An American tale Day 5 - Get Your kicks...

I leave cloudy Buelton, California, after my free continental breakfast (weak coffee and stale Danish, gee thanks) and head South in search of the Sun, and boy did I find it.
As I pulled of the freeway, temp gauge was reading 103º, this was definitely a day to be visiting one of the world's most famous beach towns, Santa Monica. 

Pretty much all you need to now about this place is everybody is hot.  Everybody.  And they know it. Whether roller blading, walking the dog, or working out on muscle beach, the real reason they are there is show off their asses.  Not that i'm complaining mind, just felt that maybe today wasn't the day to join them and show some skin.

I wander south to find the pier.  Nothing too remarkable and not very different to anything you'd find in Britain; Arcades, Ferris wheel, buskers.  The reason it was on my list however was that the end of the pier is the official end of a very famous road indeed.

(That and the fact that "I want to be big".)

Sadly the historic Route 66 no longer officially exists, replaced by faster freeways and interstates.  Of course, that doesn't stop geeky people like me.  You can pretty much follow the old route halfway to Las Vegas before it cuts across Arizona, so that was my plan.
I start on Santa Monica boulevard, driving into LA, cutting across West Hollywood.

As I finally leave the city, (LA traffic's a bitch) I witness why the road is so iconic, wide open roads cutting through the desert with mountains either side of you, quite literally awesome.
I end my route 66 experience in the quite unremarkable town of Barstow.  A place that seems to exist just because it has to, being the halfway point between LA and Las Vegas.  The one thing it did have going for it however was one of the coolest places I have ever slept.

I pull up and walk into the booth (couldn't really call it a reception), I'm welcomed by a friendly elderly man, who hands me my key, along with a disposable toothbrush, razor and souvenir postcard.
A pull alongside one of the many beat-up classic cars dotted around the carpark.  I let myself into my room and am reminded about something I found amusing when booking this motel...the round bed.

That photos for all you ladies out there, thought you'd appreciate that image.

Tomorrow, it's VEGAS BABY!!!!!

Today's soundtrack provided by ZZ Top, Johnny Cash, and Jimi Hendrix