Still in California

I visited my brothers in Bismarck, and ended up being sick for four days--jeesh, enough already!! I had no access to WiFi during that time.  But am now in Buffalo with Brian visiting the friends I stayed with at the beginning of my trip.

So, to continue my travels in California.  Again, lots of miles through the Mohave desert.  Sometimes a bit lonely, sometimes kind of spooky.  I wondered how many gallons of gas the tanks of old cars held?

On the road...

In Ludlow, another mining company town, ruins of old Ludlow Cafe.  There is a photo of this in one of my books, and the sign still has some letters left in the photo...not anymore.

A stone's throw down the road is a modern gas station/convenience store, with the new cafe.

In Newberry Springs, an old Whiting Brothers station with the old pumps.

Also in Newberry Springs is the Bagdad Cafe, where the movie of the same name was filmed.  There is actually a fairly deserted town named Bagdad east of here, which was the inspiration for the movie.  There was a cafe in Bagdad, but the one below in Newberry Springs is the one in the movie.

In California, the Rt. 66 signs were on the road!  At least in the desert.

In Daggett, a building known locally as the "Ski Lodge Roof House",

originally opened in 1926 as a visitor information center, the same year that Rt. 66 was built.

In Barstow, I saw some of the typical old motel signs, and with old cars parked on the properties.

In Helendale, there is an antique sign that advertised the Polly brand of gas.

In Helendale, there is also the Exotic World Burlesque Museum and Hall of Fame, a woman's tribute to strippers and exotic dancers.  I wanted to take a look, but it wasn't on the main drag, so I missed it.  What I did see and love was the Bottle Man, my name for him.  In 2000, after retiring from working at the local cement plant, he started building structures to hold bottles.  Eventually he added all kinds of things, mostly old, but even jewelry, to his creation.  It is like a wonderland.  The sun was shining on the bottles and a warm breeze was twirling some of the structures around.  My photos don't do it justice.  Another example of a new Rt. 66 sight to stop and see.

See the gun on top?

I'm having trouble getting more photos on this post, so will continue on a new

post--almost at the end of Rt. 66!