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Tuesday, January 10, 2017

EXPLORING HWY. 66 /MARS LANDSCAPE IN CALIFORNIA



GREATER AMBOY-–Is basically Roy’s Café and Motel (pop. 6).  It is the nearest civilization to the ancient Amboy Crater and its 24 square miles of solidified lava flow.  If you wish to travel to Mars in your lifetime you might settle for the lava fields and the 250-ft. tall crater. Image: Phyllis Shess, PillartoPost.org
The romance of exploring the historic Route 66, a landmark roadway from Los Angeles to Chicago, is best achieved by understanding the route simply doesn’t exist as one continuous stretch of highway.

Route 66 in the 21st Century is a collections of fits and starts.  What remains is not easily reached by modern Interstates.

But, exploring what remains can be with patience and a good map a remarkable adventure.

THE ULTIMATE PEACE AND QUIET INN—Image is by photographer Yoluke Kosaka showing Roy’s mid-century motel just before a rare rainstorm.
One example is Amboy Crater, just off of Route 66 in the great California desert. This 250-foot-high crater is approximately 6,000 years old and one of the best examples in the Mojave Desert of a volcanic cinder cone. A footpath leads to the top of the cone where you can get a good view of the surrounding area. The hike to the Crater and back can take 2-3 hours. Late January through March are good times to see the wildflowers. Below is photo from the 2005 wildflower season. The area is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973, Amboy Crater was recognized for its visual and geological significance. Although Amboy Crater is not unique, it is an excellent example of a very symmetrical volcanic cinder cone.

The inside of the 250' high crater contains two lava dams behind which has formed small lava lakes. These are now flat in general appearance, covered with light colored clay, creating the impression of miniature "dry lakes." There is a breach on the west side of the crater where basaltic lava poured out over a vast area.

Beyond the crater lies 24 square miles of lava flow containing such features as lava lakes, collapsed lava tubes and sinks, spatter cones and massive flows of basalt.

ENROUTE TO ‘VEGAS—In the 1950s Amboy was in its heyday as one of the stops along old Highway 66 in San Bernardino County between LA and Las Vegas.



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