Tour Map 2003:

We
headed for L.A. on July 28. As usual we underestimated traffic around
greater Los Angeles, got stuck in a traffic jam and lost some 2
hours before we could move on to Needles. We arrived in pretty tired
condition after an eleven hour flight and a six hour drive at 10
p.m.
We drove to Laughlin,
Nevada and enjoyed a day in town before
we met
the Route
66 Magazine Publishers, Paul and Sandi Taylor. Always
nice to see you again guys. I'm a subscriber to the magazine since
1997 and it helped us to get a lot of ideas for our road trips.
Needles,
CA, the starting point of our final leg on Mother Road.
Goffs
General Store and Roy's Motel in Amboy.
On a side trip, we entered Mojave
National Preserve on our way to Mitchell
Caverns.
When in Arizona
or California, we always take some time off in
Las
Vegas.
Back on 66; from the Bagdad Cafe
via
Daggett with the former Greystone Cafe
to
Barstow.
In Victorville
there are many things to do. We visited Old Town district, the Route
66 Museum
or shopped
at Antique Station in Oro Grande.
We took a
break from navigating the old road and visited Joshua
Tree National Park. Twentynine
Palms area had heavy rain the week before so we decided
to enter from the south instead. WRONG DECISION! The valley road
was closed due to flooding and we had to go all the way back to
see the park.
Our next trip was to Death
Valley National Park. We took Highway 395 North to enter
the valley from Panamint
Springs. Looking beyond the sign makes you think you're
there. What we underestimated was the distance between park entrance
and the valley.
Nature
has it's own style.
Devils
Golf Course: we couldn't find a golfball.
282 feet below sea level
Artists
Palette - what a view
The
last sights: Dante's view
and
Zabriskie Point.
Back
to civilization. In Bakersfield
we definitely recommend the Best
Western Crystal Palace Inn & Suites. No, we don't get
paid for this nor do we usually recommend hotels. But this place
was so great, we extended our stay from two to six nights immediately.
The famous sign near Buck
Owens' Crystal Palace.
Actually we came
here to visit a concert of Buck and
to do
an interview with Buck's Band, the Buckaroos, as Buck does no longer
give interviews.
It's
said that Buck won the car on the wall was won in a poker game.
A short
30 mile drive from Bakersfield isstill is Tehachapi
Loop, a popular train spotting site. It's worth the drive
to see the train's engine "catching" the last wagon.
Don't miss
Sequoia
& Kings Canyon National Park. Distance from Bakersfield
is only some 120 miles. You can explore all at once but better allow
one day for each park. This gives you some time to relax in the
late afternoon at the hotel pool.
General Sherman
is said to be some 2'500 years old. And it stands 275 feet tall.
Also in Kings
Canyon, there are pretty big trees (I am 6'4" tall)
A long and
winding road down to Zumwalt
Meadows Trail,
where you can
take a nice walk.
Back on Route 66 at the Summit
Inn.
Train
spotting along Mother Road at Cajon
Pass. These days it's more difficult. Some of the spots
can no longer be accessed legally.
On 66 towards
L.A., just before and in Rialto.
The infamous
"Do It In A Tee Pee" slogan is gone. The Wigwam
Motel is now under new management.
It was difficult
to find the old road in Los
Angeles. Finally, we passed the Foothill Drive In and
turned right onto Santa Monica Boulevard
Looking back on
where we came from across Ocean Boulevard. Here's the memorial plaque
that marks the end of Mother Road.
Our first visit to Universal
Studios in Hollywood after ten years.
There were a lot
of new rides to experience since...
...our last time here.
Another Historic Route is Highway
101. We drove a short section from Oceanside to La Jolla.
Near San Diego is Cabrillo
National Monument.
Spent some days
in San
Diego.
The Gaslamp
Quarter with many shops, bars and clubs is good fun.
Near by is La
Jolla, where our son had
a ball during his six-month stay in 2002.
Old
Town San Diego
We took the 2-hour harbor cruise
and strolled
through Seaport
Village.
It was 4'639
miles later on September 15 and time to go back again.
|