Day 13 – Las Vegas to Santa Monica (October 23rd)

After being refused a late check out, we were given 5 minutes to vacate our room or face the wrath of some Latina maid. Okay, so in their defense it was 2pm when we asked (check-out was at 11am)!

Once we had checked-out, we were real keen to get out of Vegas as quick as possible but Chot found a couple of hundred dollars in chips in his back pocket. This was going to be fuel and food money for the day. We were saved! Vegas takes takes takes and gives back a little! The plan was to go get some chicken fried rice and then go up to Treasure Island to redeem the chips.

It was another scorching day and after food we picked up the car from valet – with a flat tire!! After trying to pump it and failing, we needed to find a joint to have the tire replaced quickly – realizing it was Sunday afternoon and places would likely already be closed. Vegas would not let us go. It was looking likely that we would have to spend another night here. An hour later we found a place that was soon to close and they kindly replaced the tire – for $200!

So we left Vegas at 17h to make the long 280-mile trip across to Santa Monica. We decided to go straight onto the I-15 and ride it for as long as possible.

It was an eventful trip, which saw us reminiscing about our Vegas antics and laughing about the nights before. At the same time we knew that our adventure was coming to an end. Chot would fly back to Chicago tomorrow and I would fly back to London the day after.

We were in for an experience as soon as we entered California. Drivers are so aggressive and crazy – swerving in and out of lanes, almost going bumper to bumper with others. They know no fear and it got us a little nervous. It was certainly different from the quiet lanes of the Mid-West.

We arrived in Santa Monica at 21h30, valeted the car and went straight out for some food – eating the best chicken wings known to man himself! We contemplated whether to have one last booze up but after checking out a few bars we decided to save energy for the last day tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will go and check out the Los Angeles area. I still cannot believe we are here. It is something I have dreamt about since I was a kid.

Today’s drive was 281 miles. That takes the entire trip up to 2800 miles. Click here to see the route traveled so far.

Day 12 - Phoenix to Las Vegas (October 22nd)

Late last night (or was it this morning) it was decided that we would head directly to Vegas. Why did we kid ourselves - it was inevitable that we would end up there.

I actually felt pretty fresh after yesterday's antics and after saying our "goodbyes" to family, we left Beautiful Lane at 11am. It was going to be a 287 mile drive so the intention was to drive without any stops...

That intention vanished after Chot kept pleading to stop for a toilet and magnet break! He wants a magnet for each state he visits. After that though, we drove - totally excited about getting to Vegas a quickly as possible. Chot booked the cheapest room he could find on the Strip - $180 for the Imperial Palace. I did try and convince him that we should just splash the cash, but he was sensible.

The road was no less amazing than what I had seen in my previous two weeks. Huge slopes, cutting through the mountains and opening up to some amazing scenery. I kept bugging Chot to take pictures but am not sure if these do the landscape any justice.

Our final stop before hitting the Strip was Hoover Dam. I had heard that it was something that cannot be missed. I had also heard the same of the Grand Canyon but decided that as we were so close that we should stop. Chot had also never seen it so I figured little bro should get some education on what would otherwise be a heavy night of drinking. So, Hoover Dam in a nutshell - a dam that no longer works. To be honest it was pretty ordinary and we were both cursing the extra 45 minutes we would lose for Vegas - especially as we hit super heavy traffic on approach to the Strip.

We finally hit the strip at 18h45 - gave the car to the valet - checked in - changed - and out by 19h45. Yes - one hour (most of which was used by Chot to clean his teeth after having 4 wisdom teeth extracted some four days previously). It was the last we would see of the hotel room for the next 12 hours!

What do I love about Vegas! What isn't there to love. You can pick up a drink in one hotel and walk with it down the strip, into another casino or even into a restaurant. Anything goes and this convenience is really attractive.

So drink in hand we left the Imperial in search of food. Here's where my newly found obsession with PF Changs kicked in. Chicken fried rice was all I wanted - and was happy to wait one hour for a table to satisfy the craving. Whilst waiting, we played in the nearby casino...some Black Jack, Deal or No Deal and other random editions of Black Jack.

After food it was straight into the Cosmopolitan casino. It recently opened and is the place to be at the moment. We decided to try and get into its club "Marquee". After some more Black Jack and a failed attempt to follow about 100 females into the VIP area, we settled in line and paid the $50 cover.

The club is like the best I have ever been to. So busy and such energy and the rest is history.

Guess what though?! At 6am I wanted to eat chicken fried rice. We got dropped off at this Korean restaurant. I am sure they fed us dog steak but cannot be sure. We quickly left and walked home in the freezing cold (got a little lift from total strangers) and in bed by 8am.

What a night. Another thing I can check off the list. Smashed Vegas with my little brother.

Later today we will head to Santa Monica. Time to sleep and get ready for the 281 mile drive.

I have covered around 2,500 miles on this adventure to date. Click here to see my journey so far.

Day 11 - Phoenix (October 21st)

Another relaxing and non-driving day. After yesterday's drinking I slept in (again) and just chilled out at home in the morning. My cousins had managed to get the day off work so we were all set to spend some time together before the evening.

First stop was to get a scenic view of Phoenix up on one of the mountains. Puja struggled with the windy roads - felt sick and ill - Ashu and I just had to laugh and remind her of yesterday's nasty calamari. The view though was lovely and the weather HOT HOT HOT!

Next stop was for lunch - and my introduction to PF Changs. Little was I to know that this forst visit would turn into an obsession. Awesome chicken fried rice, chilly chicken and some dodgy lamb - nice cocktails and something amazing happened.

Puja hated her martini and the waitress noticed. She told her manager and he came over - apologized and removed it from the bill. Added to that, she got a free ginger beer. I mean seriously!! This kind of thing would never happen in the UK. People just appear to be so nice here!

After a brief mall stop we were back to hanging out at home and getting ready for a night out in Mill Avenue. Oh and picking Chot up from the airport.

We had a great time in the evening and were joined by our friends Maria, Jodi (we met them in India two years ago for Bab's wedding) and Jodi's boyfriend Hunter. It was civilized to begin with but then quickly descended into a crazy drink fueled night which took us to places I cannot quite remember. We had some drinking games, rolling on wet grass, some tripping over massive bins, some push-ups in the middle of the street and some gaming at a casino (thanks to Maria's brother Frankie).

All in all an awesome night and great time spent with family and friends. Chot will join me for my last three days of my adventure. The plan is to drive to Seligman tomorrow and then onto Needles and to spend the night in Laughlin...but the Vegas urge remains!! Let's see what happens tomorrow!

Chot will be joining me for my last three days. The current plan is to drive to Seligman tomorrow and then into Needles and stay in Laughlin.

Day 10 - Phoenix (October 20th)

Very casual and chilled out day today. Woke up and ate Pranthas made by Ashu’s Mom and then left to meet him at his new Dairy Queen location. Wow! What a project. My cousin is working on running his second DQ. This time though he is doing it from scratch. I am very proud.

After looking around, getting a haircut and having lunch I left him to it and returned home. It was nice to relax and chat on the couch with my cousin Puja (who does nightshifts but could not sleep)!

In the evening we headed out for drinks and Maria joined us. The food was a little dodgy but the drinks and company were the main things. After a few drinking games we went home and I (literally) passed out.

Another lovely day, relaxing and catching up with family. What more could you ask for?!

Day 9 - Holbrook to Phoenix (October 19th)

So it was the day of truth. Do I continue along Route 66 to Williams or stop at Flagstaff and drive down to Phoenix. It essentially came down to a right or left turn in the late afternoon of day 10.

After breakfast I was on my way to cover some 250 miles to Williams via Grand Canyon. My first stop was Winslow. I stopped on the corner of Winslow (as the Eagles sung in their 1972 song “Take it Easy”). It was a pretty spot and decorated with lots of Route 66 reminders. I was back to the Americana I knew and wanted. I looked around in the local gift shop and almost brought lots of things for my guest room project – restrained only by the fact that my car trunk and suitcase had no more space!

My next stop was Meteor Crater. It houses the remains of a massive meteor that smashed to earth in the 1930’s. It is about a mile in length and width – truly impressive and a strange calm.

Following a brief stop in Winola, it was onto Flagstaff. Flagstaff is hailed as a very pretty place but I did not see it. Perhaps I did not go up far enough to appreciate it. Perhaps my mind was on making a snap decision on whether to continue to Williams – and then – there it was. A left would take me 140 miles to Phoenix…a right would take me 80 miles up to Grand Canyon.

After springing a little surprise on my cousins, I took the left turn and drove the I-17 straight down to Phoenix. It was such a lovely drive through the mountains – up and down and some breathtaking views. I only stopped at the local outlet mall in Black Canyon City to pick up some presents and arrived home for 19h30.

Puja was at work and it was nice to see Ashu’s parents over from India. After some HOME COOKED INDIAN food we went to check out the first Dairy Queen (my first experience of a blizzard from the store that my cousin owns). It was then onto the local Applebees and finally finishing around 2am with a round of drinks in the garden.

I am happy to be here and have a drink without worrying about driving. It’s my first visit to my cousins’ home and it is lovely! My left turn to Phoenix was based on me wanting to enjoy my last few days whilst in the States. I knew that this would probably mean the end of my Route 66 adventure (until Santa Monica) but it was what I decided. Today’s drive was 186 miles long. That takes the total miles driven to around 2,020 miles!

Day 8 - Santa Fe to Holbrook (October 18th)

I was up early today and hit the road at 09h00 to make the 300 mile journey west to Holbrook, AZ.

I am going to be honest here. I don’t know if it was my lack confidence after yesterday’s events, or the fact that New Mexico did not fill me with joy, or perhaps I was becoming a little disillusioned with the Mother road. I decided to boycott New Mexico, Mexican food, Native American Indians and red brick scenery in parts. There are only so many historical Indian sites I can take (no offense to Indians here. I am well aware of their struggle and all), but I don’t really want to keeping seeing the way they lived, how they cooked etc. Once is enough. Another reason I boycotted the New Mexico part of Route 66 was as it just felt as though I was in Mexico – that’s not why I am here. I am here for AMERICANA and it’s lacking up these parts.

I stayed on the I-40 West for most of the day today. The driving was fantastic, with plenty of climbs and falls – making you feel like you would just fall off the edge of the road – until you saw it again once at the top. Red earth scenery amazed me in parts. I then started getting bored of it all and just wanted a change.

My one stop today (apart from a lunch stop in Gallup and very brief photo stops elsewhere) was the Petrified Forest National Park. It was pretty cool to see trees that have turned into stone through 200 million years of just laying there. There are thousands of examples of it and is truly amazing to see. The Painted Desert was also nice to see. I am wondering whether I should make the effort to go and see the Grand Canyon or not. I mean, it will likely be the same kind of thing I have seen already – right?!

I arrived in Holbrook for around 16h30 (having gained another hour – now -8 hours from UK). It is a nice small town and I am staying in a Wigwam – a great experience for $59. However, I am getting a little frustrated with small towns now. You often have to drive to get dinner, which means you cannot have more than one drink. There are barely any people around. Those that are around are not as friendly as in my first week of travels (well, I was spoilt I guess). I am starting to question the rest of my trip – whether I should stay true to the Mother road, or whether I should take a few days off to just have some fun without having to worry about the drive. I have not lost interest in the road itself, but I guess the stops I was making in the first week were interesting and current (like 1920’s and onwards). The ones I am making now I just cannot relate to.

Today I shunned the Mother road’s Mexican side and traveled 300 miles of mostly interstate to Holbrook. I am now 1,840 miles into my trip.

Click here to see my journey so far. 

Tomorrow I will likely succumb to the Mother’s temptation and travel from Holbrook to Williams. I might then go down to visit my cousins one day earlier tomorrow night – we will see how it goes. Best of all is that I have options. I am looking forward to spending some time with Puja and Ashu though - oh and Maria and Jodie - and of course excited about Chot joining me for the last leg of my trip into Cali.

Signing off for now.

Day 7 - Amarillo to Santa Fe (October 17th)

I was up and away by 09h00 this morning to make the 290 mile trip to Santa Fe. It was going to be one of my longest driving days so I needed to be selective on what to see and what to miss.

My first stop was the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo. There are 10 cars planted face down in soil and people can stop and graffiti on them. I found a half empty can of spray paint and went for glory!

After a brief stop in Vega, I stopped for brunch at the Mid Point Cafe in Adrian. It claims to be the dead centre point in terms of distance between Chicago and Santa Monica. A massive omelette and a few souvenirs later I was off again to drive some 18 miles of dirt road from Glenrio to San Jon.

This drive was fantastic - so quiet with only the nearby cows and bulls to keep me company. I did not see a single person or car for about 30 minutes. I stopped in the road to take lots of pictures and even get some dirty looks from the "locals". In the back of my mind though was the petrol gauge. It was almost empty and I was hoping for a gas station soon. I need to keep the tank full at all times in future - especially as the desert awaits in a few days.

San Jon itself is a battered ghost town with some examples of its former self. Again, shops have been abandoned and motels lay empty and long out of business. Thankfully one gas station was doing business - but it was near the I-40 East exit.

I had heard a lot before the trip about Tucumcari and its famous motels. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed driving through the town and taking some pictures of the various motels. I would not choose to stay there though unless you had been driving for 15 hours and about to collapse. I would recommend checking out the delights of Tucumcari and buying something to support local businesses instead.

Okay, so it had to happen eventually. My perfect trip had to have some downside...right? Well it came! I continued west of Tucumcari to a dead end. Instead of reversing back for 3 miles and getting back on the I-40 West, I saw some dirt tracks ahead and decided to try it - thinking it would get me back on the I-40 West and I would save some 10 minutes. It did not go to plan. As I got deeper and deeper into this dirt road, it started veering right (away from the I-40 West on my left) and getting very close to the railway line. But still, I failed to go with my instinct and continued until the car was beached and stuck in sand. I could not move, it was 85 degrees and there was nothing in sight. Nightmare!!!! I had no choice but to call 911 and wait. An hour later the deputy sheriff arrived, 15 minutes after that the railway police arrived and the recovery arrived some 2 hours after that. Anyways, to cut a long story short I lost 3 hours of driving time and $310 for the recovery - all just to save 10 minutes originally. I have learned my lesson and certainly will not be doing that again.

Every cloud has a silver lining though. I gained one hour unexpectedly as I had entered mountain time.

I was annoyed with myself. It was 17h00 and I still had some 150 miles to Santa Fe. I decided the only way to make it was to drive the I-40 for a lot of the way. I stopped in Santa Rosa and ignored the temptation to stop anywhere else. I sped up the US-84 to take the pre-1937 loop into Santa Fe.

The US-84 drive was great. Perhaps it was just the feeling of being on good road again, or my relief that I was only out of pocket $310 as it could have been a lot worse with trespassing. However, the long straight road, beautiful sky and even seeing wild deer (or was it gazelle) calmed me down.

I did not have a motel tonight so tried at the El Reyy Inn. They had rooms at $100 and I took it. It's clean and basic but I just wanted my bed.

Tomorrow I will travel some 300 miles to Holbrook in Arizona. It will be another long day so am aiming to leave around 08h30. Today's trip to Santa Fe was 290 miles, taking my total miles to 1,540 miles. I am one week into my amazing adventure and I think the best is still to come!

Click here to see my route so far

I am happy to see that so many people are reading my blog. I hope you are finding it interesting and thanks for taking the time.

Day 6 - Oklahoma City to Amarillo (October 16th)

Said my goodbyes to the Taylors after eating a lovely eggs and bacon breakfast (thanks Jennifer). The biscuit and gravy can wait for when you guys come to London.

First stop was the Oklahoma City National Memorial, a tribute to the 168 victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing of 1995. It was so peaceful there. They have a chair for each person that lost their life – smaller chairs for the children that died. Bizarre to think that before 9/11 this was the worst act of terrorism on US soil in its history – by an American who was anti-government.

I got lost quite a bit again today. The signposts I had gotten used to in Illinois and Missouri had disappeared – or rather, they had become less frequent. However, again there was some fantastic driving on the Route 66 to be had – and I made sure that I took advantage of it (tons of dirt roads, windy countryside driving etc. around El Reno and Hydro).

My next stop was the Thomas P. Stafford Space Museum in Weatherford ($7 entry). They had some nice bits and pieces from his travels and lots of examples of warplanes and even actual rock from the moon.

Although I am not a massive fan of museums, I did visit three today and glad I did. Two Route 66 ones came on route in Clinton and Elk City. Both great in their own ways (I did prefer the Clinton one though). I did buy a few things there and had an idea to change our guest bedroom into a Route 66 memorabilia room – or rather to show memorabilia from 1950’s and 1960’s USA. Let’s see what Sandy thinks of that.

I was really beginning to lose time. At 15h30 I was still some 170 miles away from Amarillo with so much still to do. I decided that the only way was to drive on the I-40 West for a while to make up some time (I did miss the quietness of Route 66 though).

After brief stops in Sayre and Texola, I entered Texas and stopped in McLean. Real shame that the Devil’s Rope museum was closed. Yes, a real shame. It’s a museum dedicated to barbed wire. You heard me right…barbed wire!

I then sped on the dirt roads, got lost a lot and found a massive cross of Christ and a sight dedicated to Jesus and his life. The woman in the gift-shop asked me if I wanted to write a prayer in their prayer book – I did for my dad and family. People are very religious in these parts. There’s almost a different church every mile, the radio is full of preaching and people truly believe in god. They also have true values (family, how to live life and be a good citizen).

Then to my final stop for the night in Amarillo – The Big Texan Motel ($69). Apparently you can order a 72-ounce steak here, and it’s free if eaten within one hour. Sounds easy? You have to eat all the side dished that come with it as well!

The landscape changed a lot throughout today. We went from hilly meadows to cracked red earth to flat grazing countryside. The smells have also increased, as these cows love to let out some gas. Weather wise, it’s perfect. It was around 80 but then got up to 91 before Texas and then came down to around 75 – blue skies all the way though. Not a cloud in sight. I just loved those rough and red dirt roads though.

Today I traveled about 280 miles. It takes me up to about 1,250 miles so far. Tomorrow I will travel to Santa Fe in New Mexico. I cannot wait for this. I hear that you can see the stars in the sky so bright that you can almost touch them. It will be a long drive so no sleep in tomorrow.

Click here to see my route so far 

One final thing about road etiquette. If you arrive at a 4-way stop junction, the car that got there first goes first and then the second one goes etc. I don’t take any chances though so I just wait and wait and then finally go when I know for sure I have been waiting longest. Oh, just make sure it’s not a 4-way junction where passing cars don’t stop – that’s another ball game entirely.