Skip to main content

2016 Cross-Country Trip Part 6; Return to US Route 66 and California

By
Picking back up from Part 5; I had just left Needles on US 95/I-40.  I followed I-40 west of the US 95 junction, I continued west until I split away from the Interstate at Exit 107.  I hadn't been to the Mojave section of US 66 since 2012 and I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to revisit on a cross-country trip.


I don't intend this to be anything more than me gushing over returning an old abandoned highway that I've always enjoyed.  For a full historical analysis of the Mojave section of US 66 in California I would suggest reading this previous blog.

US 66 (Cajon Pass to the Arizona State Line)

Pulling off on exit 107 afforded a unique view of the oversized "GAS" sign to the north of I-40 in Fenner.  Fenner really isn't much anything more than an RV and truck parking lot.


I really thought the CR 66 shields would have been stolen after so much time had passed since 2012.






Back in 2012 there was a glut of pit bulls running around the abandoned buildings in Essex.  In early 2016 they all had pretty much disappeared much like all the people did in the previous couple decades.








Danby in particular had a large number of guard dogs when I visited previously.  It would seem that back around 2012 there was some concern the part of the property owners that people would attempt to vandalize their buildings.  Much like Essex there was no signs of life by 2016.






Cadiz Summit seemed to have weathered the previous four years largely untouched.  Roamin Rich's US 66 stencil on the Cadiz Summit garage was still present, the only new addition was an abandoned lounge chair.












Chambless and Road Runners Retreat appeared just as I remembered them.




There was a new addition in Amboy; all normal grades of unleaded octane at Roy's were for sale whereas all I remember being sold was 87 octane.  One sad omission was that Roy's was no longer selling Route 66 Root Beer.  I believe that I bought a sugar cane Coke at Roy's before continuing west.






The Amboy Crater had a new paved road going to it south from US 66.






The Bagdad Tree at the Bagdad town site was still alive and present.


The last standing wall in Siberia still hadn't fallen by 2016 and I'm to understand is still around as of this year.


Previously I never had taken all that many photos of Ludlow.  I feel like I had a missed opportunity on the 2016 trip by not checking out Main Street up close.









I rejoined I-40 from Ludlow and took it west to I-15.  I stayed on I-15 briefly and joined CA 58 westbound where I encountered the early stages of the Hinkley Bypass project.





Really from here on out it was pretty standard fair reaching San Joaquin Valley where I took an eventual northward turn on CA 99 north to reach the Fresno area.  In retrospect I'm really disappointed that I didn't get to revisit US 60 in Arizona to see the old Queen Creek Tunnel.  This was a trip of necessity more than anything else that ended up having some really solid fun drives like a small section of US 66 in the desert and US 180/62 in Texas.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

By
Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

By
The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

By
A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties.  From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort.  Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through.  The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70.  Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains.  When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate.  The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking.  At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap.  NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south.  This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40.    The Centra...
Post a Comment
Read more