Spike's Home Town

I am in California, just. It is 112 degrees outside of the motel. The bike handles the heat well. I plan to leave for La Verne at six in the morning to avoid the heat in the desert. I should get to Barstow before it gets too hot.

I started the day in old Flagstaff on route 66. My Motel was on 66.

Old Historic Flagstaff.

The Old Railway Station

This one is for Randy

I started the day by riding out to the Grand Canyon.

I returned to Route 66 in Williams and stayed on a off it for much of the day. Right now I am in Rio Del Sol Motel on 66 in Needles.

Some iconic scenes from the America's Mother Road.

Delgadillo's in Seligman is where I had lunch. One of the best burgers in the US.

This has been a sweet and sad day. The first time I was on 66 was in 1957 when I came out to California with my brother, just after I graduated high school. The second time was when I drove the whole road from LA to Chicago with some UCLA students going East. From Chicago I went by bus to visit home in NYC. The most important time was on my honeymoon in 1964. We were on our way to visit my mother and brother in NYC, by way of Chicago. I can't count how many times I have been on 66 or I 40 since then. The last was my last road trip with Pauline, when we retraced every surviving bit of the grand old highway from Joplin to LA . That was three years ago. Today I didn't complete a mile of the road without tears streaming down my face.

Route 66
 

My dear Pauline

I see your smile on every curve

I hear your voice in each cafe

I feel your warmth with every motel stay
I know your joy at each discovery

This road

We knew its every single mile

And that is why I can't believe

I've said goodbye.

So there I was on my honeymoon road, the honeymoon for which I sold that motorbike so many years ago. 

Get your kicks on Route 66.