Breakfast in Ghost town

It was a ghost of a town. In fact all there was to it were two filling stations, a small restaurant and a great history. In the morning mist it almost looked surreal to our sleep hungry eyes.

We were on our way to Grand Canyon and we had driven all night. We stopped for gas in Ludlow. From this dreary gas station we saw the sun rise in the Mojave Desert. What is it about mountains, seas and deserts that enthrall the human mind? Even after the sunrise the air was chilly and misty. We decided to have some breakfast. Little did we know that this place was steeped in American history!

It was a small eatery called “ The Coffee shop”, built in a tepee shape…the seemingly modern glass exteriors looked out of place in this desert.

{NOTE: Picture borrowed with gratitude from here}

 

We were surprised to see the place crowded so early in the morning. Most of the customers were well past their prime. Once inside, the place looked different. On the walls were old B/W photos, shovels, mining equipment and other remnants of its past glory.

The cafe looked old and proud. It looked like home. Even the customers looked as if they knew each other well. You could tell that they were fond of this place.

When you have known a place for a long time…the place becomes a part of who you are…entwined in all your memories- good and bad. Out of this arises a love you cannot explain and strangers cannot understand!

We saw a lady in a pink sweater serving food. She had several layers where others usually have a chin. She reminded me of Ursula-the sea witch in the little mermaid. She seated us and gave us the menu. On the back of the menu was the story of this place.

Ludlow was a watering station on the historic route 66. Built in 1926, Route 66 was one of the first federal roads in US and is popularly known as “The Mother Road”.

It ran from Chicago to Los Angeles (You now what Sadie was singing in Smooth Operator).It traversed through the following 8 states –Starting from Chicago in Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Route 66 meant different things to different people. It meant hope for the homeless farmers who were fleeing the Dust Bowl during 1930s (Suggest watching ‘Grapes of Wrath’ which was about this topic).

It meant prosperity to many families in the small towns through which it traversed. During the Second World War, it was the life line for people migrating to California seeking employment in the war related industries. It gave rise to the growth of mom and pop business, fast-food business and now supports a burgeoning tourism industry. For many it talks about the glory of the days gone by…a testament to human survival and resourcefulness.

Route 66 was decommissioned in 1966 but has a very strong group of people who champion the cause of its revival.

Ludlow as mentioned before was a watering station for the Atlantic and Pacific railroads. During the California Gold rush, it was mining town. Ludlow is a place which has refused to die. Decline of mining and rails would have heralded the doom of Ludlow if not for Route 66. The entire town moved a block to meet Route 66.When the route was decommissioned, They moved a block further to meet I40. The interstate highway keeps this town alive.

I look at the elderly couple in the opposite table. They must have so many stories to tell. They might have spent evenings sharing a dessert in this café while he was serenading her; He must have come here with his cronies when work pressures irked him. Every nook and corner must remind them of some sweet memory. It must hurt them that their children don’t love this place the way they do!

Leaving my romantic rambling aside, the food was amazing. We were not treated as irksome customers but as hungry guests. We felt human instead of just some random credit card flaunting beings!

On our way back, we stopped again at the same cafe for breakfast. Instead of our dear old Ursula there were two charming silver haired old ladies who were playing hostesses.We ordered a pumpkin pie which really tasted like a slice of heaven.

In today’s’ need of ease and speed, convenience has put charm in the back burner. It has been a long time since I went to a restaurant and was made to feel welcome. The old lady reminded me of a genial granny who instinctively knows that you like your pie warm with lot of whipped cream on top!

While we were leaving, I complimented on the food and the lady seemed genuinely happy.

I wondered whether my children will get to see this quaint little eatery where the past and present merge, where the food tastes delicious and is served with love.

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