Seligman
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2007
1
44
220
Trip End
Jun 17, 2009
Seligman,
Arizona,
United States
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Breakfast, no fuel station but probably enough to get us out of the desert.
We drove just down the road to the 'Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park'. Again it was good to see that the First Nations were running their own affairs. We started on the 17 mile drive - a rough, gravel / rock / sand road inside the park. The monoliths were amazing. Chunks, spires, fists all scattered across the desert valley floor. Many stops to photograph involved looking out for the rattlesnakes and scorpions but they were being hospitable.
We spent 3 hours in this intriguing place and then set off south east to Flagstaff and east on Interstate 40, through Williams
Seligman Route 66 motel
. It was getting dusk and we pulled off the Interstate looking for a motel. First town had nothing, so back onto I40 and plod on. 40 miles later and another town signposted so we pull off again. A motel is in sight, next to two restaurants, so we haul in. We'd pulled off onto a part of American folk history. A clue -
" If you ever have a mind to go out west,
Take the Highway, that to my way, is the best."
As Rolf says " Kin ya see wat id is yait ?
No ?
"Get your kicks, on Route 66".
Let's face it, nobody ever wrote a song about the A57 did they ?
For a bonus point - who wrote the song ?
Yep - it does exist. Originally ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. It's now superceeded by the Interstates in many parts but you've got this road that's as wide as a motorway, with a couple of motels, a couple of restaurants, a garage and a post office and you can wander across it at will. Surreal. The motel was called 'The Route 66 Motel".
Road Kill Cafe
We walked to the 'restaurant' next door. It's called "The Roadkill Grill" !! Company mission statement - "You kill it, We'll grill it" !!
Right. We order a couple of beers (well I didn't dare ask if they had any Cabernet Sauvignon) and peruse the menu. We got :
The chicken that almost crossed the road
Donald, who forgot to duck
A big bagged stag, etc
We settled for stags; which turned out to be great steaks, roadkill fries; which were doorstop chips (brilliant) and ranch house beans. A loaf of fresh warm bread to start and it was a great meal. This was another small town America syndrome where the people were friendly and unassuming. The decor was all cowboys and stuffed animals, A good night.
A comfortable nights sleep for me but Norah reckoned the trains on the tracks just over the road woke her occasionally. Trains - have another beer, dear!!
'Route 66' was written by Bobby Troupe. See - travel really broadens the mind doesn't it !
Distance driven 286 miles
