Day 8 - June 19, 2015

In Seligman, Arizona.

Abandoned shops/stores in Peach Springs, Arizona.

It was hot.

We found a little shade from a mountain as we crossed the 

Mojave Desert following a part of Route 66 that was 

bypassed in 1953,

Larry.  Climbing the mountain, still on the east side.

Marking the pass.

Oatman, Arizona

Wild burros are a protected species.  Larry made this photo.  

Day Eight.  Overnight in Needles, California.  Still headed west.

Today started slow with unexpected issues with Larry's bike.   We think this started with some bad gas  he purchased in Holbrook, Arizona yesterday.  A stop at the Grand Canyon Harley dealer resulted in a change of plugs and hopes that it will get better.  It did, and it didn't.  We are still not sure what the problem is, but it continues to show some signs of an irregular operation.  But it is still running, just a little rough from time to time.

Any trip along 66 should include a drive through, and/or stop in Williams, Arizona (Pop. 3,000). And that is what we did.  A drive through, and no stops here this trip.  I recall another visit there when a city deputy reminded Doug that a full stop required a foot on the road.

In 1984 Williams, Arizona was a holdout, and the last remaining city to be bypassed by I-40. Negotiations led to three exits for Williams,  With this bypassing Route 66 officially ended with a decommissioning.  Recall that the original Route 66 was not truly a dedicated road built from Chicago to Santa Monica, but a joining of a series of connecting roads that shared the Route 66 name. The routing was relocated from from time to time, and yes some new roads were built, others improved.

A short 50 miles back on I-40 and we exited to pick up the longest stretch of Route 66 in all of the eight states in which it meanders.   This routing takes us through Seilgman, Arizona (Pop. 465), which has the best collection of shops and tourist hawkers from end to end.  We stopped in Seilgman where we rested, drank some cold water, and bought those touristy items that we could not live without.

After leaving Seilgman we continue on 66 with only a few miles back on I-40 all the way to Needles where we spent the night.  We stopped in Kingman, Arizona where we drank more water, rested, and cooled.  104 degrees.  Bob checked the temperature at our destination (Needles).  113 degrees.  We cooled some more.  Drank more water, but ultimately decided we needed to move on.

There are no more stops along the way until we reach Kingman, Arizona (Pop. 30,000).

After we leave Kingman we got back on I-40 for about four miles and then we took a section of Route 66 on which I had never been.  It was bypassed in 1953.  This may be a newly (last four years - since my last trip over 66) designated route.  I had not been over it before.  Sixty plus miles.  Through the heart of the Mojave.  We saw three other vehicles in the 65 miles.  There were a couple of switchbacks, and the climb up, and down, the mountains provided some white knuckle riding as we again rode with the sun directly in our eyes near the end of the day.  The road was narrow, and semi-rough. Thankfully it was all paved.

Larry saw and photographed three burros as we traveled along this old road.  See the photo above. The burros are the wild descendants of burros released by prospectors years ago.  And, yes, they are protected by Federal law.

The old route also took us through Oatman, Arizona (Pop. 128).  Oatman is shown in the photo above the burros.  According to my internet search Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent a honeymoon night in Oatman in 1939, after being married in Kingman.  Yep.  They traveled on Route 66.  And, according to the lore attached, Clark Gable went back to Oatman from time to time to play poker with the miners (gold) .  Click here for more information on Oatman, Arizona.

In spite of the triple digit temperatures crossing the desert I liked this routing very much.  It took longer than expected, for four reasons primarily, 1)  The road is narrow and not very smooth, 2)  The sun was directly in our eyes much of the way, causing our safe travels to be slow.  3) We made multiple stops for photographs and sightseeing.  4)  The road has an abundance of curves that requires a slow speed. 

Our trip across the Mojave did not conclude until 9:00 when we arrived in Needles.  At 9:00 p.m. it was 104 degrees.  Dry heat.  Right?  High humidity in Needles in 10%.

Another good day.