Page 40 - KCRPCA SeptOct 2021

honeymoon suite of Clark Gable and Carol Lombard at the Oatman hotel, and drove through herds of long abandoned donkeys.
The only day that required effort was while crossing the Mojave Desert in 121-degree heat. One
of our fellow travelers drove a custom 1966 Chevy Malibu with no AC. After a valiant effort, they took a shortcut to our next stop, and its refreshing air conditioning.
On the 13th day, we reached
our destination in Los Angeles by Mel’s Diner, not the Santa Monica Pier. The pier is often thought of as where Route 66 culminates. It makes for a good story, and brings some extra visitors to the pier, but approximately ten blocks to the east is where it officially stops.
The day before our scheduled farewell dinner at Mel’s, Austin had promised us a surprise, and he delivered. If you recall the movie American Graffiti, directed by
a then unknown George Lucas, there appeared a young lady that stole the show. In fact, she was nominated for a best supporting actress award. No, it was not
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Der Sportwagen