Andy Jones interviewed local historian Paul Deel about his experiences with Bonnie Margaret Orcutt of Newberry Springs, California, as they explored the remains of her long-abandoned home.
Jones said he was prompted to interview Deel after viewing a Sidetrack Adventures video, posted on this website, about Orcutt’s infamous 4-mile-long driveway.
Here’s Jones’ interview, which contains a lot of good detail:
The federal government built Orcutt’s driveway after years of tenacious lobbying from her, and she insisted her home to have access to old Route 66.
The driveway became an illegal test track for Car and Driver magazine and other automotive daredevils.
Car and Driver published stories in the 1980s as sports cars reached 200 mph on Orcutt’s driveway. Other cars’ engines melted down from the strain of redline speeds.
Orcutt died in 1987, and the once-pristine road fell into disrepair. The road still is there, but drivers are not advised to do high-speed tests on it.
(Screen-capture image from video of Paul Deel and Andy Jones talking about a gun port at Bonnie Orcutt’s home near Newberry Springs, California)