Wednesday,
October 21st 2020
Seligman, AZ My 3
rd
day started with a run through Seligman, AZ before getting on the bike. There are a few famous locations here and I
wanted to get a look around. The main
reason for the visit is supposed to be Delgadillo’s Snow Cap – I didn’t learn
until later that most of the vehicles were behind the building. Luck for me there were many other attractions
in town. A few pictures from the morning Seligman
Grand Canyon Caverns As I’m traveling
down Route 66, amazed at the different out posts, abandoned properties and
mostly wide-open country I stumbled upon the Grand Canyon Caverns – not a
planned stop, but why not. Surprise the
caverns weren’t open, but it does look like a cool place to visit, maybe even
stay. Pictures from Grand Canyon Caverns.
Peach Springs, AZ Next stop
historic Peach Springs Trading Post, built in 1936. The drive took me through an old section of
Route 66 – the drive was worth it. The trading
post didn’t look like much, but that is the adventure of Route 66 – it’s not about
the destination – it’s about the journey. Pictures of the Trading Post
Kingman, AZ Area It may not be
an original from Route 66, but "Giganticus Headicus" a
half-buried,
14-foot-tall pseudo-tiki sculpted of metal, wood, chicken wire, Styrofoam and
cement, created in 2004 is worth a quick stop.
During my trip it had been painted Pink (vs usual Green) for breast
cancer awareness. Pictures of Giganticus.
The last major
town in AZ before getting into CA – Kingman, AZ.
A stop at the railroad museum (nope closed),
a walk around town, enjoying warmth that would soon turn to heat as I headed
further west. Welcome to KingmanPictures.
Oatman, AZ The road
narrowed, got older, narrower, steeper with sharper curves en-route to Oatman,
AZ. The ride up into the hills was
amazing. Oatman is a village in the Black
Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona. It began as a small mining camp when two
prospectors struck a $10 million gold find in 1915. Oatman was fortunate it was located on busy
U.S. Route 66 and was able to cater to travelers driving between Kingman,
Arizona, and Needles, California. Yet even that advantage was short-lived,
because the town was completely bypassed in 1953 when a new route was built between
Kingman and Needles. Pictures of Oatmanand area.
Top Rock, AZ In searching
for Old Trails Bridge I managed to first end up at the Top Rock Marina –
alternative access to Lake Havasu.
A quiet
time around the lake, but still feels plenty warm. A great place for lunch overlooking the
water. Old Trails Bridge and Top Rock Pictures.
Needles, CA I wasn’t sure
how far into California I would go, but given the length of my days and the
access to the Mohave Desert – I decided Needles would be about it. Needles was
a major stop on the historic U.S. Route 66 highway from the 1920s through the
1960s. During the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, it was the first town that marked arrival
in California. The city is lined with motels and other shops from that era.
It was very quiet on a Wednesday, but a nice
visit.
Pictures around Needles, CA.
Mohave Desert, CA After Needles
it was time for a drive into the desert.
Some very quiet, long straight roads.
There were call boxes along the highway.
I spent some time thinking about what the call boxes are connected to
and who might answer. I had plenty of
water and it turns out there was construction to the peace and the quiet ended
when we all ended up packed together going into Nevada. Mohave Desert Pictures.
Las Vegas, NV Vegas from the
distance. I had no reason to go into
Vegas and the thought of a place like Vegas being closed helped me avoid it
entirely and make a round about trip to get to the Lake Mead. Pictures from the drive around Vegas.
Lake Mead, NV The final section of the Nevada drive was along Lake Mead with a stop in Echo Bay and on into Utah. Route 66 is a memory, but the roads in this park are amazing – well maintained and have great views. Pictures from Ride.
St George, UT After an
amazing riding day, I was happy to get to St George, UT and a chance to relax
for the evening. A nice dinner at Pancho
Left’s with plenty of cold beer and no rules to worry about. It was still Wednesday, but there were a
number of locals in to hang out and watch the World Series. Photos from St.George.
Day
3 turned out to be 418 miles – a general route via google maps.
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