"Ultimate Time" For RVs On Route 66

Above, burros strolling on Route 66 in Oatman, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since 2026 is the centennial year of Historic Route 66, celebrations will be held along its route. This provide a great opportunity for travelers, especially RVers, to explore "The Mother Road".

RV Lifestyle posted an article that this is the "ultimate time" for an RV adventure on Route 66.

It begins with:

In 2026, America’s most legendary highway turns 100 years old, and Route 66 is preparing for a celebration unlike anything travelers have seen before. Stretching more than 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, this historic roadway, known as America’s Mother Road, has captured the spirit of freedom, exploration, and adventure for generations.

For RV travelers especially, the Route 66 Centennial is more than a milestone. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the road at its most vibrant, restored, and alive.

To read more, go here. 

7 Playfully Peculiar Towns In Arizona

Above, yours truly with two residents of Oatman, Arizona. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

For those who have a desire to do some travel exploring, the following is an idea. 

World Atlas has posted an article listing seven "playfully peculiar" towns in the the state of Arizona. I have been to several of them over the years and have found them to fun, educational and just plain interesting.

They begin with:

Peculiar is not necessarily positive. Add "playfully," however, and you get some unique towns in Arizona. Rather than repelling visitors with creepy locals and localities, as is the case with many peculiar towns across the country, certain AZ communities are playfully peculiar, drawing tons of tourists with gunfight reenactments, "energy vortexes," pink-hued buttes, Bedrock homes, haunted hamburgers, burro biscuits, and slopeside stairs. Learn where to find these amazing oddities in this am-AZ-ing state.

Above, Tombstone. Arizona's Allen Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Two Buildings Catch Fire In Oatman, Arizona

Above, the Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon was reportedly
one of the buildings involved in the fire. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two buildings caught fire last night in historic Oatman, Arizona.

The Mojave Valley Daily News reported:

OATMAN — A fire broke out in Oatman late Thursday night according to initial scanner traffic and on-scene personnel. As of 8:15 a.m. Friday morning, firefighting units were still on scene to handle flare-ups.

The fire was initially reported at 9:52 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at the historic Oatman Hotel, but later reports indicated the fire is actually located at the Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon. Another building is also reportedly involved, but it was unclear which building as of 11:30 p.m. on Thursday night. 

According to Mohave Valley Fire Department Chief Ted Martin, the fire was through the roof of one of the buildings as of 11:36 p.m., and crews are trying to contain it to that building.

As of 12:53 a.m. personnel on scene reported via the scanner that they believed the fire was under control and contained to the building of origin, but the fire was still considered to be active, with all crews remaining on scene.

To read more, go here. 

UPDATE:

The Oatman General Store was reported as the second building involved in the fire.

Stops Along Historic Route 66

Above, some residents of Oatman, Arizona stroll down the main street (Route 66). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since Route 66 is an alternate route from Gallup to Jamestown, New Mexico, I drive it fairly often, most recently as two days ago (due to the backup from the construction work on I-40 near my exit).

There are things to see along the way between Santa Monica, California to Adrian, Texas and the Union-Bulletin highlights five of them. Oddly, there are no photos of any of them. So I'm including two of the highlighted places.

They start with:

It’s an iconic road trip across the western half of historic Route 66. Travel from the seaside city of Santa Monica to Williams, Arizona — the Gateway to the Grand Canyon — and on to Adrian, Texas, the midpoint on the famous route. (The full itinerary continues to Chicago) Along the way, you and your family will marvel at the wide-open spaces, the changing landscape and the rich history to be found as you follow the path of the original Mother Road.

Above, the El Rancho Hotel & Motel in Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Visit A Ghost Town With "Wild" Animals

Above, four of Oatman's "locals" strolling on Route 66. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last December (has it really been that long ago?), I paid my third visit to the famous Oatman, Arizona, where wild burros roam the town's streets.

Oatman is situated on historic Route 66 and is a fun place to spend a few hours or even a whole day.

RV Travel has an article on Oatman, along with a video, on what's there to see.

They begin with:

There’s a certain ghost town along Route 66 where wild animals roam the streets, and where the local merchants encourage tourists to feed them. Oh, they’re not so wild that people are afraid of them (but don’t stand behind and get kicked: that’s another story).

Okay, the town is Oatman, Ariz., which is located along historic Route 66 just east of where the Mother Road enters California.

And the wild creatures are burros. They’re descendants of the animals once owned by miners but then abandoned when the gold or silver didn’t meet expectations. They roam freely in much of the Desert Southwest, but Oatman is the only town that takes a special interest in them and coaxes them into its one-block downtown to entertain tourists.

If you've never been to Oatman, a visit there is a "must-do" for you.

To read more and see the video, go here.

Best Apps For Those Who Enjoy The Outdoors

Above, some of the locals of Oatman, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People who enjoy the outdoors have different interests and ideas on what they enjoy the most.

Fortunately, there are many apps tailored to those varied interests.

Passport Magazine has an article with as listing of different apps for outdoorsy people.

It begins with:

Everyone is looking to get outside this summer. The warm weather, the gorgeous sunshine, and the call of adventure is drawing people out of lockdown and onto journeys around the country. With continuing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, many travelers are looking for a more socially distanced vacation. Camping, RVing, National Parks, State Parks, and small towns close to nature are at the top of everyone’s list, and why shouldn’t they be? 

This is the summer of outdoor adventure, of road trips, and new and wonderful experiences. And what better way to help you on your journey than with some amazing apps? With all the information you need at your fingertips, you’re bound to have the perfect summer. Here are a few apps you need to check out to make your travels more enjoyable.

To read more, go here. 

Things To Do In Oatman, Arizona

Above, the Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Summer vacation season is only a little over three months away and now is the time to start thinking and planning for a vacation trip.

One idea that should be considered is a visit to Oatman, Arizona. It is near the California-Arizona border on Historic Route 66. There is plenty to see and do in Oatman and the Tattooed Travelers has listed several of them.

They begin with:

Tucked away in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Oatman, Arizona is an old gold mining spot located along the famous Route 66. 

Once a deserted ghost town, today Oatman solely survives off tourist shops/attractions that lure visitors who come to see the well preserved period-specific architecture & wild burros that roam the streets. 

*Keep reading Things To Do On A Oatman Route 66 Stop In Arizona below!

Above, yours truly with a couple of wild burros in Oatman. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

To read more, go here. 

Visit Oatman, Arizona

Above, a crasher at the Oatman shootout show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along Historic Route 66 in Arizona is the "ghost town" of Oatman.

According to Visit Arizona:

You’ve got to see Oatman to believe it. This tiny town is in a rugged area carved out of the wilderness by determined miners and now populated by more wild burros than people. 

They know how to have fun in Oatman, where good-humored shops line the street and the furriest “residents” – small donkeys descended from miners’ beasts of burden – contribute to the annual fall Burro Biskit Toss. 

More than 500,000 visitors are drawn annually to Oatman’s gold mine history as well as the legend of its namesake. Olive Oatman is entrenched in western lore as a woman who was kidnapped by an Indian tribe, then sold to a friendly local tribe before being freed to her family near what became Oatman. 

Oatman might have suffered the same fate as many Arizona mining towns and faded into a ghost town if not for Route 66 nostalgia and nearby casinos. The town prides itself on maintaining a Wild West feel, down to the wooden sidewalks, staged shootouts and kitschy shops. (You can even adopt a wild burro and take it home!) 

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard allegedly honeymooned at the 1902 two-story adobe Oatman Hotel after marrying in nearby Kingman. Some say the lovebirds’ spirits as well as other former lodgers still vacation there. The hotel remains open as a museum and restaurant. 

Oatman is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management wilderness, which is also home to desert bighorn sheep. Outdoor activities include hiking, camping, hunting, photography, and rock climbing.

And, according to Wikipedia:

 In 1863, mountain man and prospector Johnny Moss discovered gold in the Black Mountains and staked several claims, one named the Moss, after himself, and another after Olive Oatman, whose story was by then well known. For the next half-century, mining waxed and waned in the remote district until new technology, reduced transportation costs, and new gold discoveries brought prosperity to Oatman early in the 20th century. The opening of the Tom Reed mine, followed by the discovery of an incredibly rich ore body in the nearby United Eastern Mining Company's property in 1915, brought one of the desert country's last gold rushes. The boom of 1915-17 gave Oatman all the characters and characteristics of any gold rush boomtown. For about a decade, the mines of Oatman were among the largest gold producers in the American West. 

In 1921, a fire burned down many of Oatman's smaller buildings, but spared the Oatman Hotel. Built in 1902, the Oatman Hotel remains the oldest two-story adobe structure in Mohave County and a Mohave County historical landmark. It is especially famous as the honeymoon stop of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard[9] after their wedding in Kingman on March 18, 1939. Gable fell in love with the area and returned often to play poker with the miners. The Gable-Lombard honeymoon suite is one of the hotel's major attractions. The other is Oatie the ghost. Actively promoted by the hotel's current owners, Oatie is a friendly poltergeist whose identity is believed to be that of William Ray Flour, an Irish miner who died behind the hotel, presumably from excessive alcohol consumption. Flour's body was not discovered until two days after his death, upon which it was hastily buried in a shallow grave near where he was found.

Last Friday, Mitch Geriminsky and I took a day trip to Oatman. I haven't been there since the late 1980s with E Clampus Vitus. There are two ECV plaque in town (but I was only able to find one that was placed by the Lost Dutchman Chapter).

My earlier post were photos from my cell phone. Here are some from my Canon camera:

Above, Mitch Geriminsky feeding the locals. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a collection of books for sale in one of the shops. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the main street (Route 66) of Oatman. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Olive Oatman Restaurant and Saloon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the locals strolling down Route 66. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Oatman Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, inside the Oatman Hotel lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the stairway leading to the Gable-Lombard honeymoon suite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Gable-Lombard honeymoon suite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, another shot of the front of the Oatman Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the daily shootout is about to begin. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, this building was used in the movie, How The West Was Won (1962). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, an ECV plaque by the Lost Dutchman Chapter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, inside the Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Hanging Out In Oatman

Clamp-out Weekend

Above, The Beast is almost ready to go. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For a few days, I'll be free of social media (uh, maybe), provided there's no cell service in the community of Cool Springs Station, Arizona where the Lost Dutchman Chaper #5917 +2, E Clampus Vitus holds its fall clamp-out.

I have spent most of today getting The Beast ready and loaded up. The refrigerator has been switched on and I am waiting for the propane to do its thing and make it cold enough inside to fill it with foodstuffs.

It is a bit over a five hour drive to get to Cool Springs. It is near Oatman (8.5 miles) on Historic Route 66 west of Kingman. This will be the last event for the year. I should be arriving in the early afternoon tomorrow.