Shorter mileage plan for today, so a little bit later start. Excellent breakfast at a fun 50s/Route 66 diner (admittedly, not hard to find in this trip – but these guys nailed it). Several stretches of pure highway driving today, as we crossed Arizona and California desert either on a very well maintained 66, or sections of I-40 that now cover it. The day took us from Kingman AZ to  Oatman and Topock, then into California through Needles, Goffs, Fenner, Ludlow, Newberry Springs, Daggett and Barstow.

The highlight of the day though was definitely Oatman, and the Oatman Highway (not in that order of encounter)…the road from Kingman to Golden Shores AZ (yes, it is on the shore of open water!) winds through the Sitgreaves Pass – and by winds I mean winds…~14 miles up then down, dozens of switchbacks, 15-20mph max on most of it and no guardrails. Kristen likened it to nail biting sheep tracks we’ve driven in Wales and Ireland…nerve wracking to be sure, but the Shelby handled well and my nerves got a needed break when we arrived in to Oatman AZ. Completely a tourist-driven town – one street lined with shops full of leather goods, t-shirts, Route 66 trinkets, and littered with donkey dung. Yep – about a dozen wild donkeys roam the town looking for handouts and finding plenty. We were also there long enough for two street gunfights (staged of course).

The rest of the day was those wide open vistas after crossing the Colorado River into California – fast driving through vast desert – a good piece of it The Mohave National Preserve – into Barstow.

Pics below – as with prior days – camera can’t do much justice to the sheer magnitude of the horizon- but below you may spot: more hotel/gas station signs, a hot mama in a hot car, amazing desert scenery, ridiculous curves, a lot of ass(es), outrageous pricing, and another movie location.  Pics of Barstow tomorrow, before we head out to the beach!