Northern Arizona’s Quirkiest Roadside Attractions

Above, Jack Rabbit Trading Post in St. Joseph, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I moved to New Mexico seven years ago, I have found myself in northern Arizona several times. Most of my trips there have been to Lupton, Arizona to buy cigars at the Tee Pee Trading Post. Lupton is right at the Arizona-New Mexico border.

I have also driven through northern Arizona, primarily on Interstate 40, to go to a clampout or visit friends in Lake Havasu. Along the way, I have made stops at such places as Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Meteor Crater, Wigwam Motel, Standin' On The Corner Park (in Winslow), Petrified Forest National Park and Geronimo's Trading Post.

Above, yours truly with my mini mileage sign at Jack Rabbit Trading Post. Photo by Cindy Jaquez.

Only In Arizona has posted a list of several places can visit while on a road trip on Interstate 40. They refer to the attractions as "quirky". 

They begin it with:

Living in Arizona can be quite an adventure for tourists and residents alike. There are countless things to see, do, and experience, and road trips are often the most incredible way to see the best parts of the state. While adventuring along the open roads of the Grand Canyon State, I usually have a destination in mind, but I'm also open to the spontaneous roadside stop when something calls my name. I've often done entire road trips with only roadside stops in mind! If you'd love to see some of the most unusual attractions in the state, here is a road trip to some of Northern Arizona's quirkiest attractions.

Above, Standin' On A Corner park in Winslow, Arizona. Photo by Russell Azbill.

To read more, go here. 

Meteor City Trading Post To Open Memorial Day

Above, Meteor City Trading Post in July 2020. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The new owners of Meteor City Trading Post have been hard at work in restoring the old trading post on Route 66 outside of Winslow, Arizona.

The previous owner was only getting started on the restoration when cancer cut him down. The new owner picked up the torch and is proceeding with the restoration. The area is called Meteor City due to its close proximity to the famous Meteor Crater.

The best news is that they are planning a grand opening on Memorial Day. I am seriously considering attending. If I do, I'll have to wear my Meteor City Trading Post t-shirt.

To see their Facebook page, go here. To go to their website, go here.

Storm Has Arrived

Above, the front yard a few minutes ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is a good thing that I went to bed at 8:00 as I woke up an hour or so due to allergy congestion. 

I took a look outside and the snow storm has arrived.

At present, we have about a half inch of snow on the ground. At least it isn't as bad (yet!) as Flagstaff, Arizona where they are getting pummeled. It is a light dusting, more or less. We can still use more.

Interstate 40, east and west bound lanes are closed from Winslow to Ash Fork due to snow and a bad accident near Williams involving semi trucks with some fatalities. 

Here is a photo of Gallup a few hours ago from the New Mexico Dept. of Transportation camera:

The rule of thumb out here is, if you don't need to drive anywhere, don't. Just stay home.

Oddball Arizona Attractions

Above, at Standin' On A Corner in Winslow. Photo by Russell Azbill.

RV travel can bring one to interesting and oddball attractions.

Nanci Dixon at RV Travel has posted some interesting ones that can be found in the state of Arizona. I've been to one she mentions, Standin' On A Corner in Winslow, Arizona.

She starts off with:

We arrived in Arizona too early this year. It is 101° out right now and climbing to 107° today, so I am inside with the A/C on. I am taking this inside time to check out some of the oddball roadside attractions in Arizona that I may want to visit during our stay. Here they are. You may want to visit them, too.

To read more, go here. 

Rain Is Welcome

Above, before yesterday's drive. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Right now, it's raining in Jamestown, New Mexico. The storm that dumped snow on northern Arizona has begun to enter New Mexico. It caused Interstate 40 to close in Winslow and Ash Fork for a while this morning.

I am actually glad it is raining here. After I went out driving the Jeep yesterday, my allergies started acting up and I had to take some allergy tablets. I had to do so again today, so I stayed indoors all day. With the rain, perhaps the pollen will be washed away and I can start breathing normally again. 

We'll be getting rain and some snow through Monday.

What Would Happen If A Meteorite Hit New Mexico?

This sounds like fun!

Above, Meteor Crater near Winslow, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

What would a meteorite impact look like in New Mexico? Well, one can easily find out with a new simulator.

KRQE reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Have you ever wondered what would happen if a hurling chunk of space rock smashed into Albuquerque? Now you can find out thanks to a new simulator website.

“It’s a scientifically solid simulation,” said Geoff Skelton, a planetarium technician at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. “Most of the information is pretty ballpark of what you’d expect to actually happen.”

The simulator (linked here) lets you pick the parameters of an asteroid and drop it anywhere in the U.S. Then, it will tell you the potential damages. It was built by coder Neal Agarwal based on research by Gareth Collins and Clemens Rumpf.

“You can drop one on your ex’s house,” Skelton from the history museum said. Or, if you want to be nice, you can drop one outside city limits and see a lower death count.

To read more, go here. 

Made It To Lake Havasu City

Above, a view of Lake Havasu from a previous trip. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, Sierra and I made it to Lake Havasu, Arizona to spend Christmas weekend with friends.

The drive through Arizona went, thankfully, without incident. There were no traffic problems along the way.

Unlike the rest of the country, the weather was good. I did pass through a little rain squall about ten miles east of Winslow, Arizona. But that lasted only about fifteen minutes. There was snow on the ground in Flagstaff. It was the remnants of a storm from last week.

It is about 30° warmer in Lake Havasu than back home. I was nice to be able to sit outside in total comfort. I am staying in my friends' driveway.

It'll rain or snow in Flagstaff this coming Tuesday, but I will be home long before then. 

Today, Christmas Eve, will be more of a relaxed day.

Merry Christmas, everyone! 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off this week, we have Eagles and their classic hit, "Take It Easy". 

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention that some of the lyrics in the song inspired the city of Winslow, Arizona to erect a park on Historic Route 66.

The lyrics:

Well, I'm a standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

Such a fine sight to see

It's a girl, my Lord, in a flat-bed Ford

Slowin' down to take a look at me

Come on, baby, don't say maybe

I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me

We may lose and we may win, though we will never be here again

So open up I'm climbin' in, so take it easy

Two years ago, I visited Winslow and the park and had this photo taken while there:

Above, yours truly at the "Standin' On The Corner" park. Photo by Russell Azbill.

Best Small Towns Near Petrified Forest National Park

Above, Standin' On A Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Arizona is an interesting state. 

One one hand, it is a big desert. On the other, it has pine-covered forests and ranchlands to enjoy.

Often overlooked are small towns to check out. A lot of them are along Interstate 40 in the northern half of the state.

TravelAwaits spotlights five of them within easy reach of Petrified Forest National Park.

They begin with:

The thing about Arizona is that you can enjoy so many different experiences depending on where you are within the state. Within just 3 hours, you can go from the valley of big city Scottsdale to the small towns up north. 

We chose to visit these small towns while on our travels through the White Mountains and beyond, as we always like towns that have a vibrant downtown with unique things to see and do. Stop in and visit these towns when you’re in the area!

Petrified Forest National Park has no RV campgrounds, but there's a KOA Kampground in nearby Holbrook. 

Above, camping is available at the Holbrook KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

10 Things You Would Never Think To See On Route 66

Above, Standin' On A Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona. Photo by Russell Azbill.

Did you know that about 85% of Historic Route 66 is still around to drive on? Yes, it is and one does have to know where it is located in different areas such as towns where rerouting and other changes, such as streets, frontage roads, had taken place over the years.

The Travel has posted an article ten things one would never think to see on Route 66. 

They begin it with:

Traveling is all about discoveries. It is all about discovering new things that someone has never thought about or seen before. By doing this, a person is able to appreciate how much diversity is there in the world. It also motivates someone to keep on traveling to discover more. As a result, travelers will always prefer to travel and visit strange places that will give them that thrill.

One of such places is route 66. So much has been said about route 66 but many people do not know the hidden things about this area until they visit and explore it. Here are 10 things one would never think to see on route 66.

Above, Standin' On A Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona
is a Route 66 Roadside Attraction. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

While we're on the subject of Route 66, here is a book by Gallup historian Martin Link on Route 66 that is worth getting:

Above, yours truly with historian Martin Link. Photo by Russell Azbill.

Petrified Forest National Park and Uranium Mining

Above, the entrance sign to Petrified Forest National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Uranium mining had been a big industry in and around the Four Corners region in the Southwest U.S. since World War II. Other minerals were also mined.

Surprisingly, the areas mined included Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona.

Arizona Daily Star has posted an article on uranium and mineral mining in and around the park.

Some snippets:

Petrified Forest National Park, 18 miles southeast of Holbrook, is world-renowned for its petrified wood deposits, but much less known for its mining history and potash deposits.

The area is located on the lower part of the Chinle formation in the Holbrook Basin, which once hosted a tropical climate covered in a dense forest of coniferous trees exceeding 8 feet in diameter and 150 feet tall, 225 million years ago. Over time these fallen trees were covered by river sediment and volcanic ash with high silica concentrate, forming petrified wood.

The area was explored and actively mined for uranium after World War II due to demand from the U.S. military for fissionable materials.

Navajo prospector Charlie Huskon, employed in the service of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), discovered uranium in a sandstone bed near Cameron in 1952. Similar rock formations in the vicinity of Winslow, Holbrook, Joseph City and around the Petrified Forest National Monument showed promising uranium deposits.  

It was the Petrified Forest area comprising eight properties of ore grade material that produced the most uranium for market.

Above, soil layers known as paleosols appears as horizontal colored bands in the Painted Desert. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read the full article, go here. 

Gallup Area Internet Was Down

Friday the Thirteenth lived up to its name yesterday when it came to local Internet service.

At around 9:30 yesterday morning, something happened to the fiber optic line in Thoreau and it knocked out Internet service in the Gallup region of New Mexico. Some have said it even affected Winslow, Arizona. Cash only everywhere.

Oddly, I was able to get Internet service on my phone at the Flying J and get cash from their ATM last evening.

The outage was even mentioned at last night's rodeo at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial that took place at Red Rock Park. It was still out when I went to bed at 9:00 last night, but it was working when I woke up a half hour ago.

At least it was a peaceful day yesterday with no interruptions on my phone and computer.

Best Things To Do In Arizona

Above, yours truly at the Standin' On A Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona. Photo by Russell Azbill.

Over the years and, more recently (since I live next door), I have visited a number of Arizona's unique spots. I still have several left to visit.

Travel Awaits has posted a list of Arizona's ten unique spots.

They begin with:

From giant saguaro cacti to the deep Grand Canyon, Arizona is full of natural wonders and beauty that can’t be experienced anywhere else in the United States. Add a shout-out to a popular Eagles song, the vision of a world-renowned architect, a massive ecological experiment, and more, and you have these 10 unique spots that can only be experienced in Arizona.

 

Above, Meteor Crater is only a few miles off Interstate 40. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To see what they are, go here.

Abandoned Meteor City Trading Post

Above, the old closed-up trading post at Meteor City, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few months ago, Jack Rabbit Trading Post posted on Facebook that the old abandoned trading post at the Meteor City turnoff from Interstate 40 near Winslow, Arizona would be restored and reopened. It is located a few miles from the Meteor Crater turnoff.

While en route to Ashurst Lake, I decided to stop there to see what progress, if any, had been made on its restoration.

From what I was able to see, I didn't see any progress. I am wondering of the work has been delayed or they just canceled it altogether. There is an official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/meteorcity66/

Here's some photos from my stop:

A Stop At Jack Rabbit Trading Post

One stop after we left Winslow, Arizona was at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post off of Interstate 40 on Route 66 in St. Joseph, Arizona.

Russell (Azbill) had never been there before and he seemed to enjoy it. He left with plenty of souvenirs.

Some photos of the trading post:

Standin' On A Corner In Winslow, Arizona Today

Above, tourists at the Standin' On A Corner park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Well, I'm a-runnin' down the road, tryin' to loosen my load  

I've got seven women on my mind  

Four that want to own me, two that want to stone me 

One said she's a friend of mine 

Take it easy, take it easy 

Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy 

Lighten up while you still canDon't even try to understand 

Just find a place to make your stand 

Take it easy 

Now I'm a-standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona 

With such a fine sight to see  

It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford Slowin' down to have a look at me 

Come on, baby, don't say maybe 

I've got to know if your sweet love is gonna save me 

We may lose and we may win 

But we will never be here again 

Open up, I'm climbin' in to take it easy 

Well, I'm a-runnin' down… 

- Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey

Above, the official Route 66 Roadside Attraction sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, Russell Azbill, a friend from Jamestown, New Mexico, and I headed to Winslow, Arizona to get haircuts since all of New Mexico's barber shops are closed by order of the state's governor.

We headed out this morning in The Beast. We had 10:30 appointments at Shades n Fades in Winslow.

Above, yours truly with the guitar guy statue. 

On the way, we stopped for coffee and munchies at the Hopi Travel Center near Holbrook, Arizona. From there, we headed off to Winslow.

Above, there is a campaign to restore the mural at the park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At Shades n Fades, a fellow former alumnus, Maria Wooton (Class of 1986), cut Russell's hair.

When we finished at Shades n Fades, we headed a few blocks in downtown Winslow to see the "Standin' On A Corner" park, a tribute to the town's place in music history in the Eagles' song, "Take It Easy". We stopped to take some photos at the park. There were about a half dozen other people checking out the park while we were there.

Above, a flatbed Ford truck was there, but no girl. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the corner, a red Ford flatbed truck was parked. Unfortunately, there was no girl inside taking a look.

A foundation has been formed to restore the mural at the park. So far, they have raised over half of the needed funds for the restoration.

Above, the staute of Eagles member Glenn Frey was unveiled in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After taking photos at the park, we headed out of Winslow to go back to Jamestown. Along the way we stopped at Jack Rabbit Trading Post in St. Joseph, Arizona. Russell had never been there before. He had a good time there and he left the store with several purchases.

All in all, it was a fun little trip.

Arizona-Bound Tomorrow

Above, The Beast after getting back from the Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tomorrow, one of my Jamestown friends and I will be trekking to Winslow, Arizona to get haircuts.

Since Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham won't allow barber shops to open in New Mexico, that is our best option. My hair hasn't been this long since my college days. My last haircut was on January 31 when I was en route to home from the Second Amendment Rally in Santa Fe.

I got The Beast all gassed up (since it hasn't gotten much use since January, this'll be a good workout for it) today. Today gas price (with my Good Sam discount) was $1.849/gallon. That made a big difference to my 55 gallon RV tank.

Maybe while we're in Winslow, we might just do some "standing on a corner" for the fun of it and just to say we did it. Perhaps a girl in a flatbed Ford may swing by to take a look.

I was going to do some Jeep driving today, but I decided to relax and do a little yard work instead. For tonight's movie fare, I'll probably watch The Sands of Iwo Jima, starring John Wayne. Wayne garnered his first Academy Award nomination for that movie.

Condé Nast Names Meteor Crater A 7 Wonder of the World

Above, Meteor Crater in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

50,000 years ago, if Winslow, Arizona existed and one was "standing on a corner", they would have felt the impact of a meteor striking the earth.

The Barringer Meteor Crater near Winslow has been named number three of the "7 Wonders of the World For 2020" by Condé Nast Traveller. I visited Meteor Crater four years ago. It is an interesting place with a visitor center filled with exhibits.

About the 7 Wonders of the World For 2020, they wrote:

Wonder is nourishment for the soul. We are the only animal on earth, as far as we know, that can be moved to tears by a sunset, that marvels at the stars at night, that feels awe, and humility, at the achievements of our past. Wonder defines us as human beings. 

Of the original Seven Wonders of the World, only the Great Pyramids of Giza remain. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis, the Colossus of Rhodes have all faded to dust and memory. These, instead, are seven wonders for our time. They are the Acropolis of our day, the Stonehenge of now. Which also means they can be seen firsthand. And so they should. Because the real magic of wonder is not in the thing itself, but in the fact that the more you look for wonder in the world the more the wonder of the world becomes a part of you. 

Socrates said: 'Wisdom begins in wonder.' Studies show that the awe induces deeper levels of cognitive processing; it boosts empathy and helps us connect with the world around us in meaningful ways. Art and science are borne from it. Wonder is more than just a good feeling; it is a seed from which our greatest treasures grow. 

Explore, dream and feed your spirit well.

On Meteor Crater, they wrote (in part):

The Barringer Meteor Crater is the best-preserved meteor impact site on the planet and it’s an unsettling place. Some 50,000 years ago, a 300,000 tonne rock burned through the atmosphere, striking the Earth with a force 1,000 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb at Hiroshima. The ground melted instantly, leaving a hole 550-feet deep and almost a mile in diameter that can still be seen to this day.

Above, The Beast at Meteor Crater RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are out vacationing in a RV, Meteor Crater RV Park is just at the Meteor Crater exit off of Interstate 40.

To read more, go here.

Jack Rabbit Trading Post

Above, the famous jack rabbit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the way home from the Lost Dutchman Chapter's Spring Clampout, I decided to make a stop at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post near Winslow, Arizona (where people do some "standing on a corner").

Above, the sign describing the trading post's history. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is a famous landmark along historic Route 66 and next to Interstate 40. It opened in 1949.

According to Wikipedia:

The Jack Rabbit Trading Post is a convenience store and curio shop located on former U.S. Route 66, five miles west of Joseph City, Arizona city limits off of Exit 269 on Interstate 40. The trading post hails from Route 66's glory days, and is currently in operation. With a large fiberglass jackrabbit that can be mounted (for pictures), the facility is considered a major Route 66 attraction by enthusiasts. It was famous for numerous billboards up and down US 66 (and in some other locations) which had the silhouette of a jackrabbit and the distance from that sign to the trading post. In front of the store was another such billboard with "HERE IT IS" written underneath it. Jack Rabbit is owned by the Jaquez family. 

In the 2006 film Cars, the trading post's 'HERE IT IS' signage is depicted with a Model T Ford in place of the jackrabbit and "Lizzie" (a 1923 Ford) as the store's proprietor.

Unfortunately, I got to it too early as it opens at 10:00. I decided not to wait and headed back on I-40. I'll stop there again some other time.

Above, the trading post. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

But I did take a few photos of the trading post while I was there.

Above, the welcome sign on a side of the building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To access their website, go here.

Gallup UFO Film Festival - Day 2

Above, Jonathan Dover of the Paranormal Rangers giving his presentation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon at the final day of this year's Gallup UFO Film Festival.

Before the program started, I chatted for a while with Chuck Wade, the founder of the film festival. I recommended to him the book, Witness To Roswell. He said he has the book but hasn't yet gotten around to reading it. I told him that the authors presented the Roswell Incident story as a prosecutor would in a trial with plenty of eyewitness testimony. He said he will immediately do so once the festival is over.

Above, Chuck Wade's map of New Mexico UFO crash sites. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The program was with Jonathan Dover of the Navajo Paranormal Rangers. He spoke of paranormal incidents in and around the Navajo Nation. He was a police officer in the Winslow, Arizona area. The Paranormal Rangers investigate unexplainable incidents in the Navajo Nation.

Incidents included Skinwalkers, mysterious orbs, Satan's Butte, Bigfoot, hauntings, Parallel Dimensions, Ouija Boards and others.

Above, a vintage theater snack bar sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The program lasted about three hours and by the time it ended, I was dog-tired and left.