"Nostalgia isn`t what it used to be........."

Seligman is a curious little town that probably only exists now because of the nostalgia attached to the old Route 66. In the days before the major interstate highways, route 66 was the prime road from the east to the west. It was referred to as "The Mother Road" and Seligman was a thriving town on that route. 9,000 cars a day used to pass through taking east coast migrants to sunnier climes and a better future in California. In the 60s and 70s it was a well travelled route for families on their way to the new and exciting Disneyland. And so it prospered until interstate 40 was constructed a few miles away and the 9,000 cars dwindled to 50.

A local hero called Angel Delgardillo campaigned to put the town back on the map and so it became “Seligman and the historic Route 66”. Its raison d`etre now is to remind tourists of the nostalgic 50s and sell them route 66 memorabilia. That said, I quite liked the ghost town feel of the place!

My deluxe motel was anything but, (I did notice a couple of squashed cockroaches outside my room – maybe they were a throwback to the 50s?) and a broken water main didn`t help matters. No shower or cooked food for 5 hours! With nothing much to do, I decided on an early night only to be woken by a very loud bang at 2.00 a.m. The loudest thunder, and closest lightning strikes I`d ever experienced. I was hoping it would blow over by morning for my next leg to the Grand Canyon, sadly, it was not to be.

The forecast predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms over the Grand Canyon area for the next two days. Which was a little unfortunate, because I was going to be camping for the next two days at the Grand Canyon! A hearty breakfast was called for before the foray into the cold and wet.

It was over breakfast that I met Rowie and Rhys from England. A really lovely young couple, with a great story to tell! Both were musicians. Rhys was a violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra and Rowie was a cellist and played in The Harpham Quartet.



The Harpham Quartet

Both were extremely talented musicians. In England, they lived a truly bohemian lifestyle on a barge (or two, to be precise)in Kingston. When I met them they were coming towards the end of their road trip and had just visited the Canyon,

“We just got engaged!” Rowie told me, hardly containing her excitement.

“That`s fantastic! Congratulations!”

“Yes, he proposed at the edge of The Grand Canyon! We`d just watched a thunderstorm across the Canyon and there was a break in the clouds. And you won`t believe it, but a ray of light broke through the clouds in the shape of a heart! He got down on one knee and proposed!”

Sadly, none of it was captured on film as their battery had run out! (Note to self - always keep batteries charged, just in case!) I don`t think they`ll forget that experience any time soon! What a great memory to have.

I felt quite uplifted after chatting to them, but all too soon it was time for us to go our separate ways. They were off to the heat of Vegas and I was heading into the storm clouds and rain!