The burros of Oatman, Arizona have roots that go back to the gold mining days. Even though the last gold was mined in 1924, the burros are still here.
The heat in Lake Havasu City, Arizona was not kind to some of the cars.
With temperatures in the 100’s for the last few days, the heat has really been on as we traveled from New Mexico into Arizona and into California, with the route taking us through the Mojave Desert. Honestly it is hard to imagine how drivers and their cars survived the heat and conditions along Route 66 in the 1920’s and 30’s. The Stars and Stripes team has experienced what it would be like to break down, find parts and work on repairs through the night. It was truly inspiring how many people stepped up to help the team get the car repaired. After an announcement was made to the crowd that specific parts were needed, we were able diagnose the problem and install the new parts. Special thanks to Bert Colita for letting us use his garage to get the work done, as well as the mechanical geniuses Magic Dave and “Do it All Dan.” As they say, it takes a village. Along the way, the burros of Oatman, Arizona were a highlight of the trip and a living metaphor for the tenacity and toughness of the Wild West and the survival of a town on Route 66. Even though there is sometimes a problem with the donkey “patties” that need to be avoided on the street, the burros are what helps keep the tourists coming, and many businesses embrace their presence. With just one more day until we cross the finish line in Santa Monica, we are thankful for all that we have experienced and endured. And even though our teams are doing well, it’s not about the scores we have achieved, it’s more about the people we have met, the friends we have made and the relationships we have strengthened. We’ll see you at the finish line.
Grateful for the kindness of strangers who opened their garage to the Stars and Stripes team so that they could get the repairs done.
It’s a brand new day and the Stars and Stripes is ready to hit the road after working on it all night. Bert Colita you are a life saver!
Thank you Magic Dave for hanging in with us until 4:30AM.
Josh, Magic Dave and “Do It All Dan” helped to make it happen.
Almost every business in the town of Oatman is dependent on the burros to bring in business.
Dan helps the team from Japan review the directions for the day.
Trevor tries to keep cool with some ice.
Rally instructions.
We enjoyed seeing this t-shirt shop on Route 66.
The hood was removed to help keep the car from overheating.
Thomas and Benjamin getting ready to hit the road.
Rolling into Kingman, Arizona.
Another business in Oatman, Arizona.
The Stars and Stripes is ready to ride after a long night in the garage.
High five for great teamwork and another ACE after a long, hot day on the road.
Thanks to the crazy car aficionados in Havasu, we were able to find the parts that were needed to repair the transmission on the Stars and Stripes. It was another long night of repairs.
We’ve had a little more experience with the slogan, “Ride, Repair, Repeat” than we would have liked this year.