Route 66 -- The Mother Road

[WildernessJeep]

My dad is getting up in years, and actually talking about selling his motorcycle. I'm hoping to change his mind, but in case I don't I want to go on one last huraah with him. Neither of us have ever done Route 66, the mother road, and it looks promising as a simple trip. We cross it on the way to Colorado, and are planning on picking it up in Amarillo, and doing the southern half, except for the last part going into LA (neither of us wants to sit in traffic). We will only have about a week and a half, maybe two weeks, tops.

He only likes to do about 250, maybe 400 miles in a day and takes a lot of naps. That's fine and it's his trip, but I'm concerned about time. We both agree that we have no problem superslabbing it back to Houston, although I'd like to wander up to Yosemite and across Nevada on the way back, if time allows.

Anybody got any maps?? It looks like I'll be going along I-40 for the most part, and that Route 66 kinda loops along side the interstate. Most large maps don't show the old route at all, and even the local ones only show it in sections. He fears dirt, and I figure if he got this far in life without managing a motorcycle on dirt, he doesn't need to start now.

Anyone got any local head-up information?? One of the websites I researched said that rampaging motorcycle gangs are to be feared, especially out west. I can't believe that, and assume that even if they were, on a BMW and a Honda we'd be fine. I only bring it up because its very difficult to discern decent information from the crap.

Fuel is a concern, as his motorcycle only has about a 140 mile range. Of course, his "single stretch" range isn't a whole lot further.

Thanks in advance.

[usgser]

It's a noble idea and bless your heart for thinking of it for dad's last ride but there is so little of 66 left you'll be backtracking/searching a lot.
Just my opinion it's not worth the bother since most of your trip will be off 66 rather than on it. Still be fun just riding with dad for a week though no matter where or why.

You might want to check out a couple other old time roads. One is US 50 that goes coast to coast known as The Loneliest Hwy. Or the very first ever cross country "route not hwy" the Lincoln Hwy. It was the first planned out xcountry route made up of various back highways. Some parts of it still have "L" or some such on the original telephone poles marking the route.

Both routes have web info.

Whatever you guys decide I betcha $10 the ol'man keeps his bike after a week ride with you.

Have fun and you're a good son.

[Jim1960]

Get this book;

"Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion"

by Tom Snyder c. 2000 ISBN 0-312-25417-2

It shows how you can most effectively travel the old road from Chicago to L.A. + it's small enough to easily pack along with you.

My family and I just did a road trip from CA to IL. over the holidays, to visit my daughter at Scott AFB. We took I-40 & I-44 but used the book from time to time to get off the slab and and follow 66. I think you'll be amazed at how much of the road is left, and still in pretty decent shape.

Have fun

............. Jim

[Kbrick]

Here are some links that might help,

Lincoln Highway, http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/

Grand Army of the Republic, http://www.route6tour.com/

Route 20, http://www.usroute20.com/

Well its a start and good luck.

[kluts]

66 will give you kicks but only if you do the road hunting tricks. I was lucky enough to do a large portion of it a few times between '68 and '71. There were portions of 40 then that were unfinished so we did the mother road like Kerouac. But that was then. You can do the book as suggested by jim 1960 and do the websites to plan. But there are, as suggested, more serene side roads on other itineraries. My dos centavos?

I-40 old Hwy 40 and 20 and even 50 might be out. Why? You're in Houston, near loosiana. Way down there. Why go so far north to do roads that, well, haven't retained enough historical charm? If you have 10 days or so, and pops is up to 400 a day, sure you can make Yosemite Nat park. But here are some thoughts that are within the range of Houston in that 10 day period that might offer some respite. FIRST and FOREMOST, you are at sea level. You haven't told us how old Pops is or what shape he is in. Find out if your Da has high blood pressure and congestive heart disease. These can onset at about age 68. If he does, consider the lower altitude routes. You'd be surprised what dangerous things age and altitude above 7000-8000 feet can do to a flatlander with this problem. If it is a problem consider the low route below.

Low route: Sure, follow 66 but consider Canyon de Chelly area, NM, Navajo country, the Four Corners Region, Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, and Telluride. There's Also Santa Fe. These destinations range at about 5000 feet or better, but are not bad for health. He could do Taos, 6000 ft. Lots to see there and it's drop dead gorgeous in NM. Durango and Silverton is a great diversion with a steam train ride, and he can spend the day in Silverton at 7000 without much distress. Some of 66 survives in the NM area. Lower down out of Los Alamos there are surprises too. Jerome Arizona is a good destination with nice 2 lane highways too, and the painted desert is unforgettable. Look at travel suggestions in those regions. Parks abound.

High route: NM, Utah, and Colorado offer amazing sights, but even some sizeable towns are above 7000 feet. There's lots of National Parks, high passes (one at 12000+), but it is a dazzler if you can do it. Utah has the Moab region, Highway 12, Brice, Zion, (of course the Grand Cyn is right nearby), Western Colo has the Nat Monument near Grand Jct, there's the Black Cyn of the Gunnison (astounding), the Uncompaghre range, the San Juan range, the meadows around Purgatory (remember the movie City Slickers?) up NE is the Rockie Mt. Nat Pk, SE is the Cumbres and Toltec region (with another spectacular steam train ride), and there are the Sangre de Cristo mountains of NM with native residents that still speak a 16th Century Castillian dialect and you go back 300+ years.

In all, these destinations could constitute 2 or 3 different tours, each doable in 10 days, just pick your highlights. Most of it can be off-slab. And as you can see you can hit some real destinations without causing health problems. Oh, yah, you'll also be hitting 66 several times if you're careful.

[vtwin]

This is a great thing to do for your dad. Since I've never done 66, I can't comment, but maybe dad would like to go to Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce, Sedona, Jerome and make your way up to Bodie. Check out Yosemite while there. Pretty cool places. It's a trip I'm thinking of doing this year as I make my way from CA to WI for the Buell 25th Anniversary Home Coming. On the way back, I plan on hitting Mt Rushmore, Glacier NP and Valley of the Moon(?). Have fun.

[vespacar]

Funny, I've been on parts of these routes but never thought that they'd go coast to coast. Thanks for opening up my eyes!! I'm in the beginning stages of planning a route 66/ Pacific coast Hwy trip in a few years time, so it's nice to have a few more options open.

Cheers,
Tross

Originally Posted by Kbrick

Here are some links that might help,

Lincoln Highway, http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/

Grand Army of the Republic, http://www.route6tour.com/

Route 20, http://www.usroute20.com/

Well its a start and good luck.

[tmgs]

Originally Posted by WildernessJeep

My dad is getting up in years, and actually talking about selling his motorcycle. I'm hoping to change his mind, but in case I don't I want to go on one last huraah with him.

Anybody got any maps?? It looks like I'll be going along

have a gps? a garmin? i have gps waypoints of rt 66, we have traveled much of it ourselves (in fact darn near all of it left to travel) have started off in chicago at lou mitchels for breakfast with a fellow patron of ADvrider my wife and a fellow of bmwlt.com, ya might as well have a good breakfast with fellow riders at some point!

anyhow, if ya have a garmin gps, I'll send ya the file I have

you can pm me with a e-mail

tom

[mutineer]

plenty here


LINK

[Mookie]

I did it last July. You can read my and other rider ramblings on it here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252112

[irish2themax]

Originally Posted by usgser

It's a noble idea and bless your heart for thinking of it for dad's last ride but there is so little of 66 left you'll be backtracking/searching a lot.
Just my opinion it's not worth the bother since most of your trip will be off 66 rather than on it.

Not true...there is a LOT of Route 66 left.

I am taking the trip next month...and then some..with two other retirees.

These are the resources I used:
GPS units, 8 map Route 66 series, Illustrated Guidebook to the Mother Road, EZ66 Guide for Travelers, Google Maps, Garmin gdb files, various Internet sites especially Legends of Americaand The Mother Road: Historic Route 66

Google Maps has the sections of Historic Route 66 marked...just select Directions and enter the various destinations for each leg. Then click& drag route to Historic Rout 66

Eg: Google maps from Joplin MO to Tulsa OK will take you on I-44. But you can drag the route to Historic U.S. 66 and it will take you through Galena KS, Baxter Springs KS, Quapaw OK, Commerce OK and Miami OK where there are a lot of Route 66 sights.

If you have a Garmin GPS, the gdb site has separate files for each state with all sorts of extra files but you only need the westbound main route file for each state. I can send you the modified files.

Right now, http://www.historic66.com/ is down but not sure why. Has never been down before

[goldenrev]

Here are a few pics of route 66 near Amboy, CA (Twentynine Palms Area) I recently went through:





Look out for the Law:

[Solo Gato]

Originally Posted by irish2themax

Not true...there is a LOT of Route 66 left.

I am taking the trip next month...and then some..with two other retirees.

These are the resources I used:
GPS units, 8 map Route 66 series, Illustrated Guidebook to the Mother Road, EZ66 Guide for Travelers, Google Maps, Garmin gdb files, various Internet sites especially Legends of Americaand The Mother Road: Historic Route 66

Google Maps has the sections of Historic Route 66 marked...just select Directions and enter the various destinations for each leg. Then click& drag route to Historic Rout 66

Eg: Google maps from Joplin MO to Tulsa OK will take you on I-44. But you can drag the route to Historic U.S. 66 and it will take you through Galena KS, Baxter Springs KS, Quapaw OK, Commerce OK and Miami OK where there are a lot of Route 66 sights.

If you have a Garmin GPS, the gdb site has separate files for each state with all sorts of extra files but you only need the westbound main route file for each state. I can send you the modified files.

Right now, http://www.historic66.com/ is down but not sure why. Has never been down before

great info - thx

[Reverend12]

Me and some buddies did it a few years ago, it was an awesome trip