On The Road to Rt. 66 - Flagstaff AZ to Needles CA

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Have you ever had a day that felt like three jammed into one?! Well that was our day on Rt. 66 from Flagstaff AZ to Needles CA - and I mean that in a good way!  We started with a late breakfast as the Galaxy Diner - a ‘50s style eatery with great food to go with the retro decor!

Our first stop after breakfast - what is said to be the highest point along Rt. 66 - elevation 7,410 ft. along Brannigan Park Rd in Bellemont, AZ, in Kaibab National Forest.  Nearby in the town of Parks, an Auto Tour sign marks the original alignment. 

The next stop is Williams, where you have the option to take the train on a side trip to the Grand Canyon.  Since we’ve seen that magnificent site on previous vacations, we opted to walk through Williams, which has become a mecca for all things Rt. 66!

All that site-seeing (and shopping!) worked up an appetite - good thing the Road Kill Cafe in Seligman wasjust a short drive away!  Yes, the food was DELICIOUS!

We had hoped to take a side trip down Diamond Creek Road to see the bottom of the Grand Canyon at the Colorado River, but due to the heavy rains over the past several days, the road was currently flooded and impassable.  Instead, we stopped at the General Store in Hackberry and found a treasure trove of Rt. 66 memorabilia and souvenirs! 

Entering Kingman, the scenery changed once again - a quaint town against a backdrop of rugged mountains. No shortage of Rt. 66 history here, from the welcoming water towers to the train depot-turned museum.  Driving through the mountains, the rains moved in and here’s where things got interesting….

Fortunately my husband is an exceptional driver - and the rain let up!  As we approached the town of Oatman, we were greeted by the infamous burros!

Oatman Arizona was a gold mining town in the early 1900’s with more than 3500 residents.  Today, it is described as a “living ghost town” with perhaps 100 residents, but for visitors along Rt. 66, this throwback to the Old West is a must-see!

The drive leaving Oatman is just as scenic, especially since we had sun glistening from the mountain tops and a rainbow to boot. 

There were many times we felt like we had the road to ourselves.  And out here, in the desert, in the middle of nowhere, there is still a reminder that we are traveling on the most historic stretch of roadway in America!

We are now just 22 miles from our stop for the night, Needles California.  We follow the old Rt. 66 alignment as we cross into California, but somehow this road is no longer an options - it is filled with rocks and impassable.

We take to the interstate and within minutes found ourselves approaching the town of Needles, so names for its pointed mountain peaks.  We pause for a picture, and pause for a night’s rest! Tomorrow we take on the Mojave Desert! Water, water, water!

 

On The Road to Rt. 66 Albuquerque NM to Flagstaff AZ

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Another 370-plus miles on the odometer today, as we bid farewell to Albuquerque - destination, Flagstaff AZ.  The morning started out in a GRAND way, crossing the Rio Grande!

We passed plenty of Rt. 66 signage - some new, many vintage ,as the scenery became less and less residential.

A stop near the town of Thoreau was a must to snap a pic at the Continental Divide marker - wouldn’t you know it?! There was a HUGE souvenir shop across the road to mark the occasion!

By now we were ready for lunch and decided to stop in Gallup.  We’ve been using this incredible app, “Road Trip 66” to help guide us - one recommendation was Earl’s Family Restaurant.  As we pulled up, the place was packed - a very good sign! 

 

Native American artisans sell handmade crafts, both inside and out.  Sara found something special, for someone special!  We even had a friendly chat with owner Ralph Richards, giving us some helpful tips for our continuing journey.  

As we crossed the border into Arizona, the scenery changed again - we saw wild horses taking shelter from the heat in a tunnel under I-40.  We saw “Fort Courage” in the form of yet another souvenir shop, modeled after the ‘60s sit-com “F-Troop!”

The highpoint of the day was a two-fer, courtesy of Mother Nature. Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert.  I have never seen anything like this and will hold on to these incredibly beautiful images for as long as humanly possible.

About half-way between the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest you’ll find “Newspaper Rock,” so named because of the thousands of petroglyphs, images scratched on stone, that were made by the native peoples hundreds, even thousands of years ago.

Appropriately enough, there is a spot dedicated to where Rt. 66 cut through the park ,with an old model car - to the left, you can see the line of old telephone poles that still mark the road bed of Historic Rt. 66.

I could have spent days, rather than hours capturing the magnificent structures and vibrant hues, but with the storms looming and the temperature dropping, we knew we were on borrowed time!

When the rain hit, we’d made it to Winslow and were still able to snap a shot of the giant wooden indian, guiding people to the Sweetland FurnitureCompany!  

The rains became heavy - even blinding for a stretch, but we were not going to let that stop us from visiting the “Take It Easy” corner, made famous by the Eagles 1972 hit song!  I just love pop culture!

We finally rolled in to Flagstaff - tomorrow we hit the road again - and prepare for a ride through the desert!

 

On The Road to Rt. 66 - Exploring Albuquerque

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It is our 6th day traveling Rt. 66.  We’ve been averaging over 300 miles a day, but today logged  only 78.  We spent it driving in and around Albuquerque!

Our first stop, the Sandia Mountains located within the Cibola National Forest.

We explored a bit first, checking out the ski slopes and hiking trails dipping in and out of the clouds.  Quite an experience!

After a break from the high altitude, we ventured west to the Petroglyph National Monument.  This National Park contains more than 20,000 images carved in stone - some recognizable as animals or people, others more mysterious.

Archeologists estimate most of the images were made 400 to 700 years ago by the ancestors of today’s Native people. Some images, however, may be 2000 to 3000 years old.

In our limited amount of time we were able to hike 3 short trails and see dozens of petroglyphs.  One can only imagine the significance these images represented hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ago.

Our day ended with dinner in Albuquerque’s Old Town at a charming Mexican/American restaurant.  The vibrant colors of the sunset over the mountains were just a taste of things to come as we leave the "Land of Enchantment," and continue our road trip west tomorrow. 

Next stop - Flagstaff Arizona!

On The Road to Rt. 66 - Santa Fe NM to Albuquerque NM

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Santa Fe New Mexico has to be one of the most charming cities I’ve ever seen.  From the historic adobe architecture to the hundreds of art galleries, it is a feast for the eyes.

We began our day with a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Musuem, which houses the largest number of works from this iconic artist in the world!  

I have been a Georgia O'Keeffe aficionado for as long as I can remember - especially since my world class art photographer uncle, Malcolm Varon, had an opportunity to spend time with O’Keeffe, taking pictures of her, as well as her artwork. 

Imagine my surprise, and delight not only seeing Malcolm’s name in the short movie credits, but also on several prints, books and calendars in the gift shop!  So proud to be related to this incredibly talented photographer!

We continued to enjoy this picture perfect day walking around the plaza, taking in the sites and sounds, and lunch at an outdoor cafe.

Of course we couldn’t leave Santa Fe until I found a little somethin’ somethin’ for myself!

We got back on the road, headed to Albuquerque - our next stop on Rt. 66.  The bright sunshine was quickly replaced with clouds - ominous clouds as we continued south. Radar showed some fast-moving storms, along with flash flood alerts! We decided to stay on I-25 most of the way, just in case!  

Fortunately the heavy storms missed us, and we made our way safely to Albuquerque, back on Rt. 66! 

Tomorrow we explore the history, culture and Rt. 66 significance of this famed southwestern city.

 

On The Road to Rt. 66 - Amarillo TX to Santa Fe NM

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Our Rt. 66 adventure took an artistic turn today!  They say everything is big in Texas, right?  That especially holds true for this larger-than-life art in Amarillo!

Not too far from Amarillo, we hit a milestone in Adrian Texas - the half-way point! Only 1,139 miles to go!

We marked the occasion at The MidPoint Cafe, “Home of the Ugly Pie Crust.” Yes, it was delicious!We marked the occasion at The MidPoint Cafe, “Home of the Ugly Pie Crust.” Yes, it was delicious!

A mere 22 miles, and we were entering New Mexico - here’s where the driving got a little hairy!

Once we got on the stretch of Rt. 66 that shared the interstate, the surroundings took on a completely different attitude - serene, majestic, inviting.  This truly is God’s country.

We took the pre-1937 route that brought us into Santa Fe, arriving with enough time to take in a little sight-seeing before dinner.  We visited San Miguel Mission, said to be the oldest standing church in the U.S., built in 1610.  Across the street is the oldest house in Santa Fe (and according to their literature, in the U.S.!), built in 1646.

 

We walked through town at dusk, and while many of the wonderful shops and boutiques were closed, the park was alive with a summer concert.

Tomorrow we continue to explore Santa Fe, and then on to Albuquerque.  ¡Buenas Noches!