The unincorporated town of Amboy sits on the stretch of the historic Route 66 between the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park. To get there, head east on Amboy road out of Twentynine Palms. The straight desert road curves north through the Bullion Mountains to a vast expanse of salt flats and utility poles. Bright blue rivers formed by salt mining operations streak across the otherwise still, light beige of the desert.

Eventually, Amboy Road will end in the near ghost town of Amboy. The unofficial town slogan is “The Ghost Town That Ain’t Dead Yet!” When the nearby Interstate 40 opened in 1973, travellers stopped passing through. When the travellers stopped coming, the residents moved out. According to the most recent census, only four remain. One of those four is named Kevin. You’ll find him pumping gas, selling root beer, and if you’re lucky, sharing stories of Amboy’s only functioning business and that of his employment, the gas station/café Roy’s. Next door, Roy’s Motel is closed. Across the street, the post office is closed. The school, closed in 1999, remains filled with racist graffiti, soviet-era text-books, and likely, the screaming ghosts of the long gone school children. In a 2010 flood, the old tree down from Roy’s floated away. Down Route 66, two Temple Dogs (giant white statues that look more like lions) still stand 6-feet tall.

Amboy is owned by Albert Okura, who also owns the Juan Pollo fast-food chain. In 2003, Okura put Amboy up for sale on e-Bay for $1.9 million. It remains for sale to this day.