Cowboys, Deserts, and California

I did not blog yesterday because our connection was to slow. We only drove 75 miles yesterday from Kingsman to Needles. We got hung up in Oatman as you can imagine from Penny's post. Puppies, Donkey's and cowboys Penny was in heaven.

This is the GPS system showing the road we were traveling.

She paid the price to get there, because that mountain trip was amazing. I only thought that the mountains the day before were good but these were the best. Penny hates heights, this was not only high but the drops offs were on her side of the car and the roads were old and narrow and they were hairpin turns and old bridges, but it is the only way to get to Oatman and once Penny read about the wild Donkey's and I heard about the mountain roads it was a MUST do.

There is a Vista at the top where you can stop and see Nevada, Arizona, and California. It was pretty hazy, but very cool to look at.

Oatman is well worth the drive, it was very entertaining and we had a great time hanging out there. Penny bought a bag of carrots as soon as we arrived and began the search for the Donkey's, I on the other hand was looking for the cowboys! Fortunately both of us left happy. Mike Fox is the Cowboy he had lunch with us and gave us the history of the settlement of the west and the history of Oatman. He is very, very knowledgeable, he grew up in this town. If you get a chance to visit this little town, find Mike, he loves to share his knowledge and he is very friendly. A good ambassador of the town.

We had lunch in the hotel Saloon, there are Dollar Bills all over the walls, ceilings, doors and any where that you cans staple a dollar. The estimate there are about 30,000 dollars with peoples names or slogans written on them. Now, BNI and the Queen of Networking has one on the wall too! While Penny was donating money to the Donkey food fund, I was writing on $$$ bills and putting them on the wall!!

On our way to Needles, down the mountain we stopped in the desert to look at stuff, you know, Penny and I stop to look at everything. We were amazed by the way that locals use the desert as their dumping ground.

After we left Oatman we only drove to Needles, Barstow would have had more to choose from but it was to far to drive to and there was nothing in between. At least that put us in California. Route 66 goes right through this town and there are many of the old hotels along the route. Most are not kept up and many of them closed. Needles is a small town, not a lot to choose from in the way of hotels so we stayed at the Travelodge Motel, at least it is not in the slums, the room was clean and quiet. It looks like the Days Inn is under some major remodeling due to a storm.

We are in California even if we did only go 75 miles!!! YEA!

Gettin our Kicks on Route 66

Hazel M. Walker

Queen of the Road