Williams, Grand Canyon Railway and a MASSIVE hole in the Ground!

Williams was originally another railway town on the Santa Fe system, now part of the BNSF Railroad. It is still a "Company Town", but now the company is Xanterra who run the concessions at the Grand Canyon South Rim, the Grand Canyon Railway, the hotel and RV Park.

The steam engine runs occasionally, but not on the day we took the train. They are *huge*

...as you can see here, using Ann as a measure against the main wheels

The RV park is perfectly fine, but rather characterless being a large tarmac and gravel expanse with power, water and sewer connections. There's adequate space and it is in a perfect location, so the lack of character can be excused. It is also easy walking distance to the railway station and to the town.

It's a great little town, with the main street being part of Route 66, but it is still a community rather than a souvenir shop theme park. Plenty of restaurants, not all themed on getting your kicks!

this was parked in the main street

This former gas station is now a museum, but seems to be closed. Gas was around 24c a gallon

If you visit, this is a great place for a drink and a meal. It's a former garage converted to a bar / restaurant and features live music

Then it's off to the Grand Canyon on the train, after the obligatory shoot-out first. The "Cataract Creek Gang" are the worst group of outlaws you'll ever come across, with most of them getting shot in a bungled stick up before reappearing later in the day when they hold the train up on the return journey.

A conveniently placed pile of horse poo. It's obvious where he is going to end up, isn't it?

We'd booked ourselves into First Class for the trip to the Canyon and were seated in a 1950's "streamliner" style carriage. Very comfortable it was, too, with free breakfast and soft drinks.

With a line speed of just 40mph, we arrived just before lunch and needed to be back for our train that would leave at around 4:30, so we weren't going to get a huge amount of time at the canyon. to get more time, you have to stay actually in the National Park, if you can get reservations (book a year in advance). Time for lunch. Everywhere is going to be busy, so we head to "El Tovar". This is another "Harvey House" and one of the original hotels in the Park, dating from 1905. Here's a link to El Tovar. 

Very enjoyable salad for lunch, now to look at the Grand Canyon and be "blown away"...

In the far distance, you can see the North Rim, around 5 miles away. It's over a mile down to the Colorado River, which can't be seen as it it actually a series of "staircase" canyons. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed that at the South Rim there is no chance of seeing to the bottom from the top. And the famous "Horseshoe" glass walkway isn't here, either. That is at the West Rim. So walked a few miles either way to see the views.

The picture above is looking out over the canyon and the one below from an overlook heading towards Hermit's Rest. There wasn't enough time to either walk all the way or take the bus, which was a little disappointing.

Ann was getting a little agitated about me being close to the edge while taking the picture above. The one below shows why... I was stood close to the edge of the rock that hangs out over the Canyon. It's been there for millions of years and I'm sure it wasn't going to fall while I stood on it. Had I seen what wasn't underneath it, it may have influenced my decision to stand there.

Too soon, the time came to return. This time, we'd booked seats in the observation car. Disappointed with this - cramped and uncomfortable compared with the regular First Class.

So finally some recommendations:

• Williams as a small town is definitely worth a visit. Of all the Route 66 towns we passed through in Arizona, it is by far the most "real". Both Red Raven and Cafe 66 stand out as places to eat, the buildings are interesting and there's a selection of shops selling quality stuff and not just tourist tat.

• The canyon needs more than a half-day to do justice to it, but that does mean staying in the Park and that means getting reservations. If you are going to stay in a hotel, blow the budget and stay at El Tovar.

• Drink *lots* of water. you will be told this time and time again. There are points to fill up water bottles.

• The Railway is a good way to travel as it saves the hassle of driving to the Park and finding somewhere to leave the car. And you avoid "waiting in line" to pay the fee as the railway takes care of that for you. As they own several of the hotels, they operate packages of hotel in both Williams and at the Grand Canyon and the train ride

Then we were off to "Sin City" for 4 nights. That will be coming up in the next bucket.

Getting our Kicks.... On Route 66

We left Chama on Sunday, 4th June heading for Williams, Arizona from where we would visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon but it would take us two days to get there with a few diversions along the way.

Sunday was a simple journey to Gallup, New Mexico. As usual, this link below will bring up the Google Maps route.

From Chama to Gallup

Nothing really exciting about the journey, apart from the first major junction where US Highways 84 and 64 go their different ways. Every so often, my sat-nav stops talking to me (I have that effect on people sometimes...) and we missed the turning. I was explaining to Ann how a "Four Way Stop" works and the special case rule that is applied when 4 cars roll up together at the junction. Normally, the first car to arrive at the junction goes first and if more than 2 cars arrive at about the same time, the car on the right goes first. If all four arrive together, the special rule then applies: the guy in the rental car goes first! but I digress...

Gallup is a strip town on route 66, now bypassed by Interstate 40 and being a little like Radiator Springs with numerous fading roadside attractions. We had a stop for victuals at Wal-Mart and made for our overnight stop, a simple but very pleasant RV Park on the main road. despite being at the end of the runway of Gallup airport and within a short distance of a busy railway line and an Interstate, it was surprisingly peaceful. We had a slight muddle with our booking, ending up on a plot with no sewer connection - but for an overnight, that was no problem for us and it earned us a further discount. 20% off for being overseas visitors and was I a serving member of the Forces, or Emergency services, or a Veteran. Well, actually, I did 2 years in the pay of the Queen while wearing a green suit, so yes, technically, I am a veteran (and officially 5% disabled as a consequence) and we are all on the same side (I think, mostly). So, 20% off for being a Veteran and then a further 20% because of the mistake in the booking. If we keep this up, they'll be paying us to stay!

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest

This was Monday's treat. It's a short drive today as we're going to spend much of the journey looking at stuff:

Gallup to Holbrook

The Painted Desert and Petrified forest National Parks run into each other, straddling Route and its replacement Interstate. First is the Desert; the main feature of which is the bright colours of the rocks formed by multiple layers of minerals in the ground. Think of that cliff on the Isle of Wight with the multi-coloured sand, but extend it over hundreds of square miles.

 The Park boasts a hotel, now turned into a visitor centre, but originally a welcome stop on the route to Los Angeles. It's built in the Pueblo style

Inside, the original dining room is preserved as it was in the 30s, complete with original wall decorations

Detail of the wall decorations

 As we crossed the original track of Route 66, a rusted out car shell forms a landmark to identify the iconic route and in memory of the thousands who made the journey from Oklahoma to California in the 30s to escape the drought. The story is told in John Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath", later made into a film with Henry Fonda.

someone is bound to ask... It's a Studebaker

Moving further on, the remains of a Pueblo village can be seen and around these, a number of Petroglyphs on the rocks. These were created by the native Indians by scratching through the top "varnish" surface of the rock to create images and symbols. Possibly thousands of years old. The "varnish" was created by the wind and erosion on the rock surface and is even older than the symbols.

Now into the Petrified Forest. "Petrified" in its literal sense means turned to stone. In prehistoric times, the entire desert area was a primeval swamp. Where the trees fell into the swamp, they were preserved and over millions of years the swamp water containing microscopic grains of quartz was absorbed, eventually replacing the wood fibre with rock with the result that what now looks like fallen trees and logs is actually rock. And there are thousands of examples spread over many miles.

 The image above shows a petrified tree that fell across a ravine and forms a natural bridge. during the 1920s, there was a fear it was going to fall, so a modern concrete lintel was installed to hold it in place.

Our home for the night was to be the KOA (Kampgrounds Of America) site in Holbrook, another Route 66 small town. We had a little disaster on the final part of the journey when a passing car flicked up a rock that collided with our windshield, causing it to crack. That's the deductible on the insurance gone for a Burton, then :-(

I'm Standin on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona

Were not for The Eagles would any of us know anything about Winslow? Probably not... It's real claim to fame is in being a railroad town on the Santa Fe route and location of one of the original Harvey hotels on the route

There's a Girl, My Lord, in a flat bed Ford...

The Corner is busy with lots of Eagles fans waiting to take pictures. Opposite is a  top class souvenir store with many Eagles and Route 66 souvenirs. Worth a visit! Close by is a small museum where I found this on display:

Why would a sewing machine be of interest? Well, you'll know that I'm a bit of an "anorak" about Triumph cars. The founder of the original Triumph company, Sigfried Bettmann originally worked for the White Sewing Machine Company as their agent for overseas sales.

Later, we discovered we'd missed a prime spot in Winslow - La Posada Hotel - an architectural masterpiece. you can read more about it by clicking here.

Is Winslow worth a visit? If you are an Eagles fan, you can't not stop here! If you're not a fan (do such people actually exist?) It is still worth a visit. Allow a couple of hours.

A BIG hole in the Ground

Moving on along Interstate 40, we came to Meteor Crater. which is exactly what the name suggests - a huge meteor crater in the desert and of historical and scientific interest because exploration of it helped to prove that such craters were created by meteor impact and not by volcanic action. It's about a mile across...

It's hard to see how big it really is, but the building in the middle of the crater helps to give an idea. On the day we visited, the temperature was in the low 40s and we were seven or eight thousand feet above sea level. In that temperature and at that altitude, you physically cannot carry enough water to keep you hydrated. And ascending a simple staircase is like climbing Everest.

Then onto Williams, via Flagstaff and Interstate 40. A road that is in such need of repair that signs have been erected to warn of the damaged surface, like you used to see in France. Some of the pot holes were deep enough to lose an RV in! Our park at Williams was along side the Amtrak and Grand Canyon Railway depot, so we heard the mournful sound of American trains most nights The route to Williams was quite straightforward, but for the sake of completeness, here it is: Holbrook to Williams

the next instalment will look at Williams and our trip to the Grand Canyon.

Off to Chama

Chama is an old railroad town on the old Denver & Santa Fe system. Now, it is home to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad narrow gauge line and if you have even the smallest interest in railways, it is somewhere you'll want to visit. It is pretty high up in the Rockies.
Denver, for good reason, is known as the "Mile High City" as it sits around 5000 feet above sea level. You can feel it slightly to the extent that walking up a flight of stairs is like walking up two flights at sea level. We were going to cross a couple of high passes to reach Chama, passes in the region of 10,000 feet. This is the sort of height where simple sandals on the feet take on the weight of diver's boots!

Even in June, there is still plenty of snow on the peaks

Here is the route: The road to Chama 

Even though it was the beginning of June, there was sill snow on the mountains. The roads were quiet; just a few sections carrying traffic and once we reached Highway 17, we pretty much had it to ourselves. This is where life became "interesting". The road climbs into the mountain and by US standards, it is quite narrow. Actually, by European standards, it is quite narrow! There are numerous hairpins with mostly unguarded edges with sheer drops of several hundred feet. But the scenery is spectacular - more green than the Alps, with higher mountains and longer climbs and less traffic.

Then we discovered a little problem with our RV... The windscreen wipers were defective. Nothing serious, but no pressure against the glass, so no cleaning. A call to the rental company came up with a solution: as the passenger side was marginally better than the driver's side, could I find a garage to swap them over? I did it myself later that afternoon with the aid of a borrowed spanner (which I remembered to call a "wrench"). It didn't really fix the problem, but at least it didn't rain again.

Ominous looking clouds as we climb higher into the mountains

Finally, a rest at the top of the Cumbres Pass

Now it is all downhill into Chama and our RV park for three days, Rio Chama. Nestled under a forest of Cottonwood trees between the road and the river with the railway line crossing the river at the edge of the park, it is a cracking location. Our plot is another "pull through", which makes for easy set up and we are shown the way by the site owner who leads us on a golf cart. Everyone wants to come across to chat to us - such friendly people - and the question on everyone's lips... What do we think of Trump?

downtown Chama

We stroll into town, just a few hundred yards to walk, but at 8000 feet it is tough going. We find the railroad depot. I'm like a little boy again. This is like nothing I have ever seen - when the line closed to commercial traffic, it was immediately preserved, so nothing has been lost. Tomorrow, we are taking the trip to Antonito, but for now, I am allowed to wander round on my own while Ann sits in the shade.

The railroad depot at Chama

The yard still has its coaling tower, or tippler. No longer used, it is listed as an Historic Building and in the background you can see the water tower.

The train now arriving...

The Train Ride

We have seats booked in one of the Parlour Cars (First Class) towards the rear of the train. It is an all-day trip with a stop for lunch in a dining hall at Osier. We start with a climb; the gradient runs at about 1 in 25 or 4% to Osier and then descends at a more gentle gradient to Antonito where we shall take a bus back to Chama. Overall, the journey is around 65 miles by rail and around 40 miles back by bus, following the same road as we took the previous day. It helps if you like steam trains as there will now be a few pictures!

We were warned about the weather! Lightweight tee-shirts are in order at the beginning, but by the time the pass at Cumbres is reached, there is still plenty of snow remaining, so sweaters and coats are needed

The lunch stop at Osier. Absolutely in the middle of nowhere, but fresh food for two trainloads is prepared every day. Delicious, too! 

Wildlife

We're still in Bear Territory (keep hearing mutterings of "the Ranger won't like it, Yogi" every night). You expect to see squirrels, prairie dogs and chipmunks, but the surprise was to find humming birds.

 Next, we'll be heading further south to intercept Route 66 in Gallup. That'll be in the next instalment

The adventure begins...

We flew to Munich via British Midland Regional in a cigar tube with wings. Not an airline that I can, in all honesty, recommend. Overnight in Munich, close to the airport, a perfect flight with Lufthansa, who really understand customer care and encouraging repeat business, and a second hotel night at Denver.

Then collected and taken to meet our home and transport for the next six weeks.

32 feet long, 13 feet high and 10 feet wide over the mirrors. Powered by  V10 petrol (gasoline) engine and built on a truck chassis. For two people, it was to be extremely spacious and comfortable. It was also brand new with just delivery miles on the clock. Was this a "good thing"? For a six week hire, probably not as we quickly discovered that the build quality was not quite what you would expect for something that had a list price in excess of $100,000. We came back with a "snagging list" a page long.

Our first night took us to the outskirts of Denver, a State Park built around a reservoir. It took us just minutes to set up: mains power and water connected and slide extended. We didn't bother with the sewer connection, but it was there if needed. Each pitch had a concrete pad, a grass lawn and picnic table. 

Within easy walking distance was the lake.

Next morning, we started our drive higher into the Rockies.

the Route from Chatfield to La Veta

Our Park for the night was "Circle The Wagons" in the small town of La Veta. A small park in a one street town with exceptionally friendly owners. Just one thing to be careful of: we are now in BEAR COUNTRY - and they are not necessarily friendly, cuddly creatures like Yogi and Boo-Boo just out to steal your pick-er-nick basket, they are large vicious critters who can kill!

La Veta - a small, one street town high in the Rocky Mountains

The only "critters" we saw at La Veta were deer. Venison for dinner?

The 2017 "Holiday of a Lifetime"

We seem to have the "Holiday of a Lifetime" around every 10 years, usually coinciding with there being a 0 at the end of our ages. So this year was to be no exception. Several friends have asked for highlights and recommendations based on our trip, so rather than stick it all on Facebook, I'm going to do a stage by stage bit here.

In the Beginning

It all goes back a very long time. Not long after we were married, in a time BC (Before Children) we thought about a holiday to the USA, perhaps Arizona or California. This was long before I started travelling to the USA regularly for work. It never happened, but the thought always was there.

Late in 2015, I came across an advertisement for an organised road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles, following the course of Route 66. It looked interesting, but a bit hectic, but the seed of an idea was sown. Rather than a rental car and hotels, why not an RV? A big, proper American RV... Where should we go? The lower left hand corner, taking in the Rockies, the Grand Canyon and a few of the National Parks looked interesting. And there are the two famous narrow gauge steam railways at Chama and Durango along the way. Ann wanted to see Mount Rushmore; it would add around 1000 miles to the trip, but why not?

And that was how it began.

RV options were researched; a route was planned (no more than 300 miles a day when travelling, ideally with stops of 3 days at each highlight) and possible RV Parks investigated. Either Denver or Phoenix were options for our starting point, but Denver had the advantage of direct flights and a slightly gentler climate. How would we get there?

Using the excuse of it being another "Holiday of a Lifetime", travelling at the front of the aircraft was justified. It wasn't, really - it never is - I detest flying having done so much for work over the years and Ann has only travelled Business Class of long haul flights, so has never experienced the sheer joy of being squeezed into Economy for ten hours or more. Research showed there were just 3 options - British Airways from Heathrow to Denver, Lufthansa from Frankfurt direct or from Munich direct. It so happens that there are flights from Southampton to Munich. Even with the cost of a hotel in Munich on both outward and return flights, the Lufthansa option saved us around £1000. Take into account the 10 minute journey from home to Southampton, rather than the 2 hours or worse to Heathrow and it becomes as they say, a "no-brainer".

What we didn't know at the time we booked the tickets was that we would be travelling over the same weekend that British Airways decided to pull the plug on their entire computer system worldwide... It may have been "the world's favourite airline" once, but not any longer.

Is it REALLY that long?

My reader must have thought that I had abandoned by blog. OK... I'll let you into a little secret - lots of things have changed in the past few years since I last posted something.

First, we moved house. Then we spent a good 18 months transforming the wreck of a house that we bought int something that we both liked. Why did we buy the house? POTENTIAL! And the price was right, considering the coast we were going to incur in getting it how we wanted. We thought that as long as the rooms are the right size and in the right place, we can put right 25 years of neglect.

One of the prerequisites for the new house was a double garage for the two classic cars.  So, not long after buying the house with the perfect large extra height integral  heated double garage, what did I do? I sold the two cars and defected to a modern sporty number, namely a Mercedes Benz SLK250. The diesel sports car that will still do around 150mph, I am told and gets to 60mph faster than the TR6 could ever do, but still does over 50 miles to the gallon. It makes sense to me...

There have been holidays and changes to what I loosely describe as "work". First big change is that both the magazine Editorships have been handed on and I am now a published author. And officially retired.

That sounds rather grand... A "published author"... Two titles last year and three new works in preparation. More on these in due course, I am sure.

We've just returned from a six week trip to the US. What started as a "route 66" idea turned into a longer trip around the southwest US in a monster RV. Over the next few days and weeks, I'll post some updates on our trip as I've been asked by many to do. Watch this space!