Edward Is Everywhere

The single twin arrow of Twin Arrows, Arizona There isn't much to Twin Arrows, it is mostly just this abandoned trading post/diner/gas station.  There is a casino and active gas station on the other side of the interstate, but since I am mostly interested in Route 66 this trip I didn't explore them. Twin Arrows gets its name from these two giant arrows mounted on the ground. The shaft of the arrow is a utility pole.  You might notice that there is only a single arrow here.  The second one was mounted on the other red base you can see behind the arrowhead. According to Google Streetview, the other one disappeared sometime between April 2021 and June 2022. Wikipedia has an unsourced claim that it fell in February of 2022.  Twin Arrows trading post This is the view you get as you drive up to the graffiti-covered Twin Arrows Trading Post after getting off the interstate.  On the right is the interstate and what's left of Route 66.  Directly ahead, with the graf...

Visitor Center and train station Flagstaff is the largest city on Route 66 in Arizona with a population of over 75,000. It is home to, among other things, Northern Arizona University.  I spent a couple of nights there but focused on Route 66 in downtown. One side of the Flagstaff railway station which houses the Visitor Center in addition to the Amtrak station. 1 East Route 66, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001. Motel Downtowner There are, unsruprisingly, a lot of hotels and motels in Flagstaff near Route 66 and the railroad station.  Motel Downtowner has an unusually large sign, maybe since it is on the other side of the railroad tracks from Route 66 it needed it to attract guests.   Motel DuBeau Motel Dubeau is another motel with a S.O.U.S. (Sign Of Unusual Size). The neon sign is taller than the adjacent tree. Orpheum Theater The Orpheum Theater was built in 1911 and expanded in 1917. It was originally the Majestic Opera House before becoming the Orpheum. In 2002 it re-opened ...

  Richfield gas station, side view   Bellemont is really small, and, the interesting part (from a traveling Route 66 perspective) is even smaller. It is really just one or two places. Get off I-40 at exit 185 and go towards Camp Navajo. Once there, take a left.  You'll drive  less than two miles then you'll get to the main stop (for me, anyway).  Richfield Gas Station / Pine Breeze Inn is our stop.  It's the white building with a sign saying "Richfield" on the front.   Here's the side view. Note the ghost sight, above the gold bar it says "Pine Breeze Inn" (not that you can read it) and below the gold bar it says "All Credit Cards Accepted" (I'd suggest using one that expired in the 1960's).  There is a single gas pump remaining on the pump island under the overhang.   This old Ford It is rare to see a car in such bad shape. I wasn't sure it was even a Ford, but that is what it says on the step by the driver's door.  I suspe...

One of a couple of signs at the eastern end of Williams, this one celebrating the Route 66 centennial, which is this year. Williams is a decent sized town of 3,200 people and lots and lots of hotels. It also is where the Grand Canyon Railway starts, allowing you to take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. Of note, Williams was the last place on Route 66 that was bypassed by Interstate 40. ( Williams on Wikipedia ) Bearizona There's bears, its in Arizona, what more could you want. Oh, you want bear cubs climbing a tree? The sign has that too.  Just to the right of the sign are a couple of vestigial remnants of Rt-66, and, if you continue down past the Bearizona entrance the road becomes E. Mountain Man Trail, which was Rt 66 from 1926-1931. Grand Canyon Railway  A train on the Grand Canyon Railway departing for the Grand Canyon.  Most days there is a single train in the morning that returns in the late afternoon, but some days there is a second morning train.  This was ...

  Entering Ash Fork Two signs at the entrance to Ash Fork, AZ. A green one, "Entering Ash Fork, Elevation 5144, Founded 1882" and a stone one to the left "Welcome to Ash Fork, Historic Route US 66". ( More about Ash Fork on Wikipedia .)  Ash Fork bills itself as the flagstone capital of the United States. They quarry a lot of flagstone slabs here.  The town is slowly shrinking, from a high of 894 in 1930, to 457 in 2000, to 361 in 2020. Original flagstone sidewalk  A small historical marker at the corner of Lewis Ave and First St stating that the flagstone sidewalk to the left was a Great Depression WPA Project . Behind it is the First Southern Baptist Church.   Copper State Motel The rooms of the Copper State Motel surround the building that was the motel office and have a parking lot in front. They are built out of stone and have a flat roof.  This is no longer an active motel. The Yanks Are Comin' A message on the side of a shipping container "The Yanks ...

  Old Crookton Overpass The old bridge over the BNSF tracks still looks to be in good shape, though a bit narrow by today's standards.  The road leading up to it has been turned in to crushed gravel, and there is a little drop on each side so driving your car across it is really not feasible.  This is looking east, so the new bridge is on the right. Bridges over the BNSF Route 66 goes over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad tracks. There are two bridges, the new bridge, on the left in the photo, carries the road.  The old bridge (on the right), is not open to traffic but you can pull over and walk across it.  I took this photo looking west, so if you are driving east, the old bridge will be on your left.   The open road The road goes on like this for miles. There is an occasional house along the road but no services. Old road bed Crookton Road rejoins I-40 and the easiest way to get to Ash Fork is to take the interstate. You can cross under th...

   Supai Motel at night Seligman, AZ is a popular tourist destination on Route 66. The main street has many hotels, restaurants, and gift shops.  It is right off the interstate (exit 121 or 123, either works) so it is worth stopping there to look around even if you aren't doing the full 66 experience. I first drovet through Seligman when I was going east. It was night so I didn't stay long, but I did take this picture of the neon sign at Supai Motel.  There three motel signs in this picture, The Postcard Motel is right beside the Supai, and then after that the blue vertical sign is for the Canyon Lodge motel.  Old bucket truck All sorts of interesting things are to be found.  I saw this old Ford cherry-picker bucket truck at a former gas station at the edge of town.  Route 66 RoadRunner Cafe and bus ( G. Edward Johnson CC-By Attribution 4.0 )   The Route 66 Roadrunner, Cafe, Art, and Gifts.  In front is parked a 1955 Geyhound bus. This isn't...