Route 66 around Seligman, AZ

Williams isn’t the only town celebrating the history of Route 66 (or stuck in the past?). We took a drive along one of the longest drivable portions of Route 66, from Willams (actually on I-40 until just after Ash Fork) to Kingman, Arizona, with a stop for lunch at the Roadkill Cafe in Seligman. A 129 mile trip, plus a faster 114 miles return via I-40.

Here’s a map showing Williams on the right, and Kingman on the left:

Route 66 map

The equivalent satellite view:

Route 66 satellite

The portion of Route 66 between Ash Fork and Seligman were the best; after that, the road was much like any highway, resurfaced and recently painted. So in retrospect, we could have skipped that longer portion. But hey, at least we can say we’ve done it. Apparently this is the longest section of the original Route 66, too.

A useful reference site for driving Route 66. And another one.

Here’s Jenn with Route 66 sign, at the start of the portion after Ash Fork:

Jenn with Route 66 sign

Driving Route 66:

Route 66

There were several series of dark-humor Burma-Shave signs along the highway:

He tried to cross...

...as fast train neared...

...death didn't draft him...

...he volunteered

Burma-Shave sign

Route 66

Seligman, AZ:

Seligman, AZ

We stopped at the Roadkill Cafe for lunch:

Roadkill Cafe

A very interesting menu:

Roadkill Cafe menu

Jenn had the Fungi Burger, I had the Swirl of Squirrel:

Roadkill Cafe menu

Route 66 sodas:

Route 66 sodas

Bread

Burger

Swirl of Squirrel

Back on the road, more of Seligman, AZ:

Seligman, AZ

Continuing along Route 66:

Route 66

Grand Canyon National Park at sunset

Having done a guided tour of the Grand Canyon by train and bus, we visited it again a couple of days later in our truck; just an hour drive from the campground. This time, we went later in the day, to catch the sunset.

Here’s the canyon from the South Rim Village area:

Grand Canyon

The Hopi House, an Indian gift store:

Hopi House

The El Tovar hotel:

El Tovar

Views of the Grand Canyon from Mather Point, near the Visitor Center:

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Several miles further east, the Desert View Watchtower and viewpoint:

Desert View Watchtower

Desert View Watchtower viewpoint

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Desert View Watchtower

Jenn and David

Desert View Watchtower

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Heading back west, from Navajo Point (with a glimpse of the Watchtower):

Grand Canyon

From Lipan Point:

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Back at Mather Point for the sunset, and some nice alpenglow:

Grand Canyon

A magical experience.

Safe T Plus and Koni shocks

A while back I mentioned that we got some enhancements while at NIRVC. A couple of those were the addition of the Safe T Plus steering control system, and Koni shocks.

The Safe T Plus steering control system is a cylinder that mounts between the frame of the RV and the steering mechanism, to help smooth out wobbles in the steering due to wind and such, and help with control in the event of a tire blowout.

Our coach has independent front suspension using air bags, which gives a pretty smooth ride, but could be a bit bouncy on rough roads. The Koni shocks help to reduce that bounciness.

Here are some pictures looking under our coach; the yellow tube is the Safe T Plus, and the two red tubes are the Koni shocks:

Koni shock and Safe T Plus

Koni shock

Koni shock and Safe T Plus

Petrified Forest National Park

We visited another national park: the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona:

Petrified Forest National Park

The park consists of two sections joined by a narrow portion; in the north are painted hills, and the south has petrified trees. Click the map to go to the NPS map page:

The northern visitor center was being renovated, so they had a temporary one set up:

Visitor center

Jenn peeking over a stand, with clocks showing Arizona time (which doesn’t observe Daylight Savings time), Navajo Nation time, New Mexico time, and California time:

Jenn and clocks

Jenn bought and stamped a National Parks passport as another keepsake of our park visits. Though later decided to switch to a larger one:

Stamping passport

A cafe and gift store:

Cafe

More clocks and other decorations:

Clocks etc

Clocks

Gift store

As mentioned, the north part of the park has desert painted hills:

Painted hills

Jenn and David

Info sign

Painted hills

The Painted Desert Inn used to have food and accommodations back in the 1920s, but is now a museum:

Painted Desert Inn

More painted hills:

Painted hills

Where a discontinued part of the famous Route 66 crosses the park, there is a rusted 1932 Studebaker (the only national park that includes part of Route 66):

Route 66

Rocks:

Rocks

Petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs

More painted hills:

Painted hills

Rocks

Painted hills

A petrified log:

Petrified log

Painted hills

Rocks

An interesting trailer in a parking lot:

Interesting trailer

A random structure; nothing inside, so kinda just a fancy arch:

Random structure

A petrified log bridging a canyon, supported by old concrete:

Petrified log

Painted hills:

Painted hills

Petrified logs:

Petrified logs

An amusing sign:

Sign

Petrified logs:

Petrified logs

Petrified log

Petrified logs

Info

Petrified logs

The southern visitor center and museum:

Visitor center

Petrified logs behind the visitor center:

Petrified logs

Having visited the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Parks, we added a couple more stickers to our coach:

Coach stickers

Grand Canyon Railway and National Park

While staying at the Grand Canyon Railway RV park, and the reason for staying there, we took the train to the Grand Canyon.

This was a special wedding anniversary treat for us; we did the train trip on a day when they used the historic steam train, and went to the park in the Luxury Dome train car, did a bus guided tour, and returned in the Luxury Parlor train car.

Before boarding the train, there was a little cowboy show:

Cowboy show

All aboard! Here’s the Luxury Dome train car; a double-decker car, with a lounge below and a full-length dome above:

Train

After that car, at the end of the train, was the Luxury Parlor car, where we boarded:

Train

Us in our seat in the dome car; the TSA was still requiring masks except when eating and drinking:

David and Jenn

The Luxury Dome car, built in 1955:

Dome car

Each car had a Passenger Service Attendant:

Attendant

A glimpse of the front of the train out the dome window (don’t worry, better pics later):

Train

Snacks and beverages:

Snacks and beverages

Beverages

The train newspaper:

Newspaper

A photographer took some pictures:

Photographer

Here are a couple official photographs of us, in the dome and on the rear platform:

Photograph

The Luxury Dome car was only about half full:

Luxury Dome car

I walked the length of the train, starting from the rear platform:

Rear platform

The Luxury Parlor car, built in 1947:

Luxury Parlor car

Passage between cars, with the steps to the Luxury Dome visible:

Passage between cars

The lower floor of the Luxury Dome car:

Luxury Dome car

One of the Observation Dome cars; they have smaller domes:

Observation Dome car

The dining car:

Dining car

The historic 1923 Pullman car:

Pullman car

A Coach car:

Coach car

Singer:

Singer

Looking over the train from the frontmost observation dome:

Train

Arriving at Grand Canyon village:

Grand Canyon village

Tour bus:

Tour bus

On board the bus:

Jenn and David

Ranger operations building:

Ranger operations building

A bunch of pictures of the Grand Canyon:

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Tour bus

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Bridge

Bridge info

Grand Canyon

Lunch was included in the bus tour; it was supposed to be a buffet, but in these COVID times, it was instead a sack lunch:

Lunch

Jenn found a hat in the gift store:

Gift store

More angles of the big hole in the ground:

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

When we tipped the bus driver/guide, she gave us a snowy canyon pic she had taken:

Snowy canyon pic

Back at the train station in the park, I got some pictures of the 1923 steam train engine:

Steam train engine

Engineer

An assist from a diesel engine:

Engine

The power car:

Power car

Coach cars:

Coach cars

The rear of the train, with observation dome cars, the Luxury Dome car, and the Luxury Parlor car:

Train

The rear platform of the Luxury Parlor car:

Luxury Parlor car

Champagne toasts in the Luxury Parlor car:

David with champagne

Jenn with champagne

The conductor making a PA announcement:

Conductor

Snacks:

Snacks

Singers:

Singers

On the rear platform:

On the rear platform

View from the rear platform:

View from the rear platform

The cowboys stopped the train:

Cowboys

Cowboy train robbery:

Cowboys

The sheriff going after the robbers:

Sheriff

Lastly, an official photo of the steam train engine:

Steam train engine

This was a fun way to spend our anniversary, and quite the experience. Highly recommended.

Route 66 in Williams, AZ

Williams, Arizona is on the famous Route 66, and claims the distinction of being the last town bypassed by the I-40 freeway. It really embraces the Route 66 nostalgia. While staying there, we explored the town, and enjoyed several Route 66-themed restaurants.

Route 66 sign

An old Dairy Queen restaurant, that only opens seasonally:

An old Dairy Queen restaurant

Motel:

Motel

Route 66 sign:

Route 66 sign

Williams sign:

Williams sign

Mural:

Mural

Mountain Man Mercantile:

Mountain Man Mercantile

Old garage:

Old garage

Motor hotel:

Motor hotel

Bear:

Bear

Cocktails:

Cocktails

Mural:

Mural

Gift shops:

Gifts

Gift shop

Cowboy

Shops

Turquoise Tepee

Mural:

Mural

Gas station museum:

Gas station museum

We had dinner at Cruiser’s Cafe 66:

Cruiser's Cafe 66

Cruiser's Cafe 66 \

Cruiser's Cafe 66

Food

David

And breakfast for lunch at Pine Country Restaurant:

Pine Country Restaurant

Driving through Williams at night:

Williams at night

Dinner at the Route 66 Diner:

Route 66 Diner

Malts

Food

The best of Route 66:

Williams sign

3-stage water filter

Our coach has a water filter in the wet bay, to help ensure clean water:

Water filter

We recently changed the filter while sanitizing the water systems; here’s the dirty one and a clean one:

Water filters

That was actually the wrong filter, so I got the correct one:

Water filters

For drinking water, one filter doesn’t really cut it with some campground water supplies, though. So I purchased a Clearsource Ultra three-stage water filter system, with a 5 micron rust filter, a 0.5 micron bacteria filter, and a virus-guard filter:

Clearsource water filters

Our coach now has five filters between the water supply and our fridge water dispenser: those three, the aforementioned built-in filter, and the filter in the fridge.

I also bought a potable water hose to go between the tap and filters.

When first hooking up the hose and filter, I flushed them out by draining directly into the sewer:

Water filters

Then hooked them up to our coach:

Water filters

Ideally I’d like internally-mounted filters, and perhaps a water softener. One day I might arrange that, using the small bay on the other side of the coach. But for now, I’ll deal with the external filter unit; just another part of setting up at a site. Worth it for cleaner-tasting water.

Grand Canyon Railway RV Park

We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams, Arizona. (Campground Reviews listing.)

The main reason for staying here was to take a train trip to the Grand Canyon. This RV park is part of a complex that includes a full hotel, restaurants, the train station, pet boarding, and more. Stay tuned for a forthcoming post about our train adventure.

Dates:

Check in: 2022-03-30
Check out: 2022-04-10
11 nights

Weather:

Sunny
High temps ranging between 55 and 71°F, lows around 31-38°F
Occasionally windy

Noise:

Negligible road noise
Nearby train noise; freight train tracks next to park
Mostly quiet neighbors, other than a bunch of kids

Site:

#402, pull-through, asphalt, didn’t need to disconnect toad
Parked truck behind coach
Medium site: about 70 feet long by 25 feet wide
Not entirely level
Full hookups:

50 amp power conveniently located
Low water pressure, 32 PSI water, conveniently located
Good sewer connection, conveniently located

Picnic table on gravel

Internet:

Campground Wi-Fi: available, but not used
T-Mobile: 6-41 Mbps down, 5-33 Mbps up, 40-60 ms ping
AT&T: 8 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 47 ms ping
Verizon: 54-85 Mbps down, 25-46 Mbps up, 50-160 ms ping
Some impressive numbers for T-Mobile and Verizon there!

Amenities:

Garbage and recycling dumpsters
Indoor heated pool and hot tub (didn’t use)
The usual other stuff we didn’t use

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

Convenient to Grand Canyon and Route 66

We stayed here in order to take the train up to the Grand Canyon and it was very convenient for that. Check-in was fast and easy before we headed over to our site. Sites are narrow, with a strip of volcanic rock and a picnic table between them. Had a difficult time getting the motorhome level front to back and had to manually adjust, as the automatical levelers could not handle it. Our neighbor’s site was so bad that their front wheels were off the ground. Lots of folks complain about the BNSF freight trains that roll through at all hours. I didn’t notice them most of the time, but there were one or two instances in the early morning (5 am-ish) where the drivers would get a little heavy-handed on the horn. If you’re a light sleeper, be sure to bring earplugs and your white noise machine. We camped at Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in a Motorhome.

The weather forecast for our stay:

Weather

Here’s the forecast after that; we were super glad that we left on Sunday, before the snow and really cold weather on Tuesday:

Weather

The park map, with our site indicated:

Park map

Satellite view of the RV park and hotel, and part of downtown Williams:

Grand Canyon Railway park

A closer view of the RV park:

Grand Canyon Railway RV park

Sign for Grand Canyon Railway:

Grand Canyon Railway sign

RV check in; several lanes for RVs:

RV check in

RV park check in and office:

RV park check in and office

Our site:

Our site

As mentioned, there is a freight train track next to the park; here’s a view out our window of a train going by:

Train

Our site and others:

Our site and others

Other RVs

A similar angle pic from just before we left, it had emptied out quite a bit:

Campground

Back to the campground tour:

Other RVs

Amenities:

Amenities

Laundry:

Laundry

Grill and tables:

Grill and tables

Fire pit:

Fire pit

Playground:

Playground

Games:

Games

There was also a full hotel; here’s the lobby:

Hotel lobby

We picked up our train tickets for the Grand Canyon railway from the on-site station:

Picking up train tickets

A train model outside the station:

Train model

Photo op:

Photo op

Stands for the pre-train cowboy show (see a forthcoming post):

Stands for cowboy show

The Williams train station:

Williams train station

A steam train outside the station:

Steam train

Video

Video: timelapse of coach driving from Cottonwood, AZ to Williams, AZ

A timelapse of driving the coach 95 miles from Cottonwood / Verde Valley, Arizona to Williams, Arizona.

Travel from Verde Valley to Williams, AZ

We drove our coach 95 miles, a bit less than two hours, from Verde Valley to Williams, Arizona.

Here’s the route map, going from bottom to top:

Map route

Instead of the Thousand Trails park, we originally were going to stay at Verde Ranch RV Resort. But we were glad we changed it, not only because the TT was much cheaper, and with a great view, it was also much more quiet, instead of being right next to the freeway:

Verde Ranch RV Resort