I have heard of the mystique of driving along Historic Route 66 and thought I might get to travel it one day, but Snoopy, who has more adventures than I do, beat me to it. Enjoy the photos and the ride with Snoopy and Peanuts fan, Robert Peterson, as they stop at some roadside attractions along the way.

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Stop #1: Snoopy at Cool Springs Station

Our journey on Route 66 began with a stop at Cool Springs Station in what seemed like the middle of nowhere near Kingman, Arizona. Built in the 1920s, Cool Springs, with its cabins (no longer there) and service station, was a life-saving stop for motorists to get gas, oil, or a bite to eat while crossing the desert heading west to California.

 

Stop #2: Snoopy at Snow Cap Drive-In

Heading east with the temperature at about 116 degrees Farenheit, Snoopy had to stop and get something cold to drink. We stopped at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In located in Seligman, Arizona. The famous drive-in was built in 1953 by local resident Juan Delgadillo using mostly scrap lumber from nearby Santa Fe Railroad yard.

 

Stop #3: Snoopy Meets the “Angel of Route 66”

While in Seligman, Snoopy also met the man famous for the preservation of Historic Route 66, Angel Delgadillo (age 91). Angel is a local businessman operating a barber shop on Route 66 starting in 1950. With the new Interstate 40 that bypassed many of the small towns on Route 66, Angel saw his town almost dry up.

He petitioned the government to preserve the old highway, and he founded the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Route 66 associations were then formed by the other states, thereby preserving Route 66 as a National Scenic Byway.

John Lasseter interviewed Angel to learn about the history of Route 66 while making the Disney/Pixar movie, Cars. We had fun taking pictures with Angel.

 

Stop #4: Snoopy Makes a Pit Stop

Snoopy and I stopped to check out an abandoned outhouse along Route 66. Don’t worry—he didn’t fall in!

 

Stop #5: Snoopy at the Wigwam Motel

Snoopy became tired from all the driving, so we stopped at the famous Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. The motel opened in 1950, and travelers along Route 66 can still stay the night in individual wigwams made of concrete.

 

Stop #6: Snoopy at the Continental Divide

Snoopy stopped briefly at a historic point on Route 66 in New Mexico called the Continental Divide. It is a geological point that divides the watersheds that flow to the Pacific Ocean on one side and to the Atlantic Ocean on the other side.

 

Stop #7:  Snoopy at Blue Swallow Motel

We met a lot of nice people along our trip, but one of the nicest was Cameron Mueller whose family purchased the iconic Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The Blue Swallow Motel opened in 1940. It has been a favorite of travelers on Route 66. With its famous neon sign and family atmosphere in the motel’s classic-style courtyard, you can step back in time for a night or two.

Note: Cameron was nice enough to turn the car around so Snoopy could get a great photo. Thanks, Cameron.

 

Stop #8: Snoopy Gets Hungry

With dinner on his mind, Snoopy stopped at The Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo, Texas. The restaurant is famous for its 72oz Steak Challenge. If you can eat a 72-ounce steak dinner with all the fixings in one hour, your meal is FREE.

 

Stop #9: Snoopy at Milk Bottle Grocery

Another famous roadside attraction on Route 66 is a tiny 350-square foot building called Milk Bottle Grocery. It was built in 1930, right in the middle of a busy thoroughfare in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

 

Stop #10: Snoopy at Pops

Snoopy decided to take time for a soda at Pops in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Pops is a more modern attraction on Route 66 offering travelers a chance to gas up, grab a bite to eat, or choose one of 700 plus types of soda or sparkling waters. Snoopy naturally chose the “Route 66 Root Beer”.

 

Stop #11: Snoopy at Round Barn

Our next stop was at the old Round Barn right down the highway from Pops in Arcadia. The Round Barn was built in 1898 to store hay, grain, and livestock, but quickly became a community gathering place that hosted many barn dances for locals for almost 25 years. The barn fell into disrepair in the 1970s, but the local historical society refurbished the barn and reopened it to the public in 1992.

 

Stop #12: Snoopy Makes One Last Stop

Our last stop before reaching our destination was at an old abandoned gas station in Chandler, Oklahoma. I don’t know the history of this station, but it looked like someone is doing a great job restoring it.

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With thanks to Snoopy’s faithful host, Robert.

—Jean Schulz