climbed to approximately 105 degrees, the car ran perfectly and didn't overheat at all. Along the way we stopped at Amboy, the location of Roy's Motel and Cafe. You can see that location on a current commercial for Honda and also one for Quest, an internet company. Keep your eyes peeled. It is in the middle of nowhere.
As we drove through the desert the road was empty, and the miles passed quickly. Along a 10-15 mile stretch of the road there was "stone graffiti". People had spelled their names or other words in stones along a sand bank by the side of the road. We stopped and added our names and "99" to the words there. Who knows how long those names have been there, and how long ours will stay there.
We saw some white lilly-like flowers growing along the shoulder of the road. I tooka picture of one to try to identify it when I get home. I wonder how such a large white flower can survive in this hostile environment. We saw a lizard dart across the road, and later, a snake coiled in the middle of the road. We didn't stop to check THAT one out!
The National Trails Hwy, Old 66 runs uninterrupted from just past Needles all the way to Barstow.
At about noon, we pulled into the Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs. The Bagdad Cafe was featured in a movie from the late 80's called, appropriately, The Bagdad Cafe. It was kind of a quirky, character based movie starring among others, Jack Palance. If you haven't seen it, try to rent it, or borrow my copy. ANYWAY, we HAD to eat there because of the famous location. It is located in the middle of nowhere in the desert. An old Airstream trailer with flat tires and no windows sits in a corner of the parking lot. There was a German couple in the booth next to us. As we ate, an old man with gray hair, a pony tail, and bad BO came and sat at the counter, checking us out in the process. I didn't think much of it, and we finished our lunch which, by the way, was excellent cafe fare.
After paying the bill, we got in the car and drove over to the edge of the large, dirt parking lot and I got out and began to take some pictures of the cafe, the old Airstream, and the closed motel next door. As I was taking a picture of the cafe, the old man who had been sitting at the counter came out and looked angrily at me, then approached me.
"Who are you with?" he yelled. I told him I was with my son. He said, "NO! I said, WHO are you with?" I said, "my son, Chris." He said that it wasn't safe to dress like Chris was and take pictures in "these parts." He told me his name was General Bob, that he was 95 years old, and that he was in charge of security for the whole area, including the military bases in the area. He had to keep an eye out for Nazis, you know. He said that 6 or more people disappear from the highway each week, shot and killed, never to be heard from again. Since 1957 he's been helping with national security by traveling to Europe and making sure the treaties are being enforced. It's also up to him to open and close the military bases and the Bagdad Cafe each day. If you're wondering, yes, he was certifiably crazy. I listened intently in the 105 degree heat and motioned for Chris to stay in the car. The guy was actually pretty entertaining in a crazy sort of way. I told him thanks for the warning about the shootings, and assured him that Chris wasn't a Neo-Nazi. He told me that he was only trying to warn me to be careful. We shook hands, and I said, "Nice to meet you, General Bob." Oh, by the way, he's five star general.........was a two star, but now is a five star.
Chris and I agreed this was the strangest experience of the trip so far.
We headed through Barstow, and it was only 1:45 pm, so we continued on. Next was Victorville (where I think some distant relatives live) then San Bernadino. San Bernadino certainly has had better days. There is another Wigwam Motel, but it looks quite run down and the sign said it all...."Do It In A Teepee". We kept driving through all the towns leading to LA. Actually, it seemed like one long strip mall most of the way. Many of the Route 66 businesses have obviously been torn down for strip malls. Every now and then we'd see a classic old motel or neon sign or restaurant. We passed through Rancho Cucamunga, Pasadena, and headed down Sunset Boulevard toward Santa Monica. We followed Santa Monica Blvd all the way to Ocean Blvd....the end of Route 66. Across Ocean Blvd there is a plaque stating it's the end of the Will Rogers Highway, Route 66. Right next to the park where the plaque is located is the Santa Monica Pier. We were both hungry, so we stopped at the Crocodile Cafe for supper, then found a room at the Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach after stopping at several full motels.
Chris decided HE needed the nice bed, and stuck me with the friggin' sofa bed. What's wrong with THIS picture?
Exhausted, I didn't even write the journal until tomorrow (Fri, the 13th).
We completed the drive down Route 66 in 13 days--driving over 2900 miles in the process.. We can now both recognize the old road when we see it, can pick out classic 50's and 60's signeage and businesses, and we've both grown to dislike interstate highway travel. Though we both got on each other's nerves at times, we've had no major fights......amazing, don't you think? I was going to wax philosophical on ya here, but I really don't know how to summarize the experience in a sentence or two. It is definitely an experience different from all others. I highly recommend it.
I reckon it's time to hop the plane for Chicago. Oops---Chris says now that we're in LA we can't say "reckon", "y'all", or "yee-haw" anymore. Oh well. Back to reality.
We woke up early and rested, partly due to the great room we had for the night, plus also due to the time change. After a quick continental breakfast provided by the motel, we were off through the desert. Though the temp rapidly climbed to approximately 105 degrees, the car ran perfectly and didn't overheat at all. Along the way we stopped at Amboy, the location of Roy's Motel and Cafe. You can see that location on a current commercial for Honda and also one for Quest, an internet company. Keep your eyes peeled. It is in the middle of nowhere.
As we drove through the desert the road was empty, and the miles passed quickly. Along a 10-15 mile stretch of the road there was "stone graffiti". People had spelled their names or other words in stones along a sand bank by the side of the road. We stopped and added our names and "99" to the words there. Who knows how long those names have been there, and how long ours will stay there.
We saw some white lilly-like flowers growing along the shoulder of the road. I tooka picture of one to try to identify it when I get home. I wonder how such a large white flower can survive in this hostile environment. We saw a lizard dart across the road, and later, a snake coiled in the middle of the road. We didn't stop to check THAT one out!
The National Trails Hwy, Old 66 runs uninterrupted from just past Needles all the way to Barstow.
At about noon, we pulled into the Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs. The Bagdad Cafe was featured in a movie from the late 80's called, appropriately, The Bagdad Cafe. It was kind of a quirky, character based movie starring among others, Jack Palance. If you haven't seen it, try to rent it, or borrow my copy. ANYWAY, we HAD to eat there because of the famous location. It is located in the middle of nowhere in the desert. An old Airstream trailer with flat tires and no windows sits in a corner of the parking lot. There was a German couple in the booth next to us. As we ate, an old man with gray hair, a pony tail, and bad BO came and sat at the counter, checking us out in the process. I didn't think much of it, and we finished our lunch which, by the way, was excellent cafe fare.
After paying the bill, we got in the car and drove over to the edge of the large, dirt parking lot and I got out and began to take some pictures of the cafe, the old Airstream, and the closed motel next door. As I was taking a picture of the cafe, the old man who had been sitting at the counter came out and looked angrily at me, then approached me.
"Who are you with?" he yelled. I told him I was with my son. He said, "NO! I said, WHO are you with?" I said, "my son, Chris." He said that it wasn't safe to dress like Chris was and take pictures in "these parts." He told me his name was General Bob, that he was 95 years old, and that he was in charge of security for the whole area, including the military bases in the area. He had to keep an eye out for Nazis, you know. He said that 6 or more people disappear from the highway each week, shot and killed, never to be heard from again. Since 1957 he's been helping with national security by traveling to Europe and making sure the treaties are being enforced. It's also up to him to open and close the military bases and the Bagdad Cafe each day. If you're wondering, yes, he was certifiably crazy. I listened intently in the 105 degree heat and motioned for Chris to stay in the car. The guy was actually pretty entertaining in a crazy sort of way. I told him thanks for the warning about the shootings, and assured him that Chris wasn't a Neo-Nazi. He told me that he was only trying to warn me to be careful. We shook hands, and I said, "Nice to meet you, General Bob." Oh, by the way, he's five star general.........was a two star, but now is a five star.
Chris and I agreed this was the strangest experience of the trip so far.
We headed through Barstow, and it was only 1:45 pm, so we continued on. Next was Victorville (where I think some distant relatives live) then San Bernadino. San Bernadino certainly has had better days. There is another Wigwam Motel, but it looks quite run down and the sign said it all...."Do It In A Teepee". We kept driving through all the towns leading to LA. Actually, it seemed like one long strip mall most of the way. Many of the Route 66 businesses have obviously been torn down for strip malls. Every now and then we'd see a classic old motel or neon sign or restaurant. We passed through Rancho Cucamunga, Pasadena, and headed down Sunset Boulevard toward Santa Monica. We followed Santa Monica Blvd all the way to Ocean Blvd....the end of Route 66. Across Ocean Blvd there is a plaque stating it's the end of the Will Rogers Highway, Route 66. Right next to the park where the plaque is located is the Santa Monica Pier. We were both hungry, so we stopped at the Crocodile Cafe for supper, then found a room at the Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach after stopping at several full motels.
Chris decided HE needed the nice bed, and stuck me with the friggin' sofa bed. What's wrong with THIS picture?
Exhausted, I didn't even write the journal until tomorrow (Fri, the 13th).
We completed the drive down Route 66 in 13 days--driving over 2900 miles in the process.. We can now both recognize the old road when we see it, can pick out classic 50's and 60's signeage and businesses, and we've both grown to dislike interstate highway travel. Though we both got on each other's nerves at times, we've had no major fights......amazing, don't you think? I was going to wax philosophical on ya here, but I really don't know how to summarize the experience in a sentence or two. It is definitely an experience different from all others. I highly recommend it.
I reckon it's time to hop the plane for Chicago. Oops---Chris says now that we're in LA we can't say "reckon", "y'all", or "yee-haw" anymore. Oh well. Back to reality.
Wednesday, August 11, 1999
Day 12: Williams, AZ - Needles, CA
After checking out of the Route 66 Inn, we headed out for the western part of northern Arizona. We had to drive a short while on the freeway (about 10 miles), but the rest of the day was all old 66 two lane.
The road headed northwest and the landscape became more and more desert-like. Our first stop was Seligman. There are two places famous amongst Route 66 "roadies". Angel's Barber Shop is owned by Angel Delgadillo, a 75 year old lifelong resident of Seligman. Angel is retired from barbering except for tourists that make a special request of him. He is also the founder and past president of the Historical Route 66 Association of Arizona, and in addition to his barbershop, he has a gift/souvenir shop attached. When we arrived, a minibus full of Japanese tourists had just arrived and had filled the gift shop, asking Angel to autograph T- shirts, Route 66 signs, etc. We waited patiently in his barbershop. When the Japanese left, he came in and I asked him if he could give Chris a haircut. He said "no, I can't give him a haircut." I looked disappointed and he said, " I don't GIVE haircuts away, you have to PAY for it! " smiling. He continued to crack jokes as he got Chris up in the old while and chrome barber chair. Chris isn't the easiest person to please when it comes to haircuts, and Mr Delgadillo was MORE than patient with Chris' requests. As Chris was getting his hair cut, a croup of German tourists came into the shop and watched as the hair cut proceeded. When all was said and done, the haircut turned out quite nicely.....Chris was happy. The charge was only 8 bucks, cheap by haircut standards these days in Michigan. I gave him a 10 and Chris & I both shook his hand and said "thanks." He put his arm around Chris and told him the value of fathers.....I liked that part.
We next went next door to the SnoCap Drive-In, run by Angel's brother Juan, who I believe is about 79 or 80 years old. Juan is the jokester of Route 66, While we were waiting to order, a couple of girls from Germany were trying to get ice cream cones. They didn't speak good English, so Juan;s jokes were all the funnier. When they asked for ice cream, he brought out a cup of ice with a small amount of soft serve ice cream on top....they looked puzzled. He pointed to the ice and said "Ice" and then the ice cream and said "cream". They said no, they wanted all ice cream. He then asked if they wanted a half or whole. He brought out a cone cut down the middle for the half, and a cone with the bottom cut off for the "hole". They said, no just a regular ice cream cone. He then brought out an ice cream cone with a second cone pushed on top of the ice cream part. Again they looked puzzled. He said, I though you said "together". Well, after a number of more jokes, they finally got their ice cream. We ordered a cheeseburger ("do you want cheese on your cheeseburger?") and Chris got a chili dog. When he asked if we wanted napkins, he pulled out a pile of used napkins. Then he asked if we wanted ketchup and he squirted one of those joke ketchup bottles that string comes out of instead of ketchup. Made me jump. He's quite the jokester, and it was a fun stop.
On our way out of Seligman we knew we had met another two special people on the route.
The old road runs uninterrupted by freeway from Seligman through Kingman and on to Oatman, Arizona. Along the way we passed the Grand Canyon Caverns, which if my memory serves me correctly, I visited 30 years ago this summer with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. It was at those caverns that my aunt slipped and broke her arm, I think. We passed on the caverns today, but I did take a picture of the Tyrannosaurus out front.
We next stopped at Hackberry which consists only of a general store. For many years it was run by a hippie-type refugee of the 60's names Bob Waldmire. He left a couple of years ago and a couple named John and Kerry Pritchard bought the place. When we went in the store, John and Kerry were seated in a booth in the middle of the store. They asked if we'd like coffee or some apple crisp they'd made today......on the house. Since it was already over 90 degrees (and I don't like coffee anyway) and we had just eaten at the SnoCap a little while earlier, we said "no thanks." I was wearing a T-Shirt from New Orleans, and John and I talked for a while about New Orleans and how much fun it is there. He seemed to have a southern accent, so I asked him where he was from. Turns out he's from Baton Rouge. They were so friendly and laid back it was easy to talk and visit with them. As Chris began to get impatient, I said we better go, so we bought some bottled water and some postcards of their place. I took some pictures outside, which is a Route 66 museum in and of itself. I found the desert sign with the skull there (Linda), and took a picture of it to prove I found it.
We then continued on through Kingman which is surprisingly thriving. It was the first town across Arizona I could really say that about. We then began the ascent up the Black Mountains to Oatman. The road had many hairpin turns without guardrails, and steep drop-offs right next to the road. At one of the pull off we counted 5 white crosses just below the road, and looking over the edge we saw 4 cars in various stages of deterioration that had obviously not made it around the curves. A sobering thought. The drive, though scary at times, was absolutely beautiful. We drove through Seagreaves Pass at 3200 feet and began the descent around more hairpin turns into Oatman. The valley seemed more and more desert in appearance.
Oatman is a town that looks as though it could still be in the late 1800's, a genuine western town. Wild burros (donkeys) roam the streets looking for handouts. By the time we hit Oatman it must have been over 95 degrees. After making friends with some of the wild burros, we went to Cactus Joe's Cantina. This place was made of old plywood and corrugated tin. A large cactus protruded from the center of the room through the roof, as did a Joshua Tree along one wall. The waitress said the cactus was estimated to be 600 years old. I had a Navajo Taco, which is a piece of Navajo fry bread with ground beef, refried beans, and the other taco-type stuff on it. Ice water was 50 cents because all drinking water has to be trucked into Oatman. Because the restaurant was open to the air it was VERY hot in there, and the flies were terrible. Still, it was a fun experience.......authentic, as we say.
Leaving Oatman we saw one of the desert sagebrushes decorated with tinsel and ornaments....a desert Christmas tree. Cacti of various types were omnipresent for the first few miles, then just as suddenly as they had appeared, no cacti. We drove on through Topock and across the Colorado River into California.
Tonight we're staying in Needles, California at the beginning of the Mojave desert. The owner of the Super 8 Motel where we're staying said it's been a cool summer, only 3 or 4 days over 120 degrees. He said today had been cool.....only 104 degrees. After checking in, we unloaded the car and immediately hit the pool........felt GREAT!
Tomorrow we traverse the Mojave desert.....it's supposed to be over 115 degrees tomorrow out there. Cool.
The trip will be over in 3 more days. It's going too fast. Chris and I are both having experiences that will stay with us forever. The people we've met have been wonderful. They have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home.
The road headed northwest and the landscape became more and more desert-like. Our first stop was Seligman. There are two places famous amongst Route 66 "roadies". Angel's Barber Shop is owned by Angel Delgadillo, a 75 year old lifelong resident of Seligman. Angel is retired from barbering except for tourists that make a special request of him. He is also the founder and past president of the Historical Route 66 Association of Arizona, and in addition to his barbershop, he has a gift/souvenir shop attached. When we arrived, a minibus full of Japanese tourists had just arrived and had filled the gift shop, asking Angel to autograph T- shirts, Route 66 signs, etc. We waited patiently in his barbershop. When the Japanese left, he came in and I asked him if he could give Chris a haircut. He said "no, I can't give him a haircut." I looked disappointed and he said, " I don't GIVE haircuts away, you have to PAY for it! " smiling. He continued to crack jokes as he got Chris up in the old while and chrome barber chair. Chris isn't the easiest person to please when it comes to haircuts, and Mr Delgadillo was MORE than patient with Chris' requests. As Chris was getting his hair cut, a croup of German tourists came into the shop and watched as the hair cut proceeded. When all was said and done, the haircut turned out quite nicely.....Chris was happy. The charge was only 8 bucks, cheap by haircut standards these days in Michigan. I gave him a 10 and Chris & I both shook his hand and said "thanks." He put his arm around Chris and told him the value of fathers.....I liked that part.
We next went next door to the SnoCap Drive-In, run by Angel's brother Juan, who I believe is about 79 or 80 years old. Juan is the jokester of Route 66, While we were waiting to order, a couple of girls from Germany were trying to get ice cream cones. They didn't speak good English, so Juan;s jokes were all the funnier. When they asked for ice cream, he brought out a cup of ice with a small amount of soft serve ice cream on top....they looked puzzled. He pointed to the ice and said "Ice" and then the ice cream and said "cream". They said no, they wanted all ice cream. He then asked if they wanted a half or whole. He brought out a cone cut down the middle for the half, and a cone with the bottom cut off for the "hole". They said, no just a regular ice cream cone. He then brought out an ice cream cone with a second cone pushed on top of the ice cream part. Again they looked puzzled. He said, I though you said "together". Well, after a number of more jokes, they finally got their ice cream. We ordered a cheeseburger ("do you want cheese on your cheeseburger?") and Chris got a chili dog. When he asked if we wanted napkins, he pulled out a pile of used napkins. Then he asked if we wanted ketchup and he squirted one of those joke ketchup bottles that string comes out of instead of ketchup. Made me jump. He's quite the jokester, and it was a fun stop.
On our way out of Seligman we knew we had met another two special people on the route.
The old road runs uninterrupted by freeway from Seligman through Kingman and on to Oatman, Arizona. Along the way we passed the Grand Canyon Caverns, which if my memory serves me correctly, I visited 30 years ago this summer with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. It was at those caverns that my aunt slipped and broke her arm, I think. We passed on the caverns today, but I did take a picture of the Tyrannosaurus out front.
We next stopped at Hackberry which consists only of a general store. For many years it was run by a hippie-type refugee of the 60's names Bob Waldmire. He left a couple of years ago and a couple named John and Kerry Pritchard bought the place. When we went in the store, John and Kerry were seated in a booth in the middle of the store. They asked if we'd like coffee or some apple crisp they'd made today......on the house. Since it was already over 90 degrees (and I don't like coffee anyway) and we had just eaten at the SnoCap a little while earlier, we said "no thanks." I was wearing a T-Shirt from New Orleans, and John and I talked for a while about New Orleans and how much fun it is there. He seemed to have a southern accent, so I asked him where he was from. Turns out he's from Baton Rouge. They were so friendly and laid back it was easy to talk and visit with them. As Chris began to get impatient, I said we better go, so we bought some bottled water and some postcards of their place. I took some pictures outside, which is a Route 66 museum in and of itself. I found the desert sign with the skull there (Linda), and took a picture of it to prove I found it.
We then continued on through Kingman which is surprisingly thriving. It was the first town across Arizona I could really say that about. We then began the ascent up the Black Mountains to Oatman. The road had many hairpin turns without guardrails, and steep drop-offs right next to the road. At one of the pull off we counted 5 white crosses just below the road, and looking over the edge we saw 4 cars in various stages of deterioration that had obviously not made it around the curves. A sobering thought. The drive, though scary at times, was absolutely beautiful. We drove through Seagreaves Pass at 3200 feet and began the descent around more hairpin turns into Oatman. The valley seemed more and more desert in appearance.
Oatman is a town that looks as though it could still be in the late 1800's, a genuine western town. Wild burros (donkeys) roam the streets looking for handouts. By the time we hit Oatman it must have been over 95 degrees. After making friends with some of the wild burros, we went to Cactus Joe's Cantina. This place was made of old plywood and corrugated tin. A large cactus protruded from the center of the room through the roof, as did a Joshua Tree along one wall. The waitress said the cactus was estimated to be 600 years old. I had a Navajo Taco, which is a piece of Navajo fry bread with ground beef, refried beans, and the other taco-type stuff on it. Ice water was 50 cents because all drinking water has to be trucked into Oatman. Because the restaurant was open to the air it was VERY hot in there, and the flies were terrible. Still, it was a fun experience.......authentic, as we say.
Leaving Oatman we saw one of the desert sagebrushes decorated with tinsel and ornaments....a desert Christmas tree. Cacti of various types were omnipresent for the first few miles, then just as suddenly as they had appeared, no cacti. We drove on through Topock and across the Colorado River into California.
Tonight we're staying in Needles, California at the beginning of the Mojave desert. The owner of the Super 8 Motel where we're staying said it's been a cool summer, only 3 or 4 days over 120 degrees. He said today had been cool.....only 104 degrees. After checking in, we unloaded the car and immediately hit the pool........felt GREAT!
Tomorrow we traverse the Mojave desert.....it's supposed to be over 115 degrees tomorrow out there. Cool.
The trip will be over in 3 more days. It's going too fast. Chris and I are both having experiences that will stay with us forever. The people we've met have been wonderful. They have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home.
Tuesday, August 10, 1999
Day 11: WIlliams, AZ & the Grand Canyon
We're spending another night in Williams, Arizona tonight after a full day at the Grand Canyon. The people here in Williams are as nice as the rest of the folks we've met along the way. We saw the gunfight in the street tonight as well as one in the morning before our train left.
We boarded the Grand Canyon Railroad at 9 am after cruising through the gift shop at the depot and picking up more film. I think I've taken WAY too many pictures, but, hey, this may be the only time I am able to make this complete trip. The Grand Canyon Railroad has been in operation since the early 1900's until 1968 when it went out of business due to lack of travelers. It served as a freight train to the Grand Canyon for a few years after 68, but then stopped running completely. In the mid 80's the line and railway was purchased by a businessman here in Williams, and he began to rebuild the railway business. The line has been back in operation since 1989 and the passenger traffic on the railway continues to grow. Today the train had 12 train cars full of passengers. The train was pulled by a steam locomotive (2-8-2, Uncle Dick) that was built in 1923. We had an upgraded ticket which allowed us to travel in the parlor car. That was the last car on the train and had big cushy chairs, continental breakfast with fruit, muffins, and danishes, and on the return trip, crackers and cheese and drinks. All that, plus, unlike coach which had "open window air conditioning", OUR car was air conditioned.
During the ride musicians played as they strolled through the cars, and the "marshal" dressed in full cowboy apparel including six shooters walked through welcoming the passengers. Chris and I were able to sit by a large window with panoramic view facing each other both ways on the trip.
The trip to the Grand Canyon from Williams is 65 miles each way, and takes about 2 1/4 hours. Upon arriving at the Grand Canyon Village, we boarded a bus for our tour. First stop was Bright Angel Lodge where we were served a delicious buffet lunch. From our seats, we could look out the window and see the edge of the grand canyon less than 20 feet away! After eating, we walked along the rim in front of the lodge and were in awe of the canyon's size, beauty, and majesty. There were scattered clouds in the sky today moving over the canyon which cause sunlight to dance over the layered colors of the cliffs, mountains, and crevices that comprise the vista. Our tour took us to each of the lookouts on the west and the east rim over the course of 3 hours. We really had a great experience seeing it this way, in that we basically saw all the views from the rim within that time, plus we didn't have to find parking or wait for anything. Our tour guide, Albert, was informative, and also very funny. He made the tour a pleasure. As we boarded the bus after our last stop on the tour, the sky opened up and rain poured down, but only for about 10 minutes. By the time we reboarded the train, the rain was stopped and the sky sunny again. Along the tour we saw wildlife including deer, squirrels, condors, hawks, antelope, and of course, the Grand Canyon mules.
The trip back was just as good as the trip to the canyon. After about the first 1/2 of the trip, Chris and I went outside the car and stood on the back platform which was the end of the train as we continued toward Williams. Somehow, the train seemed more authentic out in the open air, with the sound of steel wheels clanking over the tracks and the smell of the smoke from the steam engine taking us back in time to the early 1900's when this was open range. We saw more antelope in the distance grazing and ignoring our passing.
All of a sudden the train slowed, then stopped! A band of three outlaws on horses came riding up beside the train and stopped it! Oh, no! We were outside the train on the platform, so had a great view of the whole ambush. Two of the bandits boarded the train and began harassing the passengers. Of course, it was all acting in fun. The "marshal" who rides the train was able to apprehend the outlaws before anyone was hurt, thank GOD!!!!! :)
After de-training (like de-plaing???) we went back to the motel to crash for a bit.....but not much time for rest, for the outlaws were back in the street for a gunfight.
Dinner was at diner called Cruisers Cafe 66----lots of retro stuff and old authentic gas station signs, pumps, etc and great murals painted on all the walls. Once again, great food and friendly staff made it enjoyable. After eating, Chris walked back to the motel, and I went for a walk in Williams to look in the gift shops and check out the neon in town. This town is really trying to come back from some lean times, it appears. Though there are a few empty store fronts, most of the businesses seem to be succeeding quite well and the whole downtown has a historic look to it.
Tomorrow we head on the longest continuous stretch of remaining 66 in Arizona between Seligman and Oatman, before ending up in Needles, California where we'll spend the night before taking on the Mojave Desert.
We boarded the Grand Canyon Railroad at 9 am after cruising through the gift shop at the depot and picking up more film. I think I've taken WAY too many pictures, but, hey, this may be the only time I am able to make this complete trip. The Grand Canyon Railroad has been in operation since the early 1900's until 1968 when it went out of business due to lack of travelers. It served as a freight train to the Grand Canyon for a few years after 68, but then stopped running completely. In the mid 80's the line and railway was purchased by a businessman here in Williams, and he began to rebuild the railway business. The line has been back in operation since 1989 and the passenger traffic on the railway continues to grow. Today the train had 12 train cars full of passengers. The train was pulled by a steam locomotive (2-8-2, Uncle Dick) that was built in 1923. We had an upgraded ticket which allowed us to travel in the parlor car. That was the last car on the train and had big cushy chairs, continental breakfast with fruit, muffins, and danishes, and on the return trip, crackers and cheese and drinks. All that, plus, unlike coach which had "open window air conditioning", OUR car was air conditioned.
During the ride musicians played as they strolled through the cars, and the "marshal" dressed in full cowboy apparel including six shooters walked through welcoming the passengers. Chris and I were able to sit by a large window with panoramic view facing each other both ways on the trip.
The trip to the Grand Canyon from Williams is 65 miles each way, and takes about 2 1/4 hours. Upon arriving at the Grand Canyon Village, we boarded a bus for our tour. First stop was Bright Angel Lodge where we were served a delicious buffet lunch. From our seats, we could look out the window and see the edge of the grand canyon less than 20 feet away! After eating, we walked along the rim in front of the lodge and were in awe of the canyon's size, beauty, and majesty. There were scattered clouds in the sky today moving over the canyon which cause sunlight to dance over the layered colors of the cliffs, mountains, and crevices that comprise the vista. Our tour took us to each of the lookouts on the west and the east rim over the course of 3 hours. We really had a great experience seeing it this way, in that we basically saw all the views from the rim within that time, plus we didn't have to find parking or wait for anything. Our tour guide, Albert, was informative, and also very funny. He made the tour a pleasure. As we boarded the bus after our last stop on the tour, the sky opened up and rain poured down, but only for about 10 minutes. By the time we reboarded the train, the rain was stopped and the sky sunny again. Along the tour we saw wildlife including deer, squirrels, condors, hawks, antelope, and of course, the Grand Canyon mules.
The trip back was just as good as the trip to the canyon. After about the first 1/2 of the trip, Chris and I went outside the car and stood on the back platform which was the end of the train as we continued toward Williams. Somehow, the train seemed more authentic out in the open air, with the sound of steel wheels clanking over the tracks and the smell of the smoke from the steam engine taking us back in time to the early 1900's when this was open range. We saw more antelope in the distance grazing and ignoring our passing.
All of a sudden the train slowed, then stopped! A band of three outlaws on horses came riding up beside the train and stopped it! Oh, no! We were outside the train on the platform, so had a great view of the whole ambush. Two of the bandits boarded the train and began harassing the passengers. Of course, it was all acting in fun. The "marshal" who rides the train was able to apprehend the outlaws before anyone was hurt, thank GOD!!!!! :)
After de-training (like de-plaing???) we went back to the motel to crash for a bit.....but not much time for rest, for the outlaws were back in the street for a gunfight.
Dinner was at diner called Cruisers Cafe 66----lots of retro stuff and old authentic gas station signs, pumps, etc and great murals painted on all the walls. Once again, great food and friendly staff made it enjoyable. After eating, Chris walked back to the motel, and I went for a walk in Williams to look in the gift shops and check out the neon in town. This town is really trying to come back from some lean times, it appears. Though there are a few empty store fronts, most of the businesses seem to be succeeding quite well and the whole downtown has a historic look to it.
Tomorrow we head on the longest continuous stretch of remaining 66 in Arizona between Seligman and Oatman, before ending up in Needles, California where we'll spend the night before taking on the Mojave Desert.
Monday, August 09, 1999
Day 10: Holbrook, AZ - Williams, AZ
Sleeping in a wigwam last night was way cool! I mean that literally. The air conditioning just about froze us to death.....even for me who likes it a bit on the cool side. A strange thing about the concrete teepee.....sound was close wherever you stood. For instance, the TV sounded like the speaker was directly above your head no matter where one stood in the room. I got some great pictures of the Wigwam Village.
This morning we ate breakfast at Joe and Aggie's Cafe, a Route 66 fixture for over 35 years according to their signs. Fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced food as we've been finding throughout our travels.
In Holbrook, a number of the buildings had murals painted, most having to do in some way with Route 66. One that caught my eye was above the door for Julien's Roadrunner Shop. After taking a picture of the mural, Chris and I went in to see what the shop was like. There we met Ted Julien, the proprietor. The shop primarily sells porcelain metal signs, like the ones in our game room. They have many that are available exclusively there. Ted told us how he had been an aerospace engineer who retired to Holbrook over 30 years ago. He opened a shop selling Indian-themed souvenirs, and gradually shifted his emphasis to signs over the past few years as collecting has become more popular. He told us of a night last year when all the historic route 66 signs along the road and on the buildings in Holbrook were stolen by some thieves in the middle of the night. Whiting Brothers Gasoline Stations was headquartered in Holbrook during the heyday of Route 66. After the brothers made their "millions", they moved away and just abandoned their business and several dozen gas stations scattered from Flagstaff, Arizona to Amarillo, Texas. I was able to purchase a porcelain sign for Whiting Brothers, a Burma-Shave sign, a Bob's Big Boy sign, and a Santa Fe Railroad logo sign. All very nice. I just have to find a place on our game room wall(s) to put them up. Ted liked to talk, and the longer he talked, the more signs I liked and bought. Chris got bored, and it was a good reason for us to get going before I spent any more money.
We also checked out the Dinosaur Rock Shop in Holbrook. It seems as though most of the stores in Holbrook have something to do with either dinosaurs or petrified wood. This shop had several large dinosaurs positioned outside. Signs read that it cost 25 cents to take a picture of the dinosaur.....yeah, right.
After leaving Holbrook, we headed west on the route. The overcast sky spit some rain drops at us, but we seemed to be driving into bluer skies and sunnier weather. The next stop the Jackrabbit Trading Post. In its day, the Jackrabbit signs featuring a black rabbit on a yellow background with red writing stretched from Amarillo to the California border. When one arrives at the Jackrabbit, the large sign shouts "Here It Is" with the same rabbit in the center and a number of smaller rabbits along the top of the two sided billboard. There is a large 6 foot tall rabbit in the parking lot, suitable for placing children upon and taking their pictures. Inside much of the same trading post souvenirs, but also some unique ones which Chris and I hadn't seen so far on the trip. I got a few small things, including a Snapple Lemonade, and Chris got a Snapple Whippit and some GummiBears.....yuck!
Meteor City has nothing to do with meteors and it's not a city. It's just a glorified souvenir shop within a large white dome shaped building. Indian souvenirs, Route 66 souvenirs, petrified wood......same ole same ole......
Next stop was Meteor Crater which is just that--a Meteor Crater. Surprisingly, it is not part of the National Park System, but is privately owned. Meteor Crater was formed some 50,000 years ago when a meteor hit the Arizona desert, forming a 1.75 mile diameter and 1/2 mile deep crater. There is a museum, a film to watch, and of course, a souvenir shop. Chris got another piece of meteorite, and I got a post card.
At Two Guns, Arizona, I explored the ruins of an old Route 66 tourist trap of the same name. Now all that remains are stone ruins of the various buildings. A bridge that was part of the old 66 stretches across Canyon Diablo just past Two Guns. I say, "I explored", because there were "No Trespassing" signs everywhere and gate which prohibited the car getting close to the ruins, and in light of some recent personal difficulties with trespassing with Chris, he opted out of risking getting caught trespassing. I did take his picture by the No Trespassing signs, however. One of the old buildings still had "Mountain Lions" painted on the deteriorating surface.
Just past Two Guns the landscape changed from sage covered desert to juniper trees as we began our climb toward Flagstaff. The San Francisco peaks (mountains) loomed in the distance as we ascended in altitude. We stopped at an old cafe in Flagstaff, but didn't really sightsee any more than that.
The Route 66 guides vary on recommendations for driving from Flagstaff to Williams. We opted for the oldest route, as far away from the expressway as we could get. Much of the road passed through pine forests and up and down the mountains. Some of the road was badly deteriorating pavement, and some was dirt. We made it to Williams without getting back on the freeway---success!
Williams is a town with a population of about 5000 that is obsessed with Route 66. We're staying at the Route 66 Inn. The owners, Mike and Amy are particularly nice. I couldn't sign on to send this email, so I talked to Mike and he gave me a special adapter to use with the digital phone system so I could. He told me if it didn't work I could come to the motel office and sign on on his private line. They also arranged our train tickets for tomorrow's trip to the Grand Canyon.
Outside our motel tonight in the street was a gunfight! Yep, an old western gunfight. Unfortunately, right at the time it was supposed to happen there was a torrential downpour which didn't seem to let up, so we ran to the car and headed to "Twisters 50's Soda Fountain" for a light supper. Gunfights occur in Williams every night at 7 pm, so we'll catch one tomorrow night. Twisters was an authentic 50's style soda fountain. Chris had nachos and I had the Roy Rogers Sandwich, roast beef with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Yum.
I'll sign off for now, because we have an early am tomorrow. We're taking the Grand Canyon Railroad from Williams to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railroad runs every day to and from the Grand Canyon. During the summer, it uses an old steam engine. I'll let y'all know all about it tomorrow. We'll be spending another night here in Williams tomorrow before heading off to California on Wednesday.
This morning we ate breakfast at Joe and Aggie's Cafe, a Route 66 fixture for over 35 years according to their signs. Fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced food as we've been finding throughout our travels.
In Holbrook, a number of the buildings had murals painted, most having to do in some way with Route 66. One that caught my eye was above the door for Julien's Roadrunner Shop. After taking a picture of the mural, Chris and I went in to see what the shop was like. There we met Ted Julien, the proprietor. The shop primarily sells porcelain metal signs, like the ones in our game room. They have many that are available exclusively there. Ted told us how he had been an aerospace engineer who retired to Holbrook over 30 years ago. He opened a shop selling Indian-themed souvenirs, and gradually shifted his emphasis to signs over the past few years as collecting has become more popular. He told us of a night last year when all the historic route 66 signs along the road and on the buildings in Holbrook were stolen by some thieves in the middle of the night. Whiting Brothers Gasoline Stations was headquartered in Holbrook during the heyday of Route 66. After the brothers made their "millions", they moved away and just abandoned their business and several dozen gas stations scattered from Flagstaff, Arizona to Amarillo, Texas. I was able to purchase a porcelain sign for Whiting Brothers, a Burma-Shave sign, a Bob's Big Boy sign, and a Santa Fe Railroad logo sign. All very nice. I just have to find a place on our game room wall(s) to put them up. Ted liked to talk, and the longer he talked, the more signs I liked and bought. Chris got bored, and it was a good reason for us to get going before I spent any more money.
We also checked out the Dinosaur Rock Shop in Holbrook. It seems as though most of the stores in Holbrook have something to do with either dinosaurs or petrified wood. This shop had several large dinosaurs positioned outside. Signs read that it cost 25 cents to take a picture of the dinosaur.....yeah, right.
After leaving Holbrook, we headed west on the route. The overcast sky spit some rain drops at us, but we seemed to be driving into bluer skies and sunnier weather. The next stop the Jackrabbit Trading Post. In its day, the Jackrabbit signs featuring a black rabbit on a yellow background with red writing stretched from Amarillo to the California border. When one arrives at the Jackrabbit, the large sign shouts "Here It Is" with the same rabbit in the center and a number of smaller rabbits along the top of the two sided billboard. There is a large 6 foot tall rabbit in the parking lot, suitable for placing children upon and taking their pictures. Inside much of the same trading post souvenirs, but also some unique ones which Chris and I hadn't seen so far on the trip. I got a few small things, including a Snapple Lemonade, and Chris got a Snapple Whippit and some GummiBears.....yuck!
Meteor City has nothing to do with meteors and it's not a city. It's just a glorified souvenir shop within a large white dome shaped building. Indian souvenirs, Route 66 souvenirs, petrified wood......same ole same ole......
Next stop was Meteor Crater which is just that--a Meteor Crater. Surprisingly, it is not part of the National Park System, but is privately owned. Meteor Crater was formed some 50,000 years ago when a meteor hit the Arizona desert, forming a 1.75 mile diameter and 1/2 mile deep crater. There is a museum, a film to watch, and of course, a souvenir shop. Chris got another piece of meteorite, and I got a post card.
At Two Guns, Arizona, I explored the ruins of an old Route 66 tourist trap of the same name. Now all that remains are stone ruins of the various buildings. A bridge that was part of the old 66 stretches across Canyon Diablo just past Two Guns. I say, "I explored", because there were "No Trespassing" signs everywhere and gate which prohibited the car getting close to the ruins, and in light of some recent personal difficulties with trespassing with Chris, he opted out of risking getting caught trespassing. I did take his picture by the No Trespassing signs, however. One of the old buildings still had "Mountain Lions" painted on the deteriorating surface.
Just past Two Guns the landscape changed from sage covered desert to juniper trees as we began our climb toward Flagstaff. The San Francisco peaks (mountains) loomed in the distance as we ascended in altitude. We stopped at an old cafe in Flagstaff, but didn't really sightsee any more than that.
The Route 66 guides vary on recommendations for driving from Flagstaff to Williams. We opted for the oldest route, as far away from the expressway as we could get. Much of the road passed through pine forests and up and down the mountains. Some of the road was badly deteriorating pavement, and some was dirt. We made it to Williams without getting back on the freeway---success!
Williams is a town with a population of about 5000 that is obsessed with Route 66. We're staying at the Route 66 Inn. The owners, Mike and Amy are particularly nice. I couldn't sign on to send this email, so I talked to Mike and he gave me a special adapter to use with the digital phone system so I could. He told me if it didn't work I could come to the motel office and sign on on his private line. They also arranged our train tickets for tomorrow's trip to the Grand Canyon.
Outside our motel tonight in the street was a gunfight! Yep, an old western gunfight. Unfortunately, right at the time it was supposed to happen there was a torrential downpour which didn't seem to let up, so we ran to the car and headed to "Twisters 50's Soda Fountain" for a light supper. Gunfights occur in Williams every night at 7 pm, so we'll catch one tomorrow night. Twisters was an authentic 50's style soda fountain. Chris had nachos and I had the Roy Rogers Sandwich, roast beef with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Yum.
I'll sign off for now, because we have an early am tomorrow. We're taking the Grand Canyon Railroad from Williams to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railroad runs every day to and from the Grand Canyon. During the summer, it uses an old steam engine. I'll let y'all know all about it tomorrow. We'll be spending another night here in Williams tomorrow before heading off to California on Wednesday.
Sunday, August 08, 1999
Day 9: Albuquerque, NM - Holbrook, AZ
There was one experience yesterday that I didn't talk about that was incredible. In a wide sport in the road in New Mexico about midway from Tucumcari to Albuquerque there is a town, and I use that term loosely, called Cuervo. Just past town there is an old, old alignment of Route 66. You have to angle off the frontage road by the expressway and pass a "Dead End" sign and you end up on this mostly paved pot holed washed out "road" with tall grass growing up between two tracks for your tires. The grass in the middle had to bee 2 feet tall, with taller grass encroaching from each side. In several spots the road was washed out over 1/2 way, and you had to be careful not to drive into a deep hole. There wasn't any traffic on the road at all. About 6 miles down the road we stopped under a large tree and shut off the car. Silence. Not just quiet. COMPLETE silence. No cars. No road noise. Nothing. Silence. The only place I've ever heard that deafening a silence was many years ago when I was camping up in northern Ontario in the remote backwoods on a canoe trip. Chris had never heard that type of silence.
We continued on until we once again met blacktop and were transported back to the 90's.
We passed through Cubero today. It consisted of a store/gas station and a boarded up cafe. The significance of this place is that Ernest Hemingway wrote "Old Man and the Sea" here. Didn't see an old man.....certainly no sea here.
Some red cliffs began to loom in the north as we continued toward the Arizona border. We passed through Grants, NM which used to be a center for uranium mining. Now the "Uranium Cafe" and a mining museum are the only vestiges of its past.
As we continued to climb in elevation, we came to the continental divide at 7552 feet elevation. There were several "Indian trading posts" there. We dropped some money at one. Let's just say Squaw feathers has a new drum. For those of you who don't know Squaw feathers, ask Cindy for an explanation.
At the Arizona border we stopped at Fort Yellowhorse, an authentic Indian trading post with a display of actual cliff dwellings and buffalo. Chris had never seen a real buffalo, or so he said. We bought some trinkets with our wampum and saw the exhibits. True kitsch.
The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest has intrigued me since my grandparents brought some petrified wood to me after visiting there many years ago. The part consists of a 26 mile out and back road which has occasional stops for observation. Lot's of driving. Not much to see in all honesty.
Our guidebook which tells us how to find old alignments of Route 66 has unfortunately not always been accurate. This was the case once again today. We tried to find an old section of the road next. As we followed an old section of pavement we came to a bridge. As I drove across it I noted holes in the pavement. Now, these weren't just holes in pavement....you could see all the way down to the dry river bed. At some points the hole would extend almost across half the bridge width. Of course, being stupid, I didn't go back but just drove across....I figured that was the easiest way to get off this obviously dangerous bridge. We continued on about another 1/2 mile until the "road" was nothing much more than a mud track. Wrong way I figured. Turned around. Then back over the bridge. Guess what? The bridge was even WORSE now. Parts of the bridge where we had driven were actually depressions in the pavement. Slowly I crept across the span, dodging the holes the best I could. WE MADE IT!!!!!! Close call, though.
As we approached Holbrook we saw the Petrified Wood store on the north frontage road. There were mannequins in the front parking lot greeting us, and large poorly designed dinosaurs outside the building. As we approached the door, a small blue car pulled up rapidly and a woman came up to the door and unlocked it. Though the sign said open, the door to the shop had been locked. The shop was filled with all kinds of rock....petrified wood, fossils, dinosaur fossils, and fragment of meteorite. Chris wanted a piece of meteorite and we found out that a small fragment smaller than a dime cost 10 bucks. A piece the size of an egg goes for over 300 bucks. Gazell Stewart, who was the owner and opened the shop showed us how the true meteorite pieces could be picked up with a magnet due to their high iron content. She showed us a business card with Jerry Seinfeld's signature on it. On a rainy day last month, Jerry stopped in and bought a $2500.00 meteorite fragment for himself, and a $300 meteorite for his nephew. He put it on his charge, and she had him sign his autograph on a business card. I bought a couple of pieces of petrified wood and a postcard of her store and she gave Chris a free polished piece of petrified wood. Chris bought his fragment of meteorite.
We then stopped at the Dinosaur Museum & Rock Shop and saw some awesome life size dinosaur models next to the road, and some more live bison.
Tonight we're staying at the Wigwam Village. Our wigwam has two double beds, A/C of course, and cable TV. No phone, though, so that's why you're getting two newsletters in one day. The furniture seems authentic western. Just a wonderful, unique place.
Tomorrow we'll see Meteor Crater, pass through Winslow and Flagstaff on our way to Williams, Arizona.
We continued on until we once again met blacktop and were transported back to the 90's.
We passed through Cubero today. It consisted of a store/gas station and a boarded up cafe. The significance of this place is that Ernest Hemingway wrote "Old Man and the Sea" here. Didn't see an old man.....certainly no sea here.
Some red cliffs began to loom in the north as we continued toward the Arizona border. We passed through Grants, NM which used to be a center for uranium mining. Now the "Uranium Cafe" and a mining museum are the only vestiges of its past.
As we continued to climb in elevation, we came to the continental divide at 7552 feet elevation. There were several "Indian trading posts" there. We dropped some money at one. Let's just say Squaw feathers has a new drum. For those of you who don't know Squaw feathers, ask Cindy for an explanation.
At the Arizona border we stopped at Fort Yellowhorse, an authentic Indian trading post with a display of actual cliff dwellings and buffalo. Chris had never seen a real buffalo, or so he said. We bought some trinkets with our wampum and saw the exhibits. True kitsch.
The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest has intrigued me since my grandparents brought some petrified wood to me after visiting there many years ago. The part consists of a 26 mile out and back road which has occasional stops for observation. Lot's of driving. Not much to see in all honesty.
Our guidebook which tells us how to find old alignments of Route 66 has unfortunately not always been accurate. This was the case once again today. We tried to find an old section of the road next. As we followed an old section of pavement we came to a bridge. As I drove across it I noted holes in the pavement. Now, these weren't just holes in pavement....you could see all the way down to the dry river bed. At some points the hole would extend almost across half the bridge width. Of course, being stupid, I didn't go back but just drove across....I figured that was the easiest way to get off this obviously dangerous bridge. We continued on about another 1/2 mile until the "road" was nothing much more than a mud track. Wrong way I figured. Turned around. Then back over the bridge. Guess what? The bridge was even WORSE now. Parts of the bridge where we had driven were actually depressions in the pavement. Slowly I crept across the span, dodging the holes the best I could. WE MADE IT!!!!!! Close call, though.
As we approached Holbrook we saw the Petrified Wood store on the north frontage road. There were mannequins in the front parking lot greeting us, and large poorly designed dinosaurs outside the building. As we approached the door, a small blue car pulled up rapidly and a woman came up to the door and unlocked it. Though the sign said open, the door to the shop had been locked. The shop was filled with all kinds of rock....petrified wood, fossils, dinosaur fossils, and fragment of meteorite. Chris wanted a piece of meteorite and we found out that a small fragment smaller than a dime cost 10 bucks. A piece the size of an egg goes for over 300 bucks. Gazell Stewart, who was the owner and opened the shop showed us how the true meteorite pieces could be picked up with a magnet due to their high iron content. She showed us a business card with Jerry Seinfeld's signature on it. On a rainy day last month, Jerry stopped in and bought a $2500.00 meteorite fragment for himself, and a $300 meteorite for his nephew. He put it on his charge, and she had him sign his autograph on a business card. I bought a couple of pieces of petrified wood and a postcard of her store and she gave Chris a free polished piece of petrified wood. Chris bought his fragment of meteorite.
We then stopped at the Dinosaur Museum & Rock Shop and saw some awesome life size dinosaur models next to the road, and some more live bison.
Tonight we're staying at the Wigwam Village. Our wigwam has two double beds, A/C of course, and cable TV. No phone, though, so that's why you're getting two newsletters in one day. The furniture seems authentic western. Just a wonderful, unique place.
Tomorrow we'll see Meteor Crater, pass through Winslow and Flagstaff on our way to Williams, Arizona.
