Headed for Seligman and The Route 66 Centennial Celebration

 April 30, 2026

   Driving up to Seligman this morning—it's a two-and-a-half hour run—and will land on Railroad Avenue for the Route 66 Centennial and to celebrate Angel Delgadillo's 99th B-Day. I am ithe MC of the event and this is what I plan to tell the gathered attendees:

Thank you all for coming together here today to help us celebrate a truly remarkable milestone: the centennial of Route 66. Wow.

   I grew up on this narrow two-lane road just over that rise (pointing west) in Peach Springs, where my dad had a Mobiloil gas station.

Al Bell yucking it up in Peach Springs, circa 1947

   And, later, he had a classic beauty of a filling station on Hilltop, outside of Kingman, Arizona.

Al Bell's Flying A, circa 1957

    And, for the record, it was I who iced those jugs for free. Full disclosure: I did accept tips and made a haul of $11 the first summer I worked there. And, I bought this book advertised in True West magazine.

   Also, just off 66, my great grandmother is buried at Hackberry.

BBB at the grave of Dolce Guess

   All those town were small in those days, but Marshall Trimble told me his school in Ashfork was so small they had Driver's Ed and Sex Ed in the same car. That's pretty small.

   I'm proud to say Angel Delgadillo cut my hair. He's 99 years old, so that was a couple haircuts ago. A big part of this celebration is about him and the legacy he has left for all of us. He saw that people missed the old-fashioned ways, so in order to help his small town, his mom and pop business, and his two-lane highway he organized a group to make old Route 66 a “historic” highway.  The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona was formed with Angel as President. This was the first Route 66 preservation association ever formed. Not only did the Association reach its goal of making the old route “historic” but by doing so it did indeed create a new interest in the old road.  People started driving Route 66 again.  The success of the Arizona’s Route 66 Association led to other states starting their own campaigns to rejuvenate the road and tourism to the small towns along it. Arizona’s dedication of Historic Route 66 in 1988 led to a yearly Historic Route 66 Fun Run. This weekend is the 37th annual Fun Run. I am proud to say, my father and I ran our family '49 Ford in almost half of those and we loved every minute of it. 

And don't forget these guys. Love 'em all

   Today, Seligman Celebrates 100 Years of Route 66, a road that continues to inspire adventures, dreams, and memories. In 1926, when U.S. Highway 66 was first pieced together with the local roads running through eight states of America, it was simply a way to get from point A to point B. Over the years, the road took on a life of its own as it promised millions of Americans hope, freedom and discovery. Over the years, it witnessed migration during the Dust Bowl, carried servicemen during World War II, and became a backdrop for postwar prosperity. It became the heartbeat of the American road trip. Its neon signs, quirky motels, and roadside diners have become icons of American culture. But eventually, Route 66 was a victim of modernization. When two-lane interstate highways like Route 66 had outlived their usefulness, the government decommissioned them. The modernizing world needed multi-lane freeways to keep up. The two-lane highway, the small town, and the mom and pop business were things of the past.  

 Now the small unique towns along Route 66 have new life and a piece of American history has been saved. And it all started right here in Seligman, Arizona because the town barber refused to watch his town die. And now that barber, at age 99, gets to celebrate the centennial of Route 66, the road he helped bring back from the dead. Because of Seligman, Route 66 lives on. Along this road, there are so many stories and there are so many more stories to be made. That’s the magic of Route 66: it brings people together, creating friendships and memories that last a lifetime. As we mark this centennial, let’s celebrate not just the milestone, but the legacy. Route 66 and Seligman remind us that history isn’t just about the past—it’s alive in every journey, every handshake, every story shared over a beer at the Black Cat or a piece of carrot cake at Westside Lilo’s. So, here’s to another hundred years of adventure, community, and the open road. Let's ride!

"The road is the only thing."

—A famous writer when I asked him whether it was the road getting there, or arriving at the destination that was the most satisfying, and this was his answer

Hitting The Road for One More Route 66 Fun Run

 April 29, 2026

   I will see you tomorrow (April 30) in beautiful downtown Seligman, right behind this legendary store, which is next to the legendary Snow Cap Drive-in. 

Home of Angel Delgadillo's Barbershop

   I will be the guest of Mirna Delgadillo, seen here at the recently refurbished Delgadillo Pool Hall on Railroad Avenue. 

Mirna outside the refurbished

Delgadillo Pool Hall

   Yes, we are gathering for the Route 66 Centennial Celebration where I will be the MC and giving the opening remarks at a giant block party.

The bigtime MC next to a small time Merc

 The fun beings at 10 a.m. so be there and bring your best ride! And, if you can't make the morning festivities, meet me and Danny Romero at this legendary watering hole for a nitecap, on me.

The Black Cat Cowboy

Climbing The Pole

"Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent."

—Walt Whitman

Don't Look Now But It's Hello Bob Day!

 April 28, 2026

   Yes, it's Hello Bob Day, today. All day.

Daily Whip Outs: "Hello Bob Day Images:

   But, of course, we are celebrating that other Bob who got the "Hello, Bob!" greeting out the window of the Lincoln County Courthouse on this date:

The Official Hello Bob Coffee Cup

April 28, 1881

   The Kid was scheduled to hang but it was not to be. Billy Bonney overpowered his guard J.W. Bell (no relation) and—Garrett believes—hobbled to the upstairs armory, jimmied the door and grabbed Robert Olinger's shotgun and hobbled to the east, upstairs window of the Lincoln County Courthouse and waited patiently for his other guard, Deputy Bob Olinger, who was chaperoning the other prisoners during their afternoon meal at the Wortley Hotel across the street. Hearing the shot from the courthouse, Olinger came at a trot across the main road. Coming through the gate in the sideyard, legend says Olinger heard a voice say, "Hello, Bob". Looking up he saw Bill the Kid smiling and holding the deputie's own shotgun.

   The Kid gave Olinger both barrels. And escaped.

Special Offer On Hello, Bob Coffee Cup

   To commemorate this delightful memory, we are offering a special one-day price of $10 for your very own "Hello, Bob!" coffee mug.

Go here to get yours

Nate the Pendejo at Roger Clyne Show

“You can’t judge a horse by the harness.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

A Gardner In A War Zone Lit up In The Distance

 April 27, 2026

   I often see the beginnings of a good story in my daily whip outs. I'll be laying in a wash, not really sure where it's going and I'll start to see something, or someone that needs to have a story told about them. Here's a good example of that. He's back there on that ridgeline. Can you see him? 

Daily Whip Out: "Lit Up In The Distance"

   Yes, I didn't see him either until I was almost done with this whip out. Now, do you see him?

            Daily Whip Out: "Lit Up Closer"

        And, here's who he is. . .

Daily Whip Out: "Gardner In A War Zone"

"It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war."

—Old Vaquero Saying

The Pendejo Project Projections And Predictions

 April 26, 2026

   Got the whole Pendejo Gang working on this.

   First of all, pendejos can come from anywhere and at any time.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Emerging Pendejos"

   Plus, in case you didn't know this, pendejos can cross ethnic and national borders.

   And, pendejos have a long, rich history.

   Not to mention, a handsome backstory.

   And, most important of all, pendejos are not just Mexican.

"I Walk The Line Pendejo"

   So get ready to celebrate your favorite pendejos with us at The Pendejo Project, where our mantra is We work extra hard so that every A-hole gets their due.

Daily Whip Outs:

"Pendejo Project Projections"

   Be sure to tell us which of these are your favorites.

“Truth and roses have thorns about them.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

A Wyatt Earp Moment In A Waylon Jennings World

 April 25 2026

   I had a profound realization this morning as I was waking up. I am reading three books about Phoenix in the 1970s. I want to tell a story about what that era was like and all three tomes are wonderful. Here's a taste:

   "We cruised slowly through the unincorporated roads that ran off the dry riverbed, several miles of cinder block buildings, high cyclone fences strung with concertina wire, and some of the nastiest bars and massage parlors in the Valley. Neither Tempe or Scottsdale wanted the land. So it stayed under county jurisdiction. But today even Ace's Tavern and Terry's Swedish Massage institute ('real coeds') were quiet."

—John Talton, Camelback Falls

    That faraway time is now fifty years ago, and here's the realization: it's the about the same amount of time that had elapsed when Wyatt Earp was trying to cash in on a decent story about the events in Tombstone when he walked by a certain corral.

   And, I am sad to say, he was never able to cash in on his own story even though he had help from Tom Mix and William S. Hart two of the biggest Western stars of his era!

   So, what have I got to work with? Well, there is this bonehead.

The 66 Kid with Glendale Biker Babe

circa 1970

(The important details: it's a Tiger Triumph 500cc)

   I turned 21 at midnight on December 19, 1967 and I waited in line with Renee Prefontaine until midnite and got my hand stamped to see this guy and order my first legal beer.

JDs In The Riverbottom

(The river being the Salt River)

   Oh, and about a year later I returned to JDs and went downstairs with Charlie Waters and heard Mike Condello do a just released Beatles album (I want to say it was "The White Album"), song for song, in order. We were so impressed. JD's, Fifth National Bank, Mr. Lucky's those were my haunts, plus I had an experience, or two, at Bourbon Street and Band-Aids.

   After a short-lived stint in Tucson, I came back to Phoenix and went to work with these guys.

   And, yes, for starters, I'm not the protagonist in my story, but the challenges are the same: how do you take the essence of a bygone era and make it into Chinatown meets Blazing Saddles?

   Stay tuned.

Tara's Mine Shaft would be a good setting.

A 1995 Memory of Driving With BBB

   "On the drive home from End of Trail in California. I’m in the backseat and you and Jim Dunham are in the front seat. The whole way you only talked about old west characters. And for over an hour you argued about THE position of either Doc’s or Wyatt’s hand when he fired his pistol. Complete with demonstrations. Finally I said 'please pull the car over at the next exit. I need to get away from you two for a few minutes.'  You laughed but did pull over. When we got back in the car you asked me what I wanted to talk about and right then my favorite ‘67 Corvette passed us and we talked about that for two minutes and then it was back to old west characters."

—Theresa Broniarczyk, Tri-Star Publisher

Daily Whip Out: "Bandito Sneer"                

                                                         

"History is something that never happened, written by someone who wasn't there."

—Old Vaquero Saying

Vague Scenes In Vitro

 April 24, 2026

  I am developing a series of scenes that don't quite gell, or make sense. The idea is to create interesting shapes but stop short of an actual scene and see what the eye can finish. This is a fun project.

Daily Whip Out:

"Really Vague Scene #1"

Daily Whip Out:

"Really Vague Scene #2"

Daily Whip Out:

"Really Vague Scene #3"

Daily Whip Out:

"Really Specific Scene #78"

“It you’re out to beat a dog, you’re bound to find a stick.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

Mickey Free's Multi-Cultural Cross Currents

 April 23, 2026

   I have been noodling this character since 2002, when The Top Secret Writer mentioned him to me at a dinner at the Silver Dollar Saloon in Tinnie, New Mexico. 

   He has been on my mind ever since.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Mickey's Multi-Cultural Metaphorical Serape"

“Mickey Free embodies three cultures. Culturally, he’s Apache; by heritage, he’s Irish and Mexican. Everyone hated him, but everyone needed him. American soldiers needed him, Apaches need him. But at the same time, nearly everyone thought he was always lying to them. He has some unattractive qualities. Americans like people to take sides. Instead, Mickey takes the white side as an Apache, as well as the reverse."

—Paul Andrew Hutton (The Top Secret Writer)

Age Related Insights, Totally Free of charge

 April 21, 2026

   I'll make this short and sweet.

Age Related Insights Totally Free

   When you get to be my age, you start to appreciate the little things you took for granted. Like balance and the ability to stand up without assistance. But, other than that, I have to say, it totally sucks.

Daily Whip Out:

"Wisdom of The Oldest Vaquero Still Standing"

“Time may be a great healer, but she’s a lousy beautician.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

The Razz Band Returns to Prescott One Last Time

 April 20, 2026

   We are twelve days away from a Prescott Blow Out, as in Kick Out Them Jams Old Man!

The Razz Band's One Last Stand

May 2nd, be there.

Spanish Eyes

“It’s not easy for a beautiful girl to believe love is blind.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

Paulita Maxwell

  Speaking of beautiful women, I asked Rebecca Edwards to come up with her version of a logo for our Pendejo Project and here is what she created.

Pendejos United

   I like it. Very original.

“Don’t worry about people stealing your original ideas. If they really are original, you’ll have to cram them down their throats.”

—Old Vaquero Saying

Thanks to James Becker of Boot Hill Books in Sierra Vista I Have A Book to Read

 April 19, 2026

  Two days ago I received in the mail a book I had given away. 

   And, by given away, I mean I took it up to our local library, unread, with a crate full of other books I was getting rid of, and "donated it" to their Page One Bookstore, for resale. Of course, I got a slip of paper that allows me to write all of this off my taxes, so I had that going for me. This was probably two years ago.

   The book that arrived in the mail two days ago was from the owner of a new bookstore in Sierra Vista called Boot Hill Books and on the title page of the book James Becker had sent, the author had written this thoughtful note:

Camelback Falls title page

   And, like any lover of books, James insisted I should have it back. My first thought was, "What a heel I am for giving away a book from an author who thinks I am a "great Arizonan." 

   However, in the scheme of things, why was this book returned to me? What is in it, that the Universe is insistent I have to read? We are about to find out.

A BBB Blog Flashback to 2007

"Seeing your blog each day lets me know how the horses feel when they see me coming to feed them in the morning. Now I know I could live without your 'to the point' and sometimes hard to digest comments but I'd rather not have to. If it does come down to the worst case scenario, please leave Email Bob at the top of the page!"
—Bill Dunn

At least all of you can read. When the Top Secret Writer and I were working on the graphic novel last weekend I told him about a guy who came up to me at my book signing at End of Trail last summer and said, "I can't read your books. I've tried. I like movies." And he walked away. I told Paul, "Here I make my books as visual as possible. They're written for ADD aflicted guys like me, and I still can't reach some of these guys."

The rest of the weekend, whenever we were stuck, or arguing over a plot point, Paul Andrew Hutton would go into a "Rainman" voice (Hutton is a master at mimicry) and say, "Baub Bo Bel, I can't read yor books. Words too big. I like movies, Baub Bo Bel."

"No man is useless while he has a friend."
—Robert Louis Stevenson

The Signal Fire

 April 18, 2026

   Working on a sequence today. About a cavalry patrol out of Fort Bowie, headed for the border. 

A U.S. Cavalry patrol heads out from Fort Bowie

I intend to give this guy some attention that he normally doesn't get.

Chiricahua Chatto

The Signal Fire

   A U.S. cavalry officer looks across the border with field glasses. "What the hell is that fire out there supposed to mean?"

   First Sergeant: "Looks like a signal fire of some kind, sir."

   "Who are they signaling?"

   "I have no idea."

   "What are they saying?"

   "I don't have a clue."

   Mickey Free steps up. “That is definitely Chatto. He’s warning us about something up ahead and we need to proceed carefully.”

The One-Eyed Scout Mickey Free

   "How in the hell are you getting all of that out of that piddly flame out there?"

   "Easy. That’s clearly Chatto’s signature—see the curl at the bottom—and the overall message is pretty damn clear to me."

   He walks away. 

   The next day, Mickey runs into Chatto and says, “That was some signal fire you had out there last night.”

Chatto: “How did you know it was me?”

“Nobody but you is brazen enough to put a warning in front of an entire regiment of White Eyes.”