I’ve been going to the grand canyon caverns since 1991, but had never eaten there. I left Seligman thinking I’d get breakfast there, and the signs on the way up the road to the caverns sayd they’d have it there for me. Not so, not untill 10, and it was 9. I took a couple pictures and headed down the road. I understand. I’m just glad they serve food at all, and stay in business. They’ll do what they have to do. Someday I’ll actually have food there.
As I rode past williams, got Gas in Ash Fork (which I wanted to ride a little more but will next run), I headed down crookton road and into seligman. The music sounded sweet, my hands were cold and the wind was gusting. The sun was also setting and I didn’t really care because I knew where I was spending the night, and it was at a place I’d visited 20 years earlier. The heart of route 66 Arizona, and the place where the revival of the mother road started: Seligman Arizona.
I’d passed by the KOA in Seligman for years, and it just looked stark and treeless. I knew I had to stay there, because I’d packed a tent and it would just make sense. So I did. I knew beforehand from reading the KOA site that the proprietor was a hockey fan, but when I showed up this sat prominently on her desk:
Sidney Crosby, Troy Polamalu & Marc Andre Fleury
I knew she was quality people. We immediately hit it off. We talked about the penguins and the steelers seasons. She was awesome, and moved from the Burgh’ to Florida, then came here on a visit and bought the Seligman KOA. She’d cleaned it up a bunch, the bathrooms were straight up immaculate. After we bitched about the old coach, cheered on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense and talked about how theres a terrible towel in the Snow Cap, I went out set up my tent just as the sun set. Ahhh, It felt good to know where I was sleeping.
Seligman KOA with the Street Glide - Home for the night...
After I got the tent set up and I was situated, I rode the 2 miles to the other end of town to get me some chicken fried steak and I slowly rode through town to get some night pictures of the neon signs, just like I’d pictured when I first thought of this trip. Not a ton of neon, but I got what I could:
Route 66 MotelSupai MotelStagecoach 66 MO E
That night, I sat in my tent and had intended to post on my blog, but forgot the password for the wi-fi, so I watched a few episodes of Sons Of Anarchy on my laptop and fell asleep by midnight, assisted by a few snoots of Tennessee whiskey I’d bought at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post. My first day in 3 months with the street glide kicked pure ass. It was smooth, and quite honestly I couldn’t be happier to ride again. I knew tomorrow was going to be colder than a witches tit in a brass bra, but what the hell. I’d figure it out. I just had to beat the storms that we’re coming inveitably and get home.
Bellemont is another great route 66 place for me. It’s only 10 miles from Flagstaff, and I’ve stopped here often as it’s the only harley dealership till Kingman. There’s also a bar and grill next door that’s really clean and big, so I stopped in for a beer as it was the afternoon and I needed a Guinness.
No Vacancy Sign, from the 1969 Movie "Easy Rider"
Right over the pool tables is another reason I came into Bellemont. Have you seen Easy Rider? If you haven’t, then X out of your browser, shut off your computer and run down to hollywood video and rent it. It’s a classic. Not only did it change the movie industry, its got some of the best riding scenes with some of the best music around. At the start of the movie, right after the credits Wyatt and Billy go to get a room at the Pine Breeze inn after riding all day, and the man comes out, takes a look at them then closes the door and turns on the sign above. Thats the very sign from the movie, and I had to see it. The people here are one of a kind. I walk in from out of nowhere, and at least 3 people came up and introduced themselves and we talked. The bartender was even very nice and listened to my stories. Theres just a good feeling here. I’d love to be here with Mrs Zip on a friday night. That’ll happen.
I stayed for a couple brewskis then took a few pictures and headed on down the road. It was getting colder and windier.
Before I left, I had to come get a picture of the Pine Breeze Inn, from the movie Easy Rider again.
I’ve got other pictures here, from a previous visit last year with some screenshots from the movie.
After twin Arrows, I realized I was running out of daylight and there was thing I wanted to see. I spend alot of time in flagstaff and have ridden it a dozen times, so I stayed in 1-40. Doing so, I bypassed winona as well. No biggie. I’ll come this way again. I seem to always find a way to get down this way.
Parks Arizona, Route 66
So I ran through Parks. Parks is an interesting place, as its chock full of route 66 alignments going all over the place. At least 3 different ones. My family and I come down to parks fairly often with the RV because it’s close to flagstaff, and the weather in always nice and cool and in the forest. I love parks. It’s just got a good feeling, and although I know that “I wasn’t born to follow” video from easy rider was filmed 30 miles south of here, that song always goes through my head because the scenery looks the same. Parks is just cool and I never bypass it.
The store in parks is especially interesting. I’ve seen it go from abandoned, to used to now being abandoned and for sale again, but it’s always survived. In 1931 route 66 went from one side of the store to the other, and so they just changed the frontage and front door. Not far from here theres other alignments from the 20’s with some pretty cool culverts I’ve taken pictures of from 20 years ago that I’ll scan and post sometime. In the meantime, I love this section of route 66. It just feels like home somehow.
After Two Guns, the next place to visit was Twin Arrows.
Twin Arrows Arizona Route 66
I remember stopping here in the 80’s when I first got the route 66 bug with my wife. We got gas, had a burger and headed into flagstaff. The last few years I’ve watched it close, get vandalized and start to fall apart. I pulled up expecting to get some pictures and reminisce about a fallen route 66 landmark. I didn’t realize how far it’s fallen.
Twin Arrows Trading Post
I jumped the barrier and took a few pictures, and got a few inside. It’s amazing how the walls still shine with fresh coats of paint, but the roof is failing and the windows are broken. Sad. When I got home, I searched and found that there is Hope for Twin Arrows and it may be Restored, At least it’s being looked at. I hope they do it. I’ve noticed that even with the last few years the arrows themselves are starting to rot and fall apart.
With the exception of the wigwam motel in Holbrook, the thing that was most on my mind this entire trip was stopping to take pictures of Two Guns. I’ve seen it before, but only from the freeway and the off ramp. For years and years, there was a caretaker there with a buck knife and a shotgun that would speed up in his 4 wheeler if you got anywhere close to Two Guns ruins he’d show up and yell you off the property. He was pretty well known for being efficient and serious about what he does. Two guns has been bought and sold several times and my information tells me he was hired to protect the property from vandals. As of 2008, I’d heard he was gone, so I’ve always wanted to come back here.
Street Glide at Two Guns Arizona - This ruin is the 2nd of Two Zoos in Twin Gun's History.
Two guns has an impressive history and to the casual, modern passer by, you’d never know it. From the Indian wars between the Apache and the Navajo (it was then known as Canyon Diablo, or Devil’s Canyon, to the Early days of National Trails Highway (pre-Route 66) to Today. Many people believe it is cursed, and for good reason. Lots of battles here, and it held the distinction of being the roughest town in the west, let alone Arizona. Murder, Prostitution, At least a punch in the face for looking at someone wrong. Two Guns is the shit. If you want the complete history of two guns, I’d highly suggest reading this link here.
Canyon Diablo Bridge is Crumbling
I had a chance to FINALLY cross the bridge that I’d seen for years, and even as I type this I regret not driving it down the dirt road further, because as I passed it all down 1-40 I realized there was much more I missed. I was able to see the more modern abandoned gas station, and the slightly older KOA campground, as well as the other ruins. There is also a very deep cave that factored into its rich history of a cowboy town. Pat, are you reading this??? We need to go back to two guns and spend a day.
Picture of the First Zoo at Two Guns ArizonaHarry E. (Indian) Miller Ran Two Guns from 1925 to 1935
I hope no jackasses out there vandalize Two Guns, because it really needs to be preserved. It’s cool that we can visit two guns now, But please if you visit it leave it as it is. There’s not many people I hate worse than a Vandal. This town burned down TWICE and survived history like no other, and is now just a side glance to people heading to Flagstaff and Albuquerque. I think we all need to help keep it alive as long as possible. Theres enough route 66 out there thats rotting, we don’t need this one to rot anymore than what nature throws at it.
Canyon Diablo Bridge
There is also a huge railroad trellis around two guns somewhere that crossed the canyon. It’s clear I need to go back untill I know ALL the stories associated with this great historic spot in the road. Two Guns. read that link. This may be one of my favorite Route 66 spots yet. It’s full of history and full of questions to be answered.
I knew I had things I wanted to see on this trip, particularly Two Guns and Twin Arrows, so after Joseph City I opened up and headed toward winslow. I’ll admit my knowledge of route 66 winslow is pretty meager, and I found myself just passing it altogether to head toward Two Guns. I totally forgot about meteor city, so I pulled over to see it. Meteor City is the home of the worlds longest map of route 66, and thats the trading posts biggest claim to fame.
The original trading post was built in 1938 and was made out of stucco. The current geo-dome was built in 1979. I’m a bit resistant to moccassins and native american blankets, but the histories on the walls are alot more interesting.
Meteor City.
The orignal mural was painted by Bob Waldmire, if you know who he is. He’s a famous wandering resident of route 66 and unofficially its favorite artist. The original mural eventually weathered away, and in 2002 it was repainted. Not alot to see here, and after 10 minutes I headed west to Two Guns.
Most of Interstate 40 covers up old route 66 pavements, but when the frontage road doesn’t exactly parallel the freeway, much of the time you can bet it’s old 66. Joseph city is one of those alignments, and I was looking foward to seeing Joseph City before it ended in Gravel and disappeared under the super slab of Interstate 40.
I had suspicions that joseph city was named after Joseph Smith, the founder of the mormon religion, and turns out I was right. I didn’t see a whole lot there that was interesting, other than on the far edge of town on the old route: Ella’s Frontier:
Ellas Frontier - Original Route 66 Trading Post
I’d never seen Ellas Frontier on any of my route 66 books, or at least I hadn’t noticed them. I’d love to know the story of when it was opened and when it closed. ANYTHING. A few web sites state that Ellas frontier was the first trading post on route 66, but that seems pretty unlikely to me. Who knows, I’ve been wrong before. Either way, it was a pretty cool old building. In the back next to the freeway it had what looked like cabins, and had an old Camping spot next door that looked somewhat newer, but still abandoned. Ellas is the kind of place that I’ll want to go back and take a closer look on my next trip. Theres definately stories in those walls. Please, if you know anything about this place, please post or email me.
From Ellas I doubled back and got onto the freeway to head down to the next exit to see the Jack Rabbit Trading post. I love the old signs and have been here once before. The place was clean, the owner friendly and the prices were great. Most people sell T-shirts for 20 bucks. He sells his for 10, and has a ton. He even sells Jack Rabbit Underwear. Awesome. It was good to see such an old road icon doing well. I’d read that it was gone, but I saw no signs of anything other than a trading post that was doing well.
Jack Rabbit Trading Post was started in 1949 by Jim Taylor and his wife. He leased the business for most of the years he had it. Cindy’s granddad, Glenn Blansett, leased the store in 1961 and then bought it in 1967. He was just getting out of the senate so we were lucky for that because he helped to get the access ramps off I-40. In 1969, Cindy’s parents, Phil and Pat Blansett bought the Jack Rabbit from Cindy’s granddad. They had the store for 26 years. Until Tony and Cindy bought it from them in 1995.
I bought a half pint of tennesee whisky from him for 3 bucks for later and headed down the road. It was noon. I had half the state to cross yet.
Finally. I had 2 days to ride. what seemed like the longest winter of my life is about over. Over enough that I can load up my bike and sleep in the freezing cold if I need to, but at least I’m RIDING.
I couldn’t sleep all night. I finally got going around 7AM to load up my bike and head out of chandler, leaving Robyn and the kids to play in the pool all day and go shopping while I pointed my bike toward Holbrook. The weather was great, but got chilly as I climbed into Payson and the mountains of Heber, then finally down into Holbrook. Holbrook is as far east as I’ve ever been on route 66, and I had to see what I think is an icon of the mother Road: The wigwam Motel
Have you slept in a wigwam Lately?
Built in 1950 by Arizona motel owner Chester E. Lewis, the plans were based on the original of Frank A. Redford.
Lewis first became aware of the distinctive wigwam designs when he was passing through Cave City in 1938. He purchased the rights to Redford’s design, as well as the right to use the name “Wigwam Village” in a novel royalty agreement: coin operated radios would be installed in Lewis’ Wigwam Village, and every dime inserted for 30 minutes of play would be sent to Redford as payment.
Lewis operated the motel successfully until closing it in 1974 when Interstate 40 bypassed downtown Holbrook. Two years after his death in 1986, sons Clifton and Paul Lewis and daughter Elinor renovated the motel, finally reopening it in 1988.
Fifteen concrete and steel teepees are arranged as a square with one edge missing where the main office is located. They are numbered from 1 to 16 (there is no teepee 13). The diameter of the base of each teepee is 14 feet (4.3 m), with each unit 32 feet (9.8 m) in height. Behind the main room of each unit is a small bathroom with sink, toilet, and shower. Current rooms contain the original restored hickory furniture, two double beds, cable TV and a window mounted air conditioner; there are no telephones or Internet access. Vintage restored automobiles from the 1960’s and earlier are located throughout the parking area. Small green metal benches etched with the words “Wigwam Village #6” are scattered throughout the complex as well.
The Lewis family continues to run and maintain Wigwam Village #6. Elinor often shows up at 4:00 pm to open the office, and if requested, will fill a small ice bucket (there is no ice machine in keeping with the authenticity of the restoration) for customers. Near the registration desk is a small room which contains many of Chester Lewis’ memorabilia (including a necklace of human teeth of unknown origin).
It was still early, and I’d intented on meeting the owners to pitch them a web site in trade for letting me stay at there for free (Holbrook is a perfect place to start a route 66 journey east from St. George), but they open late so I headed west.
I had a great ride last weekend with pat. sometimes it takes me a while to decompress it all when I ride with other people because I had alot going through my mind as we took the trip, and it was all good.
Getting Gas in Overton Nevada
I got my act together by around noon on thursday, and by 1 I met up with my brother and we headed south to overton, which I knew would be our first gas stop on our way to kingman for the night. Our rooms were booked, so our destination was set.
what kept going through my head as I rode was Qui Gon Jinn, talking to a young Obi Wan Kenobi. “keep your mind on the here and now, don’t center on your anxieties”. Its funny how you sometimes recall things. That quote there, is another reason I like to ride. The road forces the here and now most times, and the here and now forms your future. Its mortar in the brick wall of why Riding is such a positive for me.
We hit Lees along the way, which has become a required stop, we talked a bit
Great Stop at Rosies Den
and I knew this ride was going to be a great one right then and there. Pat is going through a transition right now, and this ride was for him… showing him my most frequent and common path along route 66 to california, and quite honestly my favorite. I was only hoping he liked it as much as I do, because some people I show this route to don’t get it: Its varied, old and full of americana. If you’re not into those sorts of things, its just sagebrush and old buildings.
we rounded the 60 miles behind lake mead, hit hoover dam and headed into kingman for the night. It was a great ride. 40 miles before kingman we stopped and had a couple of beers and a place Ive visited a bunch but never stopped into. Going there with pat first made it perfect. Another point of view on a route I’d taken before. That night, we had a round of scotch and rested up for what I was hoping was going to be a great weekend.
DAY TWO
Oatman Road
The next morning we stopped by the harley shop, and milked a bit of time to make the ride into oatman timely. Oatman is one of my favorite stops. Not only for the winding road, but for the town itself. its a throwback, and ive seen it revive in the 20 years ive been hitting up route 66. Its doing good. we stopped into the oatman hotel for a couple beers and a long lunch, then headed out through golden shores, topock, past the colorado river and down through amboy.
Roys in amboy is doing well. They sound like gas sales are going good, and within a week or so theyll have the reverse osmosis filtering they need to get the restaurant open. From there, theyll start working on the hotel. If that happens, Amboy will replace kingman as my friday night stop for weekend rides. I try and support them as much as I can. I love the fact that the town of amboy is starting to revive. It says something about people to me.
from Amboy, we headed south and Pat pointed
Oatman Epitaph
out something I missed last time. Just a few miles south of amboy, they process chloride from the natural drainage point of the valley. We passed through and headed up to twentynine palms, through the town to get gas, and up over Joshua tree national park. The sun was in our eyes, so we missed alot, and the ride was winding down and we had 100 miles to go yet.
Just like last time, we took missed our turn and was 60 miles out of our way. Just like last time, I didnt really care. the weather was good, and aside from the initial traffic, I was enjoying the ride. we rode down through the windmill farms and into palm springs for the night, got wasted at applebees and crashed for the night. As always, I 100% enjoyed the company with my older brother.
DAY THREE
Outside the Patton Museum
We debated a few different routes, but decided to double back after going to our loose reason for taking this ride: The patton museum in Chiriaco Summit. I have been, and will always be a fan of George S. Patton. Ive read a couple of biographies on him, as well as several other books about him including his war diaries. He is a testament to recognizing what he was best at in life, as well as focus, which I believe makes anyone a “natural” born leader if he has the passion. He did. I really should invest in helping preserve this museum. The land around here is what trained men to help us win world war 2.
We stayed for about an hear, then h
Oatman Hotel at Dark
eaded back up through Joshua Tree and back up through Amboy, where we stopped and took some pictures of the chloride leeching trenches. Then made time to get back to Kingman. Oatman dies at dark. We had dinner and headed back to kingman, hit up a local bar for a couple and then crashed for the night.
DAY FOUR
Sunday morning we were both in the mindset of getting breakfast at the hotel and hitting the road to home. We had a 4 hour ride, plus pat had another 4 hours ride to get home. At overton, we parted ways and pat made miles to get home. I rode home slow, mozying back to be home by 1 to watch the Steeler game with Megan, something we’ve done for the last 4 years together.
The last thing pat said to me was “thanks, you saved my life this weekend”. I knew what he meant. He’s saved mine before. He’s got some tough decisions to make, and letting those decisions come to him and having a good ride, versus sitting around and feeling the weight of his situation is what he meant. I love my brother.
Something flipped for me this weekend. Ive always rode by myself and preferred it that way, but I have a feeling if I did it that way now I know I’d wish he was there. We work well together.
