Welcome to my Route 66 Daily Roundups. Throughout the course of my cross-country adventure with Marriott International and vehicle sponsor Nissan USA, I will be sharing the highlights from each leg of the trip. To see all of the Daily Roundups please click here.
To read about the inspiration for this epic drive, please check out this post.
Day 11: Flagstaff, Arizona to Twentynine Palms, California
It’s hard to believe, but today was the next to last drive of this Route 66 adventure. While it seems as though I just started, when I think back at all of the experiences it also seems like I’ve been driving for weeks. Today was a great day though as we left the forested streets of Flagstaff and headed west.
Thanks to its proximity to other major tourist destinations like Las Vegas, I soon learned that this stretch of the Mother Road through Arizona and into California is the most popular and I found myself surround by something strange – other people. That fact hit home when we stopped in the small but Route 66 obsessed town of Seligman. Tour buses on their way to the Grand Canyon also stopped briefly, to experience the beautiful kitsch and camp of the town. Shops and restaurants, all emblazoned with that Route 66 I’ve come to know and love were everywhere and it was fun to chat with the storeowners to learn their very unique stories.
That was the theme of the day, yes, I was surrounded by tourists from around the world, but I also enjoyed sharing this experience with them. I was proud that they had ventured here from all around the world to experience my country, to live the American dream for themselves. Other towns embraced the drive in the same way, like Kingman where we enjoyed lunch at a classic diner, or Oatman, where the days of the Wild West never ended.
When planning my trip, I decided to spend the night a little off of Route 66, but close to something else I wanted to see – Joshua Tree National Park. Staying at the ideally situated Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, it was easy to first explore the park right before sunset before checking into this cheerful and comfortable hotel. Getting back to the Route in the morning won’t be an issue, and I’m so thankful for the chance to visit this stunning National Park.
Tomorrow is the last day as we tackle the final leg of this remarkable experience.
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