Exploring Amboy and Amboy Crater on Route 66
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- Опубліковано 14 січ 2020
- Recently we headed out to the town of Amboy, CA on historic Route 66 and the nearby Amboy Crater. After exploring the town we headed over to Amboy Crater and took the short 3 mile round trip hike to the top and back, where we were rewarded with a stunning view of the area.
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I was working on the 29 Palms Marine Base in the area between the ridge line and Route 66 for about 25 days. This was in the late 80s and Buster still owned the town. The crew and I stayed at the old Motel in Amboy. Interesting experience in that there was no TV, Telephone, and the Shower pipes were midway down the wall, so you had to basically sit down to wash your neck and face. Also the walls did not go all the way down the floor, there was about an inch of space separating the floor and wall. You could buy breakfast and lunch at the Cafe, but if we wanted dinner we had to go into either Twenty-nine palms or Ludlow. Nowadays I look back on that experience as a highlight in my life experiences.
Yea I stopped there in ‘94 heading back to the base from Laughlin. Gas was $0.73 in Oklahoma City at Amboy they wanted $1.75. I refused to pay that much we were on fumes but I told the owner I would rather chance running out of gas and having to walk than pay that muck on Corporal pay.
@@1lthrnk Well, it would have been a good long walk. Glad you made it.
@@coleparker I was stationed out there and I know the desert pretty well. The woman Marine I was with was stationed out there also but she never had to live in the desert and live on limited supplies and March “hump” miles carrying almost your body weight (2 weeks of gear, M60, PRC 77 radio, food and water)
@@1lthrnk, yeah one has to be pretty much desert wise and know what to do at any given time. I was lucky as a DOD consultant to have worked at Fort Irwin, and El Centro Naval base, and to have hiked the deserts from San Diego to Yuma as well as the Great basin. As I said I am glad you and her made it.
Parenthetically, When I was out in that area, a young Marine had died a few months before we got there. It was during the summer, and field exercises were going on. The young guy (I call him that now as I am near 70), was left to guard a dirt road intersection. By accident he was left out there. Now instead of staying put, and turtling in under his poncho liner he decided to try and walk to Amboy, which he could see from his position, in the middle of the day when the temperature was well over 100 degrees. Additionally he took all of his gear. Tragically, he got lost in one of the various basalt lined canyons where the temps can reach between 140 to 150 degrees. A search party found not only his body but a skeleton of Marine who had died years before, and was thought to have deserted.
Itchy Boots just paid $7.69 for it 2022.
When I was stationed at 29 Palms in the Marines in the 80's I used to hangout there quite a bit. The area was still open to off roaders and I used to camp there off of my motorcycle just to get off base cheaply for the weekends and stargaze. I still have a teardrop shaped lava bomb I scarfed from there as a door stop out here in the AZ desert. I also found a 30 pound metallic meteorite a few miles west of the crater that I still have. When Buster still owned the town I used to stop at the café regularly. His wife made awesome burgers and lemonade plus Buster was a funny old coot to talk to. The guy who owned the Green Burrito chain bought the town in the 90's after Buster died, tried to renovate it and turn it into more of a tourist attraction but pretty much failed and it has went down hill since. I don't know if he still owns it or not. A few miles east there was another café near Essex that a retired Marine Corps Vietnam vet used to run. That guy was a character too. A little PSTD sketchy but he claimed to never sleep and ran his café 24/7. I used to stop by there on my way out or back in from leave heading to and from Indiana usually very late at night and he would still be open. Hot coffee, doughnuts and if you were really hungry he would cook up some vittles for you at 3:00 AM in the morning. He disappeared in the late 80's and the café is just ruins now.
1:18 Hi Steve I make neon signs, for about 40 years now. I am happy to see this classic neon sign renovated, I love the old motels, diners with their vintage neon signs!
In the late 80's early 90's I stopped there with my mom and sister. We ate at Roy's, and I noticed a picture of Dick Dale (King of the Surf Guitars) on the wall. It might have been autographed. My sister later claimed Dick Dale was the guy behind the counter. He did live at 29 palms and had a Cessna so could have landed at the old airport. Possible he was the guy and hung out there. Also remember reading a news article one of the times Amboy was for sale . One of the features listed in the deal was the "international" airport.
I ate at Roy's Cafe in the 1950's. Dinner cost about $1.30. There were buildings across Rt 66 from Roy's but they burned down in the 1970's. In the 1960's, I bought gas, food, and ice there. You missed the church, school , old 66 alignment, and cemetery there.
@Jack Ophelott Oh, sorry 'bout that. Better luck next time.
Been reading your articles on southern California here on UA-cam for two-three months now. Todays about Amboy brings up memories first in the Marines, after Boot Camp, at 29 Palms base. In a training artillery battalion in 1954/55 we’d go out on exercises in that blasted desert - saw it snow one time. Anyway on night shoots we’d see the “lights of Amboy” off far in the distance. LA/Hollywood on the weekends sometimes.
Heady stuff for a 17 yo kid from Fort Worth texas. Next up was Japan at Camp Fuji. 85 years, man can life be any better?
Again thanks for your stories.
You need a million subscribers dude. The videos are so nice to watch and you do a great job narrating through.
Wow, thanks! Maybe one day.
He's right! Subscribed.
2:47 - I was LUCKY enough to find the gas station open a few years ago while driving Route 66 towards Barstow, Problem was I noticed tank was low around Essex.....and going back to Needles was farther than Amboy so I guessed the station might be open. When I pulled up to the pump I had about 1/2 gallon left........Best $5.89/gallon gas I ever was able to buy!
Around 1965 i worked for a co. that mined the lava rock from the base of the volcano. And yes in the summer it was very hot. The lava was crushed up for the railroad to be placed under the tracks to support the ties and rails.
in 1965 & 66, I worked at the Leslie salt mines across the field form Amboy. Strip mining rock salt. Used to see the crater every day on my way to and from work. I lived in Twentynine Palms 50 miles away, over the mountains to the south.
What about the elephant in the room--THE RAILROAD! The Atlantic and Pacific RR built sidings and stations along its route from Needles to Mojave--all in alphabetical order and Amboy was one of them, named by A&P's Lewis Kingman in 1883, long before Route 66 was completed in 1926. It's now BNSF's main route between Chicago and California.
That Amboy Motel has a charm to it, I really hope it get's restored and put back into operation soon.
Decades ago now I was on a solo road trip from the Salton Sea area to Death Valley. I took the roads through Kelso and Amboy, it was a very beautiful and desolate drive! Amazing how many houses there are scattered around that remote part of the desert and now long abandoned. Thanks for this video!
When I was in college back in the 1980s, we would stop at Roy’s Cafe as we were passing through on geology field trips. Back then, they had the best strawberry shakes available anywhere. Yes, for a price, but they were worth it.
Roy's looks pretty good. They did a good job cleaning that up.
Great video invaluable service to people who are not mobile and want to view America it's really awesome that you took the time to share thank you
Thank you for the kind words.
2018 I was there on a motorcycle, I went to the store, the post office, really enjoyed the place, and admired the people were there before us.
Thank you for showing me this part of Route 66 - I am just mapping out where I want to go, what I want to see when I visit and do the historic route - and this is one piece of the route few have mentioned, and I have not found anyone else showing it as you have. A few show the nearby motel - but not the volcano - clearly some people do not walk far from their cars.
This is one now on the list to do, see and enjoy, so thank you for sharing with us.
I remember reading in "Readers Digest" i think. The town could not pick up a TV signal. Some guys took an old box spring up to the peak of a nearby mountain. The springs reflected a TV signal from L.A. and they got TV coverage in Amboy. Albeit one channel.
Stopped by Amboy for the umpteenth time in Dec 20. Had a nice visit and was permitted to turn on the lights for the Hotel and Cafe' sign. My first visit was as a child and then I took my son through there on a re-bonding trip in 2007. Climbed the hills to the Northeast and then hiked the Amboy crater. What a wonderful trip and I've been back several times with friends from around the country as well as from Europe. Always a fun time revisiting and seeing the steady improvements. Some day they may actually be able to reopen food service and, with a lot of luck, the hotel on a small scale.
Be sure to stop and see me on your next trip through and I'll make sure you'll get to light that sign again. 😁🤙✌️ Tell them Ms. Nicole said you can. 😉
@@nicolerachel8402 In April 2002 I was on my way to the Laughlin motorcycle run and stopped at Amboy and ended up partying there for quite a while, there were bikers, movie people and 🎥 stuntman people and it was a great party! I almost stayed there and miss the run. Here's what I've thought about many times since then...was any of the cast from Rob Zombies movie The Devils Rejects there? Like maybe Bill Mosley? Moon Zombie? P.S. maybe about 5 years later I pulled into the station on a really windy Sunday afternoon, it was closed and one of the gas pumps decals had blown off and was hanging by a thread, and instead of it blowing away forever into the desert I took it with me. It's one of my most prized Route 66 collectibles in my collection next to a real California Route 66 sign.😎
That sounds like a hell of a time!!🤘🤘🤘 lol. I've only be here in Amboy for about a year and a half so sadly I don't know who has passed through throughout the years but, man, I would have loved to meet that crew!!!
@@nicolerachel8402 Thanks Nicole. If I'll be sure to do so.
Went there in 1997 on a Geology class field trip. There weren't all those signs and rest areas then, just the trail. The trail is super easy. We also visited Kelso. Fascinating cinder cone and expansive views.
I was in a movie that filmed a scene in the diner!
Spent the day hiking to, in, and along the rim in late November about 5 years ago. Not a difficult hike (and I'm 76) but a very worthwhile time to enjoy to crater and what's left of the town of Amboy.
It's not every day you can walk into a volcano.
That is certainly true.@@SidetrackAdventures
I grew up in Southern Ca and lived all over the military bases in it til i left in 88.....thanks so much for making these videos....it brings back so many memories....graduated in 29 palms and used to go by Roys on our way to Vegas.
I was raised in Palm Springs, with family in Henderson during the 70s. That was our shortcut to family. We passed through Amboy numerous times.
The town was always abandoned with signs "For Sale". My brother and I would pass the travel time, imagining what we would do if we owned an entire town.
Do an episode on Goffs.
Great video. Amboy is an interesting place. I'm a member of the Historical Society that erected the 2 monuments in front of the restaurant in Ludlow. The owner of Roy's owns Juan Pollo. ECV
Thank you for sharing.
Went trough there when I was fifteen, from Garden Grove, Cal. to Bradenton, FL. In 1973 Picked up all hitch hikers, partied across America, did maetie gruea , the most memorable of trip was Ludlow to Needles, still go trough bout 3 times a year and take the old road all the way, they have it closed for flood damaged bridge repair, just prior to bridge there's a turn trough sand going into wash equipment uses for construction, I take it and roll on. Can't remember when, the cat that owns Juan Pollo restaurants in Orange County, Cal. (Real tasty I might add) bought the entire town of Amboy maybe 15 years ago. Like your broadcast, all the best to you.
Back in the day...Amboy was a pit stop on the way to Laughlin or Vegas. Last time I was through Amboy there were For Sale signs on each end of town (more than a couple of decades ago).
Last time I was out there was in 88, drove my Hummer off base to go see it, first time I drove to the crater was in 77 I was driving a M249 Mule with a 106mm rifle. Loved my time in the Corps but it takes a toll on you. Great video. 👍🇺🇸❤
Thanks for your service.
Im retired staying at rv park/golf course down the road from the base. Thought i heard artillery on my early am walk. I cant imagine what life was like on that base these last few decades. We ask too much of our service people. I appreciate you and your efforts. We should treat you soldiers best of the best..
Nice! My parents took us to California a couple of times via Route 66 in the 50s, staying in similar motels.
Another ECV Brother says Satisfactory!
"get your kicks on Route 66"
Anyone who grew up in the fifties heard that slogan.
Yes but you need a Corvette to do it.
Really enjoyed the video. Good narration too. I live on east coast in connecticut and may never get to see that so, you video was all i'll ever see of that crater. Getting to old to travel.
I have a fire pit and place for flowers built out of Lava Rocks in my back yard from back in the 70's😎
This place reminds me of the little know movie Bagdad Cafe
Bagdad Cafe was filmed about 70 miles west of Amboy on old 66 just before you get to Newberry Springs on the right side the Cafe is called Sidewinder Cafe you can't miss it and I think it's still open.
Baghdad is out that way.
Cool film
Actual Bagdad, CA is about 7 mi W of Amboy, and Mecca, CA is about 115 due S thru Joshua Tree NP.
@@thomassherer5962 I actually own copy of Bagdad Cafe on DVD. Jack Palance, Marianne Sagebrecht and CC Pounder star is this little movie which I watched for first time on late night movie and enjoyed it's quirkiness that I later bought it on Amazon.
My wife and I spent 4 weeks touring Route 66 back in 2012 and 13. Stopped by there in 2013. Excellent preservation. Everybody that is interested in road tripping and American History should spend some time on old 66.
so amazing that place is still there. love the old americana things like roy's.
I went to Amboy in 2017 and went into the school and took pictures of the actual hotel from the back. Definitely a cool place. I wish I was making videos back then. Maybe one day I will be back camera in hand.
That's really cool. It looked like they might be doing work on the hotel and school, or just storing stuff there. The sign was just relit after years recently and looks awesome at night.
thanks for taking that walk out to the crater. I was exhausted just from watching you do all that walking 😸
The horse place is called Ingles Equestrian center. My husband and I used to board our horses in Norco. I've not been up there, but I've been on the hills close to pumpkin rock.
1970 We were hitchhiking and got ride with older guy who lived in the old train depot nearer to the highway 66 and right near the volcano.
We hiked to the top just in time to see the sunset and stayed at the depot overnight.
He told us they had filmed Journey to the center of the Earth there.
Back then Barstow had two exits on the freeway. One on each end of town.
Glad to subscribe, very easy listening and viewing. I enjoyed the last few videos I’ve seen so time to commit!
Thanks for going to places that I would never be able to see.
The views look spectacular even on video but nothing like being able to see in person.
I just watched one of your older videos and when compared to your more recent videos, you’ve improved your narrative skills markedly. Good job and keep it up!
For all the times camping in the Mojave, I can't believe we never visited this cool place.
That looks suspiciously like a '58 to '60 Lincoln in the Motel front. Dad bought a second hand one for Mom to drive around in Miami in the late sixties.
I really enjoy your videos. I would love to come out west and explore some of the sites you've recorded. Both of my knees are in bad shape so that stops my from hiking and climbing until I get around to having both knees replaced. I have to say, I watch a lot of UA-cam videos and I think you do a great job. Keep up the good work and I'll keep going through your videos until I've seen them all!
So here I am at #4 in the Sidetrack Adventures way-back machine video count up from the very beginning to present day. Right before Covid hit with this video. When I bought my Tacoma in 2004 first thing I did was take the back way to the Bagdad Cafe and Route 66 from San Diego. Basically took the 78 to 86 to 62 and Amboy Rd. I remember passing the crater and kicking myself for not going in while passing through. So thanks for taking me in. I really like your drone footage, btw. So, like I said when I found you a couple days ago, I’m going back to the very beginning and watch your story and channel unfold. Being a SoCal native makes me appreciate your stomping grounds. Happy trails!
Rocky and Bullwinkle had the way back machine if I remember correctly
Passed by there years ago on the return from a California vacation. My daughters needed to use the restroom at the visitor area. I wanted to hike to the crater, but we encountered a guy who just came back from the hike and he was in a very bad way. He was red-faced and could barely talk but said he gave up half way there because of the heat (It was over 100 degrees). So we decided not to risk it. I always wanted to go back at a cooler time, but we never did.
It was enjoyable... but what I enjoyed most I how you have progressed in your presentations .... thanks again for all your do to promote these out of the way places
Thanks for doing these videos.
that was such a cool ending, with the drone moving away with your, your wife, and son there!! Very nice! I've went through there in '19, but didn't know where the heck we were. We just stopped there, from Vegas, and then onto 29 Palms USMCB. No one said anything about where /why we stopped!
We drove through just a couple of weeks ago. Next time we will make sure and do the hike. Thank you!
A wonderful and informative video of the California desert. I am happy you did not photograph your face via the narration or use you fingers to point. Your narration painted a wonderful image of Amboy. The major fault of youtube travel videos is the maker is more intent seeing their face and hands on the flat screen rather than the view. Thank you
We used to go through Amboy all the time going to the Colorado river. I remember in the early 80s after Mount Saint Helen irrupt somebody put a little wooden sign near the crater that said Mount Saint Amboy.
Bro I was hooked already but then at the end you show that you guys are Galaxy fans! Hell yeah! G’s up baby! From one G family to another! Thanks for the great content!
Thank you! Yes, we can't wait till we can get out to a game again.
I always wondered about this place. I was stationed at 29 Palms in the early 90's, and also did a few CAX out there and would look at the town through our binos. We would see lights going up the crater at night and was told this was a devil worshiping town by another Marine. No sure if it was true, but great story anyways. Thanks for bringing back good memories.
Thr Roy's sign took me right back to an old Qwest commercial. Guy checks in to Roy's and desk person tells him: "We have every movie ever made, in every language, any time, day or night..." Something like that. Weird after all these years.
So hard to believe that Roy's was once a 24-hour operation back in the day. I was there about 12 years ago and still have my Roy's fridge magnet on the door.
As a rock hound it looks like this would be a cool place to visit.
Too bad the people that print the sign at the first rest stop don’t know the difference between “your” and “you’re”.
This was a very interesting video, both of the town and the nearby crater! I heard that Amboy Crater was the site of an obnoxious prank started by some high-school kids in the 1970's. It was said that these individuals put a huge pile of old tires in the middle of the crater and set them on fire, and drove back to town telling people that the crater was erupting.
I've heard this story as well!
They didn't have to tell anyone. Lol. People saw the black smoke, panicked and evacuated the area. Traffic was re-routed to the not-yet-paved I40 and, as they do in the desert, trucks had to spray the dirt roads with water to keep the dust down. Apparently they sprayed too well and cars began getting stuck in what had become mud. Lol. Some of the group that had spent the last few days drinking, smoking, dropping, partying and burning discarded tires came back from off roading and were met by officers....but not for what you think. The officers asked if they had not seen the smoke and told them about the evacuations. Those kids just acted surprised and went off to "evacuate". Lol! That's the day Amboy was evacuated due to a bunch of partying hippies in the mid-60s. 😄✌️✌️
@@nicolerachel8402 I was with a group of 1963 to 1967 Corvettes (nicknamed C-2's) back 15 years ago. Back then, our group of 12 cars were told the story of the burning tires...I think a few mattresses were also mentioned.
thanks for the trip. I enjoyed that thoroughly
Beautiful walk and explore!
Many years ago, as a teenager, I hiked around near the volcano, and enjoyed seeing the creatures a vegetation. I remember seeing Chuckwallas and one Sidewinder that was apparently so hot that he didn't move even when I lifted him up with a little twig. There were a few birds like Road Runners.
Was up there 12 years ago. Saw a really huge lizard on the rim. It didnt seem to be afraid of anything. The thing just stared streight back at me as I looked at it. Lots of smaller ones up there too.
excellent tour guide.,....thanks again!
It's been years since I've been by there but it wasn't painted. This is fantastic that there's been some restoration.
The sign looks great lit up at night now too.
Back around 1986, I visited the crater, I actually drove right to the base of the volcano. When I was leaving the crater,I thought I heard people yelling. I looked around and there was a couple that had gotten stuck in the sand. I pulled them out and was on my way. Thanks for the video
Great stop between vegas and palm springs
Yep, thats the way I always take
Excellent.
The church at Amboy is pretty interesting, too. They had been refurbishing it in recent years.
Part of the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth was filmed on this volcano. The OG version. In the beginning where they are climbing the side.
Love your videos!!! Great history and you feel like you are actually there!!!
I came back to this video to review it and as I though several murals had been painted over that had been there for years. Lucky enough I did photograph them, if you wish to have copies of them we could make some type of arrangement.
More great stuff.
Just spectacular.
Thank you for taking us on exploration of this awesome place! Great job
I've watched and enjoyed several of your videos. I pass through Amboy about once a month on my way to Kingman.
There's some stories on that road that's for sure! Rt. 66.
I have been watching your videos for a while now. I think you do a really good job. Thank you for doing all the work to create them, and please keep it up!
Out on the West Mesa in Albuquerque NM you used to be able to collect Lava Rocks. Now it's against the Law to do so, that Law passed in the late 70's. My dad built a small Creek in our front yard because of the run off. It was cool with flowers growing along it.😎
Great video to watch if you're planning a trip out to Amboy, thanks! Glad you took your family out adventuring, but not on a crazy dangerous adventure!
Be sure to hit Kelso Depot if you are in the area.
I've been through Amboy I don't know how many times. I lived north of Goffs when the Amboy school was still operating. My brothers and I rode the school bus - it ran from Amboy to Needles, and we caught it at the Mountain Springs exit on I-40, 16 miles from the house.
I have heard of these places but I like you visit them so I get more detail to go to them. I love all your adventures off of rt 66 and what to see unusual along the way
Glad you like them!
Thanks for sharing another adventure
I went to Amboy Crater in 1997 or so when you were still able to drive all the way to the base, which was much preferred over this hike in the summer.
Great side trip. Easy hike except if you want the rim. That pushes medium effort as does the crater. This not the only extinct volcano in the area. There is another about 400 yards from my house in 29 Palms.
That looks interesting. I'm a Geology freak & also interested in Route 66 as my family drove from Kentucky to California on it in the 60s when it was intact. BTW several years ago a friend & I drove north & east I think out of Redding into the mountains. We passed an active volcano 🌋 that you could hike to from a roadside parking area. I don't remember the name but I want to go back & hike to the volcano. I'm sure it's very interesting. I loved the paint pots in Yellowstone & am sure I would like to see a volcano up close. 👍☮️🌞🌟🌋🚗🗺️
I just have to visit that crater! Thanks for the great video.
did the amboy crater hike in the night was pretty cool used offline maps alltrails its open 24hrs
Went there today as I saw this. Had a great time
In the sixtys I remember traveling old 66 hippies would write their names and sayings and peace signs with rock's on the side of the road.
those was the cool days a big rock with writing on it was ruined by asses going back to the 40s. typical low life politicians
Thank you! Great video!
Hit the cinders outside of Flagstaff AZ, and run your dune buggy up the cinder hills
That was awesome! Glad I found your channel :-)
Thank you!
Years ago while on a photographic work shop at the Kelso dunes after a couple days we drove to Amboy for a break. A burger and a malt tasted very good after camping in the desert. We had seen a plane landing on an adjacent road to the dunes and told a CHP officer about it, Turns out he reported it and they busted a drub dealer dropping off his goods in the desert. You run into curious things in the desert. Personally, I always had a gun with me. It's a long wait for 911 call in the desert in case you see something that someone doesnt want you to see..
Steve just came across your website about a week ago … my late twin brother have been to Amboy 3X as we are train nuts and your destinations are very interesting and unlike your videography and drone footage. 👍
Thanks for sharing 👍
Very interesting and thanks for sharing! Well done!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That's another great video Steve, thank you. What a view from the top.
David
Great video.
Steve...I've just had a ball watching this Vid and reading all 192 comments. Of course, when I was there with my Corvette group 15 years ago, I didnt have the time to do the walk to the crater. Now, because of your efforts, I have!