Route 66 Pictures

The Mother Road.....Route 66
The Mighty Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

The Bluffs of the Mississippi from my college in Illinois

Me in front of my dorm

Beale Street in Memphis, TN

Late night at BB King's on Beale

Beautiful Park in Memphis....last look at the Mississippi

Oklahoma before the tornados tore through

Caution Wild Buffalo? Really?

Silos full of Moonshine....my kind of trip!

Yummmmy Road Kill Cafe! We didn't stop for lunch.

What is a Sundry?

Think this speaks for itself....

The Museum in Mc Clean, TX...a Tribute to Barbed Wire

A drive-thru buffet? hmmmmm, I'll start with a salad.

An original Phillips 66 Station, restored and adorable

Huck the pig says......

The largest cross in the Western Hemisphere, a religious experience you will never forget.

This is the back road to Santa Fe, NM

The largest cross didn't do it for me....but the Holy Spirit Espresso did...

The Lorretto Chapel in Santa Fe, this has the miraculous staircase in it.

Please...no pictures, I'm driving!

Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona...such a fine site to see!

The watchtower in the Grand Canyon.

Some lovely Grand Canyon pictures in the snow.

At the end of the day....it's all about the road!

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Seven, journey home

All good things must come to an end...and yes, when I'm done with this narrative, I will post pictures!

This was the first hotel of the trip which offered us continental breakfast, so we took advantage of it. My friend walked to the buffet and I found us a table with two cups of coffee. I found a nice spot by the window and as I set the cups down, I noticed that the cars in the parking lot had fresh snow on top of them. Huh....and there goes a snow blower. Yikes! That can't be a good sign.
Now, I would like to point out that I love to extend a road trip. In fact on my Facebook, I have 25 odd things about me, and #6 is "I always intend to come home a day later than I tell my husband." But in this case, we were needing to leave. So we California girls mused our options over a second cup of coffee. No....no tire chains, that would be silly! So we did the responsible things and ask the girl at the desk if the roads were ok, she said "sure" so we took off.

The first task was getting the snow off the car. No...no ice scraper, that would be silly! So I used a postcard from the room which was clearly taken in summer and I think the smiling man on the front thought this was an odd use for the card. Fortunately it was soft fluffy snow and came off easily. But when I opened the car, I saw there was some snow on the inside....guess I really should have closed the sun roof all the way. Oops!

So we headed onto the road, which was obviously going to take us a lot longer to drive this time. I noticed a "W" next to the gear shift, and figured that must mean "winter" and pushed it just to be safe. We put on an appropriate song "Stupid Girls" and aimed for the highway. 56 miles at 30 miles an hour....beautiful scenery! Nice morning, sunny and bright....but slow. When we got to I-40, I thought I'd get some gas in Williams before we got going. I didn't realize it was downhill...which I slid down. When the car stopped at the bottom of that hill, we examined our options. But we ran out of time because in the rear view mirror was a snow plow who was not going 30 miles and hour and I wasn't sure what would happen if we were in his way when he got down the hill....so we tried to turn left and after a couple of misfires, we got into a gas station.

Surprisingly, we got up the hill easier than we went down and hit the road. The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful, we giggled over our trip and planned the next one. We did have one last adventure. By the time we got to California I knew where I was going and turned off the navigator. Oops...we ended up having one more little detour, which was pretty funny! But got home safe and sound.

I'm going to work on the pictures now.

Thanks for sharing this trip with me!

Karen

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Six

Back to the road! We left very early from Santa Fe this morning. When the valet brought up the car, we loaded what little space the car had left with our treasures and intended to head out. But coffee got in the way, and my friend ran back inside to get a couple of cups. While waiting for her, the left side mirror just dropped out and broke on the pavement. Huh, great start, Friday the 13th and a broken mirror, what could go wrong?

Well, nothing went wrong, but we were extra vilgilent! We had an uneventful drive that day! As we drove toward Albeguerque we were treated to the beautiful hot air ballons that were wafting over the countryside. They were getting an early start too! The highway was pretty quiet and we played our music and enjoyed the scenery. We even passed through Tucumcari without incident.

My family has a history of problems with Tucumcari, New Mexico. My mother and uncle and I all went to the same college in Illinois, therefore we have all done this drive a number of times. My mother and uncle both tell of engine trouble driving through that town. When they were in college, route 66 took you straight into all the towns' main street. Even my grandmother got a flat tire once in Tucumcari driving back to visit one of them. By the time I was in college, I knew of these stories and the family curse. But I decided I was safe as the interstate took you by the town at 55 miles per hour (this dates me).

My first time through, in my bright yellow Ford Fiesta, was my freshman year with a good friend of mine. We had the car packed up very tight. We'd been driving from California all day, with no trouble. In the back, up against the window, I had some clothes that didn't fit in my suitcase, so they laid on top. When we got to Tucumcari, we found road construction and a detour, right down Main Street. After driving a couple of blocks, I felt a draft and realized that my hatchback had opened and behind me was a trail of clothes. We stopped and walked back, block after block, to recover my clothes. We found everything, but my favorite purple sweater. Ghosts....

But this time was uneventful!

We were headed for the Grand Canyon and made the obligatory stop at Winslow, Arizona....to stand on the corner, of course. The Eagles were blasting at us from the shops on the corner as well as my car, my friend and her IPOD have a play list for everything. We took some pictures, bought some souvenirs and headed back toward our destination.

We were trying to get to the Watch Tower before it closed. My friend's grandfather helped build it during the depression. It is a red stone tower with great views of the canyon. As we were driving in from I-40, we noticed more and more snow and by the time we got to the National Park we had perfect white snow all around us....yes there will be pictures. :) We got to the Watch Tower before it closed and walked up to the top. There are wall paintings on all sides, and I'm not sure of the history, but obviously they were done after the 30s when it was built. It was actually built by Fred Harvey Company....remember the Harvey girls? Fred did a lot of the west along Route 66.

Once we had taken all the pictures of the Tower, we set off back toward the entrance to find the perfect spot to watch the sunset. This is like taking pictures of Hawaii at sunset. Every moment is a change in light and color and you feel you MUST take that picture. We stopped several times and each was more beautiful than the next. The snow added another dimension to the drama. Yes....I'll have pictures!!!

Once the sun went down, and we were freezing, we went into the El Tovar Hotel for a fireplace and glass of wine. The El Tovar is on the rim of the canyon and is one of the grand lodges of the west. Like Yellowstone lodge, it's log timber and large of scale. The fireplace was prime real estate (pardon the reference) but we found a couple of seats. Once we had warmed up, we headed out of the park for dinner at a local steakhouse in Tuscayan, which is a little "town" of hotels and restaurants just outside the entrance. There is an IMAX of the Canyon, which is a must see....and then BBQ ribs. We hit the hotel at 10pm only to find no internet. Yikes, a realtor without internet! So we tumbled into bed, this was the last night of the trip and tomorrow we drive home. But since this is a road trip, I feel comfortable there are still adventures to come.

Karen

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Five

We were able to wake up in Santa Fe again today, with nothing but time on our hands. I have to say...maybe I've said this before...but the Inn at Lorretto has the most comfortable beds and pillows. I slept like a baby.

We woke up around 8am and walked to Pasqual's, my husband says the perfect day in Santa Fe is going there for breakfast, get a window table, and just stay for all the meals they serve. So true!! Today we decided not to fool around and after we finished our breakfast, we made dinner reservations on the way out. They have great coffee and I had the Huevos Rancheros and my friend had Pappas Fritas. Pappas Fritas is home fries, covered in cheese and chili sauce (we order red) and a couple of eggs on top. So good! The man at the chili store next door said that New Mexico was the only state that had an official question "Red or Green." They take their chili very seriously, and it shows.

After the culture of yesterday, we had only roaming and shopping to worry about. We were on a mission, we needed Boot Charms for our cowboy boots. We tried the different shoe/boot stores. We even walked 6 long blocks to "Back at the Ranch" which turns out is a custom boot company. Incredible boots and they have pictures on the wall of the celebrities who wear them, but the cheapest boot I saw there I liked, was $1700. Hmmmmm....not this trip! They also had some boot charms, but they started at $500, which was just silly.

So we kept looking! Along the way, I picked up some great deals at the Nambe outlet. Nambe is actually a small town between Santa Fe and Taos. My future daughter-in-law has some items registered, so I picked up a birthday present for her. I also found a nice necklace for my daughter at Lew Allen Jewelry Store. They make charms and bracelets with meanings. I found "life force" for her since she's a philosophy major. I also found out that they make custom logos...so perhaps there will be some bracelets for my team with our Great Western Realty Group logo.

Even with a room full of charms, we were not finding what we wanted for our boots. We continued searching until we found a bead store. A darling woman there was very patient with us as we discussed designs and actually ended up with custom boot decorations. I used different colored brown leather and added 4 items. a tourquoise bead, a sterling silver Taos Cross, an Indian Feather and a brown agate bear. My friend used some of the different sized doughnut shaped stones to create a more asian charm. We jingled as we walked.

After all this effort, we needed Starbucks, and there is a nice one right near the square. So my friend went to order our drinks and I went back to the Plaza Cafe to get an order of Sopapillas. If you don't know what that is...you are missing a great treat! They are deep fried dough, which puffs up into pillows. You eat them hot and with honey. Great treat! So we sat in comfy chairs and had an afternoon break.

The rest of the day was devoted to strolling in and out of stores. We did meet an interesting woman, probably about 70, who worked in a store on the corner. She had long white/gray hair in a pony tail, a bright orange scarf around her neck which was held in place with a turquoise choker, and blue jeans. Santa Fe is a great place to be an old woman.

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Four

This can't really be called a road trip day, nor will tomarrow. We are staying 3 nights in Santa Fe. But it's such a neat place that I will share my day as well. I have to say to start that the Inn at Lorretto has the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in. And from my window I can see snow on the surrounding hills. Fortunately for us the sun was out so the cold didn't feel quite as cold.

We started the day at the cafe on the main square. It's a great basic diner, with a Southwest flare. I had blue corn enchiladas and my friend had Papas Fritas, which is potatoes in chili sauce with eggs. So good! We really just went from shop to shop..shopping! But the stores are all so fun! I also love to browse through the items brought in by the Indians in front of the Palace Museum. They are really artisans with beautiful jewelry. Not bargins either.

We did have a bit of culture, we went to the Georgia O'Keefe museum. Which is nice and small, so you can enjoy it in a leisurely manner. When we were there it was even smaller as they only had a part of it open, but we got a nice selection. After our culture, we stopped at the Holy Spirit Espresso and had some tea and relaxed in the sun for a bit.

Really not much else to tell..we were just repeating the morning. We had delicious soup and chips and salsa for lunch by the fire in our hotel and then went to The Shed for dinner. It was my friend's birthday! Cheesecake for everyone!

We saved time for a glass of wine by that same fire before bed...and are ready for tomarrow.

Karen

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Three

Whoo hoo...we are in Santa Fe. We missed the tornados in Oklahoma, although my friend was looking for them, we did hit some "weather."

We left Oklahoma and when we crossed into the pan handle of Texas, we left the main highway and took the original Route 66, "Mother Road." We had perfect timing because we ended up driving straight into Mc Lean, Texas which is a perfect Route 66 town. We saw an original Phillips 66 filling station in mint condition, but out of gas. Turning down a side road, we saw wild turkeys crossing the road. The question here was "why did the turkey cross the road."

We got some great pictures of old buildings and storefronts, but the highlight of Mc Lean was it's museum and Tribute to Barbed Wire exhibit....it's my Wordless Wednesday picture! And now my desk top. Take a look!

We mostly kept driving after that, but the road has some funny bits of personality. Like the KFC which advertises "All you can eat buffet" and "Drive through this way" all on the same sign. Does this mean we can keep driving around and eat a little each time? "I'd like to start with the salad, and perhaps a wing." :) I also liked the "Pork out Palace" which warned that "Huck the pig says if you leave hungry it's not his fault."

We turned off 66 on Route 285 for one of the most beautiful drives I've ever seen to get to Santa Fe. We arrived just in time for a snow flurry. Absolutely magical. A quick check-in at the Inn at Lorretto and then to Pasqual's for dinner. "Red or Green"? Why Red, of course....that's chili!

Route 66 Road Trip: Day Two

Hi again!!

We woke up to a beautiful day in Memphis! Slightly breezy and sunny! Our hotel did not have coffee....ANYWHERE, which I found shocking! So we left as quickly as we could and found a Starbucks. Thank heavens it was open and a drive through, which we found very helpful. So armed with our venti soy lattes, we went back to Beale.

Turns out that we had just missed a Blues competition that past weekend and the music stores were loaded with new artists and their CDs. We found a couple that were just great and bought them for the morning drive. We were hoping to get into the Gibson Guitar factory but all we could do was peak through the windows. After we felt we had enough pictures of us under smiling pigs and next to music stores, we went down to the Mississippi River to take some pictures there. My friend is particularly enthralled with bridges and luckily the Mississippi has plenty. As a realtor, I also admired the southern mansions up on the bluffs. Big porticoes watching the muddy river roll by.

Before heading out of Memphis we had to detour and drove by Graceland. Didn't see the ghost of Elvis, but we do have some nice Harley Davidson T shirts. We didn't spend the time, or money, on a tour but I've done it once before....you have to do it once! and only once! It's not what I expected! I was expecting Liberace and it's really not, but very lavish 50s style.

So the plan was to have lunch in Oklahoma City that day and then go to the National Cowboy Museum, but when we punched the address into my navigator, it said we would arrive at 8pm. I guess I didn't calculate that very well. Oops! :) But we did get out before the tornadoes!
So that night we stayed in Clinton, Oklahoma and closed the only restaurant still open when we arrived at 10pm. Montana Bob's. I think they were relieved when we ordered salads. The funny thing is that the decor was all great pictures of the Grand Tetons...I guess noone has mentioned to Bob that the Tetons are in Wyoming.

Route 66 Road Trip: Day One

I warned you it was coming...I have left on my Road Trip on Route 66, or mostly 66. Today I left LAX at 6:15, yes, that's AM to fly to St. Louis. It was surprisingly balmy 72 degrees when we landed. After picking up my future daughter-in-law's car (which is the reason for the trip)...we headed out.

Now I know the purpose of the trip was to get the car to California, and perhaps heading east over the Mississippi seems like the wrong direction...but I went to college on the bluffs of the River and wanted to show my friend around campus while we were in the neighborhood. And my college pub has the best shakes in the country, so we had to detour for that!!! The college was built at the turn of the century and Bernard Maybeck was the architect; giant stone Tudor mansions and a chapel that looks like it's right out of the New England countryside. Beautiful stop off.

Once we left the school, we headed south on the Great River Road which borders the Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans.....not going that far this time. We followed the road for a few miles and noticed cars stopped on the right side. So, being tourists, we stopped too. Turns out that area is the winter home of the bald eagle and we were fortunate enough to see on sitting on a piece of deadwood in the river. Incredibly beautiful!

After another trip across the River, we drove through St. Louis and made numerous attempts to capture the Arch on our camera, not sure any of them came through. We were moving pretty fast. Then we headed south to Memphis! Birth place of Rock and Roll. We arrived on Beale Street at 10pm just when things started to get going. We found BB King's place and promptly ordered a couple of the BB Beer (when in Rome) and sat for the next few hours happily listening to the Blues.

The evening had it's share of characters...the chunky white boy who thought his hips were on swivels and felt it his personal duty to get EVERYONE dancing. Ugh! My friend did succumb to a local at one point and did get her hips swinging, and we were given travel advice by a woman in pearls who didn't seem to realize we couldn't hear a thing she said. But we were on Beale Street.....walkin in Memphis. Not a bad way to end the day!

More soon.