Flagstaff to Holbrook, AZ

How quickly the topography changes.  East of Flagstaff, the land is treeless and flat.  We have rejoined the interstate highway, I-40.  The sign below pretty much sums up the day's ride.  The wind was 25 mph with gusts of thirty or more.  Unfortunately, we didn't get and help from the side wind, just had to fight it all day long.  There was no real climbing today, the road is pretty flat all the way to Holbrook.

5:48; 92 miles; 1,114' climb; 4,178 Calories.

I left the hotel in Flagstaff with Willie, Mike R, and Dan.  Several miles down the road, Willie had a flat and Mike stayed with him while Dan and I rode on to the first SAG stop.  Our companions had not caught up to us before we continued up the road.  Dan stuck with me all the way to the end.

This is looking back towards Flagstaff.

 What lies ahead.

The Eagles rock band put Winslow, Arizona on the map with their song, "Take it easy."

Route 66 ran from Chicago to Los Angeles and is often called the "mother road."  Too many years ago to contemplate, my family made several trip from Texas to California on Route 66.  Unfortunately, the Interstate highway bypassed many of the small towns along the route and only small pieces of 66 still exist.

In the old days, the Jack Rabbit Trading Post had billboards for hundreds of miles along Route 66.  The trading post is still there, barely hanging on beside I-40.

I'm trading in my bicycle for a rabbit.

Holbrook, AZ, is one of the town along I-40 that survive.  Home to one of the remaining teepee motels and taking advantage of the Disney movie, "Cars."  My dad would not let us stay at one of these although I and my sister begged. 

A Dairy Queen half a mile from the hotel.  Dan treated.