Day 1: Oatman to Kingman

May 9, 2018

I woke up in a motel in Needles, California. The overnight low was 80F/27C. After breakfast I drove the rental car to drop off the bicycle near Oatman. I drove a circular route to approach from the south on Historic Route 66 (also Bicycle Route 66). The route from Golden Shores to my starting intersection would be a fantastic bike route when the weather is cooler. Very scenic, threading through craggy mountains on a narrow road that hugs the terrain. Little or no improvement since the 1930's. No traffic because it's insanely narrow and winding for today's motor vehicles. Hopefully someday I can do a 1-day bike ride on Historic Route 66 from Oatman down to the Colorado river. Probably during winter when it's only 80F.

Today I will start at the intersection of Boundary Cone road and Historic Route 66. Two miles southwest of Oatman where Historic Route 66 starts to thread into the Sitgreaves mountains. To the west is a hazy view of the Colorado river valley below. The river forms the boundary between California and Arizona. The river isn't visible but green irrigated fields are vaguely visible.

The bike tour started at the remote intersection of Historic US 66 (center) and Boundary Cone road (right). It was too hot down below.

The taxi dropped me off at the highway intersection at 10:30 AM. The temperature was 95F (35C) and rising. Good thing I'm starting at 2000 feet (606 m) and going higher.

It took a couple minutes to attach the panniers and get on the road. After pedaling less than one minute I stopped to have a short chat with touring cyclist Olly from the UK. He's going west on Bicycle Route 66, entering the Mojave desert during a heat wave. I don't envy him. My predicament is bad enough.

I had pedaled less than a minute when I encountered Olly from the UK going the opposite direction, descending to the super-hot Mojave desert.

My starting point is where the sloping valley ends and the canyon begins. Valley view to the west, mountain view to the east. Historic Route 66 climbs aggressively from there to Oatman.

Climbing towards Oatman on a segment of Historic Route 66 that hasn't been improved since the 1930's.

It took me at least half an hour to climb two miles to Oatman. The last mile is mostly 8-12%. That finally got me truly hot.

Oatman has a population of only 160 but it's a big tourist attraction. Oatman and Sitgreaves Pass might be the ideal Route 66 mini-adventure for most people. The town is full of tourists with license plates from all over the U.S. and Canada. Also the occasional tour bus. Some buses bring international visitors who are on multi-day bus tours. Other buses bring casino guests from nearby Laughlin, Nevada.

Oatman was founded in the 20th century. It's not especially old but like many old mining towns it has a lot of character. It seems to be mostly authentic, not contrived.

The free roaming burros are an attraction but also a nuisance. They get in the way and stink up the town. The sign says they are federally protected endangered species.

Oatman's sidewalks are covered to give protection from the sun. It almost never rains.

Oatman has several t-shirt and trinket shops. It's a good family tourist destination. Oatman also has shops that sell only motorcycle themed merchandise. It's a popular destination for motorcyclists. In comparison, very few cyclists pass through on Bicycle Route 66.

Oatman Hotel hasn't been a hotel in decades. Most of the upstairs rooms are now museum exhibits. One guest room is preserved as a shrine to celebrity sex, the room where movie stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their wedding night on March 29, 1939. Good luck explaining that to the kids without smirking. Oatman was probably a good place to hide from the Hollywood paparazzi.

Route 66 is Oatman's main street. The hotel hasn't had lodging in a very long time. There is a Bed and Breakfast somewhere in town.

The downstairs of the Oatman hotel is a restaurant and bar. One of only two restaurants in town. I had lunch there. It felt good to get a dose of air conditioning before the super-hot climb to Sitgreaves Pass.

Money-covered wall at the restaurant in Oatman Hotel.

Oatman hotel bar. View from my table in the restaurant.

The temperature was 100F (38C) when I left Oatman at 1:30 PM. Everybody looked at me like I was crazy to pedal up the mountain in the afternoon heat. I figure it won't get any hotter as I gain elevation. There is no shade but it's only an 850 foot (258 m) climb and it's a dry heat. Probably 10% humidity. Oatman gets 8 inches (20 cm) of rain per year.

Historic Route 66 is steep uphill going through the town of Oatman. It continues to be steep as it leaves town and enters the mining zone. Most of the mines seem to be shut down.

Today I saw Cholla cactus in several places. I didn't take close up pictures because I assumed I would see Cholla for several days. Nope. I only saw them on this side of Sitgreaves pass, never again during this trip.

I only saw Cholla on the first day of the tour when I was on the edge of the Mojave desert.

While climbing to Sitgreaves pass there was evidence of mining all around. This area was bustling with activity at one time. And of course this was once a major highway. Now there is very little traffic. The traffic only goes 30 mph because the road is so narrow and winding.

Hilltop graves. View looking west toward the Colorado river.

Near Sitgreaves pass were several good views to the west, towards the Colorado river and California. I won't see California again but I will see the Colorado river again.

Looking back at the road I'm climbing. I seldom saw yucca after this.

Historic Route 66 climbs only 850 feet (258m) from Oatman to Sitgreaves Pass but the grade is a consistent 8-10%. That's unusually steep for a road built in the 1920's. Most of the early traffic traveled west, so they went down this grade, not up. With many photo stops I reached the summit at about 3 PM.

The summit is not very high but the grade is 8-10% and the temperature was 100F (38C).

The descent from Sitgreaves Pass is mostly 4% grade. Much more gentle than the grade I went up.

Descent from Sitgreaves pass towards Kingman. One of the most famous views of Route 66.

The descent was quite scenic, giving me views of different craggy mountains than what I could see before. Views mostly to the north.

I stopped for ice cream at Cool Springs Station. It was interesting to look at the old stuff like the gas pumps. It's easy to imagine this oasis in the 1930's.

Cool Springs Station was an important oasis on Route 66. No lodging, restaurant, or gasoline now. Just a gift shop.

The desert flattens out at about 2300 feet elevation. Then a gentle climb to Kingman begins. Kingman is in the foothills of the mountains ahead at 3100 feet elevation.

Near the bottom of the bowl I pedaled through 3 miles of freshly spread gravel about to be chip-sealed with tar. Better before than after...

Crossing a typical bowl-shaped desert basin. Gentle 1000 foot descent followed by a gentle 800 foot climb to Kingman in the mountains ahead.

Historic Route 66 connects to I-40 a few miles southwest of Kingman. I crossed I-40 and continued on the old highway through a scenic canyon south of I-40. The old road has the first views of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad. I will see it often during the next 3 days.

This beautiful no-traffic old road connects directly to downtown Kingman.

The old road enters downtown Kingman with no traffic. Awesome. Easy. Quiet. I-40 is on the other side of the big hill.

The famous western swing song Route 66 was written by Bobby Shoup in 1946. It has been covered by many musicians but I think the definitive version is by a Western Swing group called Asleep At the Wheel.

Route 66 was also popularized by a television series from 1960-1964. The audience assumed Martin Milner's Corvette convertible was red even though it was impossible to know because the show was filmed in black and white. The Nelson Riddle Orchestra's swinging theme song is now permanently associated with Route 66.

It's safe to say that millions of people have driven on Route 66 while listening to these two songs.

In Kingman I stopped to take pictures downtown. Not many Route 66 tourist businesses. Kingman was a thriving railroad town long before Route 66 was built.

Downtown Kingman doesn't have very many Route 66 gift shops.

From downtown I pedaled 1.5 miles up a big hill to Quality Inn. I arrived at 7 PM, checked in, then promptly pedaled down the big hill to have dinner downtown. The room was $67, cheapest night of the trip.

It was dark when I pedaled up the hill after dinner. I'm not carrying a headlight but the entire distance was very well lit with new LED street lights that provide remarkably uniform illumination.

I was unlucky to start during a heat wave but it was tolerable starting at 2000 feet elevation. Tomorrow will be cooler. Afterwards the weather will be much cooler.

Today I had a steady but mostly gentle southwest tailwind. Late in the day the tailwind helped me cross the desert to Kingman. But when climbing the tailwind reduces airflow, making me hotter instead of cooler.

Today's route is a fantastic route for cycling. Probably the best preserved, most scenic, and lowest traffic segment of Route 66 bar none. I highly recommend it.

Distance: 36.5 mi. (58.4 km)
Ascent/Descent: +2964/-1660 ft. (+898/-503 meters)
Average Speed: 7.8 mph (12.5 km/h)

Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 37 miles (60 km)

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