I woke up later than I wanted, at 6:30am. I know that was still early, but I had places to be. I got the car packed and got some gas and was back to Santa Monica to get breakfast at Mel’s Drive-In, where the Route 66 Ends sign is posted on the street. Breakfast was quick, as my navigation app informed me I had a much longer drive than I anticipated.
After finishing my food I grabbed some shots of the cool-looking classic diner, and the murals and signs indicating Mel’s Diner is the true end of the route. Where here or the Pier is the true end, but for me, it’s the start.
The Los Angeles leg of Route 66 is long; it’s mostly city driving, through the heart of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and then out into the greater LA area like Pasadena. The further you drive the more you see businesses embrace the Route 66 brand. It seemed every business was named Route 66 Something.
After almost 3 hours I was out on a proper highway where I could go more than 25 and not hit every red light. This is where the road gets lonely, you start to only see a car every now and again. While on the highway through Eastern California is empty, just you and the desert. Every now and again my navigation app tells me of a point of interest. I slow to see what its calling out. A lot of these points of interest are long gone, just a marker on a map. Some you’ll see the old building that are one point 70 years ago was a gas station or a motel that was full from families looking to make thier way west.
About sometime after Barstow, I come to terms that I likely was not making it ot the Grand Canyon for sunset on the ridge. My hotel had texted me to confirm my reservation, I generously put I would be in by 9pm – Spoiler I was being very optimistic. With stopping along the way and the long roads of Route 66 time starts to add up. Around 5pm I realized it would be closer to Midnight. I try to call my hotel, to no answer. I wanted to see if I could extend my stay another night. I still hadn’t made it to Arizona and I was losing sunlight.
I texted my Mom an update to say I might just eat the cost of my hotel for the night and that I was approaching Needles, Arizona. While on the road I had texted the number that texted me for confirmation but hadn’t heard anything. I figured it was probably an auto-response system anyway. I get to a gas station and as I am starting to look for an available hotel for the night, I got a response from the hotel, they’re able to extend my stay another night. I am so relieved, I confirmed I was looking at a midnight arrival and that would be OK.
Now this is the first pivot I’ve had to make on this trip. Its now dark as I make my way across the Arizona state line through Needles. I have to make the call on the route, i’m 5+ hours of driving left. If I hop on the Interestate, I’m looking at 3 and a half. Since its dark, I call it and hit I-40 to Williams, AZ, before I turn North to the Grand Canyon.
When I head North, of course, there is one lane construction on the road. So I had to wait 15 minutes or more for a pilot car to come. When all I wanted was to get to a bed. I finally get to the park and my hotel – I somehow managed a parking spot right in front of the hotel doors, lucky me. I take this opportunity to take some night photos of the canyon with my tripod. It was peaceful and there was still a lot of people walking around the rim. Around 1am, I call it and head to my room. Moon is too bright to catch the Milkly Way.
I’m writing this in the morning because I could hardly keep my eyes open after 16 hours of driving. I think my plans today are to take the shuttle to the west end of the South Rim. There is supposed to be a lunar eclipse tonight, so fingers crossed I might get some good night shots.
