DAY 64- The Mother Road, Road Kill, & Prescott…

I opted to get up early and use the fitness facilities at the London Bridge Resort.  I put on some workout clothes and went out to the car for my running shoes.  Threw those on in the quiet fitness room and stepped on the treadmill or as I often referred to is as the dreadmill.  I started with a quick fast paced walking warm up and then every 30 seconds I started to increase the speed up to 5.5mph which is about an 11min/mile.  It was there that I hit the threshold.  That was as fast as I could go and I was a bit disappointed because a few months ago I was running a 10:30 min/mile.  I’m slowing down and I need to get out more often run or bike and push myself when I do it too.

Prescott, AZ was the goal today and I headed north to I-40 and started heading east.  Just before Kingman, I see a sign for historic Route 66 and mention of a museum.  That sounded interesting to me so I took the exit.  About a block down I find a large building off to my right that’s called the Powerhouse Visitors Center.  I walked in, on one side is a souvenir store and on the other there’s an information both with tons of brochures about the area and Arizona; its Arizona tourists central!  Upstairs there’s a museum. 

I go upstairs and two older ladies are sitting at a desk at the entrance of the museum door.  It’s $4 to get in.  I get out my bicyclist wallet and drop it.  It pops open and credit cards and money go all over the place.  So I’m doing some small talk to the ladies as I’m crawled around on the floor picking up my stuff. I paid the ladies and walk into the museum.  It’s done in a time line fashion and talks about Route 66 history.  Route 66 started just outside of Chicago area and ended at the Santa Monica Pier.  

Photo- In the Powerhouse Visitor's Center Museum.

Route 66 started off as a major footpath that was commonly used by the Indians.  At this point Route 66 was known as the Mother Road.  This Mother Road was used later by pioneers in wagons to head out west.  The railroads were built along the same route.  Eventually, as cars came into existence they traveled along the road.  In 1926, the highway (the Mother Road) was certified as US Highway 66.  During the Great Depression millions traveled along Route 66 in hopes of finding new beginnings.  In fact, the mention of Route 66 in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath put the road on the map in history. 

After World War II, the economy surged and up along the Route 66 new towns, businesses, and restaurants came into being.  In the late 50’s and early 60’s, route 66 was in the height of its glory.  In 1957, President Eisenhower signed the bill that created the interstate system that we have today.  It ended up being the kiss of death for Route 66.  By the late 1970’s quite a few of the communities along Route 66 had turned into ghost towns; also some of the route had been paved over by the new interstates.  In the late 1980’s there was a resurgence of interest to save some of old Route 66.  Now some of the areas of the road are being maintained and have historic signage.  I found the museum very interesting.  I only thought of the 1950’s and 1960’s part of its history but there was so much more.

Photo- A great deal of Route 66 places in Kingman.

Next, I discovered that I could take another segment that goes along I-40 and it would get me to the same place.  Off I went along Route 66 again; only this road was quite a bit better maintained and traveled than the section I did yesterday.  I will admit as I went through the town of Kingman did market everything along the Route 66 and it kind of soured it for me because it was too much commercialized.  But as I went along the road, the scenery made up for all of the commercialization.  The colored rock formations gave way to sandy colored rocky piled formations and then to green topped bluffs with small green trees in fields of wheat colored grass.  It was very scenic.  I drove through an Indian reservation and I will say it was nothing compared to some of the reservations I have experienced so far.  This one looked very well kept up and had very nice community buildings.

Photo- Scenery along Route 66.

As I drove along, I saw old model T cars driving from the other direction.  They seemed to be in groups of two or three traveling along the road.  I counted at least 15 of them that past me from the other direction.  I found it interesting because they would’ve been the first cars on Route 66.  I did see other old classic cars along the route but most of them were parked and had for sale signs posted on them.

Photo- Older classic cars along Route 66.

I was ready for lunch and decided to take a chance with the Road Kill Café in Seligman.  I ended up ordering a diet Pepsi which came in a huge mason jar and a sandwich called Too-Slow-Doe.  Sorry to say there was no venison in this sandwich; it was a barbeque beef on a hoagie bun served up with your choice of fries, potato salad, or chips.  I sat at the bar and noticed there were tons of dollar bills along the ceiling of the bar area.  The dollar bills had names, dates, and numbers on them.  I asked the guy behind the bar what it was all about and he said that people leave a dollar with their name and date in hopes of locating it the next time they come through the area.  Well, good luck with that I said.  The guy laughed.

Photo- Road Kill Cafe where the motto is-
You Kill Them and We'll Grill Them!

I struck up a conversation with the guy and found out he was originally from LA.  He lived in Vegas for a while and somehow ended up here.  He would specify why he ended up here in a small town along Route 66 working at the Road Kill Café.  I asked him how he managed coming from large cities to a small town.  He said he goes to Vegas once a month.  I found him rather tight lipped and cagey.

Photo- A ceiling of dollar bills in the bar area at Road Kill Cafe.

Next, I decided to pick up the pace just a bit more and got back onto I-40.  Shortly, after that I was on Hwy 89 heading south to Prescott.  Oh, and I was told that all the locals pronounce it as PRES-kit.  I followed the Google directions again and took the LONG way to the hotel.  Go figure!  I got checked in and then drove to the Prescott’s downtown area.  It was starting to get dark already at 6pm; winter is here that’s for sure.  I went into a local gallery and got to talking with the guy manning the shop.  He was one of the artist in the shop and all of the artist take their turn manning the shop; it’s an artist’s collective.  I knew of several in Salt Lake City too.  This shop had quite a bit of variety. 

Photo- Inside of the Raven.

Then I asked about where to go eat and what not in the downtown area and he suggested the Raven.  It is like “Beer Nirvana” he said and none of that mainstream piss water served there.  That peaked my interest and it was about 3 blocks away.  I headed that direction and looked at menus in several other places along the way.  I also looked to see how busy or how much activity there was in some of these places.  Quite a few didn’t have much going on and then I got to the Raven and it had a hum of activity.

Photo- Artwork inside the Raven that's available for purchase.

The Raven serves coffee up during the day but serves beer and wine in the evenings.  They also have an organic menu which I’m sometimes wary of places that do that because then it’s to veggie for me.  But I saw a pita pizza on the menu and that sounded good.  It had sweet red peppers, onions, and olives with a bit of olive oil.  Unfortunately, they were out of the chicken that they could add on for a bit more but I had already waited in line so I stuck with just veggies and beer.  I tasted a couple and then decided on a pale ale from a local brewery.  They had at least 30 beers on tap and another variety of 40 bottled beers.  All of the beers were non-mainstream beers.  In other words you guys that drink Bud light were out of luck in this place.  I ordered at the counter then found a table along the wall.  They had some interesting art on the wall.  It really was an interesting atmosphere and there were Halloween decorations up which you would expect in a placed called the Raven.

Before I know it, I’m talking with a guy that is a disabled retired vet.  He’s planning a driving trip to Mexico starting in November.  We talked for a while and he bought me another beer.  It was an interesting conversation but what was driving me up the wall is the whole time he’s talking to me he’s staring at my chest.  I’m wearing a form fitting t-shirt and there’s no cleavage but he’s staring at my chest.  It was very disorientating.  He finally had to leave and I finished the beer he had bought me slowly.  Then, I walked back to the Prescott square which is the center of town where I had parked my car.  I found my way back to the hotel using a map the desk clerk had given me when I checked in.

DAY 63- Getting My Kicks & London Bridges...

The plan today was to end up in Lake Havasu City, AZ.  I drove across the river to the Arizona side and fueled up.  After being in California for a little over a week, it felt like a dream only paying $3.79/gal.  I headed south out of Bullhead City on Hwy 95 back towards Needles.

About the second stop light on my way out of Bullhead City, I saw a sign pointing east that said to Historic Route 66.  Why not?!!  I was in the wrong lane of course, so I take the next available right hand turn and do one of my famous U-turns.  I headed east and I had no idea how any of this would connect in with my drive southeast to Lake Havasu City, but I’ll figure that out as I go along; that’s all part of being on a road trip.

Photo- Historic Route 66 heading towards Oatman.

A mile down this road off in the distance, I can see part of the landscape that is often used in the posters of Route 66; the car with the road and the colored rock towers in the background.  Meanwhile, in the back of mind I hear the song…I get my kick on Route 66.  I continue to drive east and 4 miles later the two lane highway comes to a “Y” intersection of which I’m on one of the top half.  This is Route 66, there’s historical road markers and a little ways down I see a worn wooden sign pointing north with the word OATMAN on it.  Huh? Oh, why not?  I came this far didn’t I?

Photo- A worn sign for Oatman.

I head north into Oatman; whatever Oatman maybe, I have no idea.  I head further north and come to a burro warning sign for the next 8 miles.  Okay, this is a little new to me.  There are wild burros roaming the hills, hmmm?  I continue north and arrive at a little wooden rustic town with a speed limit of 15mph.  I slow thinking that’s kind of an extreme low speed limit.  But then I see burros roaming the streets, people petting/feeding the burros and people walking around.  It’s relatively packed for a small area.  The burros have the run of the street area and everyone just goes around them.

Photos- Burros on the main drag in Oatman on Route 66.

I ended up paying for parking at the end of town for $2 which I get a $2 coupon that’s good for the purchase of something other than postcards in the shop right next to the parking lot.  This is a huge marketing ploy if there ever was one.  I go in the store and look around but everything seems to be marked up $2 more than what it should be anyway.  I think I need to just stick with losing the $2 to parking.  I walk along the street.  Most of the store fronts are rustic worn wooden and they have wooden boardwalk sidewalks.

Photo- Locals on the boardwalk.

There are a couple of local guys hanging out on a boardwalk area and I catch part of their conversation.  One of them is carving something in wood while the other stands.  “Working on another one, I see.” The one carving says,”Yep!  I can’t seem to keep them in stock.”  The other one says,”Yeah, that kind of how it goes.”  Then they talk about the weather.

It’s a hodgepodge group of people.  There are the Harley biker types with their scantily clad women, families with kids and strollers, older retired couples, and almost every age between.  A lot of the locals are clad in jeans and cowboy hats and they traverse the main road area in ATVs instead of cars.  I hear all kinds of accents from the twang of Texas, the slip sliding lilt of Savannah, the proper English of England, the average American accent and plenty of Germanic accented English.

I wandered in and out of shops on one side of the street.  The sidewalk gets crowded in one area so I walked out on the street.  I walked out past a burro that starts walking towards me like I have something to give it.  No, I don’t have anything for you.  I told it as I pet its nose and continued past it.  Then, I felt a tug on my little knapsack that I’m carrying.  I turned around to find the burro had my bag clutched in its mouth.  What!  No you are giving that back to me buddy.  I quickly tugged it back and I heard people commenting about the burro trying to take my bag.  I stated out loud,” It must have thought my bag had food in it!”  Later, I see a guy that bought a whole bunch of burro bag treats that they sell at all of the stores.  A burro just went for the paper sacks in his hands like there was no tomorrow.  It was kind of funny but I could see it scare the heck out of small kid.

Photo- A Burro going in for snacks!

I walked down to the one end and then crossed the street carefully watching my bag when I went past the burros.  I checked out the stores on up the other side of the street.  Some of the stores were your typical t-shirt souvenir stores but there were some that had pottery, leather goods, and other items that looked like they were made locally.  I did find a cute Route 66 t-shirt for $13 that I just couldn’t pass up and then I got a couple of postcards.  At the other end of the street was a pair of cowboys playing guitars and singing.  No, it wasn’t the tune of getting kicks on Route 66, but a Johnny Cash song.

Photo- Old Route 66 heading south from Oatman.

I got in the car and headed south this time on Route 66; hoping eventually I would cross the path of I-40.  The road curved and wound through color rock towers, groupings of scrub brush, ocotillo patches, and scattered all around were cholia cactus.  The sun was high and off in the distance on the horizon was a shimmer of light on water which was Lake Havasu.  It was a wonderful scenic drive and all I could think about was imagining driving along this road in an old 1950’s car with the windows open at the height of Route 66.  That would have been grand with weather like this.  I did notice warning signs about not continuing if the road was flooded.  The road dips ever so often, as it curves around, and I wouldn’t want to be out here when it was raining.  A great deal of these wash area would be quickly filled with water.

 Eventually, I get to the town of Topock and come out to signage to I-40.  I go by the Lake Havasu Wilderness Preserve area just before jumping on to I-40 heading east.  Shortly after that I get off onto Hwy 95 south into Lake Havasu City.  I get to my hotel which is the London Bridge Resort.  It’s as close as you can stay in the area to the London Bridge.

I know you are asking the London Bridge in Arizona.  Yep!  Lake Havasu City has the old London Bridge that was imported to the city and put back together.  It was purchased in 1967 and was dedicated in October of 1971.  The chainsaw and oil tycoon Robert Paxton McCulloch purchase it and put it on land that he owned in a city he founded in 1964.  It all came together as a way to get tourists to come to the area.  It must have worked because people are still living, working, and visiting.

Photo- The London Bridge in Arizona!

The London Bridge Resort where I stayed was right next door to the bridge.  You walk out of the hotel’s back door, down the hill, and off to the right there’s the bridge.  I took pictures and visited what shops were open under the bridge area.  But it was kind of the off season right now, so it was a bit slow.  I ended up walking across the bridge and taking pictures and just enjoying the scenery.  There are both American and British flags that fly over the bridge.  Cars were driving by while I walked along and it was an interesting feeling to know that I'm walking on a bridge that was once in London England.  But it is a pretty bridge and a nice area to have a bridge.

I had dinner at a chain restaurant nearby and then came back to the hotel early hoping to get sometime in the hot tub.  I changed into my bikini, threw on some clothes on top, walked down to the front desk area for a towel, and off to the hot tub I went.

There were some people hanging out at a table nearby but there was only one guy in the hot tub.  Yeah, I thought a nice quiet time relaxing in the hot tub.  Well, not quite as it turned out.  I did have a bit of a conversation with the guy in the tub.  He was a married architect and from Huston.  Then, these two other married men show up.  One of them was quite the conversationalist and rather intoxicated, while the other, was a quiet highway patrolman who kept running to the bar for drinks for both of them.  The conversation was all over the place from what you did for a job to the state of California to construction to fiber optics on the ocean floor.  Mr. Conversation did something with getting permits to lay fiber optics in areas of California, or at least that was the gist of what he did.

The next thing, another group of three shows up in the hot tub.  It’s a 24 year old guy that just got back from a tour in Afghanistan and his parents.  The guy is smoking a cigar and is all casual about what went on over there while he was there.  Mr. Conversationalist is all over talking with this young military guy.  I would buy you a drink but they just closed the bar he says.  Then this other older lady shows up and has a son who is also over there but doesn’t know where or what her son is doing over there.  It’s quite the conversation.

But over time, it breaks up and I end up talking with the married architect who is amazed by what I’m doing and always wanted to do something like that.  I ask him about his work and he admits to owning his own company.  Things are going well and he has a possibility of gaining business in China designing stores for Starbucks.  Wow!  I thought that this sounded like an amazing opportunity but he just shrugged it.  He wasn’t sure if he would get it and he wants to work towards retiring early; doing something like what I’m doing.  He wanted to get my blog info. and offered if I was ever in Huston to contact him.  He seemed very nice.  I’m always amazed at all of the nice people that I’ve met on this trip.

Everyone started to head off back inside to their rooms at the resort.  The architect and I left about the same time.  I shared my info with him and then I jumped onto the second floor where my upgraded hotel room was; sometimes it pays to be patient and nice to the front desk clerk.

DAY 61 & 62- Laughlin - A Poor Man's Vegas...

DAY 61- On to Laughlin…
I wake up as a hint of light is coming through angled skylights in the vaulted ceiling of John’s spare bedroom.  The light slowly makes it way down into the room as I enjoyed a nice long hot shower that was not under a low-flow shower nozzle.  That’s what I really hate about staying at hotel/motels.  Sometimes, I feel like I’m trying to get clean under a trickle of luke warm water.  That’s another reason I like to stay at a bed and breakfast or a friend’s place. 

Photo- The view from John's back patio area.  A very nice looking golf course.

I’m dressed and surfing the web as John finally wakes up and comes out of his room.  He’s especially happy to see that I already have a pot of coffee started and he asks how I slept.  It’s a comfortable bed I tell him.  I watch TV with him and kind of just hang out for a bit both of us drinking coffee.  But eventually I need to get packed up and get off on the road for Laughlin.  I call to make sure that the hotel in Laughlin still has me for a reservation for the 2^nd night at the hotel.  I also mention that I want to stay an additional night too.  Yes, they have me for the night and say to just let the clerk at the hotel know when I check in about the additional night.

I’ve decided to take the longer version to get to Laughlin just in case I have any problems with the car.  I’ll be closer to towns and hopefully have more cell phone coverage too.  About 10:30Am I pack up my car and give John a hug.  I’m off heading east on I-10 after a quick fuel fill up.  It’s a two lane in each direction type of interstate and the traffic is rather heavy.  I really can’t put on my cruise control because the speeds vary from 55mph, the truck speed, to 70mph, the car speed.  It’s one of the major interstates in the area that goes towards Phoenix.

About a little over an hour later, I stop in Blythe, CA for another fuel stop and a bit of lunch at a local Burger King which has VERY slow service.  I get back onto I-10 and then get off at the next exit to head north on Hwy 95.  Periodically, there are small towns all along this route but for the most part you are in the middle of a dry arid bland landscape.  This landscape makes the flats of Nebraska and Kansas look interesting.  Shoot!  This area makes the Salt Flats look like a resort.  Okay, that might be pushing the envelope by saying that but you get the drift of my meaning.  It's the pure definition of bland.  The traffic is light and I can set the cruise control  for a few miles over the speed limit and just go.

Photo- The more interesting landscape as you get closer to Needles.

As I get closer to the town of Needles the landscape gets a little more interesting.  There are some rock formations and foothills.  There are also some green areas along the river.  In Needles I stop at a gas station and use the restroom.  I would’ve topped of the tank with more fuel but the price per gallon is $5.19 which I think is ridiculous!  I buy a soda instead and continue on Hwy 95.  Hwy 95 as it goes through Needles’ downtown area follows the old Route 66 and there are little signs on the side of the road letting you know.  I thought that was neat but it’s not a very scenic section of Route 66.  It follows the Route 66 for about ½ mile through town and then Hwy 95 turns left and goes north towards Bullhead City. 

Not even 8 miles down the road, I’ve crossed a river and I’m in Arizona.  The gas prices are hanging around $3.80/gal over here.  I’m sorry Californians but you really need to be looking at those gas prices in your state.  They are just terrible!  There’s a series of smaller towns one just after the other for the next 15 miles until I get into Bullhead City.  Off in the distance I can see across to the Nevada side of the river where the tall casinos dominate.  I’m almost to Laughlin.

Laughlin has been described to me as the Poor Man’s Vegas.  I had to laugh when I first heard that.  After living for over 20 years in Salt Lake City, I always thought that Wendover the border town closest to Salt Lake’s Nevada border was a cheap version of Vegas.  Though, most of us Utahans always referred to Wendover as “Bend Over”.  But I have to admit that the hotel rooms are cheap.  For less than $90, I’m staying in a nice room with a King size bed on the 18^th floor for two nights.  OMG!  The view is amazing especially as the sun goes down and the lights of the Casinos go on.  I go downstairs to an Italian restaurant which I find out later is not cheap at all.  But I figure I’m saving quite a bit on the room so why not splurge here; and maybe that’s the general marketing ploy here.

Photo- The view from my 18th floor room. 
Note to self- Turn off the bathroom light when taking a night shot of the view
from the hotel window.

After dinner, I wander around the main casino floor area of the hotel.  I put $20 in a penny machine and it’s disappearing quite quickly down this drain.  I changed to another machine and the same thing happens.  Then, off I went to another and then another.  The $20 disappears REALLY quickly.  There’s no lose slots here!  I then go up to my room and just watch a little TV and enjoy the view.

DAY 62- A Day Off in Laughlin…

I figured I would stay one more day where the hotel room is cheap so that I could take a day off.  Yeah, I know some of you out there are like… she’s on vacation why does she need a day off.  But sometimes I need a break from driving the car and sightseeing.  I just need a day of “vegging out”.

Photo- The view with the sun just starting to rise.

I woke up early enough that I can watch the sunrise as the casino lights are still on.  It’s amazing to watch the sun as it rises and lights up the landscape.  I do this while lying in the King size bed and kind of watching the TV too.  Finally, about 10am I figure it’s time to get out of the pj’s and I take a shower.  I grab my laptop and head down to the Starbucks for coffee, a bit of scone, and free internet.  They charge for internet service in the rooms.  I forgo the $10/day charge and just go to Starbucks.

Photo- The sunrise about 10min. later....
and
then 20 min later....

Yummy!  It’s that time of year when Starbucks has my favorite coffee the pumpkin spice latte.  I surf the web and end up texting four friends simultaneously.   I head upstairs and decide to hang out and watch a movie; Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts in it.  I’m just being a total bum.  I was playing with the idea of a manicure but the nearest place is on the Arizona side of the river and I just don’t want to drive at all.  It’s my day off.  I figure I’ll get manicure another day down the road.

I start getting hungry at about 4Pm-ish and head down to the Outback Steakhouse that they have in back of the casino area.  I have a $25 gift card I can use and figure I might as well use it.  I sit at the bar and order a beer and ask for the menu.  The gal at the bar says her name and the other name of the bartender and then asks my name.  They are really nice and friendly.  I order steak and shrimp.

The steak is good but it’s a disappointment after the steak dinner I had with John.  The steak I had with him was juicier and had a slight crust with black pepper and sea salt.  This steak is just broiled and doesn’t have the crust. The coconut shrimp is good, though and they have one of my favorite beers on tap—Blue Moon.  Yeah! 

A baseball game of Cardinals and the Giants is on the Big TV and they have the Steelers vs. Bengals on the other.  This is wonderful!  I’m getting baseball and football.  I watch my Steelers in a pretty close game.  The bar area starts to fill up with a big group that just came back from playing golf.  On my other side a guy sits down and orders a soda.  A soda?  The bartender asks him what kind of soda.  The man gives a perplexed look like there’s choices?  Meanwhile, the other side of me is talking about the golf game of the day and who got the best shots in. 

The bar area fills up completely and the noise level is picking up.  I can’t hear the TV’s at all and I have to watch the Steelers game a little more closely.  The indecisive soda guy asks who I’m routing for.  The Steelers, I answer.  He throws a couple more questions at me but I’m more into watching the game and he soon stops talking.  I close my tab and Mr. Soda Guy is like you are not staying to watch the rest of the game?  I’m going to watch it in my room upstairs where its quieter I tell him.  His face seems to fall.  I say good night to him and thanked Brandy the bartender. 

I head up to my room where I try to find the game on the TV but it’s not on one of those channels.  I give up on the TV.  There just doesn’t seem to be much of anything on.  I grab my laptop and head down to Starbucks instead.  I surf the web while I enjoy a refillable black coffee.  After about 10pm I head upstairs to my room and decide to turn in early.  I fall asleep enjoying the view from my bed.  Sorry no photos of a night shot; it is after all my day off. :)