The Holiday of a Lifetime

August 2015

INTRODUCTION Route 66 was to be the trip of a lifetime, a true “one-off,” so we were determined that we should do it properly and enjoy it to the full! Fiona and I were celebrating the summer in which we both turned 50, and 16 year old Joe was enjoying his summer break before returning to start 6th Form at his Special School. I constructed an itinerary with the help of travel agent Julie Croucher (http://travelwithjules.co.uk/). Julie and her staff provided an utterly reliable, friendly and efficient service, replying quickly to any email or phone call, with sound advice. The itinerary was a working document in the early days, as the family discussed the finer details of the trip, for example the inclusion of side trips (Grand Canyon and Las Vegas) and the identification of locations warranting a 2 night stay (Chicago, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Los Angeles). I was able to begin the long task of constructing a day by day plan for the 22 day trip (a plan which eventually become the skeleton for the diary you are now reading). This was great fun, of course, and gave us the opportunity to see accommodation and places of interest online. We could tailor our days to include those tourist attractions we deemed essential, as well as taking into account more mundane, but equally important features such as Parking, Wi-Fi and the all-important Guest Laundry, a great feature of Route 66, which led us to the retrospective opinion that we could have done this holiday with just “hand luggage and rucksacks.” I feel that our decision to spend 22 days on the trip was about right. It may be possible to complete the trip in perhaps 18 days, if, for example, the Las Vegas option was removed altogether, and the mileage was lengthened on one or two days, but you would need to be careful to avoid doing nothing more than driving. As it was, we covered 3109 miles in our sturdy Toyota 4Runner. Finally, for anyone driving Route 66, I offer my list of essentials:

 A Navigator – the trip would not be the same without a competent adult in the passenger seat.  A good guide book – there could be none better than Jerry McLanahan’s turn by turn Guide, “EZ 66 Guide for Travellers.”  SATNAV (GPS) – and a backup App on a mobile phone (e.g. “Scout”). This may seem like overkill, but these devices find hotels off the main Route 66; locate local facilities such as diners; and get you back on track when things go wrong!  A good Road Atlas – excellent for planning longer journeys away from Route 66 and for giving an overview of progress.

Day 1 “Just take my way, it’s the highway that’s the best…” Chuck Berry, Route 66 Date: Mon 3rd August Travel from Spennymoor to Chicago (4,219miles) Accommodation: Allegro Hotel FREE WI-FI 171 W. Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60601 Flight time 8hrs 25 mins CHICAGO IS 6 HOURS BEHIND UK Travel details and directions: SPENNYMOOR – 32 – NEWCASTLE – 247 – LONDON – 3940 - CHICAGO

This was just a night to settle in after a long journey.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: We enjoyed the first of many generous welcomes as we were informed of the hotel’s policy to offer guests a free drink and a chance to mingle each day at 5pm. There was also a complimentary light breakfast each morning. We ate a good meal in the pleasant “Randolph Tavern,” opposite the hotel. http://www.randolphtavern.com/ CHECK IN: 3pm Day 2 “Time to discover what fun is about…” Here Comes the Summer, The Undertones Date: Tue 4th August

Staying in Chicago Accommodation: as yesterday Journey: On foot around Chicago Travel details and directions:

We found the famous Route 66 sign on Adams St. prior to the start of our journey tomorrow, giving us the chance to take the first of many “selfies.” By the end of the holiday, you just had to say, “selfie,” and Joe would burrow in between us!

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes We enjoyed our first American breakfast in Lou Mitchell’s Diner (“First Stop on the Mother Road”) which was further than we had anticipated from the Adams Street sign for Route 66, so we all ended up with a decent appetite. In the diner, we hatched a plot to use the “hop-on / hop-off bus,” to take us to the Architectural Boat Tour from Navy Pier. “The Bean” – a public sculpture by Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park – and Tribune Tower N. Michigan Ave, with its collection of fragments from other buildings were among the sights we enjoyed, along with the Willis (Sears) Tower, which was easily spotted on these tours. Also easy to spot were the worryingly large mosquitos in the area of Lake Michigan! We ate in “Monk’s Pub” that evening, where for the only time on our trip we felt unwelcome due to the off-hand service. Faith was later restored thanks to a pint in the excellent “Fado.” http://www.fadoirishpub.com/chicago/ CHECK OUT 12pm

Although we had planned to follow a walk set out in the “Lonely Planet Guide to Route 66,” we discovered that everything was so close together we had seen it on foot or from the bus. In the end, we managed 4 separate rides on the bus, as well as a meal in the Hard Rock Café, so Joe’s needs were well and truly met! The Hard Rock Café also gave us the first chance to buy a souvenir t-shirt! After seeing that intriguing “Bean” sculpture, we discovered that children are encouraged to paddle in the artistic fountains in Millennium Park… and after a hot day, Joe needed no second invitation to remove his “baby-socks,” (his own disparaging term for those trainer socks that come up to the ankle bone ).

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The boat trip gave great views of the city. Fiona: Watching Joe enjoying himself in the fountain at Millennium Park. Joe: The Hard Rock Café was nice, with very nice food.

Joe thoroughly enjoyed the whooping and shouting on the bus, led by the tour guide. He is now an elevator expert, asking strangers, “which floor do you require?”

Day 3 “Come ride with me to the distant shore…” Life is a Highway, Rascal Flatts Date: Wed 5th August Travel from Chicago to Springfield Illinois (200 miles) Accommodation: INDOOR POOL Best Western Clearlake Plaza 3440 E Clearlake Avenue FREE PARKING Springfield, Illinois, 62702- 6210, US FREE BREAKFAST (Looking at the rectangles of yellow Phone: 217/525-7420 matter served at breakfast, an elderly American commented, “I get my eggs from the henhouse…”)

Travel details and directions: We collected our vehicle (a tough looking Toyota 4Runner) and set off for Adams St. I was given the choice between this car and a Kia, but chose this as it was parked in Bay 19, my mother’s birthdate. And it was bigger. Journey through: CHICAGO – 28 - EXIT 268 – 12 – JOLIET – 16 – WILMINGTON – 11 – GARDNER – 10 – DWIGHT – 18 - PONTIAC – 21 – LEXINGTON - 9 – TOWANDA – 10 – BLOOMINGTON – 15 – McLEAN – 16 LINCOLN – 21- SHERMAN – 8 - SPRINGFIELD Join Westbound I-55 at WILLIAMSVILLE and follow into Springfield (as below) Started the journey in the heart of downtown Chicago, emerging from an underground carpark on the “wrong” side of the road in this monster…

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes:

Springfield is famous for being the home of Abraham Lincoln, but we steered clear of the downtown attractions in favour of a dip in the pool and some takeaway snacks and beers from a nearby supermarket. It had been a long and at times stressful first day on the road!

However, while it was nerve-wracking picking up a strange car in the middle of a busy city, long stretches of open road (even on this, our first day driving) were already making driving a comfortable experience.

For the only time on the trip we were allocated a suite, with a separate sitting room and a big double bed each!

The Gemini Giant at Wilmington, notable as the very first roadside attraction that we stopped to see.

In the rather quiet Route 66 museum in Pontiac, Illinois, Joe announced in his finest American accent, “you gotta love America!”

We visited Pontiac Illinois, home of Illinois Route 66 hall of Fame and Museum (with art work by Bob Waldmire, the original Fillmore from the film “Cars”). This was his home.

Travel details and directions: The low spot of the journey was being given a warning for going through a “Stop” sign in Lincoln, Illinois. However, Officer Scott was very kind, and once he had completed the paperwork he gave us advice and directions! A “warning” is just that, so there was no fine or anything, but I was left with the feeling that this may happen again in the next three weeks and I may not be so lucky. It also had the side effect of making my fellow travellers brutally strict when pointing out Stop signs and reminding me of speed limits… HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Arriving at “the open road,” 90 minutes into journey. Fiona: Having a dry muesli mix for breakfast in the Hotel Allegro. (Joe enjoyed the flakes of dessicated banana… or “banana sweets,” as he called them.)

Joe: Arriving at the hotel because it has a pool! (As often happened on this trip, we had the pool to ourselves, which gives a great chance for Joe to shout, splash and let off steam!)

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT:11am

Day 4 “there’s a warnin’ sign on the road ahead…” Neil Young, Rockin’ in the Free World Date: Thur 6th August Travel from Springfield to Cuba ( 185 miles) GUEST LAUNDRY Accommodation: Wagon Wheel Motel 901 E Washington St. FREE WI-FI Cuba, MO 65453 Phone: 573- 885-3411 Journey through: (Take I-55 to exit 88 and through GLENARM) SPRINGFIELD – 45 – LITCHFIELD – 12 – STAUNTON – 19 – EDWARDSVILLE – 15 – MISSISSIPPI RIVER into St Louis.Leave on I-44, crossing I-270 southwest of St. Louis, then: I270 –23- GRAY SUMMIT – 13 ST CLAIR – 22 – BOURBON – 10 - CUBA

Travel details and directions: After Edwardsville it was only a 4 mile round trip detour to take in the Chain of Rocks Bridge. We used the carpark on the Illinois side to walk on bridge before descending to “Fishermen’s Carpark” (same side) for views. Both carparks were almost deserted, giving some concern for the security of the car, although these fears proved groundless.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: St. Louis is known as the “Gateway to the West.” The trip to the top of the famous St. Louis Arch is described by some as claustrophobic, therefore not “Joe – friendly.” We settled for a distant view! Cuba is known as ‘Route 66 Mural city,’ and we saw many of these dotted around town. Although the presence of a decent supermarket was perhaps more impressive! We ate at the very good Missouri Hick BBQ next door to Wagon Wheel Motel. It is a bonus after a long day to be able to walk to your evening meal. http://missourihick.com Today was a real mixture of a day. The initial drive through Illinois introduced us to the fascinating small town, Litchfield, a real-life “Radiator Springs.” The Chain of Rocks Bridge, over the mighty Mississippi, just before St. Louis allowed a taste of 20th Century engineering history and great views of the river, as well as a peep at the St. Louis skyline in the distance.

One of many restored Gas Stations. The “unrestored” examples were equally interesting. Unfortunately, we missed a quick turn after crossing the river, and St. Louis brought home the full nightmare of being lost in a strange car, in a foreign land where we drive on the opposite side of the road. We were rescued (probably after no more than 10 or 15 minutes of confusion) by Fiona’s unique ability to “recognise the shape of the road.” Well done, Fiona!

The initial impression of Missouri was that the road is busier than the farmland feel of Illinois. The dedicated “Historic Route 66” signs changed from brown to blue in the new state, which could cause also some confusion. We felt, by now, that McLanahan’s “EZ66 Guide” was going to become an

invaluable tool.

The Motel provided accommodation in small chalets and was comfortable. The saloon style door into the bathroom area caused some excitement! It would have been possible to prepare a breakfast in our own kitchen the next morning, but we chose to breakfast at “Shelly’s,” two blocks away. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The fantastic sight of the Chain of Rocks Bridge, where there were only two cars in the (free) carpark. A fellow drinker in a Chicago bar on Tuesday had said, “You will see more of America than most Americans ever see.” Fiona: I was proud of navigating us back onto Route 66 in St. Louis, then sitting outside the motel like “Thelma and Louise.” Joe: Having a drink outside The Wagon Wheel Motel (see photo). The local insects did not bother Joe. Others among us wished we had used insect repellent wipes before sitting outside on that particular evening… Enjoying the sight of the workers on the highway Joe demanded: “I want a Stop / Go sign!”

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT: 11am Day 5 “Blastin’ down some back road with my baby next to me...” Sweet Little ’66, Steve Earle Date: Fri 7th August Travel from Cuba to Springfield Missouri ( 135 miles) Accommodation: Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven OUTDOOR POOL 203 S. Glenstone, COMPLIMENTARY CONT. BREAKFAST Springfield, MO 65802 Tel - 417.866.1963 or 800.304.0021 FREE PARKING FREE WI-FI

Journey through: CUBA – 23 – ROLLA – 32 – BUCKHORN – 25 – LEBANON – 12 – PHILLIPSBURG – 31 – STRAFFORD – 12 – SPRINGFIELD Mo. Elvis once stayed in this hotel, and there were a couple of beautifully preserved cars from his heyday. Such vehicles are also a common feature of the Route.

Travel Details and Directions: Today was a good drive, with no real problems, although Springfield is big and busy. I found that by now I was adapting more comfortably to left turns, reminding myself that, once the turn is complete, the driver is furthest from the kerb! Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes We took time to see the World’s Largest Rocker 4 miles west of Cuba, an archetypal piece of Route 66 nonsense! Joe bought a t-shirt. Meanwhile the Totem Pole Trading Post at the west end of Rolla was an interesting source of history, thanks, in part, to the elderly owner. I bought a t-shirt… Travelling through The Ozarks and Mark Twain Country, the terrain became more varied today, but there are still plenty of longer, quiet stretches where keeping to the speed limit of 55mph was a challenge. George’s, a diner just along the road from the hotel (339 S Glenstone Ave ), gave good quality diner food and a beer, and was only 2 or 3 minutes away on foot. After that, it was a most relaxing evening sitting outside our room watching the fireflies.

There was some true Route 66 fun today...

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Relaxing by the pool in 33 degrees of heat at 430pm, with the day’s driving done, and a cold beer to be anticipated. Fiona: A refreshing swim Joe: Going underwater in the pool, because you can’t see properly.

While using “Shelly’s” toilet, for which the word “bog” may have been created, Joe commentated: “Here I am, in the best little restroom on Route 66.”

The hotel has a pleasant outdoor pool, despite the company of a 14 strong party spanning 3 generations of a holidaying family who enjoyed the pool facilities until after dark! CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT:12pm Day 6 Date: Sat 8th August Travel from Springfield to Tulsa (185 miles) INDOOR / OUTDOOR POOL Accommodation: Holiday Inn Tulsa City Centre GUEST LAUNDRY 17 West 7th Street $7 PARKING FEE PER DAY IN MULTI Tulsa Oklahoma 74119 LEVEL UNDERGROUND CAR PARK

Journey through: SPRINGFIELD – 20 – HALLTOWN – 35 – MAXVILLE – 20 – JOPLIN – 7 – GALENA – 10 – BAXTER SPRINGS – 19 – MIAMI – 16 – AFTON – 15 – VINITA – 18 – CHELSEA – 19 – CLAREMORE – 13 – CATOOSA – 17 – TULSA (Beware of one way system) Travel Details and Directions: After the compact and historical feel of the “Dairy King” at Commerce (a “must-see” where we were looked after by a typical Route 66 character, namely a kindly, elderly lady clinging in fashion to her1950s heyday)…

…we eventually hit some incredibly straight roads into Tulsa. We were delighted to find the Hotel easily, thanks to the fact that it is located in a part of town devoted to university and business, and is therefore very quiet late on a Saturday afternoon. Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes This was a day of varied weather! “Wizard of Oz” fans please note that just before entering Carthage to pass very briefly (13 miles) through Kansas, we met our only storm of the trip, however we passed through it safely in under 15 minutes. By the time we reached Tulsa, the temperature had reached 38 degrees C, once more making the hotel pool a welcome sight.

Passing through Joplin Mo., the site of a huge tornado in 2011, we noted the sturdy construction of the newer buildings. A slightly uncomfortable feeling.

In Galena, at “Cars on the Route,” we were privileged to meet “Mater” from “Cars” and his loquacious owner, “Melba the Mouth,” who ensured us that she could be seen on the “extras” on the “Cars 2” DVD and “all over You Tube.” Joe was very pleased with the toy cars he bought (“Doc,” “Lightning” and “Mater”) as this was their birthplace!

By the time we reached the 80 foot blue whale in Catoosa, we were ready to stretch our legs and see a famous piece of Route 66 “tat!”

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The view from our 7th floor window, when we arrived in such good time.

Fiona: Retro lunch in the “Dairy King.” Joe: The lady who talked really fast! (Melba the Mouth)

A snatch of conversation: PADDY: What did you think of Springfield, Joe? JOE: Great. I hope Tulsa is better.

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT:12pm

Day 7 Date: Sun 9th August Travel from Tulsa to Elk City (220 miles) INDOOR POOL / WI-FI / GUEST LAUNDRY Accommodation: Sleep Inn & Suites 2710 E. Hwy 66, Elk City, OK, 73644 FREE BREAKFAST / PARKING Phone: (580) 303-4574 Journey through: TULSA – 7 RED FORK – 9 – SAPULPA – 23 - BRISTOW – 18 – STROUD – 23 – WELLSTON – 17 – ARCADIA – 20 – OKLAHOMA CITY – 8 BETHANY – 21 – EL RENO – 23 BRIDGEPORT – 18 –WEATHERFORD – 17 - CLINTON – 29 – ELK CITY We were now well and truly on “Joe Time,” which made it no hardship to start the day with Mass in the Cathedral at 8am! Travel Details and Directions: We decided to have a very light breakfast in Tulsa prior to a visit to Rock Café in Stroud, 57 miles into today’s journey. “Cars” creators came here. Sally is based on Dawn Welch, the owner, while some of the architecture was used as a basis for scenes in “Cars.” It was also visited by Guy Fieri on his excellent “Food Network” show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Needless to say, Fiona and I had the burger recommended on the menu by the man himself. In his best “Mater” voice Joe informed us: “You’re in love with Miss Sally!”

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes Thanks to the “Scout” App on Fiona’s phone, and assisted by quieter streets on a Sunday, we found our way to the moving and informative Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. We felt that Joe too, felt some sadness in that sad place.

Leaving Oklahoma City was the only time on the trip when we “cheated” by spending the final part of the journey to Elk City on the Interstate, rather than Route 66, which, with its roadside tourist traps, seemed inappropriate as we dwelt on what we had just seen.

Temperatures in Oklahoma City had reached 39 degrees C, so once again the hotel pool was a welcome sight, and an excellent meal in the neighbouring Italian Restaurant (Roma’s) was just what we needed after a long day.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum. Fiona: The “money” burger at the Rock Café. Joe: Mass was beautiful.

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT: 11am

Day 8 Date: Mon 10th August Travel from Elk City to Amarillo (145 miles) POOL BREAKFAST INCLUDED Accommodation: The Big Texan Motel GUEST LAUNDRY 7701 I-40 East Amarillo, Texas 79118 FREE PARKING Phone:1+806-372-6000 Journey through: ELK CITY – 17 – SAYRE – 22 – TEXOLA – 13 – SHAMROCK – 21 – McLEAN -7- ALANREED – 11 – EXIT 124 (JERICHO) – 12 – GROOM – 16 – CONWAY – 28 - AMARILLO Travel Details and Directions: After Joe’s first experience of American waffles…

…we started our day with a visit to the excellent Route 66 Museum in Elk City. We found it quiet upon arrival (9.25am) and as usual the staff were helpful, and the gift shop impressive. It is a full two hour visit, with exhibits showing life on the road….

… and life in the town.

A snatch of conversation: FIONA: That museum was great, wasn’t it? JOE: Yeah… let’s get back on the Mother Road. Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes

Entering Texas, we passed through Erick, birthplace of Roger Miller, one of the stars of our Route 66 iPod playlist.

In Shamrock, Texas, the “U- Drop Inn” (Gift Shop and Museum) and inspiration for Ramon’s body-art shop in “Cars,” was a great place to visit. It is run by two talkative Grannies, who gave us our complimentary coffee; put on the “Cars” DVD; and took some photos for us. The coffee and DVD turned out to be very good… In true Route 66 style, they attempted to convince us of the merits of other local attractions, in an effort to keep the tourist dollar in their town!

Groom, TX, boasts a leaning water tower said to inspire stack of tyres at Casa Della’s (Cars) and perhaps more impressively “the largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere.” Here too there is a gift shop, where one can purchase books of “clean jokes;” guides to good manners and studies of “66 Books of the Bible for Route 66.” HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Buying a tie-dye Route 66 t-shirt in Elk City. Fiona: Having fun in the Drug Store at Elk City Museum. Joe: Seeing the Cross was so special.

We arrived at “The Big Texan” and enjoyed a cold bottle of water beside the Texas- shaped swimming pool, as we looked forward to visiting the on-site Steak Ranch for food, live music and a splendid selection of tat and t-shirts!

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT: 11am

Day 9 Date: Tue 11th August Travel from Amarillo to Tucumcari ( 115 miles) FREE PARKING WI FI Accommodation: Blue Swallow Motel BREAKFAST INCLUDED 815 E Tucumcari Blvd, Tucumcari, NM 88401 Journey through: AMARILLO – 8 – EXIT62 – 13 – WILDORADO – 13 – VEGA – 14 – ADRIAN – 22 – GLENRIO – 15 – SAN JON – 24 – TUCUMCARI Travel Details and Directions: Fortified by a top notch “Big Texan” breakfast, we drove out of Amarillo on Route 66 for less than 15 minutes (just past I-44 Exit 62) to one of the iconic sights of the Mother Road, Cadillac Ranch. This colourful installation is an ideal spot for a selfie! We chose not to write on the cars, due to the puddles left from an overnight rainstorm.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes Today was a short hop, made shorter by the clocks going back one hour at the Texas / New Mexico State Line. The well run “R66 Mid Point Café,” at Adrian, was an ideal spot to take a break; celebrate our achievements so far; and write postcards. (It is 4 buildings away from the Post Office.)

We arrived in Tucumcari, “the town that’s two blocks wide and two miles long,” in time for a good look round. The mountain shaped like a radiator cap in “Cars” is based on Tucumcari Mountain. The Route 66 Museum (free) had some nice old cars and an

interesting video. The rest of the town seems to be dying. Although we enjoyed lunch at “Kix on 66” and sampled sopapilla for the first time at “Del’s.”

Unfortunately, the rest of the town is relentlessly grim. The Blue Swallow looks great, however, and does offer a warm welcome. It manages to retain much of its old school charm with candlewick bedspreads and a communal fridge…

Clocks went back another hour at Glenrio (Ghost Town) leaving us 7 hours behind UK.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: An excellent selfie in the morning sunshine at Cadillac Ranch. Fiona: The changing scenery becoming more open and desert-like. Joe: Cadillac Ranch was special. (He had been worried about the fate of the dead cars.)

On leaving Amarillo Joe drawled: “See y’all real soon!”

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT :10am

Day 10 Date: Wed 12th August Travel from Tucumcari to Santa Fe (166 miles) Accommodation: FREE BREAKFAST BUFFET Inn of the Governors FREE PARKING 101 West Alameda Street Santa Fe, NM 87501 POOL Phone: 505-982-4333 Journey through: TUCUMCARI – 21 – MONTOYA – 20 – CUERVO – 16 – SANTA ROSA – EXIT256 (ONTO US84 NORTH) – 41 – ROMEROVILLE – 57 SANTA FE Travel Details and Directions: Having slept well in the Blue Swallow, we watched the “Hairy Bikers,” (Joe) depart; hastened on their way by a rousing speech from their guide, as “Deutschland über Alles” played in the background! We then nipped back to “Kix on 66,” for breakfast.

And didn’t we just meet them all again for morning coffee at “Joseph’s” in Santa Rosa NM?

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes The straight and quiet road from Santa Rosa to Romeroville was probably the landscape highlight of the trip so far. Maybe it isn’t quiet enough for the unique local mix of roadkill, starring raccoons and armadillos.

We were delighted to be allowed to check in early, having arrived at the hotel at 145pm. We enjoyed a good meal in the Plaza Diner (est. 1905) before a wander through town, and were actually back in our room before the stated check-in time of 4pm! These bonus hours make a difference on such a long road trip. As if it could not get any better, there is a genuine public bar attached to the hotel, namely “Del Charro,” my favourite bar of the holiday, where the barman introduced me to the local domestic beer “Dos Equis,” which is available in various bars and liquor stores from here to LA! As is the case in many a “Visitor Center,” the one in Santa Fe is staffed by retired teachers. One of these ladies kindly showered us with leaflets and advice and took a unilateral shine to Joe, giving him a New Mexico pin badge and colouring book. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The road from Santa Rosa to Romeroville. (Written before trying the Public Bar!) Fiona: Walking around beautiful Santa Fe in the sunshine. Joe: The place where we ate lunch. (He did demolish it!) Santa Fe is a small city. As Paddy was squeezing the car into a tight spot, Joe urged him on with, “Come on… you could get a bus through there.”

CHECK IN: 4pm CHECK OUT:12pm

Day 11 Date: Thu 13th August Travel from Santa Fe to Albuquerque (60 VALET PARKING $16 A NIGHT (Galling, as miles) this seemed to be only option. Consisted Accommodation: of somebody parking car in a neighbouring Hotel Andaluz carpark, and then keeping keys by way of 125 South Second Street added inconvenience.) NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 505.242.9090 FREE WI-FI Today was the shortest journey of the whole trip, so we were able to stay in Santa Fe, an attractive place with a truly Mexican feel, and enjoy a tram ride tour of the city.

This gave Joe the necessary skills to “commentate” throughout the rest of the day’s drive.

Travel Details and Directions: The journey was straightforward thanks to sat-nav and a fairly easily followed grid system of roads in Albuquerque, so we found ourselves at the hotel by 2.45pm. Joe (hoping otherwise) suggested, “We could go to a museum and look at some old furniture…” Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes An early tea was enjoyed by all at the excellent Standard Diner, again a recommendation of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” The food was excellent, as Fiona and I once again followed Guy Fieri’s recommendations (meatloaf). Joe was, by now, a match for any burger America could throw at him!

We did feel uncomfortable walking past some unsavoury looking characters. Although we did not have any problems at all, it is worth mentioning that this was in the centre of the city at 3pm. Both the hotel guide book and a taxi driver cautioned visitors against walking.

We were interested to find out that “Wild Hogs” a 2007 film starring John Travolta was filmed in this part of Albuquerque, including a scene in our expensive carpark! One local bar, where I enjoyed a beer, featured as “Bykers Island” in the film. In reality it is called “The Library,” and scantily clad bartenders are known as “librarians.” I sat outside. The Hotel Andaluz was a beautiful hotel with a historical feel.

It was one of the very first in the Hilton chain (sold since then) and the lobby was glorious. It also offered drinks and music on the terrace bar after dark, which we all enjoyed! While we left it rather late (7pm), since many of the shops were closing, the “Old Town” was another very attractive place to see.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Joe’s commentary in the car, featuring a blend of fiction and reality! (“On your left is a restroom built in 1986…”) Fiona: Enjoying the lovely atmosphere, when walking around Santa Fe this morning. Joe: Having a cold drink during the tram ride in Santa Fe.

CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT: 11am

Day 12 Date: Fri 14th August Travel from Albuquerque to Gallup ( 135 miles) Accommodation: El Rancho FREE PARKING LAUNDRY FACILITIES 1000 E. Highway 66 Gallup, NM 87301 FREE WI-FI POOL (505) 863-9311 Journey through: ALBUQUERQUE – 19 – RIO PUERCO – 23 – MESITA – 13 – BUDVILLE – 8 – McCARTYS – 13 – GRANTS – 20 – PREWITT – 16 – CONTINENTAL DIVIDE – 27 - GALLUP Travel details and directions: “Well, it’s time to saddle up,” said Joe as we checked out of the Andaluz. Another short journey meant we were at El Rancho in time for a “light lunch” before check-in. The trip brought us through more impressive countryside, and in the course of the day, we must have seen at least 10 trains. We even travelled alongside one for some 15-20 minutes – quite a hypnotic experience.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: Rooms in the hotel are named after famous actors and actors who stayed there in the heyday of the Western film industry. By sheer chance, were allocated Room 202, The Alan Ladd Room. Ladd was the star of my Dad’s favourite Western, “Shane.”

We had crossed Rio Grande as we left Albuquerque, and maintaining the “Western” theme, once in Gallup, I was able to pick up a cowboy hat at Zimmerman’s (213 W. Highway 66). The family set was complete!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Paddy: Riding alongside a huge American freight train. Fiona: Passing lovely rock formations, mesas and scenery (especially “The Owl.”) Joe: Driving on the I-40 towards Gallup.

El Rancho boasts a good restaurant and bar. The lobby and mezzanine stand out for their cool, dim light; old fashioned furnishings and signed photos of stars who stayed here. An evening meal in the bar, consisting of green chilli, followed by a dessert of apple pie, all washed down with cold domestic beer, was a cultural triumph!

The town of Gallup was hot and quiet, away from the main street, but there was an opportunity to stock up on “supplies” before reaching the Navajo Nation tomorrow, which is “dry” in an altogether different way… CHECK IN: 2pm CHECK OUT: 12pm

Day 13 Date: Sat 15th August Travel from Gallup to Kayenta ( 160 miles) FREE PARKING Accommodation:The View Hotel Monument Valley Tribal Park, UT 84536 FREE WI-FI (lobby) Journey North, from Gallup on 264 to Chinle on the 191, via Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Follow the 59 then the 160 and 163 through Kayenta, turning right off 163 onto Monument Valley Road. Travel details and directions: On today’s journey to Monument Valley, we also passed through, or close to, places with such evocative names as “Many Farms,” “Rough Rock” and “Mexican Hat.” The Road Atlas was useful as we strayed from Route 66 to take in Chinle for morning coffee at The Junction Restaurant (best described as “functional”), and an unexpected highlight of the whole trip, the beautiful “Canyon de Chelly,” (pronounced “Shay”). We spent around 1 ½ hours touring the South Rim of this lovely spot. Observing a large, red mesa, Joe was moved to comment: “Well, Bamburgh Castle, it looks like you’re not in Bamburgh any more.”

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes:

We arrived at “The View Hotel” at 3.45pm, with plenty of time to drive into the canyon itself. We only did part of the drive, however as the road is extremely uneven and fully warrants the speed limit of 15mph! The hotel fully lives up to its name and is designed so that each room has its own very private balcony looking over the valley. We were able to stand on “John Wayne Point,” said to be The Duke’s favourite view of the valley (before, according to Joe, he “took his horse on Channel 4 Racing”). Meanwhile we were spoilt with the best table in the house as we ate our evening meal in rare silence!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Seeing the view from our hotel room. Fiona: Our little drive through the red dust on Monument Valley in the evening light. Joe: Seeing that big Canyon (de Chelly).

CHECK IN: 4pm CHECK OUT:11am

Day 14 Date: Sun 16th August Travel from Kayenta to Seligman via Grand Canyon South Rim(260 miles) Accommodation: Romney Motel FREE PARKING FREE WI-FI 22430 West Highway Route 66 Seligman, AZ 86337-1169, The day started with a breath-taking sunrise at Monument Valley. It created a feeling of being one step removed from reality.

Journey South on 160 through Tuba City, before returning to Winona then Flagstaff. We then followed the “Mother Road:” WILLIAMS – 24 – CROOKTON RD – 18 - SELIGMAN Travel details and directions: A slight change to our original plan meant doubling back but allowed us to follow the song, “don’t forget Winona.” Ironically Winona is pretty forgettable, but does have one remnant of Old 66, in the shape of a disused bridge:

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: Originally, we had planned to visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon today, but since we would spend two days at the Canyon later in the week it was decided that we should divert, as explained above. While last Sunday’s traffic, through Tulsa and Oklahoma City, was light, today was hard work, especially coming south from Tuba City, where we breakfasted at “The Hogan” (poor) to Flagstaff where we snacked at “Miss Zips” (excellent). Joe likes to treat us to a random outburst from time to time, often a quotation from one of his favourite films or TV programmes. As we waited forever to be served in the Hogan, he intoned for no apparent reason: “Cow-pokes on the open range!” To escape the traffic, we followed a scenic loop around “The Painted Desert” and Sunset Crater, an extinct volcano.

Attractive places, but we have been spoilt by Monument Valley, a site so impressive it would get a man out of bed before 6am to take photos! We stopped briefly in the pleasant, tourist-friendly town of Williams, Az., where there is a train link to the Grand Canyon alongside many eateries, and a few “drinkeries!” So, after a fairly long day on the road, we arrived at the accommodation low-spot of the trip, the grim and filthy Romney Motel in Seligman, the only place on the holiday where there was any confusion over our booking (although this was resolved quickly when our host discovered that our details had been scribbled down on the back of a piece of card).

This was particularly unfortunate, because the charming town of Seligman was actually one of the highlights of the trip – a place that relishes its Route 66 heritage and bends over backwards to welcome visitors often by the coach load! Go there. Seek an alternative to the Romney. The day finished with dinner at the excellent “Lilo’s,” directly opposite one of Seligman’s many photo opportunities. http://www.westsidelilos.com/

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Paddy: Sunrise at Monument Valley

Fiona: Miss Zips Diner was such a friendly retreat from the road.

Joe: Having French Fries in the diner at Flagstaff.

CHECK IN: 2pm CHECK OUT:11am

Day 15 Date: Mon 17th August Travel from Seligman to Grand Canyon ( 130ish miles) Accommodation: FREE PARKING Grand Canyon Ranch, 3750 E. Diamond Bar Ranch Rd., Meadview, Arizona 86444 Journey through: SELIGMAN – 36 – PEACH SPRINGS – 23 – HACKBERRY – 26 – KINGMAN then… Take I-93 North from Kingman, turning right onto Pierce Ferry Road toward Dolan Springs and continue through Dolan Springs. Continue for 29 miles to Diamond Bar Rd. Turn right onto Diamond Bar Rd. Continue on for 6.4 miles. On your right is Grand Canyon Ranch Resort, West Gate Entrance. Travel details and directions: After a breakfast of pancakes and syrup (a challenge to the digestive system) in Lilo’s, we spent the morning pottering Around the tourist orientated establishments Of Seligman.

The interestingly “old school” Hackberry General Store was our only significant stop on the way to The Grand Canyon. While the building itself was undoubtedly authentic, inside didn’t really offer a lot that we hadn’t seen elsewhere.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes On arrival at the ranch, the welcome from Linda and “Cowboy Dave” was as warm as the Arizona weather. We were allocated a cabin, where the air-conditioning unit battled gamely against the ferocious heat, to keep the place habitable.

This was indeed a great place to stay. We enjoyed a guided tour in a covered wagon on the old “Mormon Trail,” up into the hills to see bison. All staff were most friendly and patient with Joe, who struck up great conversations with two particular employees, Harvey and Lily… the beautiful Belgian Draft horses who pulled the wagon! However, we did have to discourage his cries of, “whoa” and “giddy up!” The day ended with songs and marshmallows Around the campfire with Cowboy Dave.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The typically warm American welcome at the Grand Canyon Ranch.

Fiona: The evening ride to see the bison and the sunset over the hills. Joe: The ride in the wagon was such fun over the bumpy rocks!

CHECK IN: 3pm?

Day 16 Date: Tue 18th August Accommodation: As yesterday A day to enjoy The Grand Canyon. Having declined the $189 per person helicopter ride offered at the ranch, we set off for the Canyon, armed with advice and directions from the thoroughly likeable Cowboy Dave. We used the hop on / hop off bus service to take us to Eagle Point and Guano Point. It cost a far more reasonable $163 (including a meal) for three of us. A Hualapai Chief at the ticket desk gave Joe a badge to say he was a member of the Hualapai Nation. It will be displayed alongside the badge Cowboy Dave presented him, featuring a picture of Dave himself! The tour lasted a full 3 hours and afforded us great views of the Grand Canyon…

… where safety measures are rarely allowed to spoil the view (there isn’t even a railing)!

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes In the afternoon, we drove down to Lake Mead, the lake to the western end of the Grand Canyon, formed by the damming of the Colorado River by the Hoover Dam. At South Cove, we saw the point where canoeists are landed after their tours. The scenery was fantastic, giving us a real feel for the sheer size of the canyon, but perhaps

the most memorable aspect of the Perhaps it was the heat as we approached a afternoon, was the heat down there, carpark near the lake, that made Joe which reached a crushing 113 degrees randomly quote from Clifford’s Thinking Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius). Adventures:

“I’m sorry, Mr. Hamburger, sometimes the cars get too excited.” (To celebrate our time in the Mojave Desert, Joe also started watching Raymond Briggs’ “The Snowman” on his iPod.)

Again we enjoyed or evening Meal in the ranch house, this time with entertainment from Casey, before gathering around the camp fire.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Paddy: The view from Guano Point, where you could see the river in the canyon below.

Fiona: When I dared to look over the edge of the canyon and see the river.

Joe: The Girls. I liked that. (This refers to the entertainment at Eagle Point featuring the most monotonous Native American Dance, performed by a group of women who seemed to be making it up as they went along!)

CHECK OUT: 10am?

Day 17 Date: Wed 19th August Travel from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas (112 miles) FREE SELF-PARKING Accommodation:MGM Grand Hotel & Casino 3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South POOL COMPLEX Las Vegas, Nevada 89109

Journey: Return to I-93 via Pierce Ferry Road and Dolan Springs, then north. Exit I-15. Go east onto E. Tropicana. Cross Las Vegas Boulevard and turn left into MGM Grand off East Tropicana Ave. (We actually came north from Clark County Museum and west on Tropicana. A right turn into the hotel is far preferable!) Travel details and directions: I-93 crosses Colorado River near Hoover Dam (the old 93 crossed over the dam itself) so this was today’s first stop; an impressive place where we could feel the heat bouncing back off the rock and concrete.

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: Our next stop was at the Clark County Museum on the 582 (Boulder Highway) on the way into Vegas. Mark Hall-Patton, the curator of this excellent attraction, features on TV shows such as “American Restoration,” and “Pawn Stars.” Costing just $5 for the three of us, we were able first to see the traditional museum, where children are encouraged to handle many of the artefacts, then to visit 5 or 6 houses furnished in period style from various eras in the 20th Century. These houses were all air conditioned, which was a bonus as Joe was flagging. (The car temperature showed 120 degrees F / 49 degrees C, after it had sat in the sun for the duration of our visit.) A little advertised, quiet attraction, and well worth a look. And so we arrived in Las Vegas. The MGM Grand hotel is huge, with the ground floor comprising casino and shopping centre being on such a scale that Joe initially though that this was Vegas. We spent a while sussing out the Pool Complex, the Wi-Fi connection and the bars… something for everyone! Not a bad view from the window, either:

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Paddy: Arriving painlessly in Vegas after a most enjoyable stop at the Clark County Museum. Fiona: The little old houses at the Clark County Museum. Joe: Exploring Las Vegas. (He had only seen the inside of the hotel at this point!)

CHECK IN: 3pm

Day 18 Date: Thu 20th August Accommodation: As yesterday DAY AT LEISURE IN LAS VEGAS After a morning swim in the smart pool complex at the MGM Grand…

… a great day was spent on the “Big Bus” open top bus, touring Las Vegas in the (43 degrees C) heat. The “Blue Line” of the bus tour gave us the chance to see “downtown” Vegas: a more old-fashioned (and cheaper) place for eating, drinking and of course gambling. The cool and partly enclosed Fremont Street seemed particularly worthy of a future visit. Joe celebrated by choosing this street to try Diet Coke for the first time!

Joe has seen so many amazing things on our trip, that people in Fremont Street, flying overhead, Superman style, on a zip wire that ran the length of a couple of blocks, barely seemed to excite him at all! Today, however was the day above all days, when he really did seem to feel the effects of the heat. In the afternoon, we left the bus to catch a free acrobatic show at “Circus Circus.” After cooling down in McDonalds, Joe was able to play on a “Deal or No Deal” video game, much to his delight! We were all back to full strength in the evening, with Joe marching around the labyrinthine ground floor like a local and again operating the lift on behalf of one and all. We had a good meal at a decent Italian restaurant on the casino floor of “New York, New York.” Laws about children in the casinos state that they are welcome to pass through, but not stand and watch, so Joe was delighted that our table gave him a ringside view… particularly when Fiona won 15 cents on a “Wizard of Oz” slot machine!

We agreed that Las Vegas Monorail would have been cheap, useful and interesting, had we been staying longer, but as it was, the tourist bus met our needs. Meanwhile, although the shops, Rick’s Restorations and Gold and Silver Pawn Shop had been in our original plans, we settled for a view of the latter from the bus, and we simply had neither the time nor the energy to walk the few blocks to the former.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: My first cold beer (Dos Equis) at 7pm in Gonzalez y Gonzalez (New York New York). Fiona: Breakfast (at the outstanding buffet in our hotel, where you can have chilli or pizza or upgrade to the “cocktails option”). Joe: Going to the Italian Pub for tea.

Vegas was great fun, but not particularly child friendly, and not really in keeping with a Route 66 trip… however you can’t come this close and not visit!

CHECK OUT:11am

Day 19 Date: Fri 21st August Travel from Las Vegas to Needles (172 miles) FREE BREAKFAST Accommodation: Best Western Colorado River Inn 2371 W Broadway, Needles, California, 92363- FREE PARKING 2106 POOL and HOT TUB Phone: (760) 326-4552 SELF SERVICE LAUNDRY

Journey through: Head back from Vegas via I-93 to R66 at Kingman (103 miles)

KINGMAN – 28 – OATMAN – 26 – TOPOCK – 15 - NEEDLES Travel details and directions: We got out of Vegas eventually via Tropicana and the 582, a route we learnt 2 days ago from our trip to the Clark County Museum. Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes It seemed to me (as the driver) that it took a long time to reach Kingman, but once we did, Route 66 treated us to spectacular scenery over Sitgreaves Pass…

…before descending into Oatman, a superb little town full of real history, as opposed to the (albeit excellent) facsimiles we have seen elsewhere. The town is well worth a visit for those who want to witness mining history. Clark Gable was married here, and is said to have visited often, hiding away from Hollywood, and playing cards with the miners. It is something of a ghost town where descendants of abandoned donkeys wander freely. (Some say that they inspired the tractors in “Cars” and the road into Oatman is sometimes compared to the one driven by McQueen and Sally.)

We are now ticking off the place names in the famous song, with only Barstow and San Bernardino left to visit! It has become clear that the price of petrol varies significantly, from below $3 per gallon to over $4.50. Of course drivers should be very careful about maintaining a tank that is at least half full on the long desert stretches of road, nevertheless, it is often worth shopping around. On the other hand it could be argued that it is the duty of the Route 66 tourist to support the smaller, independent (and often more expensive) trader… We arrived at the hotel around 4pm (clocks go back another hour at Needles. Now 8 hours behind UK, although this may have already happened in Arizona…) and were able to use their pool, which was pleasantly shaded at this time of the day. Yet again, for much of the time, we were the only people using it.

At last, Joe’s battle cry, “California here we come,” a quote from Mac in the film “Cars,” had come true!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: The wonderful old one street town of Oatman. Fiona: The refreshing jump into the pool at the end of a hot drive. Joe: The swim in our pool made me happy. (Joe’s days can now be broken down into small targets: a pool… wi-fi… “tea in the pub…”)

We have come to the conclusion that Best Western is a good, solid brand, providing (on 3 separate occasions) just what we need on a trip like this: fridge, pool, wi-fi, neighbouring restaurant (Wagon Wheel Restaurant http://www.wagonwheelneedles.com/ ). Not only that, but Fiona was quietly pleased to see “California Route 66” pin badges in the lobby, as this will complete the state-by-state set! CHECK IN: 3pm CHECK OUT: 11am

Day 20 Date: Sat 22nd August Travel from Needles to Los Angeles ( 290 miles) Accommodation: The Beverly Garland FREE WI-FI 4222 Vineland Avenue POOL North Hollywood, CA 91602Phone: (818) 980-8000

Journey through: NEEDLES – 31 – GOFFS – 16 – ESSEX – 18 – CADIZ SUMMIT – 15 – AMBOY – 28 – LUDLOW – 31 – NEWBERRY SPRINGS – 20 – BARSTOW – 36 – VICTORVILLE - 20 – CAJON JCT. – 18 – SAN BERNARDINO – 28 – LA VERNE – 22 – PASADENA – 9 – LA Travel details and directions: The trip today turned out to be 320 miles in total. We were on the road from 8.55am to 6.30pm and it was hard work. The road to Barstow gave us 180 miles of beautiful scenery and an interesting street name…

… we also saw ghost towns and long straight stretches of open road. An excellent lunch at the friendly “Mollie Brown’s Café” (http://www.mollybrownscountrycafe.com/ ) west of Helendale was followed by a visit to the beautiful Bottle Tree Ranch, just a couple of miles further along Route 66. Hummingbirds also enjoyed this Route 66 classic!

The following 140 miles seemed to begin with perilous stretches of Interstate, followed by mile after laborious mile where the traffic stopped at each red light before moving off. At the end of that, we were met by the legendary horror of Los Angeles’ main roads. Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes: Joe’s excellent commentary kept us entertained and the San Bernardino Wigwam Motel (made famous by “Cars”) provided him with a brief respite from the traffic…

…but it was simply a relief to get to the hotel!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Parking up at the Garland Hotel. Fiona: The amazing peace of The Bottle Ranch. Joe: Lunch in that nice Café.

CHECK IN: 3pm

Day 21 Date: Sun 23rd August Accommodation: As Yesterday

Travel details and directions: After the day started with Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church, just a 3 minute drive from the hotel, a great day was spent getting a flavour of LA via the tourist bus, which operates 5 routes from the hub of the Chinese Theatre. We managed to complete three of them, travelling all the way to the end of Route 66 at Santa Monica Pier, although we would return there by car the next day for authenticity’s sake!

Things to see / Places to eat / Other notes The first real sunburn of the trip was soothed in the hotel pool before an excellent meal in the hotel restaurant, which culminated in what Fiona called “the best cocktail I have ever tasted,” namely Cucumber Presse. We had been tempted by the screening of a movie by the pool, but couldn’t fit it into our busy schedule of food and drink! HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy: Finally seeing that sign! (“The Route Ends Here”) Fiona: The sign was great, but I don’t think I will ever drink another cocktail like that Cucumber Presse. Joe: The tea in the restaurant was so good! (Not to mention his excitable state after a few Diet Cokes!)

CHECK OUT: 12 NOON

Day 22 Date: Mon 24th August Travel from Beverly Garland Hotel to LA Int’l Airport (24 miles) DEP LA 2145 ARR HEATHROW 1600 (Flight Time 10hrs 25 mins) DEP HEATHROW 1830 ARR NEWCASTLE 1940 Travel details and directions: We decided to complete Route 66 by car today, as we headed for the Airport. Fiona was able to devise a simple plan avoiding the nastier looking stretches of road, and I was now sufficiently confident and competent to tackle it! A flight time late in the day meant that we could do this at our leisure. It was with a real sense of achievement that we parked our car on Santa Monica Pier, right on the beach, within sight of the Pacific Ocean, after 3109 miles!

Things to see / Places to eat / Other note: We had a pleasant stroll along the pier and a cool drink in the tasty looking Mariasol Restaurant at the end of the pier

Finally came a short drive to the airport where the driver took his well-earned reward!

Day 23 Date: Tue 25th August Travel from LA to Spennymoor (5,716 miles) Accommodation: Home Journey through: the air and the A1. DEP LA 2145 ARR HEATHROW 1600 DEP HEATHROW 1830 ARR NEWCASTLE 1940 LA IS 8 HOURS BEHIND LONDON Travel details and directions: LA – 5,437 – LONDON –247 - NEWCASTLE – 32 – SPENNYMOOR HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY Paddy/Fiona/Joe: WE DID IT!

CHECK IN: ANY TIME!