Electric Route 66

Sorry about the lack of posts lately; it's been a busy few weeks that hasn't left much time for writing! But The Blue Spirit will be out on Route 66 this weekend, as we participate in a cleanup at the Road Runner's Retreat, a restaurant/truck stop that needs some loving care. The iconic sign of the Road Runner's Retreat Located about 10 miles east of Amboy, California on Route 66, the Road Runner's Retreat has been closed for decades. It was once a popular stop for gas and food along 66, but after I-40 bypassed this section of Route 66, the flow of passing travelers dried up and the business eventually closed. In the years since, the owning family has tried to keep up the property with periodic cleanup visits. Recently, the call has gone out for volunteers to come help. Last year's cleanup was one of the earliest weekend adventures of The Blue Spirit into an area that was devoid of major charging infrastructure. We are happy to help support Route 66 ...

Work and the holidays have left me with little time to write for the site, but I did want to squeeze in one more post before the end of 2018. On November 3, my cousin Todd and I headed down to the Road Runner's Retreat, a long-closed Route 66 diner and truck stop near Chambless, California, for a cleanup weekend. Ryan Anderson is the proprietor's grandson, and he goes there periodically to paint over graffiti, cover broken windows, pick up trash, etc. Ryan invited any and all to come out and join him and a friend for the weekend while they spruced up the place. Route 66 booster Beth Murray organized a GoFundMe to help pay for supplies, to help Ryan who usually pays for everything out of his own pocket. The GoFundMe is still active as of now, so feel free to contribute to support future cleanup trips! Into an EV wilderness Although the Road Runner's Retreat does have a limited source of power (more on that later), as a closed business there was of course no official E...