We started out at 9.00 again this morning. It took us 30 minutes to get to Oatman on old Route 66. Oatman is a mixture of ghost town and tourist trap; it was a gold mining town whose glory days had long faded when the I-40 passed it by, way back in 1952. It looks like a Wild West stage set, but it's the real thing. We missed seeing the burros that wander the street, but we saw and smelt their droppings!
Getting as far as Oatman was an interesting drive, but the next 28 miles on old Route 66, to Kingman, was even more so: steep switchbacks and 15mph hairpin bends made the 2,100 foot change in elevation exhilarating
. I was glad we were traveling west to east as I was on the inside edge most of the way. This drive took an hour. The next hour, we covered 70 miles on the I-40.
Then we detoured off onto Route 66 again to see Seligman and the Roadkill Cafe (among other old places). It has sidewalk awnings and hitching rails - but doesn't have the character of Oatman. Then back on the I-40 to Winslow. We were listening to Flagstaff radio, and what song did they start playing just as we turned off into Winslow? Yep - "Take it easy" by the Eagles. It kept playing til we reached "the corner" - what a coincidence!
Then the last leg to Holbrook. A total of 288 miles today. Holbrook has a population of about 5,000 and is at an elevation of 5,080 feet.. Yep we are high! I thought 3550 feet was high between Oatman and Kingman - then we kept going up and up! Plateaued at 5,000 feet for a while - the high plains? Very flat anyway. Then we went up to 7,335 ft near Flagstaff (could see snow on a mountain). The vegetation kept changing too - and the geology. An amazing change during the day.
We've just been to Denny's (a Diner type chain I believe). It was great! Bryan had a couple of beers and I had a couple of wines. My wine 'glass' had a rip top like a yoghurt container! This trip is so much fun!
"Take it Easy" okay?
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Holbrook, Arizona, United States
Other Entries
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1Finally getting off the freeways
May 122 days priorBarstow, United Statesphoto_camera8videocam 0comment 2 -
2Across the Mohave Desert
May 131 day priorLaughlin, United Statesphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 2 -
3"Take it Easy" okay?
May 14Holbrook, United Statesphoto_camera15videocam 0comment 6 -
4And into New Mexico
May 151 day laterAlbuquerque, United Statesphoto_camera12videocam 0comment 2 -
5Snow!!
May 162 days laterSanta Fe, United Statesphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 2 -
6"Is this the way to Amarillo?"
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7The four states day - Tex, NM, Okla and CO.
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8Trinidad to Mancos - the scenic route
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9Mesa Verde to Page
May 206 days laterPage, United Statesphoto_camera15videocam 0comment 0 -
10Horseshoes and hoodoos
May 217 days laterTropic, United Statesphoto_camera15videocam 0comment 2 -
11Via the Extraterrestrial Highway to Tonopah
May 228 days laterTonopah, United Statesphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 2 -
12Tonopah to Carson City
May 239 days laterCarson City, United Statesphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 2 -
13Left the desert behind
May 2410 days laterSan Francisco, United Statesphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 2 -
14San Francisco
May 2511 days laterSan Francisco, United Statesphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
15City to surf in California
May 2612 days laterPismo Beach, United Statesphoto_camera13videocam 0comment 0 -
16Back in LA and off to London tonight.
May 2713 days laterLos Angeles, United Statesphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 1
Comments

2025-02-17
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Lesley
2015-05-15
I am so jealous. So glad you are having a great time. Did you hire a Cadillac for the trip??
susan jardine
2015-05-15
glad to see you are having fun and enjoying yourselves
Maggie
2015-05-15
Sounds like all is going well - if you find a Chilis (another chain) they have good, value meals and drinks. Have you on the map now, are you going to get to Monument Valley? Worth the drive (20 mins off highway to Page) and you don't need to pay the Indians to go into the park as you can see the red rocks easily from the road!
anne.nathan
2015-05-16
No cadillac Lesley - but we do have a sunroof! And yes Maggie - we'll drive through Monument Valley on our way back west.