Pipe Spring National Monument and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

A day trip to Pipe Spring National Monument and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, amongst other places.

Pipe Spring National Monument sign:

Pipe Spring National Monument

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Diorama:

Diorama

Exhibit:

Exhibit

Outside, behind the visitor center:

Mountain

Sign

Old cart

Bridge

Display

Display

Display

Display

Building

Inside

Inside

One chicken wandering around:

Chicken

Longhorn bull:

Bull

Building

Roof:

Building roof

Cart

The main building:

Building

The building was closed, but I peeked through the gate:

Inside

The spring goes through that building, and out the side:

Spring

Into a pond:

Pond

Pond

Pond

Wagon:

Wagon

Some interesting rocks on the drive to the sand dunes:

Mesa

Interesting rocks

Tourist trap cave:

Tourist trap cave

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park:

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

David

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

We stopped for some food at Thunderbird Restaurant, “Home of the Ho-Made Pies”:

Thunderbird Restaurant

Info:

Info

Dessert menu:

Menu

Restaurant decor:

Restaurant

BLTs:

BLTs

We had pie slices for dessert, and got a whole pie to go:

Pies

Pie

We went back there another day for dinner:

Chicken Alfredo

Chicken cordon bleu burger

More interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Rock shop:

Rock shop

Rock shop

You guessed it, more interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Interesting rocks

Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience

Our second trip to Las Vegas was to the Fremont Street Experience in downtown. It’s a couple blocks of that street, covered with a large curved screen, that displays light shows and music videos.

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

The historic Vegas Vic:

Historic cowboy

Fremont Street Experience

We went to the Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar for dinner:

Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar

Margarita and corn chips:

Margarita and corn chips

Jenn’s combo dinner:

Jenn's dinner

My burrito dinner:

David's dinner

We’re not into gambling, but felt we should pay some tax to the gods of luck while in Vegas. Though as it turned out, Jenn walked away with almost double what she put in:

Slot machine

Back outside:

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

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

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

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

We stopped at the Roadkill Cafe for lunch:

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

A very interesting menu:

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

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

Roadkill Cafe menu

Route 66 sodas:

Route 66 sodas

Route 66 sodas

Bread

Burger

Swirl of Squirrel

Back on the road, more of Seligman, AZ:

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Continuing along Route 66:

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

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

Cowboy show

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

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

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

Luxury Dome car

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

Observation Dome car

Observation Dome car

Observation Dome car

The dining car:

Dining car

Dining car

The historic 1923 Pullman car:

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

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Tour bus

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Bridge

Bridge info

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

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

Lunch

Jenn found a hat in the gift store:

Gift store

More angles of the big hole in the ground:

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

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

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

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

View from the rear platform

View from the rear platform

The cowboys stopped the train:

Cowboys

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

Old garage

Old garage

Old garage

Motor hotel:

Motor hotel

Bear:

Bear

Cocktails:

Cocktails

Mural:

Mural

Gift shops:

Gifts

Gift shop

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

Cruiser's Cafe 66

Menu

Menu

Menu

Menu

Food

David

And breakfast for lunch at Pine Country Restaurant:

Pine Country Restaurant

Pine Country Restaurant

Pine Country Restaurant

Pine Country Restaurant

Driving through Williams at night:

Williams at night

Williams at night

Williams at night

Williams at night

Williams at night

Dinner at the Route 66 Diner:

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Menu

Menu

Menu

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Route 66 Diner

Malts

Food

Food

The best of Route 66:

Williams sign

Cabazon Dinosaurs

While in the Palm Springs area we visited the Cabazon Dinosaurs, a roadside attraction featuring a couple of large dinosaurs that one can go inside, plus lots of smaller ones. Read the Wikipedia article for more info.

A sign by the entrance:

Sign

Lots of pictures of the dinosaur gardens:

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

IMG 8608

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Going inside the big T Rex:

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

Stairs inside dinosaur

Stairs inside dinosaur

Stairs inside dinosaur

Inside dinosaur

Inside dinosaur

Inside dinosaur

Inside dinosaur

The gift shop:

Gift shop

Gift shop

Gift shop

Gift shop

Gift shop pressed penny machine

Gift shop pressed penny machine

The big T Rex dinosaur (that we went inside):

Dinosaur

Dinosaur

Dinosaur

The other big one:

Dinosaur

Dinosaur

It has another gift shop inside:

Steps inside dinosaur

Gift shop inside dinosaur

After that, we stopped by a nearby In N Out for lunch:

In N Out

In N Out

Then went to the Hadley store to get date shakes, another touristy thing for the area:

Hadley

Hadley

Hadley

We bought a bunch of snacks:

Snacks

And of course the date shakes:

Date shake

Hotel stay while our coach was at Cummins

While our coach was at Cummins awaiting diagnostics, we stayed at a nearby pet-friendly La Quinta hotel:

LaQuinta hotel

A pretty basic room:

Hotel room

Paladin wasn’t keen on the car journey, but settled in at the hotel after a while:

Paladin

Paladin

The room did have a view of a nearby mountain, behind another hotel:

Mountain

Also a less scenic view of the freeway:

Freeway

Being in a hotel room without kitchen facilities, we ate out for dinners and breakfasts (and ate leftovers for lunch). The first night, we walked across the road to a Claim Jumper restaurant (my first experience of one):

Claim Jumper dinner

There was an IHOP (International House of Pancakes) next door to the hotel, so we went there for breakfast:

IHOP menu

IHOP breakfast

For lunch, we had leftover pizza. Then for our second dinner, we went to a nearby Olive Garden:

Olive Garden dinner

Olive Garden dinner

For our second breakfast, I went and got takeout from IHOP while Jenn had a work meeting:

IHOP breakfast

After that, we were able to go pick up our coach from Cummins, so we loaded our stuff back in our truck and headed back there:

Suitcase and cat carrier in truck

The Cummins visit and hotel stay was an unexpected and unwelcome hassle and expense, but it’s all part of the RV lifestyle. As someone said, plans should be made of jello; when things go wrong, we just need to handle it as best as possible.

Channel Islands National Park and wildlife cruise

In our ongoing mission to visit every national park, we did one of the ones we can’t drive into — Channel Islands National Park, off the coast of California.

We could drive to the visitor center in Ventura, California, though:

Channel Islands National Park visitor center

Models

Tide pool

Shell and fin

Fish

Souvenirs

After that we stopped for lunch at a nearby place in the marina, Boatyard Pub:

Lunch

Fish and chips:

Fish and chips

Burger and fries (most excellent fries):

Burger and fries

Good vibes:

Good vibes

Then we headed to Oxnard for an afternoon boat cruise into the park. Here’s an info sign:

Info sign

The marina:

Marina

Our tour boat was the Vanguard:

Vanguard boat

Boarding the Vanguard:

Boarding the Vanguard

Time to go:

Time to go

Departing:

Departing

We were fortunate to see several whales; here’s a blowhole sign of one:

Whale sign

Whale tail:

Whale tail

Low-flying pelicans:

Pelicans

One of several oil rigs:

Oil rig

We also encountered a few pods of dolphins:

Pod of dolphins

Dolphins

A couple of animated GIFs of the dolphins:

Dolphins GIF

Dolphins GIF

More dolphin pics:

Dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphins

Our guide:

Our guide

Another whale encounter:

Whale sign

Whale

Whale

Whale

Whale GIF:

Whale GIF

Pelicans:

Pelicans

The coastguard is still requiring masks, even in an outdoor situation like this, for some reason. So here’s a masked selfie:

David and Jenn

East Anacapa Island:

East Anacapa Island

Arch:

Arch

East Anacapa Island

Island

Islands

There were hundreds or thousands of birds in the air and on the island:

Birds

Birds

Birds

Lighthouse:

Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Arch:

Arch

Arch

Arch

Arch

Arch

Arch

Arch and island

Birds:

Birds

Building:

Building

Sea lions:

Sea lions

Arch and island

Arch

Arch

Arch

Arch

El Capitan Canyon

While staying at Ocean Mesa RV Resort, we headed down the hill to the neighboring affiliated campground, El Capitan Canyon, which offers glamping accommodations. But of interest to us, they also have a store and cafe.

The path from the RV resort was rather steep:

Path

Path

It is lined with avocado trees:

Avocados

El Capitan Canyon sign:

El Capitan Canyon sign

Fish art on a road bridge over a creek:

Fish art

The creek and road bridge:

Creek and bridge

A pedestrian bridge:

Bridge

Seating area:

Seating area

The Canyon Market, very rustic looking:

Market

Market

Market

Market

The cafe within the market:

Cafe

Outside, a fire ring, seating, and games:

Fire and seating

One evening we got dinner there; Jenn had a BLT, and I had a burger, both with sweet potato fries:

Jenn and food

Very tasty:

Burger and sweet potato fries

The next night, we went back again for another dinner:

Tritip sandwiches, fries, etc

Jenn and food

Warner Bros Studio Tour

While in the LA area, we felt we had to do something Hollywood-related. We’ve long wanted to do a studio tour, so decided to do the Warner Bros Studio Tour.

After going through security and a waiting area, the tour started with a short video on the history of Warner Bros:

Warner Bros

Then we headed out in carts for a guided tour of the lot; we sat up front with our hilarious guide:

David and Jenn

I can’t remember everything that things appeared in, so I won’t try; here are a bunch of pictures from the back lot; you may recognize some from various movies and TV shows:

Tour

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

The iconic WB water tower:

Water tower

Water tower

Water tower

Water tower

More back lot scenes:

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

The gazebo from The Gilmore Girls:

Back lot

Jenn and David

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Back lot

Some stages:

Stage

Stage

Stages

We drove through the workshop, where they make the sets etc:

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop

Then walked through the property department, where they store lots of props:

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

Property department

We met the granddaughter of the Warner brothers:

Warner granddaughter

Then walked through the Ellen stage:

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Ellen stage

Stage 16, the tallest stage:

Stages

Stage

Then we went to the next phase of the tour, a self-paced walk around some exhibits on the movie-making process:

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

A touch screen to design your own Batmobile:

Exhibits

A photo op on a Friends set:

Friends set

Friends set photo op

Friends set photo op

Friends set photo op

More exhibits:

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

A forced perspective demo:

Forced perspective demo

Forced perspective demo

Green screens where people can use props and be directed to make a video:

Green screens

Jenn did a Harry Potter flight on a broomstick, but didn’t like how it turned out, so we didn’t keep those. We also did these together:

Green screen

Green screen

We had a beverage and cookie from the Central Perk cafe:

Central Perk

Central Perk cafe

Central Perk cafe

Central Perk cafe beverage and cookie

A Friends-focused gift shop:

Store

Next, we hopped back on a cart to get ferried over to another building that was more focused on movies, primarily Batman and Harry Potter:

Movie section

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Sorting hat

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Exhibits

Finally, exit through the gift shop:

Gift shop