Get Your Kicks On Route 66

Marcy and I on Old Route 66 through Amarillo Texas
on a motorcycle trip last summer.

We are pretty fortunate here in Arizona because there are miles and miles of the Old Route 66 running through the state. For you younger folks, Route 66 was the original highway system established in 1926. It started in Chicago and ran 2,448 miles all the way to Los Angeles only to be replaced by the current interstate system by the 1980's.  I proudly remember traveling that old highway as a kid when my parents vacationed out west.

If you travel Route 66 in Arizona you will find yourself traveling down some pretty desolate stretches of an old two lane highway with nothing but cactus, scrub and rock on either side of you.

Marcy and our motorcycle minutes after we got stuck
in the sand along the highway after we pulled off to
take a picture.  Learned to stay on the pavement.

However, Route 66 runs through some pretty neat old mining towns turned ghost towns.  We visited one last week - Oatman, Arizona.   Oatman is known for its wild burros. The population of this old mining town is about 100 humans and 10 times that in burros.  You will see them the second you come into town because they are usually roaming around the center of town blocking traffic.  They pretty much run the town and they roam the streets trying to get the tourists to feed them.  They will stick their heads in your car, and follow you into the stores.  We actually watchedburro chew the weather stripping off some dude's BMW parked on the street.  

Many of the shops actually sell small bags of food and carrots for a dollar each.  The burros immediately know the bags on sight and they will converge on anyone holding a bag of food.  Carrots rank the highest in popularity and we actually saw a burro chase some guy down the street.  The burro was knocking this poor guy with it's head like a "roller derby" skater trying to get him to drop his bag of carrots.  

One of the numerous burros that roam Oatman
Arizona blocking traffic.  They are stubborn and they
move when they decide to move and not one
second before.

If you make it to Arizona be sure and enjoy a ride down old Route 66 and make a stop in Oatman.  Don't miss the gun fights which are staged several times per day.  Oh yes, and be sure to hide your carrots.

Have a purrable day...

Nick

www.nicksacco.com

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