triumphgal

Woke up to a glorious and fresh morning in Flagstaff. We all got ready and were on the road by 8ish. Can you tell I’m hanging with the Newtons? I want this for my place

they headed off for Anaheim which should be about 6.5 hours away. I planned to explore and joked that even if it took me 11 hours I’d see them at our hotel which we booked last night and had our fingers crossed was ok. I spent half an hour or so cruising around Flagstaff. It is so pretty and has a lovely University with the Lumberjacks being their team

I drove up to Lowell Observatory but it didn’t open until 9 and I was itching to get going

Louise and I finally found our unfenced spot to end the movie but decided we still had too much to see

I was following Route 66 and stopped at this lumberjack and a nice man on. Ladder at Granny’s suggested Wicked Coffee. It turned out to be a drive-thru and was so good

at one point during the trip this fortune I had gotten last year blew off and I just found it along the seat so took a picture and stuck it back there. It blew away a few minutes later. It I think it already came true

My plan for the day was to go on and off I-40 following the Historic Route 66 for as long as possible. The next sign after Flagstaff was through William. Well I’m telling you it is fabulous. The best I saw for spiffed up era conscious presentation.

There is also the Grand Canyon Railway Museum and the coolest Zipline ever!

Next stop was Ash Fork where I followed this sign to the back entry of the Museum and Visitors Centre

They were technically closed but the man let me in and his wife gave me a route map. I told her what I had experienced in NM and that it seemed Arizona really did up Rt 66. She said that I was about to be on the longest remaining continuous stretch of 158 miles to the California border. Map in hand, off I went

These replica signs were all along this stretch and later I would see some faded originals too

Next was Seligman, where I gassed and oiled…. Good thing!

Peach Springs wasn’t much but it was the inspiration for Radiator Springs in Cars. I was still giggling when I passed through as I told Colin the night before it was where it was filmed and he paused for a moment and kindly pointed out it was animated.

Hackberry General Store was in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by bikes and cool cars out for a run.

I spoke to a man whose accent matched his Bonneville and he had flown in to Chicago, rented the bike and was dropping it off in LA. I mentioned wanting to do that in England and he said I could cover it all in less time than his stretch. He was hurting though as he’d dropped the bike at slow speed in mud and twisted his left ankle which made for painful shifting.

The museum at Kingman was very informative and the lady there gave me a map to show how I could go to Oatman, swing up to Laughlin (just because) and back to Needles.

The drive to Oatman was beyond description. Well worn, cliff hanging road with a 15-25 mph speed limit. This was not a problem as it is one long winding climb and I wasn’t sure if me or Audrey was going to overheat first. So worth it though, stunning scenery and a great adventure. I just find it impossible to imagine wagon training it though

Oatman was…. Crazy old west

The choice to boot up to Laughlin just so I could see it was not so smart. I had to pass through cities, stopped at lights sweltering as it was over 30 degrees and by the time I reached Needles I had heat stroke and was beginning to brown out.

I hung out in the cool of a gas station chatting for a while and drinking powerade… Drove for a ways and pulled over to power nap and then on my way into the setting sun with still 4.5 hours on interstates!

I don’t know why I am not interested in crazy street racing video games as I apparently rock it in real life. If you can imagine me, in wee car in dark, no GPS or co-pilot, trying to watch all signs, remember all exits and left or right, dodging semis and people in a bigger hurry than I… Well guess what I was ultimately lead by my Duck love. I saw a sign shining like a beacon in the night…. Honda Centre and knew I was home

I made it to the hotel just before 9! Felt like doing a happy dance. That was one very long amazing day. Colin and Wendy were at Tower of Terror and I can see it from our room. Turns out Colin and I made a good choice to stay here. I still can’t believe what I can Tetris into my trunk, and that wasn’t all!

I just got settled when they threw fireworks for me! And after 1505 Km in two days I deserved it, even Louise was worn out