Today took us out of the state of Arizona and into the final state of Route 66, California. We have now driven nearly 2,500 miles across the country. Now, had we gone straight, by interstate, it would have been 1,910 miles to Barstow. And it would have taken 31 hours total to drive. Of course the shorter/quicker route is not always the better route. I think of all the things we have seen along the way that I myself have been guilty of missing in the past. Driving like we have for the last 11 days has shown me a different perspective, not to mention given us so many experiences that no other trip would! Today we commended Jon for being such a good road tripper. He hasn't once complained or asked the dreaded "Are we there yet?" In fact, when I have asked him to put the video game down and look out the window, he has never even questioned and did just that. Those that know Jon may find it hard to believe, but it really has been enjoyable and even he will tell you there are so many things that he has enjoyed seeing.
As for today's leg, we are spending most of the day in the middle of the desert. Route 66 from Kingman takes you through Oatman, Topock, Needles, Goffs, Fenner, Essex, Chambless, Amboy, Newberry Springs, and into Barstow. Until just before Barstow, we didn't touch the interstate much at all. It really was a nice drive!
Our day started by a stop by Kingman Powerhouse Museum to get a stamp for Jon's passport, that made #7, and the final one needed to receive a certificate! We turned in the coupon and survey and they have Jon his certificate. All Route 66 states should have something similar, it really was fun collecting the stamps and seeing the places we had to stop to get them. Several of the stops would not have been on our to do list if not for the passport.
We then pulled on to Oatman Highway and left Kingman behind. The first half of the drive to Oatman was no big deal, straight road that dipped through washes across the desert. The second half, however, was what I imagined while reading John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. It was a winding road following the curves of the mountains it crossed. Some places had fencing, but other sheer drop-offs were unprotected. There were sweeping curves as well as crazy, tight hairpin turns. Some times I had to hold my breath as the drop offs were on my side.
One last curve brought us into Oatman and the first glimpses of the wild burros. We found a place to park, grabbed our bag of carrots and walked into town. No sooner did Tony open the grocery sack did the burros swarm around him. As one took a carrot from him, 5 more were trying to take the sack from him. He walked from one side of the street to the other as he tried to get another one out. Jon got to feed a couple, but they would take the carrot so fast I never was able to get a picture. Pretty soon the carrots were gone and once the burros figured that out, they lost interest.
We walked through town and heard an announcement that a gunfight would be taking place at High Noon and saw a man with a whip walking through town making sure we all came to watch. We made our way to the "gold mine" and three guys put on a pretty funny show! They took donations after the show and said they donated to Wounded Warriors. We made our way back up the road to our car after the gun fight and slowly drove through town watching for burros crossing the road.
It wasn't long before we crossed in to California in the city of Needles. Mom made the comment that this was the hottest place in the US a lot of times, but with the overcast skies, it really wasn't that bad. It was noon, so we stopped for lunch and saw the projected high for the day was 104, but that it was under 90 at the moment. We jumped back on I-40 for just an exit or two before we took 95 to Goffs Rd. We followed beside the railroad until crossing it and seeing the tiny town of Goffs. It was odd to see a town so far away from anything else. Goffs has a one room schoolhouse that has been restored and serves as a museum open by appointment only. We kept driving and soon entered Fenner. There is only one thing still operating in the town, and that is a price-gouging gas station with gas priced at $5.29 a gallon. In order to use the restroom, you had to be a paying customer, so I grabbed a Mt. Dew and actually found a souvenir California license plate with the correct spelling of Jonathon. $9.50 later, we were paying customers who didn't have to feel bad about a bathroom break. Thank goodness we didn't need gas!
We crossed under I-40 and headed toward Essex. Not much left there but shortly there after we started to see what is referred to as the Public Art Corridor. People pull off the side of the road and stop, then gather up rocks and "trash" to spell out their names or to build creations out of rubbish. We passed miles and miles of it all the way to Chambless. In Chambless, we pulled over to see a monument about the route through the town and decided to risk the CRAZY HOT temperatures to leave our own mark on the little mound behind the monument. Jon spelled out his name and I made a smileyface as well as another Jon.
We hopped back in the car and kept driving the road until we go to the Shoe Tree. There are actually two shoe trees on this stretch of road, only a couple of miles apart. We pulled over at the first one to take a photo or two, and then Tony said he would sacrifice his shoes that were pretty worn out, to add to the tree. He and Jon jumped out and after a few tries, finally got the shoes hung in the tree. We snapped a few more photos and off we went towards Amboy.
Amboy is home to the Amboy Crater, a volcano crater that last erupted 500 years ago, and Roy's. I jumped out at Roy's to snap a few photos and found that the group of motorcycles who had arrived ahead of us were from Austria on a Route 66 tour. No matter how many people and groups we come across, it is still mind-blowing to know that more people from outside the US travel this road than anyone else. A quick look at a guestbook or pin map at pretty much any tourist stop will prove that to you. Then we went down the road to get a better look at the crater. Jon and I jumped out and snapped some photos and fixed a boo-boo he had, but quickly got back in the car, because the temps in this part of the route topped 100 degrees.
Soon we were back to the interstate and not far from Barstow. We decided to jump on the interstate so that we could stop at the rest stop ahead, it's like an Oasis in the desert. Once we stretched a little we got back on the road to Barstow. The route follows I-40 closely here, and we opted to stay on the interstate rather than cross under the interstate several times and eventually return to it to go around the Marine Base. We got off the interstate for good today at the first Barstow exit and toured the town. There are plenty of old hotels lining the street, but soon reached the end of town and our hotel for the night. A quick dinner at Chipotle and giving Jon some time in the pool and here it is bedtime again.
Tomorrow marks the final day of traveling Route 66, but the halfway point of the trip. Reaching Santa Monica Pier ends one journey, but starts the return trip. Plenty of things left to see, and places to go before we pull back into our driveway on the 30th! Until tomorrow!
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