It was almost a perfect day. I played golf in Needles and drove 93 miles through the barren and hot Mojave Desert to eat breakfast at the Ludlow Cafe, drove another 53 miles through the desert to play golf in Barstow, drove 35 more miles to Victorville for a third round of golf, drove 13 miles to eat dinner at the Summit Inn Cafe, and finally drove 42 miles to discover my hotel reservation at the Wigwam in Rialto, CA was botched by the motel.
I was up before the crack of dawn today and at River's Edge Golf Course in Needles for a 5:45 A.M. tee time. The course takes its name for its location on the Colorado River.
It's a very flat course and has a bit of length to it with long par fives and three par threes of over 190 yards.
As the first golfer on the course, I played quickly and was on the road to the Ludlow Cafe in Ludlow, CA by 7:20 A.M.
River's Edge came through with a logo ball moving the count to twenty-four for thirty-five on the trip.
It is 93 miles from River's Edge Golf Course to Ludlow. Route 66 is in fabulous shape nearly the whole way and California marks the road by painting Route 66 shields on the pavement. The land is desolate--it's the Mojave Desert and there are no big towns on the route but plenty of abandoned buildings.
It's a very flat course and has a bit of length to it with long par fives and three par threes of over 190 yards.
As the first golfer on the course, I played quickly and was on the road to the Ludlow Cafe in Ludlow, CA by 7:20 A.M.
River's Edge came through with a logo ball moving the count to twenty-four for thirty-five on the trip.
It is 93 miles from River's Edge Golf Course to Ludlow. Route 66 is in fabulous shape nearly the whole way and California marks the road by painting Route 66 shields on the pavement. The land is desolate--it's the Mojave Desert and there are no big towns on the route but plenty of abandoned buildings.
 Abandoned Gas Station/Restaurant in Goffs, CA |  Roadrunner's Retreat Cafe East of Amboy, CA |
Today was the day I spent many hours thinking about and preparing for as it related to the travel readiness of the Mustang. I knew I'd be driving in triple digit temperatures in the California Desert and was fearful about how the vehicle would handle the extreme weather. When the car was being restored, I had many conversations with Mark McCoart, my Mustang guru and the brains behind the restoration (http://mustangmaker.com/). We talked about problems that might occur and ways to prevent those problems. Everything we did under the hood was pointed to assuring the Mustang could make the 5000 mile drive Route 66 trip and handle everything Mother Nature threw its way.
I am happy to report I had no issues whatsoever today in heat that was in the triple digits. I did take precautions today by driving with the windows down and leaving the air conditioner off to keep the heat under the hood under control. I was never uncomfortable.
I will also say I wondered what might happen if there was an issue in the desert. There is very little traffic on Route 66.
I am happy to report I had no issues whatsoever today in heat that was in the triple digits. I did take precautions today by driving with the windows down and leaving the air conditioner off to keep the heat under the hood under control. I was never uncomfortable.
I will also say I wondered what might happen if there was an issue in the desert. There is very little traffic on Route 66.
 Roy's Cafe and Motel in Amboy, CA |  Cone of the Amboy Crater and Lava Flow |
I took the time to take a picture of Roy's Cafe which is used often in commercials and movies. And I also passed an area of volcanic activity near Amboy, CA which resulted in a dome that's visible for many miles.
The town of Ludlow consists of the diner, a gas station, a motel, and is right on I-40 in the Mojave Desert.
The diner is a classic Route 66 Diner, decorated in period motif with oldies playing in the background. I had the Sunday special which was eggs, hash browns, toast, and polish sausage.
The town of Ludlow consists of the diner, a gas station, a motel, and is right on I-40 in the Mojave Desert.
The diner is a classic Route 66 Diner, decorated in period motif with oldies playing in the background. I had the Sunday special which was eggs, hash browns, toast, and polish sausage.
After topping off the gas tank and adding a quart of oil, I was on the road for the 50 mile drive to Barstow as the mercury climbed towards 100 degrees.
I passed the time listening to the Cleveland Indians bomb the Oakland A's and also the talk about the bombshell trade the Tribe made with the Yankees for lefty reliever Andrew Miller.
Tees N' Trees Golf Course is adjacent to the Marine Corps Logistics Base. My navigation system took me to the gate where the gate guard admired the Mustang after refusing me admittance but explaining how to get to the course.
As I stopped to take a picture of the course sign, a base security vehicle pulled up next to me and Kris Smith, in uniform, asked me what I was doing. I explained my adventure and we chatted for a brief time before he asked if he could take a picture of me astride the Mustang for the Base Newsletter.
Tees N' Trees Golf Course is a green oasis among desolate ground. It's in good shape and the greens have lots of grass.
Tees N' Trees did not have logo balls although the attendant spent time while I was on the course looking for one. The only logo ball they had was in a glass display case under the counter. I told him I'd give him $10 for it but he wasn't moved. He said it's possible they will have more in the future.
So the count is twenty-four for thirty-six.
I passed the time listening to the Cleveland Indians bomb the Oakland A's and also the talk about the bombshell trade the Tribe made with the Yankees for lefty reliever Andrew Miller.
Tees N' Trees Golf Course is adjacent to the Marine Corps Logistics Base. My navigation system took me to the gate where the gate guard admired the Mustang after refusing me admittance but explaining how to get to the course.
As I stopped to take a picture of the course sign, a base security vehicle pulled up next to me and Kris Smith, in uniform, asked me what I was doing. I explained my adventure and we chatted for a brief time before he asked if he could take a picture of me astride the Mustang for the Base Newsletter.
Tees N' Trees Golf Course is a green oasis among desolate ground. It's in good shape and the greens have lots of grass.
Tees N' Trees did not have logo balls although the attendant spent time while I was on the course looking for one. The only logo ball they had was in a glass display case under the counter. I told him I'd give him $10 for it but he wasn't moved. He said it's possible they will have more in the future.
So the count is twenty-four for thirty-six.
The Old Polly Gasoline Brand Sign Near Helendale, CA The next drive on Route 66 was a 35 mile jaunt to Victorville, again through the Mojave Desert on an excellent road.
I stopped quickly to get a picture of the Polly Gas sign with the gas prices considerably lower than those currently in California.
By the way, California's gas prices are easily $1.00 per gallon more expensive than any other prices I've seen during the trip.
I was at Green Tree Golf Course 30 minutes before my tee time and was able to set out on the round early.
I stopped quickly to get a picture of the Polly Gas sign with the gas prices considerably lower than those currently in California.
By the way, California's gas prices are easily $1.00 per gallon more expensive than any other prices I've seen during the trip.
I was at Green Tree Golf Course 30 minutes before my tee time and was able to set out on the round early.
Green Tree Golf Course is in Victorville, CA and snakes through a neighborhood. The houses are not the kind of houses I'm used to seeing on a golf course. Many were vacant and many were in a state of disrepair.
The greens at Green Tree are fabulous and unlike River's Edge, it has a good deal of elevation change.
I played through a single at the turn, played through a threesome on the fourteenth tee and joined yet another single on the fifteenth tee. Louie Casas, a self-described retired jarhead, knew how to play the game of golf. As a matter of fact, we both birdied the fifteenth hole.
The greens at Green Tree are fabulous and unlike River's Edge, it has a good deal of elevation change.
I played through a single at the turn, played through a threesome on the fourteenth tee and joined yet another single on the fifteenth tee. Louie Casas, a self-described retired jarhead, knew how to play the game of golf. As a matter of fact, we both birdied the fifteenth hole.
Louie Casas - Green Tree Golfer On hole eighteen, a par five that needs one of those periscopes I've covered in earlier posts, we were waiting to hit our second shots when Scott, the single I had played through at the turn, came motoring over the hill with his riding wife, Becky.
Scott ended up completing the eighteenth hole with us and he came through with a birdie.
Green Tree has a large supply of logo balls and the day ended with a logo ball count of twenty-five for thirty-seven.
Before we left, everyone came over to my parking spot to examine the Mustang. Scott took the time to warn me about the Las Vegas Sunday afternoon traffic I'd face on my 13 mile trek to the Summit Inn Cafe in Oak Hills, CA. And I even followed his car for a time before they made a right turn.
Scott ended up completing the eighteenth hole with us and he came through with a birdie.
Green Tree has a large supply of logo balls and the day ended with a logo ball count of twenty-five for thirty-seven.
Before we left, everyone came over to my parking spot to examine the Mustang. Scott took the time to warn me about the Las Vegas Sunday afternoon traffic I'd face on my 13 mile trek to the Summit Inn Cafe in Oak Hills, CA. And I even followed his car for a time before they made a right turn.
Summit Inn Cafe The Summit Inn has good old "stick to your ribs" food. I couldn't resist the Turkey Manhattan and a Hangar 24 Betty IPA brewed in Redlands, CA.
The last leg of the trip was a 42 mile drive down Cajun Pass and into San Bernardino, CA and finally Rialto, CA to The Wigwam where I intended to spend the night.
Not so fast. When I arrived, a very rude clerk told me I had the last "wigwam", a SMOKING room. I had made the reservation three weeks earlier at their website and he accused me of making a mistake. Of course, Gus, Mr. Documentation, went out to the car and brought back the paperwork. My first comment to him was "you're a helluva nice guy". I don't think he took that well. I showed him the paperwork and while he was eating crow, I asked to see the room. We walked there together and it reeked of smoke. He said he'd give me a three dollar discount. Whoopie. I told him I didn't think I would be giving The Wigwam a very high endorsement in my blog. When we returned to the office, he said he didn't want to rent a room to me and to get off the property.
Well.
I wonder what the property owners would think of that customer service.
It took me about another 90 minutes to settle into a different hotel.
Tomorrow is a day similar to today without all the driving. I'll play eighteen holes at Shandin Hills Golf Club in San Bernardino, nine holes at Rancho Duarte Golf Club in Duarte, and finally eighteen holes at Santa Anita Golf Course in Santa Anita before checking into the Saga Motor Inn in Pasadena.
Tomorrow's afternoon high will be around 94 after a morning that starts in the upper 60's.
The last leg of the trip was a 42 mile drive down Cajun Pass and into San Bernardino, CA and finally Rialto, CA to The Wigwam where I intended to spend the night.
Not so fast. When I arrived, a very rude clerk told me I had the last "wigwam", a SMOKING room. I had made the reservation three weeks earlier at their website and he accused me of making a mistake. Of course, Gus, Mr. Documentation, went out to the car and brought back the paperwork. My first comment to him was "you're a helluva nice guy". I don't think he took that well. I showed him the paperwork and while he was eating crow, I asked to see the room. We walked there together and it reeked of smoke. He said he'd give me a three dollar discount. Whoopie. I told him I didn't think I would be giving The Wigwam a very high endorsement in my blog. When we returned to the office, he said he didn't want to rent a room to me and to get off the property.
Well.
I wonder what the property owners would think of that customer service.
It took me about another 90 minutes to settle into a different hotel.
Tomorrow is a day similar to today without all the driving. I'll play eighteen holes at Shandin Hills Golf Club in San Bernardino, nine holes at Rancho Duarte Golf Club in Duarte, and finally eighteen holes at Santa Anita Golf Course in Santa Anita before checking into the Saga Motor Inn in Pasadena.
Tomorrow's afternoon high will be around 94 after a morning that starts in the upper 60's.
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