Take it Easy

Granny Hat is not the first travel blogger to write about Route 66. There are hundreds of articles that wax eloquent about the Americana Spirit, the must-not-miss diners, the coziest motels and the bang-for-your-buck trading posts. With Granny Hat and Dad though, there is more of an honest, “Why don’t they mark Route 66 better?”, “We might be lost!”, “Oh, look! We stayed in that Teepee Motel back in 1967 when I was a kid.” kind of feel.

When the AAA magazine VIA recommends a certain shop for authentic Navajo rugs and turquoise jewelry you can bet it’s a top dollar experience, authentic yes, affordable, maybe not! Route 66 is no trip for bargain hunters. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, (and check on Ebay later) is Granny’s new shopping motto.

Granny Hat and Dad traveled small portions of Route 66 between Amarillo, Texas and Williams, Arizona.  If you are an american patriot, a nostalgic soul, a turquoise collector, a Navajo rug purveyor, a diner burger and milkshake rater, a Disney Cars movie fan, or a snow bird looking for a beautiful desert drive, Route 66 needs to be on your bucket list. Large portions of the adventure cruise along Interstate 40 but the most spectacular views are on the two lane roads where the iconic route meanders into the outback. You will encounter wild burrows, roadrunners and the stunning red rock bluffs and mesas that inspired the Cars ride scenery. 

This quaint relic from yesteryear is a great place to spend the night in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Classic 60’s Rock and Roll on the old radio greets you at the door of your room and the laundry is still free like it used to be in the good ole’ days. Plus the proprietor randomly gave Dad room 23, which is Dad’s special number. He was born on June 23 and that number follows him, frequently. It’s creepy and magical at the same time. Granny’s better half should own the brand 23 and Me. 

🎶Standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona…🎶

The Eagles really came through for this Route 66 town.  Their Billboard hit Take It Easy, released on July 22, 1972, put Winslow on the map and has kept it from drying up and blowing away like so many other small desert towns along the route. Granny really enjoyed standing on that corner and taking a photo with that flatbed Ford.

Often the best parts of a road trip are the surprises. Walnut Canyon National Monument in Arizona is a hidden treasure. Years ago Granny and her family ventured to Mesa Verde, the celebrated, magical cliff dwelling community that welcomes over 500,000 visitors each year. Walnut Canyon is similar, an ancient cliff village hidden away in a beautiful canyon with views of the San Francisco Mountain Range in the distance. Visitors can hike all through the gorge, getting up close to the  caves and shelters. The canyon is rich with Arizona Walnut trees, berry bushes and herbs that the Sinagua nation used between 1100 and 1250 AD.  The best feature is that only 150,000 people venture into Walnut Canyon each year so it is the road less traveled.

After a narrow, often treacherous, lonely section of old highway where the brays of wild burros can be heard,  Granny and Dad rolled into Oatman, Arizona which boasts that it is the best preserved and most authentic of the southwest Route 66 towns. The shops are run by locals and offer everything from exquisite leather work and hand made jewelry to local honey and jams. The desert burros wander free through town and there’s a fun Wild West shootout in the street in front of the bank. It reminded Granny Hat of Knotts Berry Farm back before admission fees and roller coasters.

Granny and Dad met an old Native American man who made jewelry and told tall tales about his adventures around the world. He had no plans to stay long in Oatman, it was just one of the many stops in his travels. Granny thought he was a bit of a lost soul, but she bought some of his turquoise bracelets. 

Dad says we will have to return to Route 66, there is too much to see and do for one road trip. Guess Granny Hat can’t cross it off the list yet!

Next: Heaven and Nature sing