Day 8 - Friday, May 6, 2011

Day Eight Stats

Miles Traveled: 92 miles    States Traveled: California

Origin: San Bernardino, CA    Destination: Santa Monica, CA

Time of Departure: 10:00 AM (PDT)    Time of Arrival: 4:45 PM (PDT)

Highest Observed Gas Price: $4.47/gallon in Pasadena, CA    Lowest Observed Gas Price: $4.12/gallon in San Bernardino, CA

Day Eight Summary

What a day!  We slept in on day eight, knowing that we only had about 90 miles to go to the finish line.  After getting ready for the day, we took a stroll around the Wigwam Motel to look for the owners.  We found Kumar and his mother cleaning teepees.  Kumar was kind enough to spend some time with us, providing information on the history of the hotel and sharing stories of Route 66.  Once we left, we made a quick visit to the site of the original McDonald’s in San Bernardino, CA.

The drive to Santa Monica, CA was short on mileage, but took a number of hours due to the stop-and-go traffic of the Los Angeles area.  This did not reduce our excitement in knowing that we were just a short distance from our final destination.  The different communities along the way each paid tribute to the Mother Road in their own unique ways, but Fontana was a special treat with classy stone and stucco monuments along the road and 66 shields on colored, textured pavement.  For a streetscape enthusiast like me, these were special treats.

For lunch, we made a quick detour into Ontario, CA to eat at a Chevy’s Fresh Mex.  Chevy’s is Gale and my absolute favorite Mexican restaurant and we rarely get to eat at them, as there are none in the Southeast.  I made sure to eat enough for Gale and me!

How exciting it was to drive Santa Monica Boulevard, turn left onto Lincoln Boulevard, and then Olympic Boulevard.  Seeing the Santa Monica Pier was incredible – knowing that we had made it to the western terminus of Route 66 was so satisfying.  Looking out at the Pacific Ocean was great and walking the pier was truly remarkable.  We met Dan Rice, the fellow who so many 66ers along the way had mentioned, and it became apparent very quickly why he is revered along the road.  Dan is a young man who, along with his wife Jessica (due with their first child in June!), has embraced the Mother Road and takes real joy in its success.  Dan and Jessica operate “66 to Cali” a Route 66 memorabilia company that resides on the Santa Monica Pier but also provides “made in America” 66 merchandise to merchants all along the route.  Dan and Jessica, we wish you much success and may God continue to bless your family.  Congratulations on the little one – your life will only be fuller!

We got here with one travel day to spare – getting here a day early is better than a day late, I suppose.  Sleep will come easy tonight, as the road has worn us down a bit, but it is a very good kind of tired.  Tomorrow we will take it easy and prepare for the flight home early Sunday morning.  We will blog on Saturday and Sunday, so don’t stop checking in – this trip isn’t officially over until our feet our back on SC soil.  Here is today’s summary:

·         San Bernardino, CA – Wigwam Motel; Site of the Original McDonald’s.

·         Fontana, CA – Bono’s Historic Orange; Route 66 Monuments and Tributes.

·         Ontario, CA (slight detour) – Chevy’s Fresh Mex.

·         Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Sycamore Inn (circa 1848); Magic Lamp Inn.

·         Claremont, CA – Wolfe’s Market.

·         La Verne, CA – La Paloma Café.

·         San Dimas, CA – Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse.

·         Azusa, CA – Foothill Drive-in Theatre Sign.

·         Pasadena, CA – Colorado Boulevard – Tournament of Roses Parade route; Saga Motor Lodge.

·         Los Angeles, CA – Sunset Boulevard.

·         Beverly Hills, CA – Art Moderne Police Station; Rodeo Drive.

·         Santa Monica, CA – The Georgian Hotel; Santa Monica Pier; 66 to Cali; “End of the Trail” sign.

What I learned from my father today: Dreams Do Come True

As we woke up this morning in our teepee, Dad told me again how much this trip has meant to him.  He then spoke specifically to our stay at the Wigwam Motel.  He said that ever since he was a little boy he had seen postcards of the Wigwam Motels and had always wanted to stay at one.  He thought it would never happen.  It’s good to know that dreams do come true.

What I learned from my son today: The Great Things are Truly Timeless

I had always thought nostalgically about Route 66 – as part of history.  But today I realized that the Mother Road is about yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  I realized today that new generations are finding importance in Route 66.  Not only Ernie, but as we’ve traveled, we’ve met Mauricio, Kumar, and Dan and Jessica Rice – all young people who are fascinated by, passionate about, and their livelihoods depend on America’s Main Street.  Add to that the influence the Cars movie has had, and even the youngest now know and love Route 66.  The great things are truly timeless.