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Day Eleven
On leaving Barstow, the 40 miles to Victorville are on a well-maintained highway. Scenery is mixed: some high desert, some river basin. We visited the Victorville Route 66 Museum, bought a few souvenirs and a great video tape of the Route highlights. We will save the Roy Rogers Museum for our next trip.
From San Bernardino west, Route 66 is no more than city streets through many small towns, neighborhoods really, with mixed residential and small businesses. The Route may end in Santa Monica but the mystique ended in Victorville, or before.
Rick had made arrangements a few days before to fly home to Seattle from the airport in Ontario since he had experienced driving 66 and he was anxious to get home. My son, Mark, would have liked to have joined us in Arizona and experienced a small part of the trip, but his work schedule would not allow the extra time. Another plan forms.
Mark arrived in Ontario where Rick and I greeted him and 45 minutes later, Rick departed for home.
Mark and I traveled a short piece of 66 so he could say that he did it, and bought a t-shirt to prove it. Our plan was to head due-west on Hwy.10 and link up with Hwy.101.
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At Thousand Oaks, we headed south toward the ocean, just west of Santa Monica for a photo shoot and to touch the Pacific Ocean. Folks, the 12 miles on Route 23 to the ocean were like none I have ever seen. One and a half lanes wide with the tightest curves, blind driveways, and all downhill. My brakes got a real workout! |
We now headed north on Coast Highway 1 and the sun was going down. By the time it was dark we entered Oxnard, looking for a place to stay. Warning: NEVER enter Oxnard and take the first motel you come to, NEVER!! The Bates Motel was on our left, and we pulled in and registered. Honestly, the proprietor used English as his eighth language. The room was unbelievable! The bottom six inches of the bathroom door was gone and when closed firmly, termites fell to the floor. The shower drain was open and things were growing out of it and up on the tile walls. We would not shower nor wash this evening, but at least we could watch the Olympics. Wrong! No antenna!
The couple in the room two doors down, who were monthly renters, knew the area. You may have seen them in the movie “Deliverance.” When we asked them where to eat, they said, “Don’t eat across the street because it is a Latino bar and you won’t be welcome.” Into the 2cv and four blocks away was a Lyons restaurant with hot food and a working TV. When we believed the termites had settled down, we returned to the motel and attempted to sleep.
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