Day 19: Rt 66

After a restful yesterday it was time to play tourist again. I didn’t know where we were heading but, I soon discovered that we would again travel on the very historic Route 66. 

We traveled thru a small depressed town by passed not only by I-40 but I think by time itself.  Ash Fork has long been all but forgotten if it hadn’t become the flagstone capital of the world.  It has piles and piles and piles of flagstone ready to be shipped anywhere in the world.  Typically my picture of these did not come out. 

We headed west through Ash Fork and on into Seligman about 20 miles away.  For those of us old enough to remember these Burma Shave signs they dotted the road into Seligman.

 

  This little by passed town is trying to relive the era long gone by  of the 40’s and 50’s when this was a happening town on Route 66. 

.  Dated music played loudly on the streets, old cars, life size movie star figures and RT 66 gift shops in every building.

I even posed for a picture with Elvis. Not sure who the blonde in the bandana is but she was okay.  I put my hand on Elvis’s bare ankle but my cameraman that it was too risqué.   Oh well….

We played tourist in all the gift shops and I bought my typical souvenirs of Rt 66.

Now I’m going to  talk to all the parents reading this blog that have seen 100 times or more the movie “Cars”.  Here in Seligman I found where Tow Mator came from and also found the cops car.

Before

After

The  cop car, right down to the bubble light on top

Because I’ve seen this movie over and over so many times when my grandson lived with me and now having seen the depressed towns that I-40 has virtually left for dead that movie sure does ring some truth to it.

I am happy to say that places like Seligman and here in Williams the towns will survive.  One out of tackiness and souvenir shops and one mainly because of its location.  Being the gate way to the Grand Canyon Williams has been able to preserve its old time quaintness.

 I think tomorrow we will play tourist in down town Williams so with a few pictures you too will be able to compare the two.

Time for a glass  and wait for the train so we can wave.  
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"Until we meet again, Happy Trails to you"