Every now and then someone reads something here and sends me a message via the comments. On the September 18 posting, I got a surprise message. As follows, though spaced into paragraphs by me:

Hi Dees,

RE Bashful Bob, Robert George Wombacher Jr, from Proctor MN near Duluth, my father, yes his rates in ’99 were probably $29/suite!

He refused my pleas to raise them. He liked to give people a good deal and was generous and giving to a fault! He was very creative, musical, fun-loving, sharp as a tack (longtime Mensa member), a walking/talking joke encyclical (if there is such a thing lol). He spent most of the year on his houseboat, The Maverick.

Thank you for you nice article,

John Wombacher, Liberty NY and on behalf of my brother Robert George Wombacher lll, Madison WI

PS if you give me an email address I would be happy to send you a few candid pics of my Dad

Wow. I posted about Bashful Bob’s Motel in Page, Arizona, more than two years ago.

Bashful Bob

It has a special place among the many, many places I’ve stayed, as a tourist court sort of place in a world that doesn’t have very many of those any more. Even nearly 30 years ago that was true. A place with hands-on ownership: namely Bob Wombacher. I don’t remember what I paid in 1997, but it must have been a pretty good deal, which of course is an essential part of the tourist court experience. I thought of the place in ’22, when we stayed at the former Bashful Bob’s. It was a nice enough place, renovated and all, but not the same sort of experience.

So I sent John Wombacher an email message, and he replied in short order. With images of Bashful Bob himself.

Dees,

Bashful Bob’s in Page came into existence during the mid- to late-eighties… he had owned a motel in Redstone CO, prior to that for about 8 years, Crystal Valley Motel, I think it was called.

Oddly enough in the late 60s he owned and operated a drive-in hamburger joint outside of Madison WI where I grew up (I was his chief cook and bottle washer, all 10 or 12 years of me). The name of that joint was… drum roll please… Bashful Bob’s!!!

Wish I had some photos. I lived later in Albuquerque and would venture out to Page frequently, also worked at the Glen Canyon Dam for one year around 1980.

Here are a couple pictures, thanks again!

John Wombacher, Liberty NY