Highlights of Route 66
with Archers Holidays, June 2015
Bleagh. Bags out at 6.15am, on bus at 7.15am meant a 5.15am alarm. This is not morning! Still, we dragged ourselves out to the bus and set off. It was a blue sky, sunny morning and as we headed out of Albuquerque we spotted some hot air balloons, for which the city is famous.
We arrived at 8.45am at the Sky City Cultural Center and were told we would not be able to visit the Pueblo as there was "something on." They had called Beth to cancel just the previous evening. Seems a bit last minute to have some kind of event on. The first thing they made sure to tell us was that if we wanted to take photos at the Visitor Center (as we'd got no chance on the Pueblo) we'd still have to pay $14 each!!! SERIOUSLY? $14 to not take photos of the Pueblo. When we looked at the tiny museum, photos weren't allowed in there, even with a pass. What a rip-off!!
Instead of the tour of the ancient village, we received a one hour forty-five minutes photoshop presentation by a nice lady who was doing her first presentation! She wasn't so bad, but we couldn't hear her properly so only caught some of the words when she looked directly at us. Beth stepped out to speak with someone and the Director came on stage to tell us how he needed our money, and we could always visit another time...maybe we could bring a group with us? Yeah right...cos that's not going to get cancelled now, is it? It was a bit tortuous. We took a quick look in the gift shop but they had me so riled that I wasn't prepared to part with any of Di's money, same went for the café. Beth bought us all photo-passes, courtesy of Cosmos/Archers, but I was too incensed to take many pictures - not that there was much to see anyway - certainly not $14's worth!
I totally understand private events get booked at these places, although I doubt just the night before so they should have been able to give Beth more warning that it would not be available. Even if it was an emergency closure, that's fair enough, just tell us that, don't make it all about how the elders decide if we can go and we can't. Even then, don't then try to screw us all for $14 to take a minimal number of photographs - I always think that's a 2-Ted dropper as you are giving them publicity, visiting, buying stuff, drinking coffee, they really feel the need to charge $14 per head? With the village it's not quite so bad but photos of the Visitor Center? I was so annoyed. They would have gained so much more goodwill from us if they'd said, we're terribly sorry, but we've laid on some free coffees for you, and although we normally charge $14 for taking photographs, the limited nature of your visit means that we have decided to waive that charge (or maybe charge one nomimal fee to the entire bus). Either way, that would have gone a long way. It's all about Service. Rather than going back with a group, I wouldn't go back at all - which is a shame, as they could probably use the money - but there are so many other things to see in the world, there's no need to fleece customers. As I say, it was not closing the village I had an issue with, it was the attitude when presented with a bus full of folks before 9am (who'd been up since around 5am in order to get here early) and slap them in the face. Anyway, they got just one Ted from me and I would not recommend the place. It could all have been handled so much better. Maybe the team have no flexibility but the Director should be able to stand up and be counted. We were all back on the bus by 10.20am (ten minutes early - which is unheard of) and then we were back on the road.
We crossed the Continental Divide (either side of which the river flows in opposite directions) but sadly we didn't get to stop - not that there's much to see really. We did, however, stop at Wal-Mart for lunch (other eating places were available). Eek, we only went in for some snacks and a few bits and pieces - Jeez! Don't ask how much it cost! Ow! I might have got carried away. We continued on to Holbrook, Arizona, turning our clocks back an hour as Arizona doesn't recognise Daylight Savings Time (brilliant idea - to ignore it, that is).
In Holbrook we took a quick stop to see another Route 66 mural. This one was pretty huge!
On the other wall there was one of the nearby Petrified Forest.
A couple of minutes further on and we stopped at Wigwam Village #6. This is a collection of concrete and steel teepees set up around a main office building and is still operating as a motel today. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
To add to the 50s feel - as this is a motel - there are a number of old cars pulled up outside of the teepees, like there would be when the motel was in use in the old days. There were a few modern cars as well. It still operates as a motel today - we got a sneaky peak as housekeeping were cleaning one of the "tents". Cosy!
Here's a closer look at some of the cars.
Once everyone had returned to the bus, we here heading to Winslow, Arizona, like in the Eagles song Take It Easy. As most of the folks on the bus set off to head for the corner we headed the opposite way to check out La Posada Hotel, the last of Fred Harvey's great railroad hotels. Now on the National and State Register's of Historic Places, La Posada was designed by Mary Jane Colter in 1930 and it was rumoured to cost $2 million to build and furnish.
Winslow would become the headquarters for the Santa Fe Railway and this resort hotel would be central to all Arizona had to offer to tourists. Colter deemed La Posada her masterpiece. Opening in 1930 it closed just 27 years later in 1957 and much of the building was gutted, making offices for the Santa Fe Railway. More than once it was threatened with demolition, especially when the Railroad company moved out. The National Trust for the Historic Preservation added the hotel to their endangered list and eventually it was purchased from the Railway. Restoration was estimated at $12 million and began in 1997.
La Posada continues to be the Amtrak passenger railroad stop in Wilmslow, though the large waiting room below is now closed. As we were there a freight train passed through.
When we reached the corner the Eagles were standing on there were just three ladies taking pictures. I tried to be patient but boy they were slow. This pose and that, each individually, then together. I did try to be patient! Eventually it was my go. The song references [some kind of red truck??] and they have that here too!
A quick dash around the gift shop and we were once again back on the bus and on the way to Flagstaff, Arizona. I'd been there before, with Di with TrekAmerica back when she was young enough! We stopped at Safeway for supplies for lunch and had a picnic I seem to remember. We almost did our US semester here at the University of Northern Arizona but they had snow and Phoenix (and Arizona State University) didn't.
We arrived at our hotel the Drury Inn and Suites Flagstaff.
Woohoo! Score! We got us a suite! A small lounge with sofa and table and TV, a microwave and fridge. Free and easy to use wifi. Two beds with TV. This is definitely a five-Ted hotel.
As we were leaving the bus to catch the Grand Canyon Train the next day, we had to see Beth in the lobby to sign a form. That gave us the chance to get our three drinks at the Drury Inn Kickbacks before meeting friends nearby. We drank a beer and saved two wines for later in the room. We had some nachos and cheese to help it down.
Tonight though, we had another Tweetup planned - meeting Goldie (@GoldieBruin) and Fred (@FredColbear) who I knew from Twitter. We walked the few blocks down to Beaver Street and the Beaver Street Brewery and met Fred and Goldie (and their humans) in the parking lot. We headed inside and were seated straight away, at a booth for four, with a chair added on. We asked if we could add the table for two opposite which gave us a little breathing room. We were lucky as well as there was a window sill and spare chair where we bears could hang out and chat together, without the help of the pesky hoomins. Theo ordered the Beaver Street Brewery sampler of 8 beers which were a mix of good and bad to me, to be expected I suppose. Anyway, Theo was happy. We ordered food too.
We had a six-cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza and sausage pizza and they were pawesome. Really hot when they arrived, which was fabulous (shouldn't be impressive that, should it?) and about twelve-inch diameter. They tasted really good.
We sat and chatted and really got on great - we also had Colin with us, Ted and Baloo who had come with Fred. We had a really fabulous time! Great friends and great food!
We had an early start the next day so we eventually had to say goodbye to our pals and return to our hotel (and our wine!)
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