Route 66! Part V: The Road to Barstow

Continuing on from that abandoned gas station which may or may not have dispensed Gulf gasoline, one sees yet another abandoned gas station as well as some ruins as the highway bends into a northeasterly direction.  This next gas station is another one of those relics that are all up and down the Mother Road.  This one below is one that I missed on the 11/30/11 trip (that's two of them that I have to admit missing) but on 7/16, we didn't miss it.

This is at 27075 National Trails Highway.  I've researched this and learned it was Burden's Store and Post Office.

Another shot.  The restrooms are at the left as one faces the building.

When I was researching this, an older image of this showed graffiti which has since been painted over in white.

Across the roadway, a BNSF locomotive.

A view from across the highway.  Sheila is visible, taking some photos.

In San Bernardino County, the road is signed as a county road, with the 66 designation.  We saw this a few times along the road to Barstow.  We also saw it again from I-40 where 66 is a frontage road in a state of disrepair.  I didn't remember seeing this sign where it's a frontage road during my 2011 trip.

Further along the road, we saw this set of ruins.  This photograph and those that follow are from 11/30/11.  I have no idea what this used to be.  At a minimum, a residence.

Dang if I know what this used to be.........

I can't say that this is the most interesting stop along the old road.  I stopped again when Sheila was with me, but we didn't stay long.  On to Barstow.

Continuing on the Barstow, Route 66 passes through Lenwood, and becomes Main Street.  As I am writing this, I am regretting that I didn't take any pictures.  There were motels that are still in commission with their noticeably older architecture but clean.  It's like stepping back in time.  We drove along Main Street, stopping off at Barstow Station.

At Barstow Station, I did take a couple of photos.  Here's one of an old railroad car.

And another photo.  We went inside to check out the various souvenirs that were on sale.  I dropped a few bucks here, picking up a few mementos.

And another view of Barstow Station.

Barstow Station at one time for me was not a pleasant memory.  In late July of 1986 my then housemate and I took a long road trip from San Jose, to Las Vegas, then Phoenix, Nogales, El Paso, Albuquerque, Kingman, and Barstow.  He really wanted to stop off at Barstow Station to eat there and me, not knowing what I was in for, was OK with it.

When we got there, it was 1:30 PMish and the "restaurant" that was there was McDonald's.  The lines were very long and the place was crowded.  We ate our meals in an old railroad car and there wasn't very much open seating in it.  I was doing the slow burn inside; failing to understand what was so great about eating a stupid Big Mac combo meal inside of an old railroad car.  After that, I swore I would never go back there again.

Years later, doing some online research about Route 66, I learned that it was more than a McDonald's and railroad cars to eat their meals in.  It was an assortment of shops, and a chance to pick up some souvenirs.  I picked up a replica of the US Route 66 sign (the Arizona version) and a sticker.  Sheila, I think, got some fridge magnets.

After that stop we were on our way again, for the next leg of the journey.

To be continued.................