Most people are shocked to hear that my friend Paula Green and I drove to Las Vegas last spring. Upon catching their breath after hearing we traveled more than 3,500 miles in 11 days, they usually just quietly ask, “Why?”
The simple truth is Paula has fond memories of family vacations driving out west on Route 66, the road made famous in the 1960s by a network television show. When Paula found she needed to be in Las Vegas for a work-related event, she asked me to ride along when members of her family, including her husband, Carl, declined.
I accepted Paula’s offer to navigate, as long as we did not carry any weapons, pick up any strangers or drive off any canyons like the characters Thelma and Louise did in the movie. But, please believe me, our trip, although safe and completely legal, was exciting. From the very first night’s adventure of dodging a killer tornado in Arkansas, until we faced Paula’s fears of driving over the Hoover Dam (which I thought was spectacular, by the way), we savored each sight and every taste of the journey.
Day One
Paula realized we were in for a long trip when the official photographer (me) stopped at a produce stand for “slice-of-life” shots of canning jars and an empty chair — and we were still in Tennessee.
Then came stops for photos of water towers. Our trip had a new name. Suddenly we were on the Water Tower Tour and I had to have a picture of every water tower in every town — if the tower was interesting and had the name of the town on it, of course!
Of interest on that first day was Toad Suck Park (love that name) and Black Bird Creek. The dogwood trees were in bloom and breathtakingly beautiful in Arkansas.
Thankfully Paula’s brother urged us to stop in Van Buren, Ark., because of weather warnings. We were safe eating fresh-baked cookies in the back room of the motel lobby during the tornado. Others in the area were not so lucky.
Day Two: Goal, Tulsa
Unplanned stop along the way at Sequoyah’s Cabin, a one-room cabin built by the famous Cherokee in a lovely 10-acre park in Sequoyah, Okla., followed by another stop: the Will Rogers Memorial, in nearby Claremore, Okla. Background music: “Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like.” I liked it.
Exciting moment of trip: we saw first U.S. 66 signs in Claremore. Yippee!
Ate dinner at wonderful Molly’s Landing, a rustic restaurant located outside of Catoosa on Highway 66, located near scenic Verdigris Bridge.
Day Three: Goal, Clinton, Okla.
Drove around Catoosa and Tulsa, seeing Route 66 attractions. The famous Blue Whale in Catoosa, a water attraction from the 1970s, was VERY BLUE, and a homemade sign telling us to “duck” was funny.
There was wonderful art deco architecture in Tulsa, especially on 11th Street (a part of Route 66), and interesting motel signage started appearing regularly. Looking for those signs became addictive.
We followed our guidebooks and signs to anything that promised Historic Route 66 and saw service stations, a shoe tree out in the middle of a field, a round red barn and several more Route 66 museums.
It was a grand day in many ways. We met Paula’s friends for a dinner in the patio of unusual, award-winning White Dog Restaurant overlooking the lights of beautiful Clinton at sunset.
Day Four: Goals, eat Easter brunch and arrive in Albuquerque by bedtime
Saw more vintage Route 66 buildings, my favorite water tower of the trip — it leaned, on purpose — a “bug” ranch, as opposed to the more famous Cadillac ranch, and made it to Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo for Easter brunch!
From Texas into New Mexico without a hitch. Vega, Tucumcari, Santa Rosa and suddenly time to sleep again, oh my!
Day Five — Goals, leave Route 66 and head to Santa Fe, then, back down to Albuquerque and on to Flagstaff.
Discovered Governor’s Palace Plaza to shop for jewelry and art, then ate lunch at Burrito Co. Café. The soup looked funny, with huge floating wedges of avocados, but tasted delicious.
Jenna to Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe. Heaven.
Stopped at 100 year-old convent serving as visitor’s center.
On to Gallup, N.M., for more historic Route 66 motels — and more.
Continued on to Winslow, Ariz., for photo moment standing on the corner. (Have you heard the song lyric “Standing On the Corner in Winslow Arizona?”)
Saw some petrified-looking logs in the fields, but didn’t stop at Petrified Forest, Painted Desert or Meteor Crater. Maybe next time.
Day Six — Goals, finish Route 66 part of trip and head to Vegas!
Drove through Ash Fork, Ariz., and saw motel with car on roof. Cool.
Seligman is a town with the mother lode of signs and stuff. Too much stuff! And, too many people!
Ate lunch at cute Mr. D’s Diner in Kingman, which used to be an old Shell station on Route 66. Also saw the Santa Fe train.
Headed to Las Vegas at last!
Days Seven, Eight and Nine highlights
Stayed at MGM Grand, attended Paula’s meeting, and walked or took the bus around “The Strip” to other casinos. A special treat was seeing David Cassidy and “American Idol” David Cook.
Days Ten and Eleven
Drove straight home, smiling all the way.
