Route 66 Day 14 November 4, 2019

When we woke up and made it to the Breakfast area, lots of our fellow travellers were milling around. Many were discussing the helicopter flights they were going to take, some were talking about going for a long drive to enjoy some more of the fabulous scenery of this part of the world, and a few like us, were looking forward to having a relatively quiet day enjoying the beauty and quaintness of the town of Williams.

The staff in the breakfast area were so friendly and helpful. I got talking to one lady who told me that she had come to Williams after retiring, and had fallen in love with the town. Now she was back working part time. I could tell from the sparkle in her eye, and the genuineness of her smile, that she was in a very happy place in her life, and that she really did love her new home town.

Jenny and I took the luxury of sitting around and chatting with everyone over a cup of coffee or two. Then when everyone began to disperse to their various places of destination, we went back to our room and collected up everything we wanted to post home so that our suitcases would be a bit lighter. 

We had decided that we would go to the post office, then go to a diner we had been told about, and then come back and have a quiet afternoon until everyone got back from wherever it was they had gone. 

Nothing was too far away from the hotel, and anyway, the decor of the outside of the hotel made it stand out, so there wasn't much chance of us getting lost ... at least not in broad daylight!

I had to look up the 'closest post office' on Google.  We were directed down East Route 66, and we eventually found it in one of the back streets.

 

When we walked into the Post Office, we were the only ones there. Not long after, however, it felt like we were at a party! Because we were posting parcels, the process took quite a bit longer than just posting a letter, so all the locals who were making their way through the front door, were stopping to have big chats with each other. One lady told us she had only been living in the town for 3 months, but was here to stay for the rest of her days. Another lady said she had lived in the town for 40 years, and she pretty much knew everyone. Then a beautiful lady called Cosette (but everyone called her Cosy) came in and struck up a conversation with us. She asked us where we were from, and where we were going. We told her "Australia" and that we were travelling Route 66. Then she told us to look out for a little place called Hackberry, and in particular for a little school house across the railway tracks because that was the school she attended when she was little. Cosy then asked us how old we were, and when we told her she said we were only spring chickens. She was 75.  She looked fabulous and she spoke in such an animated way with a real spring in her step. 

The final part of our transactions for sending our parcels was completed (mine weighed 15 pounds!) and just as we were about to walk out the door, Cosy gave Jenny a pen from her "business" (it turned out she was a pastor from the local church) and she gave me her email address. Williams really was one of the most friendly towns we had encountered on this trip.  

Our next destination was the Route 66 Diner. We'd been told that the milkshakes were amazing, and the food was pretty good too. 

  

I picked up a copy of the Williams tour guide and read it while our meals were being prepared. In the opening paragraph it said, "Williams is filled with friendly people, fun experiences and a whole lot of personality." You'd better believe it!

Sign of the day!

The service was a little slow, but then no one is in a hurry in Williams, and I wasn't in a hurry so I kept reading the Williams Guide:

Known as the Gateway to the Grand Canyon, Williams is located in the heart of Kaibab National Forest at an elevation of 6770 feet (Mt Kosciusko is 7110 feet!) and serves as the forest's headquarters. Founded in 1880, Williams was named for its famous trapper, scout and mountain man 'Old Bill Williams' whose statue stands at the west end of the city. The large mountain directly south of town is named Bill Williams Mountain. Williams was the last town in America on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by the freeway.  Interstate 40 replaced the last surviving segment on Oct. 13, 1984.

Then our meals arrived! Sumptuous and fit for a trucker!

 
We slowly consumed the delicious food, and then casually made our way back to the hotel, where Jenny slept for the afternoon while I caught up on the clothes washing and some writing.

We were so full from our lunch that we didn't need any dinner.

Jenny woke up from her sleep, we put our clothes away and packed our bags ready to leave in the morning, and then both wearily looked at the time. It was 8.30pm! Time to climb back into bed for a good long sleep, in readiness for an action packed day again tomorrow.