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The Thing?

The Thing?




In 1980-something, as I looked out the windows of a Continental Trailways bus crossing the country on Interstate 10, I saw huge yellow billboards promoting "The Thing?". These billboards seemed to go on for hundreds of miles. 

Those billboards are no longer as plentiful as I remember, but they still tempt travelers with a two word question: "The Thing?". I don't think one can get much more ambiguous than that. There is a thing in the desert. Stop and see it. What is this Thing in the desert? This reminds me of a high-school English teacher telling me "there are no such things as things and stuff". She wasn't a marketing person. ;)

The Thing?

The question begs an answer.

If countless miles of highway littered with "The Thing?" billboards don't entice travelers to stop, the proprietors have added fuel and Dairy Queen as additional temptations.





Inside the building is a gift shop that is much like many other roadside trading posts.






Between displays of cowboy hats and fireworks is the entrance to "The Thing?". We paid our $1 per adult admission fee and followed the yellow footprints as instructed by the cashier.





The footprints led us to perhaps one of the strangest and hokiest museums ever.












After viewing bizarre yet fun exhibits in the first couple buildings, we come to the one holding The Thing? ...




What is this thing thing?




It's a wonder!



Is it a wonder that I paid one whole dollar to see The Thing? If you want to see it, you'll have to go visit and spend your own dollar. We certainly got more than a dollar's worth of fun seeing The Thing?.  Great roadside attraction fun.






So, do you really want me to show you The Thing?

I recommend you go see it for yourself; but if you must see it now, click here.




Go see The Thing?


And don't forget to get some Dairy Queen.




Skyhole







Arizona Skies

Arizona Highway 277

Wigwam Village #6





Wigwam Village #6 in Holbrook, Arizona, is one of seven concrete tipi motels built between 1933 and 1950. Only three of the seven still exist today. The tipi-shaped design (incorrectly labeled called a wigwam) was the brainchild of Frank A. Redford who created the first Wigwam Village around his Indian artifact museum and shop in Horse Cave, Kentucky. Wigwam Village #6 was built by Chester E. Lewis along Route 66 in 1950, after obtaining rights to the name and design from Redford.

The Lewis family continues to operate the hotel today. I've not yet stayed here. The Wigwam Village is at the top of the list the next time we need a motel room in the Holbrook area.




Painted Desert Indian Center

Dinosaurs killing dinosaurs! Petified wood. Rocks. Jewelry. Toys. Gifts and goods Indian and Western. Clean restrooms. Everything we needed as we approached the end of a long road trip. Plus, a free piece of petrified wood.








Bridge Out

Another spot in which the old Route 66 highway no longer goes through: this time due to an unmaintained bridge. Had to return to Interstate 40 to continue west.






Chief Yellowhorse



A 'cave' and jewelry shop that straddles the border.









Walking Horse





Laguna


Maybelle's Diner


Speedtrap


Deputy sheriffs are pulling people over for speeding in a 'when flashing' school zone when the lights aren't flashing. After our protest that the lights weren't flashing, they let us go with a warning.

Google Maps streetview from a few months prior shows 55 MPH speed limit signs without any school zone or speed signs. I suspect the school zone speed, signs, and lights are new. Hopefully this was an accidental speedtrap.

Sunset Motel


A nice Route 66 motel run by nice people from same family since it was built. 

Sun n Sand







Sahara Lounge Package


Club Cafe


Shell