(Fair to Midland, off inter.funda.mental, “dance of the manatee”. Fucking brilliant album, and I highly, highly recommend checking them out at either http://www.ftmband.com or http://www.myspace.com/fairtomidland . They have the intensity and instrumental talent of Muse, but with a heavy overlay of emo. Best new album I’ve listened to in 2006 so far)
It’s been too long since I’ve been out on my own, on the road. It’s been a year since I went exploring out in the Southwest (see this entry: kingman, barstow, san bernadino) And I feel like I need a mini-vacation on my own, very soon.
So I’m going to take the first weekend possible and disappear into Arizona again along Route 66.
Using the Arizona History Traveler (and yes, I know I’m a nerd), I’ve plotted a trip that takes me through Kingman again to stay at the Hotel Brunswick (which I stayed at last year when I looped around to Vegas) and then out via a series of old towns and museums and hiking trails to a night in the Wigwams. I’m going to go on a history nerd spree, out on old 66 and in the old West, on my own, and I am so looking forward to it.
Sometimes, I think I would be happy left to wander America, on bike or on foot, with a notepad and music to listen to in between towns. Someday, I may get around to doing just that. In the interim, I just go out on weekends.
And I love having so many people and commitments in my life, but it’s sometimes difficult as a result to get even a weekend free. Next weekend, my other adopted cousin turns 21, and I can’t miss her party. Nor can I miss another good friend’s party that same night. Then we have a new roomate moving in on the 1st, so the last weekend of January will be dedicated to helping with that – and I also promised to lead the Bar Sinister expedition that Saturday as well. The earliest I could possibly escape Los Angeles is three weeks from now, the first weekend in February. And it will take patience to wait that long – especially after I got the below letter from the Wigwam Motel manager today:
Hello,
Yes, we have availability for those dates. We have kept the same
original furniture since our father built the Wigwams in the late
1940’s. They have a full bathroom with a shower, cable TV, heat
AC.
1. One Double Bed = $42.00 (With Tax $46.62) Sleeps Two Adults
2. Two Double Beds = $48.00 (With Tax $53.28) Sleeps Four Adults
We NEVER EVER run a guest’s credit card until after they have arrived
in person and have picked up their key. If we did not take credit cards, some
people never bother to call back to let us know they are not coming.
We do require a Visa or Mastercard only and the best time is after 4:00 PM
at (928) 524-3048 FAX: (928) 524-9335 Fax is on 24 hrs.
Please see: http://www.wigwamgazette.info
http://www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam
Also, Lycos recently put us in the top 10 places to visit:
http://travel.lycos.com/rtpromo_cover.asp
Thank you
Kind Regards,
John Lewis
Wigwam Motel
P.S. In the area there is the Petrified Forest 25 miles away. Also, there is
Hubble’s Trading Post (90 Miles) and Canyon De Chelly (120 Miles)
drive from here at Ganado, Ariz., and Chinle, Ariz.., both are located
on Hwy. 191 North on the Navajo Reservation. This is just north of
Chambers, Arizona on I-40 fifty miles east of Holbrook on I-40.
The Grand Canyon is a three hour drive to or from the south rim of
the Grand Canyon (180 Miles).
For a girl fascinated with Route 66 and All Things Road Trip Culture Kitsch, that letter is incentive of the first order to hit the road. So I’ll be back on Route 66 soon enough. It’ll just take a few more weeks to get there.
And now, I really should be working.
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