Roger & Jane Holm

(Roger & Jane Holm rode a Honda motorcycle from their home in Apple Valley, MN through downtown Chicago and then down the length of Historic Route 66. They had a wonderful time and the fun is clearly reflected in their Diary)

Roger & Jane Take Their Act On The [Route 66] Road
and the Mother Road will never be the same!

Best Breakfast: Clanton Cafe, Vinita, OK.

Best Lunch: Norma's Cafe⁽²⁾, Sapulpa, OK

Best Dinner: Ranch Kitchen, Gallup, NM

Least Loved as a Biker: Tradewinds Motel, Clinton, OK. Elvis may be welcomed there, but bikers aren't!

Most Disappointing 66 Icon: Pop Hicks Restaurant, Clinton, OK. Food was plentiful, service was friendly, but the restaurant was really dirty. Did have some neat 66 stuff.

Neatest People:

Lillian Redmond at the Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, NM. She is no longer young - wheelchair bound - did her "66 Routine" by memory.

The Waldmires: Buzz at the Cozy Dog in Springfield, IL and Bob at the Old Route 66 Visitor's Center in Hackberry, AZ.

The Funks: Any generation in Funks Grove, IL. Five generations there now and counting . . . excellent syrup.

Illinois: Funk's Grove. Dixie Trucker's Home -- known for its broasted chicken which is really incredible.

Missouri: Watch where you're going! Directions are terrible.

Kansas: Note the Route 66 painted on the road. Eisler Brothers Grocery, Riverton, KS. Great 66 stuff to buy -- the best prices we found on the whole route. Best selection of many items. In some cases it was the only time we saw some items. Scott will welcome you and help you in any way he can.

Oklahoma: Truly the Route 66 state, especially from the Kansas border to Oklahoma City. The Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, OK is wonderful. The Blue Whale is such a neat example of what this road portrayed.

Texas: McLean is a must. Wow. We got into town early, before 9AM. In Amarillo folks everywhere were friendly. Nice place. Ghost Towns abound in Texas.

New Mexico: Tucumcari may advertise over 2,000 rooms but it must be remembered that those signs are very, very old. Most of the rooms are now closed, which probably is a blessing. If you want a true sense of 66 in the old days, stay at the Blue Swallow. Or drive on, as we did, to Santa Rosa. The trip up to Sandia Peak east of Albuquerque was beautiful. It's on the original route to Santa Fe.

Arizona: "Don't forget Winona?" Well, do. The Museum Club, Flagstaff, AZ is an old-time roadhouse. We stopped, thinking it was a restaurant. It isn't, but had a taco bar for happy hour which worked as dinner. Terrific local flavor with real cowboys and great atmosphere. Be sure to look through the scrapbooks they have there of the past.

California: As soon as we crossed the border, things changed. Gas went form $1.47 a gallon to $1.98 a gallon. We were definitely done with the charm of 66. But, so were the Joads⁽³⁾ by this part of their journey. Californians seemed just as cold, uncaring and self-centered as they must have been in the 1930's when they turned away the Okies at will. We watched for the old, defunct agricultural station out in the desert that turned away all of those people in the 30's and found it.

Route 66, at best, is a thinly disguised remnant of the past. The desert from Needles to Barstow was beautiful. It was 5AM, cold and wonderful as the sun rose and warmed us. We had the "Music for the All American Highway - 66" playing all the way across the desert. The one song talks about the "Children of 66" as all people who have ridden the road. We joined the ranks that day!.

The trip from Barstow to the Santa Monica pier was a nightmare. I really think that folks doing the trip should be made aware of what they are in for -- six lanes in either direction, speed limit now 75MPH and kamikaze drivers.

The trip was fantastic! We were lucky with weather. Our concern was Tornado Alley through Oklahoma and yet we hardly got our faces wet. We did suffer with the hot 60MPH+ cross-winds in both Texas and New Mexico. We had snow in Flagstaff and again on our way home in Utah and Colorado. We put on every item of clothes we had with us and were still cold. But . . . all part of the adventure.

The memories will last a lifetime!!

Excerpts from the Holm's Diary.

Saturday, May 18, 1996 - 6AM - Odometer Reads: 22,529

Got off Lake Shore Drive to find Grant Park and the start of Route 66 . . . just happened to find the Start of Route 66 sign. Drove out of Chicago on Adams, through the southwest part of Chicago on Ogden Avenue to Cicero and Berwyn. Not a great part of town although the Route is well marked. Had to get on the Interstate for a few miles until the exit for Joliet⁽⁴⁾ and Highway 53.

We found a section of the old 66 to ride that paralleled Highway 53 outside of Braidwood for a short time. It's not driven often, lots of grass growing through the concrete.

Braidwood and Godley are old mining towns. Godley once had 21 mines within 1.5 miles but all were shut down by 1906. Quiet, small towns today.

In Dwight, IL there is a Marathon Gas Station from 1927. Considered to be a Route 66 relic as is the nice old coot who was running it. The old road is visible here but not driveable. Old Route 66 cuts off from Highway 53 at times but every turn is marked by signs.

By 10AM we reached Funks Grove, IL. The Funk family has sold maple syrup here since 1825. The 5th generation is now running the "store," which is a small building out behind their house. We had a sample (they spell it `sirup') and bought our first Route 66 souvenirs.

At little before 11AM we got to The Dixie Trucker's Home in McLean, IL, which has been open on Route 66 since 1928. Fourth generation Walters are running it 365 days a year . . . back in 1965 they did close for a single day due to a fire.

In Litchfield, IL we stopped at Niehaus Honda. They were running their Customer Appreciation Days and there were bikes everywhere. We talked with Brad Niehaus because we had sent him pictures of last year's open house. Across the street is the 66 Motel from the 1920's.

The old road disappears a few miles south of Litchfield, so we hopped on the Interstate at Hamel, IL. It is now 101 degrees. It was still 100 degrees when we crossed over the Mississippi river into Missouri and St. Louis. We took Interstate 55/44 through the city then went south on Watson Road to Chippewa Street and the Ted Drewes Custard Stand. It was a welcome stop and we met Travis Dillion, the current manager and son-in-law of Ted . . . third generation on Route 66. Watson Road has mile after mile of old filling stations and "tourist courts." Some are abandoned but many still are in business . . . and many have carports or garages for each unit.

Stanton, MO . . . Meramec Caverns. Ads in 10 states, on 58 barns, 48 billboards. Like Wall Drug, the billboards are every few feet as you get closer to the caverns. We're there too early in the day - not open yet.

Doolittle, MO. Here we took the advice of the owner of the Mule Trading Post outside St James, MO and found ourselves on a back road going . . . nowhere. The road was a beautiful road for biking -- hilly, nice curves, very scenic. We kept going, and going and going . . . we saw an occasional house, the road got bumpier, the dips in the road got lower, signs syndicating the road floods appeared, signs in the woods such as "Fred is watching YOU" and "You're not wanted here!" We kept hoping for a town but instead got a sign that said "Pavement Ends" - and it did. We backtracked quickly to the Interstate. We even had a six foot black snake slither in front of the bike. Ick!

State Line Bar & Grill. (Just west of Joplin, MO, at the Kansas state line). In doing a U turn for one of Jane's many picture stops, the bike's foot shifter falls off. We get off the bike and search the ground. We find all three pieces of the shifter. Two "good ole boys" are watching us with great interest. We decide to stop in the bar to cool off and quench the thirst. Interesting place. Then we're back on the bike for the 13.2 miles of Route 66 in Kansas. The Route 66 shield is painted on the roadway in Kansas - nice touch.

After spending the night in Baxter Springs, KS (one mile from the Oklahoma line) we hit the state where Route 66 was born: Oklahoma. John Steinbeck in Grapes of Wrath called it The Road of Desperation. Home of the "Okies." A car with three mattresses on top meant rich Okies, two mattresses meant mediocre wealth and one mattress meant dirt poor. Three hundred thousand Okies fled the dust bowl of the 30's. Commerce, OK's main street is Mickey Mantle Boulevard . . . it's where "The Mick" was born and raised.

In Vinita, OK we found a genuine Route 66 treasure: The Clanton Cafe. In addition to the great breakfast, ( two eggs, over medium, hash browns, biscuit & gravy for $1.90) we meet Mr. Clanton and all the staff. We're asked to sign his guestbook and we take pictures. The walls are covered with old pictures of Route 66 as well as a current picture of the Governor Illinois - Mrs. Clanton's cousin.

Clanton tells us about his history with Route 66. His grandfather started the restaurant 70 years ago. His father was a puller. He stood behind the horses to make Route 66. Clanton's college roommate is now the Chief of the Miami Tribe "up the road a bit." His mother in law is now 100 years old and came to Vinita by train as a young girl. Will Rogers went to school in Vinita. We listened to his stories for an hour and hated to leave.

At Catoosa, OK (Cherokee meaning "Here live the people of the light") we ponder The Blue Whale, now permanently beached and looking a bit worse for wear. (Editor's note: Rumor has it that this tattered remnant of Route 66 has earned a Federal Grant to be restored to it's original "splendor.")

In Stroud, OK we stopped at the Rock Cafe. It is said that the original owner paid $5.00 for all of the building's stone. It had been excavated from the Route 66 construction and the contractor was delighted to be rid of it. Everyone in the restaurant was riding the Route, including couple from Austria and a man from Washington state.

At the Cadillac Ranch⁽⁵⁾, west of Amarillo, TX we caught up with some German tourists whose names we had seen in the Guest Books we'd been signing as we moved west. Early in the trip, they were two days ahead of us, then one day, then the same day. Only two of the seven spoke any English at all. We criss-crossed with them the rest of the "Cadillac Ranch" day, then moved out in front for the rest of the trip.

In Vega, TX, within a few miles of half way between Chicago and Los Angeles, we stopped at the Neon Cafe & Route 66 Museum. We pulled in along with the seven German bikers. We noticed a VW van out front and - lo and behold - it was Bob Waldmire. We had been watching for him since talking with his brother, Buzz, in Springfield, IL. Here he was. Painting a mural on the outside of the restaurant. He invited us to visit his visitor's center in Hackberry, AZ.

The museum sells everything imaginable regarding Route 66 - from new souvenirs to old, original signs. It was the best display we saw on the trip.

In Glenrio, TX (a ghost town that straddles the state lines of Texas and New Mexico) we found the motel made famous by Route 66 - now in a shambles. On the west side of the motel the sign says First Motel In Texas on the east side: Last Motel in Texas. Apparently this clever bit of marketing did not cause the motel to prosper.

Endee, NM was known for its brawls. There were so many Sunday morning burials after the Saturday night shoot-outs that a trench was dug each Saturday at the edge of town to save time. It's a lot sleepier now. We stayed the night in Santa Rosa, NM where we met David and Lynn, a couple from Tulsa traveling on their motorcycle. We had supper with them and swapped bike stories. Nice. One of the icons of Route 66, Club Cafe, was closed but plans to re-open in 1997.

Tijeras Canyon is just east of Albuquerque. We pulled into the Ranger's station for information and walked a bit of a trail to old Pueblo ruins⁽⁶⁾. The sign there says "Stay on the trail so you see the snakes before they see you." Yikes. We followed the road up the mountain -- the first part of the road is the original Route 66 on its way to Santa Fe. We turned off to climb the mountain. Beautiful, twisting road. The elevation at the Canyon is 6,300 fee. We then climbed to 10,378 at Sandia Crest. The view is 15,000 square miles -- a 100 mile radius. We looked down over the city of Albuquerque.⁽⁷⁾

In the city of Albuquerque we stopped at the Route 66 Diner, a renovated Phillips 66 gas station.. All of the servers have taken on the persona of cartoon characters -- from their nicknames to their haircuts. Lots of neon and 50's music. We continued on, crossed the Rio Grande and headed out of the city. At the western edge of the city is Nine Mile Hill. To the west old 66 becomes a frontage road and then disappears. A roadrunner runs in front of the bike. After Albuquerque, the land changes again. The road passes through ancient black lava flows -- considered to be the New Mexico Badlands. Quite a sight.

Six miles west of Thoreau we cross the Continental Divide -- elevation: 7,275 feet -- the highest point on Route 66. We are totally worn out from battling a 40 mph cross wind. The higher gusts try to throw the bike off the highway and throw sand in our faces. Gallup, NM is only 31 miles away and it seems like an eternity to get there. Gallup is considered to be the leading Indian trading center of the Southwest. Zuni, Hopi and Navajo art and goods are plentiful. There is a trading center on every block.

We drove old 66 in Gallup. Passed the El Rancho Hotel. Guest register there includes Tracy, Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Alan Ladd, Bogart, Jack Benny and more. Erroll Flynn is said to have ridden his horse into the bar. We chose Super 8. They had their own Indian trading post in the motel and we bought some delightful jewelry.

We realize we are truly in desert country when the Weather Channel back at the motel tells us that (at 10:30PM) the temperature has dropped from the 90 degrees of the afternoon to 65 degrees. By 5AM it is 50 and when we leave the motel at 6:15AM there is no wind. We're in turtle necks and sweatshirts with long johns. At 6:45AM we cross into Arizona and switch to Mountain Daylight Time. We stop in Holbrook, AZ for breakfast at The Plainsman . . . eggs, toast and coffee for both of us comes to just $4.00! Just off old Route 66 (beyond Winona, AZ) is Meteor Crater. We toured the museum and walked part of the rim of the crater. At noon we are in Flagstaff, AZ with beautiful pine trees and mountains -- a pleasant change from the desert.

We checked in to the Super 8 in Flagstaff and noticed lots of motorcycles. We spoke with a German couple on their rented Harley who were riding the route. Also spoke with a group of 'Wingers from California who were on their way home from the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore. The Museum Club at Flagstaff is listed in all of the books and was only a few blocks from the hotel. It sounded like a great place for dinner. When we got there we realized it was a bar and not a restaurant, but they had a taco bar, so we stayed. Had tacos and a beer for supper. It is a wonderful place. It's an old road house, complete with stage and dance floor . The other bikers were there, too and we had great fun.

On Saturday, May 25, 1996, we wake up to rain and 36 (!) degrees. We figured that if we went back to sleep for an hour it might be better. At 6:30AM there is no rain but it is 31 degrees. We left Flagstaff at 7AM in bright sun and 32 degrees. We were on the road about 15 minutes when the rain clouds started building in front of us. We stopped along the road to put on rainsuits. They helped as much with the cold as the wet air. There was snow accumulated along the road and snow showers.

By 8AM we had made Seligman, AZ and stopped for breakfast the Copper Cart. Seligman is home to the Delgadilo brothers. Angel is the town barber⁽⁸⁾ and brother Juan runs the Snowcap Drive In -- home of the dead chicken dinner. Seligman is the starting point for a large loop of original Route 66 that was cut off by construction of the Interstate. Hackberry, AZ is on that loop and Hackberry's Route 66 Visitor's Center may be the only buildings still standing in Hackberry. It used to be the Old Hackberry General Store and is the province of Bob Waldmire, who has made all the Route 66 books, maps and videos.

After Kingman, AZ we hit Sitgreave's Pass . . . the Back Country Byway of the Black Mountains. It is said that 'flatlanders' (Okies) were so petrified of this pass that they paid the locals to drive their cars across it. The cars and trucks of that era had a gravity feed system so they were driven backwards up the mountain. Oatman, AZ is the liveliest 'ghost town' one is likely to visit. Route 66 is the Main Street . . . the only street in town. Steep mountain cliffs surround the town on all sides. The area, including the town itself, is known for the wild burros. This was a mining area until the mines were shut down in 1909. The miners left town and left their burros behind. The burros are known to eat helmet liners and bike seats so we only stopped long enough for a couple pictures. The Oatman Hotel was where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon.

The road from Oatman down the mountain to Topock, AZ is beautiful. Lots of twisties. Some of the turns said 15 miles per hour. Roger said they were mismarked and should read 5 MPH. At 3:30PM we cross into California. This was the place where the Okies, thinking that they had made it to the promised land, got out of their trucks and waded into the Colorado River. They didn't realize they still had to cross a desert and two mountain ranges before completing their journey.

When we reached Needles, CA, it was 70 degrees and sunny. Wonderful!

We had supper at the Hungry Bear Restaurant with a terrific homemade strawberry pie. After supper it was such a beautiful night we biked through the town of Needles. Saw the Route 66 stops. We rode down to the Colorado River with a rainbow over the Black Mountains we had just crossed. We also had the chance to talk with firefighters who were on call in the southwest due to the large number of forest fires.

If you've ever wondered about the cost of gas: We topped up our tank in Needles proper for $1.66 a gallon. Two blocks away -- on the freeway -- it was $1.96. Just another reason to get off the Interstate and take a look at the original Route 66.

We had been warned to cross the Mojave Desert very early in the morning due to the extreme heat. We headed out at 5:10AM. Sunrise in the Desert was beautiful . . . and cold. Very cold. In Victorville, CA at 8:30AM it is 63 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Our goal this morning is to get to the Santa Monica Pier as quickly as possible to avoid traffic in Los Angeles⁽⁹⁾.

Beginning in Barstow, CA, the freeway is four lanes wide in each direction. The speed limit is 75 and most people are doing 90. The road is crowded, the expansion joints of the road don't follow the lanes⁽¹⁰⁾ so Roger is continually bracing over bumps.

At 9:10AM we gas up in Ontario, CA⁽¹¹⁾ and then get back on the freeway and continue to play dodge 'em with kamikaze drivers. We can hardly wait for this to be over . . . and . . . at 10:15AM it is! We reach the Santa Monica Pier, the End of Route 66!! where it is sunny and 72 degrees.

We parked the bike on the pier; tried to ignore the guy eating food out of the garbage can next to us and congratulated ourselves on our journey. The Pier includes the wonderful carousel from the movie The Sting. We had a shrimp lunch while "people watching." Then it was time to head out again.

In Barstow, CA, we cross our "inbound track" and church bells are ringing with the sun low in the sky. Our Route 66 adventure is complete. Now it's time to head home. And that odyssey must be the subject of a separate diary!

1. Roger & Jane Holm, of Apple Valley, Minnesota. Their schedule required that they leave before the "main body" of people participating in The 2nd Annual Mother Road Ride/Rally® in June of 1996. We are indebted to them for their colorful and witty "diary" of their run down each and every mile of Historic Route 66. Their pictures are throughout this Guide . . . with many thanks!

2. Norma also made the Holm's list of Neatest People as did Mr. Clanton at The Clanton Cafe in Vinita, OK.

3. Fictional family of John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath." They traveled from the dust bowl of the 30's to the "promised land" of California . . . much of it along Route 66. The movie shot many scenes along the route.

4. Ernest Hemingway's birthplace.

5. Ten Cadillacs buried nose down in the ground. We parked by the side of the road and walked to the cars. We added our names to the graffiti already on the cars. Evidently they are repainted every few years and the graffiti artists start over.

6. This - and for many miles in all directions - is Anasazi country.

7. Editor's Note: On the east side of the Sandia Crest you can do as the Holm's did and "bike" up to the top. West of Albuquerque you can ride to the foot of the Peak and take a dramatic tramway ride up to the top.

8. And President Emeritus of the Arizona Route 66 Historical Association.

10. Virtually all freeways in the Los Angeles Basin have been "re-laned." That is: by use of new lane stripes they have created an additional lane (or two!). The original expansion seams lined up with the lanes but that is no longer the case.

11. The Harley Owners Group's Route 66 run in 1996 ended in Ontario.