October Adventure

by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 6, 2019 | Adventure, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Travel, Travel Tips, Uncategorized

A question often asked is what is the best time of the year for a Route 66 adventure. For my money I prefer late September or October, even though on last years trip I hit some nasty weather (cold, wind, sleet, snow) – in Arizona and New Mexico. Desert temperatures are tolerable with few exceptions (see above), and there is the fall foliage in the mountains of Missouri and in Illinois that add a sense of magic to the overall adventure. There are also some great fall festivals such as Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri.

Even the snow encountered added to the trip as seeing a dusting of white on the ruins of Two Guns, Arizona made for a great photo stop. I should note that even in the high country around Flagstaff, Arizona snow that early in the year is a relative rarity. Chances are that you will encounter rain, and some very brisk mornings but the crowds have thinned a bit. And that means the classic mom and pop motels will most likely have room availability. And personally, I enjoy a hot cup of coffee with a slice of pie better on a fall day that I do in July in Needles, California when the temperatures often exceed 120 degrees.

Maramec Springs Park

A couple of years ago on a Jim Hinckley’s America research trip, my dearest friend and I made a few side trips. We were not disappointed. As an example, Maramec Spring Park located a few miles south of Cuba or St. James, a highly recommended loop drive, is stunning any time of the year but when the park is enshrouded with bright colors … A one eyed blind man would have trouble getting a bad photograph.

So, in answer to your question, I suggest that a Route 66 odyssey be planned for the last weeks of September or the first weeks of October.

Adventures & Good Pie

by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 5, 2019 | Adventure, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, ROUTE 66, Travel, Travel Tips, Uncategorized

Grand Canyon Caverns & Inn, located about 20 miles west of Seligman, Arizona on Route 66 has been providing travelers with memorable adventures since 1927. With the bypass of Route 66 in 1978, the resort complex mirrored the highway and began a slow fade. Now, however, the tarnished old gem has been given a bit of polish and once again the caverns complex is a destination for legions of travelers.

The motel built in 1963 has been refurbished from rooms to pool, and you can even choose to spend an evening in the quietest (and darkest) motel room in the world two hundred feet below the ground. The restaurant has been restored and appears as it did more than sixty years ago. As a bonus you can now enjoy good food, including superb pie, above ground or below in the Caverns Groto restaurant. The caverns can be explored on wheel chair accessible trails, or for the adventuresome, with a bit of spelunking. To ensure that your visit is unforgettable there is miniature golf, forested hiking trails, disc golf, an award winning RV park, and ample adult libations in two lounges.

Sunset at Grand Canyon Caverns

The caverns hearken to the era of I Like Ike buttons and tail fins. Like Route 66 itself, it has become a living time capsule, a a tangible link to another time.