Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona

Thursday, June 11 - It's true -- the only reason to stop in Winslow, Arizona is to pay homage to the classic Eagles song "Take it Easy"... and to check your tire pressure. Our low tire pressure warning light went on in Holbrook, so we needed to make a stop at a full service station, which can be a bit difficult to find in the land of self-service stations with mini-marts. However, we picked the right stop with Winslow, because there was a towing/service station right off the exit.

One guy was working there, so I went in to ask him for a tire pressure gauge. When I walked in, I couldn't believe what I heard -- the theme song for the Showtime show, Dexter. I asked him if he knew what the music was, and he said, "I'm watching Dexter on Netflix." What were the odds? I told him that I work for Showtime, and told me how he's watched all of Dexter online, including several other Showtime shows. Looks like we've got a friend in Winslow!

The building in the "standing on the corner" picture above isn't a building at all -- it's just a wall of an old building that is no longer there. However, they've done a good job reenacting the lyrics to the song, with a "reflection" of a "girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin down to take a look at me." There's even an eagle in the top left window.

Waking up in a Wigwam

Thursday, June 11 - Sleeping in a wigwam was like sleeping in a bomb shelter. That thing is solid concrete. The very busy Santa Fe Railroad runs right behind the wigams (see photo at right), with several trains an hour even at night, and once we were asleep, we didn't hear a thing. Daylight allowed us to get the full effect of all the wigwams, and the rusty old vintage cars they have parked in the lot to give the place some more ambiance.

Also wanted to give you a feel for the interior. Classic 1970s carpet (obviously an upgrade from the original...), nice rustic homemade bedspreads (with matching curtains), and, most interestingly, the original bentwood furniture from the 50s. While we don't have a picture of the bathroom, the walls were slanted, and the shower was an ideal height for anyone 4'11" and shorter.

All in all, it was a great once-in-a-lifetime experience. We'd even do it again. But you wouldn't want to stay there two nights in a row...

It's Showtime Sleeping in a Wigwam

Wednesday, June 10 - We arrived at the Route 66 classic, the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, AZ, shortly after dark. Because I thought we might get there a little late, I called earlier in the evening to let her know that we were on our way. Since the motel office closes at 9pm, she said that if we arrived after that, we would be in Teepee #6, and she'll leave the key under the mat. How great is that? Fortunately, we got there a little after 8, so we properly checked in.

After we checked in at the Wigwam, we stopped in a diner called Joe and Aggie's Cafe, which we'd read about in the Road Food guidebook. We sat down in a booth, I looked up, and across the room by the cash register was a "Showtime Free Weekend" sign on the wall. I about fell out of the booth. I asked the owner about it, and he said that many years ago Showtime shot some stuff here to promote one of our free preview weekends!

Route 66

Wednesday, June 10 - After leaving Santa Fe today, our route on the interstate traced the path of the old Route 66. So, we had some fun tracking down some of the kitsch along the way.

The first stop was The Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, across the street from the University of New Mexico. At the top of their menu they claim that they are the "Home of the Latest in Broiled Food and The Frontier Sweetroll." We sampled a couple of their popular items, the Frontier Burrito and the Fiesta Burger. We also felt *obligated* to also give the Fronter Sweetroll a try. Sandy asked the college kid taking our order if it was better to get the sweetroll with or without the topping, since you can get it both ways. He said definitely with the topping. Sandy inquired, "What is in it?" His reply, "Butter and cocaine." Well, then. Sounds like we need a Frontier Sweetroll.

Back on the road, we come up behind a man and his wife riding motorcycles, with Route 66 flags flying on the back of their bikes. The only thing that would have made this picture better was if you could see the Route 66 sign on his flag. Gotta love the open road, huh?

Next, we crossed the Continental Divide, elevation 7295 ft. Gotta love American ingenuity - taking a geological feature and making it into a tourist trap.

Gallup, NM was next up. It's main claim to fame in pop culture is that it is mentioned in the lyrics of "Get your kicks on Route 66." However, every guidebook we read mentioned that you have to see or eat at the El Rancho Hotel and Motel, which was a favorite of movie stars in its heyday, with black and white glossy photos of stars like Ronald Reagan, Spencer Tracey and Jack Benny. Several of the sandwiches in the restaurant are named after stars, including the Mae West, which is described as "stacked beef or ham." The Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, proudly displays the motto, "The Charm of Yesterday, The Convenience of Tomorrow."