Arch's Dude Ranch
Route 66 Highway has fascinated me for years. I love the song, I love the history. When I married Arch Tucker, I became part owner of his “Dude Ranch” on Old Route 66 in Ashfork, Arizona. To make a long story short, when Arch was a young lieutenant in the Air Force, he was partaking of some liquid refreshment in the Officers Club at the base in Georgia. He and his buddies had been there for a while, so I am sure several drinks had been consumed. They were approached by a gentleman selling land in Arizona. (I don’t know if the term “beach front” was used, but I wouldn’t be surprised!) I am sure you have figured out where this story is going….Arch bought it, hook, line and sinker! He had paid the taxes on this land every year since then, and had never seen it. Shortly after we were married, Arch and I started our “Road Trip Plan”. We would block off 3 week periods on our calendar, pick a direction, load the car and take off. They were such fun trips; for our first one we headed for Ashfork!
We arrived after two days of driving and singing along with Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. We were so anxious to see what it looked like. Ashfork is a tiny little town in the Kaibab National Forest. It is about 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Sounds like it would be beautiful, right? WRONG! It is one of those semi-deserted western towns where you’d expect to see tumbleweeds blowing down the street. The few buildings that are still standing look like they could be bowled over by one of those tumbleweeds.
We found the land office and met the gentleman working there (actually “working” might be a stretch; he was reading a sleazy paperback).Arch told him the story of the officer’s club and the guy was loving every minute of it and mentioned he’d heard this same story many times over the years. We had taken a copy of the last tax bill on the property, and in a matter of moments, up popped a map with the location of Arch’s Dude Ranch! The man looked at Arch with wide eyes and said, “You never missed paying your taxes all these years?” Arch grinned as only Arch could, from ear to ear. It was a proud moment for him! Then the guy added “and you’ve never seen your property?” Arch explained he’d lived all over the world, but never in Arizona or New Jersey! We asked for directions and that is when we discovered what “you can’t get there from here” really means. No roads, just 3 miles of desert. Arch was truly disappointed; he had so wanted to take a photo to show all the guys back home. The man opened up his computer, started scrolling through some photographs of land in the area, found one with a dry creek bed with old scrubby trees and a view of the mountains in the distance; he printed it out for Arch.
When we returned to Kansas City, Arch proudly displayed the photograph of his “ranch” and then told the whole story.
We actually returned to Ashfork about 6 years later. We had several letters from developers wanting to develop the area and were offering Arch several thousand dollars for his land. Arch declined, he liked the idea of owning the land he purchased while drinking in the Officer’s Club!
When we arrived back in Ashfork, there sat the same old guy, but I think he had progressed to a new paperback. He remembered Arch and gave us driving directions. Ashfork had grown and there were paved roads and streets.
It was a wonderful sight to see Arch surveying his land, all 1 ½ acres of juniper bushes and lizards! Still no water, I understand, but someday…..
We arrived after two days of driving and singing along with Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. We were so anxious to see what it looked like. Ashfork is a tiny little town in the Kaibab National Forest. It is about 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Sounds like it would be beautiful, right? WRONG! It is one of those semi-deserted western towns where you’d expect to see tumbleweeds blowing down the street. The few buildings that are still standing look like they could be bowled over by one of those tumbleweeds.
We found the land office and met the gentleman working there (actually “working” might be a stretch; he was reading a sleazy paperback).Arch told him the story of the officer’s club and the guy was loving every minute of it and mentioned he’d heard this same story many times over the years. We had taken a copy of the last tax bill on the property, and in a matter of moments, up popped a map with the location of Arch’s Dude Ranch! The man looked at Arch with wide eyes and said, “You never missed paying your taxes all these years?” Arch grinned as only Arch could, from ear to ear. It was a proud moment for him! Then the guy added “and you’ve never seen your property?” Arch explained he’d lived all over the world, but never in Arizona or New Jersey! We asked for directions and that is when we discovered what “you can’t get there from here” really means. No roads, just 3 miles of desert. Arch was truly disappointed; he had so wanted to take a photo to show all the guys back home. The man opened up his computer, started scrolling through some photographs of land in the area, found one with a dry creek bed with old scrubby trees and a view of the mountains in the distance; he printed it out for Arch.
When we returned to Kansas City, Arch proudly displayed the photograph of his “ranch” and then told the whole story.
We actually returned to Ashfork about 6 years later. We had several letters from developers wanting to develop the area and were offering Arch several thousand dollars for his land. Arch declined, he liked the idea of owning the land he purchased while drinking in the Officer’s Club!
When we arrived back in Ashfork, there sat the same old guy, but I think he had progressed to a new paperback. He remembered Arch and gave us driving directions. Ashfork had grown and there were paved roads and streets.
It was a wonderful sight to see Arch surveying his land, all 1 ½ acres of juniper bushes and lizards! Still no water, I understand, but someday…..
I took the photograph of Arch standing there, enjoying every moment. I am so glad we returned to Ashfork, Arch died 8 months later.
By the way, due to the number of junipers on the land, Arch named it “Bathtub Gin Acres”. Arch did love his martinis!
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