KIT™ Day 18, The Last Day...

After an quick workout, we hit the road for the last leg of our Kicking It Trip (KIT™)...

We went down the freeway a few exits and then exited to continue the Mother Road route.  We went through Cajon Junction/Summit, which indicated we were still at elevation 4350 feet, which is amazing since we are staying pretty darn close to sea level tonight.  Here are two shots, one looking up toward Cajon Summit, and one looking down our next 10 miles or so to get more into the San Bernadino valley.  Note the original road and the new road, next to each other, that was pretty neat.

Next up was Devore, were we were able to see, and drive for a very short distance on, pre-1926 Route 66 concrete.  Most likely the only part of pre-1926 road left, kind of fitting for our last day.  We could also not help but notice the smog, it was pure blue skies when we left Hesperia this morning, and I could not help snapping this.  LA is one city I do not like flying into because you can see what you will be breathing.

During most of the trip today, after the Cajon Summit experience, we were on Foothill Boulevard from San Bernadino to Monrovia, going through many towns.  Once we hit San Bernadino, it was pretty much nothing but businesses and residences, no open spaces, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  It is a very different environment.  It took us, using the back roads, more than five hours to go less than 50 miles.  This is one of the reasons I moved out of California in 1995.  


Near the San Bernadino / Rialto border, we came across the last of seven WigWam motels built in the country (two on Route 66, one we stayed in, one we only photographed).  This one was most likely built in the late 1950's.  

Next up was Fontana, which has a lot of memories for me.  My Grandmother (Nan), used to live here, and I visited many times.  Also in this area is Ontario, Rialto, and Yucaipa - with family that I have visited in the past.  On Wednesday, I will be out in Yucaipa visiting my Aunt and my Cousins, and we are looking forward to it. Later this week, I will also pay respects to my Grandmother, my Uncle, and my Father at Green Acres Cemetery.  But today, it was Bono's giant orange.

We hit Rancho Cucamonga for lunch, and this restaurant has one of my favorite words, and one of Beth's; mine is Brewing, Beth's is Cucamonga :o)

In Monrovia, was a restored gas station, a unique thing for our California stretch of the Mother Road.






As we wound our way through various streets and a detour, I was pleasantly surprised to find Santa Anita Park & Racetrack.  It looked pretty huge and going to a horse race is now on my list...

We made it to Pasadena an I was able to get this picture from a stop light.  There were not many signs left, and this one would be neat at night.  Makes me want to set up my train set, something that is on my list of things to do...

That brought us to the end of this adventure, first at Lincoln and Olympic streets in Santa Monica (the official end of Route 66).  It was very appropriate that there was a Penguin atop a sign here, for this end of our adventure made Beth very verkempt :o(  

We then headed to the end of Santa Monica Blvd for the monument that documents the end of the Route.  Here is a picture of the monument and a picture of the Santa Monica Pier.

Hope you have enjoyed reading about our adventure, I know I have enjoyed posting and sharing.  This is the last KIT™ entry.  This has been a once in a lifetime trip and we have thoroughly enjoyed it.  

I may have a few more entries as we spend the rest of this week here with friends and family.  We will have a few things to celebrate on Friday, so stay tuned :o)