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Published: March 25th 2009
Grand Canyon AZ 32
One of Rita's favorite pictures!!Day 15 - Saturday, November 22 - Holbrook, AZ to Tusayan, AZ
We spend a little time this morning touring through Holbrook. We snap pictures of the restaurant we ate at last night, Butterfield Stage Co. Steakhouse. We remember it being very satisfying but had been too tired last night to notice the great Route 66 sign including the “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” verbiage in a heart shape at the top of the sign (see picture). The heart is actually new but the cowboy right next to it is original. We learn the sign was actually the old neon sign from the Western Hotel. There is also a long Route 66 map mural on the side of the building. There were old hotels including yet another Desert Inn, Route 66 cafes, and let’s not forget Empty Pockets Saloon (now a packaged liquor store).
We make a special stop to see the Wigwam Motel (1950). Yes, it actually has wigwams for motel rooms. They are constructed with a steel frame covered with wood, felt, and canvas under cement stucco. We had talked about staying in one of these since we left home. However, upon our late arrival last
Holbrook, AZ - Sahara
Note the architecture of this Sahara night, how tired we were, and how unsure we were of comfort level for Jerry, we decided against staying there for the night. As we see it in daylight, it is quite interesting. Each of the wigwams has an old-time car parked in front of it, adding to the Route 66 flavor. The motel was actually closed in 1974 until 1988. At that time, the wigwams were renovated and it was reopened for business. The office used to be an office and Texaco Station. The two wigwams on either side of what is now just the motel office were the restrooms for the Station. The wigwams are thirty-two feet high and fourteen feet in diameter at the bottom. There are other displays there. Even though we did not stay there, we encourage anyone who doesn’t have the health concerns Jerry has, to stay and experience what must be a very unique. We still wish we had, just to be able to say we did!
We head out of Holbrook and make a quick stop at Geronimo’s Trading post. It lays a claim to having the largest petrified tree in its parking lot - eighty tons. There are teepees and
Holbrook, AZ - Empty Pockets Saloon
Not a great picture but it was so Route 66 other entertaining touristy things. We move on, knowing we need to cover quite a bit of ground today.
We drive more of roads warning to watch for falling rock, a sign we have learned to take heed of because in most cases, we could see the potential. We pass through Joseph City, founded in 1816. It used to be an active town including Apache Fort. Today, there is just an RV park. We do not recall seeing an RV Park but one of our books tells us so.
The Jackrabbit Trading Post also needs special mention. Though we read there used to be many more signs along hundreds of miles, counting down the mileage to “Ride the Rabbit,” there were more than enough signs still left to tell us of the Rabbit that lay ahead. We were amused by the signs and laughed with what we envisioned would be the “giant rabbit.” There was a sign saying “Ride the Rabbit, Exit Here” so we exited (we are suckers). Then there was the sign with a giant rabbit and “Here It Is” just across the street. So, there we are, looking at this painted rabbit on the side of
Holbrook, AZ - Hilltop Cafe
This used to be part of the 66 Motel and aptly named 66 Cafe. In 1960s, it was Bob's 66 Steakhouse. a building, wondering how the heck anybody could claim to ride it. But then, we see “it” -- the rabbit. And yes, Rita rode the giant rabbit just because she had to after all that hype. It is bigger than it looks in the picture. Jerry gets a good laugh just watching Rita get up on the rabbit. It gave us enough laughs to last the day. We didn’t even stop in the gift shop right there. We just moved on, still amused by the silly rabbit.
We were very disappointed in Winslow. It was a town we were looking forward to, especially to see the “Standing on the Corner” statue that is dedicated to the classic Eagles song “Take it Easy.” We came into Winslow, already seeing hints of a great Route 66 town but then, we stop, blocked by road blocks that keep us from going through the town from any direction. It turns out there is a large parade today - cars parked everywhere. Our timing is horrible because the parade has not yet begun though we can see everyone almost lined up for it. It will obviously be a long, long time before the two
one-way roads through town are re-opened for through traffic. We only have to chat for a minute to decide we simply do not have time to wait and take in the small town, the big turn-out parade and then traverse the downtown streets. We are able to see the 9-11 Remembrance Garden, not a Route 66 memoir of course but memorable to us all the same. We catch a couple of oldies that simply remind us that this would have been a great town to go through. Reluctantly, we get on I-40 to bypass the town. Perhaps we’ll return some day.
We are back on a stretch of I-40 that has totally replaced the road of Route 66. There are various exits that can be taken to small towns or remnants of Route 66 immediately off of the interstate. We check out the “World’s Longest Map of Route 66” in Meteor City. It takes three pictures to capture the whole map. We reminisce over the parts of Route 66 we’ve already traveled as we look at the map. What a trip it’s been and we’re not even done yet!
Next, we notice advertisements for the Meteor Crater. We
Holbrook, AZ - PowWow
Used to be a motel with curio-rock shop. Rooms were converted into a larger rock shop and trading post featuring geology. The "Rocks" part of the sign used to say "Motel" had seen it mentioned in our books and had not been able to decide to stop or not. We get to the exit and say, why not? If we can stop for a rabbit, we can stop for a crater! We take the long road in and finally see the distant visitor center. We had expected we could drive past it and there’d be an observation point to stop at. It turns out that you have to go into the visitor center (after paying an entrance fee of course) and then take a tour or otherwise, walk around the private walkway to actually see anything of the crater. Jerry really doesn’t want to take the scooter out, especially since they tell us he wouldn’t be able to traverse the area. He’d need to board one of the small tour buses instead. We decide we will forego this tourist site. We return to I-40 and continue.
We start seeing spectacular views of the mountains surrounding Flagstaff, AZ. Here in Flagstaff, our plan is to take just short of a week’s break from our Route 66 adventure to visit the Grand Canyon, Bryce National Park, Jerome and Sedona. It is already
Holbrook, AZ - Young's Corral
Getting the picture of this great Route 66 town? getting later than we wanted, so we bypass Flagstaff, moving on to Williams to take what we suspect is a quicker route to the Grand Canyon area. Originally, we wanted to take a scenic, mountain route (Hwy 180) but instead, we continue on I-40 to Williams where we bid farewell to Route 66 for awhile and take Hwy 64. It is a beautiful drive and already dusk by the time we get to Tusayan, right outside of Grand Canyon, where we plan to spend the night. We only have enough energy to check into our hotel (Red Feather Lodge), catch some dinner at a small restaurant, and get back to do a weather check. It’s been another great day and we are once again worn out. The crisp mountain air is refreshing in spite of the chill.
Day 14 - Sunday, November 23rd - Tusayan, AZ (Grand Canyon) to Page, AZ
We take a bit more time getting ready this morning. Jerry’s having some difficulty adjusting to the temperature and altitude changes. We grab coffee and donuts, get gas, check tires and finally head into Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim). We have both been here before “we”
Holbrook, AZ - Butterfield Steakhouse
We didn't even notice the stage coach on top of the restaurant last night. were. It will be nice to experience this so many years later and together. Our child and teenager memories do not prepare us for the awesome views. The sun has helped take the chill out of the air so we are able to traverse some of the walkways and make intermittent stops along the Grand Canyon drive. We take Jerry’s scooter out three times so that he can ride some of the pathways and enjoy the panoramas. There were times we simply stopped, listened, took deep breaths of the clean mountain air, and sat arm in arm, appreciating the magnificence that surrounded us. We were able to see some folks hiking along the massive cliffs, knowing in another time of our lives, we might have been there ourselves. Now, we are content to watch them, admiring their vigor and daring. Our pictures turned out pretty well so we will let them do the talking. We took at least three times as many as we have included here.
As we make our way towards the end of the Canyon drive, we watch the sun cast shadows across the expansive canyons. It is extraordinary. At our last stop, it finally clicks
Holbrook, AZ - Map 1
The next four pictures put together reflect what the map mural of the entire Route 66 that those shadows are going to cause darker roads winding through the surrounding area as we work to make Page, AZ for the night per our plan. We proceed out of the Grand Canyon, enamored with the day’s memories. We watch the canyons dissipate to rolling hills and then, it’s dark. We are much, much later than we had wanted to be but tonight, there are no regrets. The Grand Canyon was extraordinary. We get to Page, find a motel, and we know we went out for dinner, but don’t ask us where. We literally crash tonight, colorful canyon rims permeating our vibrant dreams.
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anonymous
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Very beautiful pictures and very entertaining trip it sounds like!