Wild Burros on Route 66

the last stop on our trip out west

I drove across the United States and met a bunch of jackasses. I know this isn’t exactly news, but perhaps you were not aware that wild burros roam in Arizona, and the Old Route 66 burg of Oatman has made a living by keeping its old frontier mining frippery in full display, and allowing the burros to have the run of the town. It was a bit of a detour from the interstate on our way back from the Grand Canyon, but I managed the 500 hundred miles to San Diego, and meeting these pushy little donkeys helped fuel my soul, much like the Gardetto’s Special Request Garlic Rye Chips—our go-to road food for munching away the miles—fueled my belly.

As Route 66 winds up the mountain, signs warn you that 15 and 20 miles per hour are not mere suggestions, and they are absolutely correct. As you roll into town, you can see the wreck of someone who did not heed these limits.

Once you enter the town proper, the burros and the people petting and feeding them ensure that you’ll be driving at a pleasant crawl, no faster than if you were riding on a good horse, or one of the burros themselves. It’s a tourist trap through and through, and was crowded enough that we didn’t go looking for a frybread taco. We had a flight to catch. On the way out of town, I got out of the car to take photos, and a young donkey—or “donkling” as Johnny Shaw said in his hilarious desert caper novel, Big Maria—trotted up to me. I won’t deny it, when that cute little donkling trotted my way, I giggled like a little kid. All they got was pets… no Gardetto’s!

Sadly, when I reached the turnoff in the Mojave desert towards Amboy Crater and Roy’s Motel and Drive-In, we were low on fuel and I didn’t want to risk the Amboy filling station being closed, leaving us high and dry an hour away from Twenty-nine Palms. That’s fine, I hope to return someday, and visit the Mojave Desert Lava Tube as well! Joshua Tree National Park is well worth a visit, and I’m glad that we went there. If we return to Palm Springs, I hope to get to Indian Canyons as well. If you missed my JT post, here it is:

Two Choices in the Desert

This one has to be short, as I have a busy weekend ahead. Not much outside time planned, but I hope to sneak out in the morning for a hike at one of my old haunts.