3rd May Grand Canyon to Kingman, Arizona

Back on to Route 66 today.

As I rode down south from the Grand Canyon the wind got up again. Why can’t the God of Wind give me a break, surely I don’t deserve this, especially when you consider how many kites I have sacrificed to him when the kids were young.  It was coming unmercifully from the east. An old fishing maxim came to mind, “When the wind is in the East it’s neither fit for man nor beast”. Strange I should remember a fishing maxim, especially as I’ve never been fishing, apart from the times with the kids when we had run out of kites!

Hunkering down to my right to get a bit of shelter I noticed the road signs. One of the features of US highways is their “Highway Adoption” scheme where individuals, families or organisations can adopt stretches of road and then take responsibility for clearing up the rubbish along that stretch. They shouldn’t have to do it of course, but do thanks to the mindless idiots who throw stuff from their vehicles. In return for their adoption they get signs advertising their business, commemorating their loved ones and the like. You see many to police officers or service men and woman or a dear mum and dad. That particular stretch of road was sponsored by Marvellous Mary’s. I don’t know who Mary is but at that moment in time, much as I enjoyed riding, I wished I was at Mary’s discussing her marvels. But no, on to Williams I pressed.

 

Williams was apparently the last place on the old route to be bypassed by the Interstate. It is a small town whose main claim to fame appears to be the fact that it is the kick-off point for the Grand Canyon Railway which has been transporting tourists to the canyon Park since 1901. It is also the start of a series of towns which appear to be able to maintain a thriving Route 66 presence. Yes, there is the tackiness but lots of history and humour.

 

There are “gunfights” at certain times of day but I didn’t stay to watch as the main street was chaotic as they were repainting the white lines and parking bays.

|Have absolutely no idea why there is a bear coming out of a furniture shop....

 Would be worth going back though as if the blood from the gunfight mixed with the wet white liner they will now have pretty pink road markings I guess. 

Came across this place. Don’t know who the lady leaning out of the window is, don’t think it can be Mary

 

 but  hey, in the slightly adjusted words of Leon Redbone, “She ain’t Mary, but she ain’t bad and Mary’s not here”.  ( if you want a bit of light accompaniment click   She ain't Rose    )

The first sighting of Elvis - bet it's not the last...

 

Just west of Williams there begins the longest stretch of continuous old route 66 in its journey, running all the way to the Californian border. And it is one of the most gruelling and exciting stretches. Initially it parallels the Interstate but well out of sight of it and the desert flowing with the contours of the land alongside the railway tracks. The terrain again becomes short Arizona scrub and that red soil that lifts in a breeze and gets up and goes in anything like the wind I was on the ride. This train is coming out of dust caused by the wind, not by the train itself.

 

Eventually Seligman comes up and that place was 66 memorabiliaville.

Saw this and thought I’d found another “project” until I recognised the trousers and realised Mick Symo was ahead of me….

Seligman is also the start of the Arizona Annual Route 66 Fun Run, a three day event involving hundreds of vehicles, ancient, modern and unimaginable – but more of that later.

 

After Seligman the desolate landscape continued although in some places there were well stocked restaurants and good amenities!

 

The Armadillo au Poivre  is to die for .....

Wanting to die AFTER the Armadillo au Poivre............

In a place Called hackberry this wonderful stop could provide hours of interest for people like me.

 

 

 

 

 

What that stop did as well though was reinforce my view that I was doing the trip the right way for me. We are all different but a group on a guided tour was there at the same time and the chivvying by the organiser who was driving the “luggage van “would have ended in tears if I’d been part of the group. Compare that group ...

to the bikes of “independent” travellers.

 

Along that part of the road I began to see neat red wooden signs, each a little way down the road and each with a line of a “safety first” verse, so you’d get;


If daisies are your favourite flower

Push up to 60 miles per hour;

 and

He shot over the crossing

As the fast train neared.

Death didn’t draft him,

He volunteered.

Or

At cattle crossings

Please go slow.

That old bull

Is some cow’s beau!

 
I had read about them, they were “invented” by a guy to help advertise his flagging shaving  cream company around 1927 I think.

 

The old road continued to wind through the hills - now developing a style of scree type slopes with upright, flat tops - hugging the flattest line along with the railroad….

 

 

 

….and on to Kingman.

Kingman is the home of the Arizona Route 66 Association and it has a lovely museum there.

Won’t overload you with more stuff except perhaps these wonderful dioramas....