Chambless, Cal - Rt. 66 — Abandoned Places, Gold Rush & Route 66 Travel Photography

Heading east out of Amboy, I tried to remember that the “66” didn’t mean 66 mph. I passed Kelbaker Road and continued on towards the mostly ghost town of Chambless, Cal., even though signs warned me that the road was closed ahead.

About a mile and a half before reaching Chambless proper, I pulled over at a classic Route 66 stop, the former Road Runner’s Retreat Restaurant and Gas Station. There must have been hundreds of such places along Route 66 during the road’s glory days.

The tall sign could be seen at a great distance, alerting travelers that a place to stretch their legs, grab a bite to eat and fill up the gas tank was just ahead. Sadly, it has been many years since anyone stopped here, other than for taking pictures. But these ghosts of the road are an attraction all to themselves as they slowly fade into the grass and weeds and disrepair.

A service station and "Official Garage" sits nearby the Roadrunner Retreat. It's not providing much service anymore though.

Some remnants of the days when the old gas station serviced travelers along Route 66.

I somehow managed to NOT get a decent photo of the “retreat” building of the Road Runner’s Retreat, so cropped this one from a larger shot.

So, I could have easily stayed here another hour or two taking pictures, I didn’t really wander too far away from the buildings. I’m sure there is some interesting stuff out in the nearby desert. Ok, one more photo then we’re moving on.

An old postcard showing what the Retreat looked like when it was open, when the roadrunner still had his head. I wonder if the coyote had anything to do with its disappearance….

James Albert Chambless, formerly of Arkansas, established a homestead at the intersection of Cadiz Road and the National Trails Road sometime in the early 1920s. His small homestead grew into a small community that took his name and as travel along Route 66 increased, so did the town’s prosperity. By 1939 a post office, café, gas station, motel, store and tourist cabins were all happily in business.

At the intersection of 66 and Cadiz, I found several old buildings, a Route 66 Monument, and travel farther east blocked by “Road Closed” signs. The large building surrounded by the metal fence was once the hub of business in Chambless. It was a market, café and gas station all in one. At one time it had a wide porch, offering a shady spot to rest a bit; it apparently blew away in a severe windstorm years ago. A close look at the walls surrounding the front door and windows on each side show that the original portion of the building was constructed with adobe bricks. They provided excellent insulation during the hot summers and cold winters.

Small cabins are located out behind the market. Travelers could rent one of these to spend the night, and get an early start on their journey the following day. They look to be in pretty nice condition, I would have loved to have been able to get closer or even look inside one, but they are located behind a fence.

After taking a few photos and deciding not to try to slip past this particular "Road Closed" barricade, I deployed a Munzee and then got back into Old Blue to backtrack to I-40. I'd take that a bit east and then head northeast on Goffs Road to my last stop on Day One.

Any errors in the text, please make them know to me so I can correct them. Would also be happy to add vintage photos of the Road Runner and the Chambless store if anyone has any they would like to share.

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