Day 11 - Standing on a Corner...

Happy Mother’s Day!

This morning we explored the Indian village of Lupton and visited the Teepee trading post. Lots of cool looking Teepees and gifts. There was also a painting on one of the canyon walls with fake animals attached at the top. The wall itself had a giant indent which made for a cool looking cliff. Before hitting the road, I went up to the roof to secure the solar panel so the 50 mph winds wouldn’t jar it loose.

Heading west, our first stop was The Petrified Forest, which is the only national park on Route 66. The park provided breathtaking views as far as the eye could see, with several opportunities to stop and admire the artist that is Mother Nature. The wind was nasty already and the wide open spaces made it very difficult to take pictures. We almost got caught in a dust devil and when we both tried getting in the rig at the same time, our park pass got blown clear across the road. We recovered it and moved on.

Heading into Holbrook, we stopped at the famous Wigwam Motel, where the rooms are shaped like teepees. This location was added to the National Register of Historic Places back in 2002, ensuring it will be around for many more folks to enjoy for years to come. We also got our Arizona Route 66 passport stamped at the Holbrook Visitor Center.

We made a quick stop at the Geronimo Trading Post to see the world’s largest piece of petrified wood and I tried a few cowboy hats to take some pictures. The Geronimo had several beautiful pieces of petrified wood that were polished to make tables and chairs Very nice and very expensive.
The Jackrabbit Trading Post, home to the famous “Here it is” sign, was unfortunately closed by the time we arrived. However, we took advantage of a traditional 66 photo opportunity astride the giant jackrabbit sitting out front. Good times!

We completed our day with, you guessed it, standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona! For anyone who is not familiar with the reference, it’s a line from the Eagles song “Take It Easy”. The brief mention of Winslow in this popular sing-along has basically guaranteed an infinite stream of visitors from all around the world. There “Standing on the Corner” gift shop offers tons of trinkets and their radio plays the Eagles 24×7. When Jazz asked the proprietor if she ever plays anything else, she replied: “what else would you want to hear when entering the store?” Point well taken. Winslow is also the home of the largest Route 66 emblem painted onto the road heading east on 66

Tonight, we will rest at a Walmart in Flagstaff. We plan on exploring the area in the morning then will sneak over to the local Camping World for an oil change and general inspection. After that, onward to California!

~J&J