COMMUTE TO WORK

USUALLY MARY WRITES THE BLOGS ABOUT OUR COMMUTE TO WORK, BUT I THOUGHT I’D GIVE IT TRY THIS TIME.

FIRST THING IS THE HIDDEN DRIVEWAY DOWN TO THE MAIN DIRT ROAD.

THE SECOND PICTURE SHOWS THE WASH THAT THE DRIVEWAY GOES THROUGH. THIS IS THE AREA WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT DURING THE MONSOON SEASON. HERE IN THE WEST INSTEAD OF BUILDING UP THE ROAD AND PUTTING IN A CULVERT THEY JUST BUILD THE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY DOWN THROUGH THE WASH AND IF IT’S A PAVED ROAD, THEY PUT UP A LITTLE YELLOW SIGN THAT SAYS, DO NOT ENTER WHEN FLOODED.

HISTORICALLY THE MONSOON SEASON STARTS THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF JULY, AND CONTINUES THRU AUGUST.

A MILE UP THE MAIN DIRT ROAD TAKES US TO THE ORIGINAL ROUTE 66 AND INTO OATMAN. DRIVING THE TWO BLOCKS OF THE MAIN DRAG IN OATMAN IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. THEY CLOSE THE STREET TWICE IN THE AFTERNOON SO THE COWBOYS CAN DO A GUNFIGHT, THE BURROS STAND OUT IN ROAD WHENEVER THEY WANT, CARS ARE OFTEN DOUBLE PARKED, AND THE PEDESTRIANS USE THE STEET INSTEAD OF THE BOARD WALKS.

AFTER OATMAN COMES MY FAVORITE PART OF THE 22 MILE COMMUTE. FROM OATMAN TO THE CEMENT PLANT DOWN BY HWY 95 YOU CAN SLIP THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND COAST FOR 13 MILES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

IF YOU LIVE IN OATMAN, YOU NEVER SAY, DRIVE DOWN THE “MOUNTAIN”, THE LOCALS ALWAYS SAY DRIVE DOWN THE “HILL”. IT’S SOME KIND OF “WESTERN CODE” LIKE A SECRET GANG HANDSHAKE. THE SAME WAS TRUE AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. IF YOU LIVE ON THE MOUNTAIN YOU SAY “HILL”, BUT IF YOU LIVE IN THE VALLEY OR ARE A VISITING TOURIST YOU SAY “MOUNTAIN”.

ANYWAY BACK TO THE COMMUTE……

HERE IS THE AZ CAR COASTING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PAST THE INTERECTION WHERE ROUTE 66 SPLITS OFF TO NEEDLES, CA WHERE THERE WAS A BRIDGE ACROSS THE MIGHTY COLORADO RIVER, DURING THE HEYDAYS OF THE MOTHER ROAD.

OF COURSE FOR EVERY DOWN THERE IS AN UP, AND HERE IS THE SIGN GOING BACK UP INTO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS AND HOME. YES, THAT MOUTAIN ON THE RIGHT IS OUR OLD FRIEND THE BOUNDRY CONE. ALSO WE’VE LEARNED FROM THE LOCALS THAT THE MOUNTAIN IN THE PICTURE ON THE HEADER OF THE BLOG IS CALLED WATERFALL MOUNTAIN.