Proposed trip on Route 66

[MickFinn]

I am planning to take a trip on Route 66 from Chicago to L.A. in September this year. I have biked all over Europe on my R1200Rt and have never had a problem. At the moment two of my friends have signed up for the trip. One of them has reservations about doing the trip without a guide. I personally would prefer to do it without a guide (certainly cheaper, almost half the price) because it gives me the freedom to do what I want and go where I want. I plan to hire a Harley from Eagle Rider as they seem to be the most practical to deal with from Ireland. I am not sure about break down cover. Is it possible to get two weeks cover ? I haven't investigated yet what Eagle Rider has to offer. I have the usual info from the net and Zumo with American map. I would welcome any advice on my proposed trip

[effexer1]

I rented a Road King from Eagle Rider when in Las Vegas a couple of years, for a trip to Death Valley. Never even considered breaking down, and the bike ran like a clock.

If I were you, I would go unescorted, see the country, take your time, stop when you feel like it. It is a beautiful country!!!

[mrduck]

You don't need a guide, that's what we're here for! I'm willing to bet that if you post your schedule here with some advance notice there would be some "locals" that are more than happy to show you around and point you in the right direction!

And don't worry about break downs on the Harley as there are dealers everywhere

 

 

[DavidEBSmith]

Get this book. It will tell you where everything you will want to see is - all the attractions, the various routes the road took over the years. It also tells you the couple of places along the way you'll want to be cautious about (some areas of St. Louis and Albuquerque).

 

If by "a guide" you mean a human being to go along with you, you don't need that. The route is easy to follow, there's lots of amenities everywhere along the way, you more or less speak the language, and businesses along the way are getting to love tourists like you.

[CruisinCruzan]

This is a nice site concerning route 66. They have turn by turn directions of the entire route. One afternoon when I was bored I went through every turn for the route and put it in my Mapsource program for my Zumo as I am planning a x-country trip in a year and part of it will be on Rte 66. If you would like I can try e-mailing you the route.

http://www.historic66.com/

[MickFinn]

Wow, such a speedy response. Many thanks for all the advice. You've all said what I wanted to hear!! Leave the guide at home and go it alone. I will post schedule before I go and hopefully will get some tips on where to visit on route. You cannot beat the input from locals and people who have had the experience of the trip themselves. I have just purchased the book suggested by Eebie on the net!!

[Tank]

Nice thing about a Harley, with an extra helmut you might find a guide in any of the pubs you visit when you overnight.

[AdventurePoser]

Mickfinn,

 

Go with your buddies, and leave the tour guides alone. Route 66 is easily traveled, and the sections where it disappears are well marked. Motels,campsites, and restraunts abound along the route.

 

The only cautionary word is a minor one. Remember, the West is a BIG place. Easily traveled, but huge...

 

Make sure you stop at the "Dead Chicken Cafe" in Seligman AZ as you near the western end. Better yet, send me a PM and I'll meet you there if I can. Best chocolate malts on the planet!

 

Steve in So Cal

[steveknapp]

Count me in as someone who would be glad to help with anything on this end. I live near Chicago, near O'Hare airport etc...

[hopz]

Sounds like a great trip... there are many members of this board who will meet up and show you segments of the route that are local to them.

 

Since you brought up the Harley thing... and it is a great choice for this trip let me mention that the H.O.G. club- (Harley Owners Group)... sponsored the exact trip you are planning just a few years ago. The author of the book gave daily briefings on that days ride and in the evening they all got together for more history and facts.

 

I suggest you join one of the Harley forums, such as V-Twin Forum and post a similar question. Poke around and soon you will fine someone who did the tour ride with the HOG group. That person will have lots of first hand information and may even be able to lend you some materials or tell you what is good and what is not.

 

Good luck- enjoy the ride... it is a big one!

 

I had a buddy who did the ride but he moved away and then I did too so I do not know how to contact him- but I could ask around some and see if anyone knows where he went.

[DavidEBSmith]

Here's my list of sights/stops I think I'd want to see along the way if I were you:

 

• The signs marking the start/end of Route 66 on Michigan Avenue in Chicago
   
  
• Breakfast at Lou Mitchell's on Jackson in Chicago
   
  
• Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook IL (road food is an important part of appreciating 66)
   
  
• The Gemini Giant in Wilmington
   
  
• Route 66 Museum in Pontiac
   
  
• Funks Grove maple syrup in Funks Grove
   
  
• Cozy Dog in Springfield IL
   
  
• old Chain of Rocks Bridge north of St. Louis (it's recommended that you park on the Illinois side as it's safer, there have been problems on the St. Louis side)
   
  
• The Gateway Arch in St. Louis
   
  
• Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on Chippewa in St. Louis
   
  
• the Devil's Elbow section of old 66 in mid Missouri. Through much of Missouri, if you follow the brown signs for Historic 66, you'll find some really nice back roads for cruising. There's a stretch between Lebanon and Marshfield that's especially nice.
   
  
• South of Springfield is Wilson Creek Battlefield, if you're into U.S. Civil War sites. Further south of Springfield is Branson, if you're into glitzy entertainment (it's Las Vegas without the gambling, booze and hookers).
   
  
• You'll want to take the section of old 66 that cuts across the corner of Kansas. North of Baxter Springs is a section of old pavement and one of the old rainbow-style bridges. The guidebook has directions to get you there.
   
  
• From Vinita to Catoosa there's a nice motorcycle-riding section of the original route on Oklahoma highway 66. In Catoosa is the Blue Whale.
   
  
• West of Tulsa, from Sapulpa to Arcadia, OK 66 is another nice motorcycle-riding section of the original route.
   
  
• Just east of Arcadia, look for a road "Old Rt. 66". It's a half-mile of so of the original narrow pavement, and the easiest section of the original pavement to get to.
   
  
• In Arcadia, the round barn. You can't miss it.
   
  
• The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum is in Clinton OK
   
  
• The National Route 66 Museum is in Elk City, OK, and is worth a visit.
   
  
• Shamrock Texas has a beautiful restored Art Deco gas station from the 1930s on old 66.
   
  
• Across the Texas Panhandle it's worthwhile to get off Interstate 40 for the small towns like McLean, Alanreed, Groom, etc. to see what's left of the main streets that got bypassed by the Interstate.
   
  
• In Amarillo check out the Big Texan Steak Ranch. If you can eat a 72 oz steak dinner, it's free. The smaller steaks are pretty good, too.
   
  
• It's off 66, but south of Amarillo, near Canyon TX, is Palo Duro Canyon, which is supposed to be the second largest canyon in the US after the Grand Canyon. You ride across flat plains and all of a sudden there's this giant canyon. Worth the side trip. In Canyon, there's also Tex Randall, the Big Texan
   
  
• West of Amarillo is the world-famous Cadillac Ranch
   
  
• Take old 66 through Tucumcari New Mexico. See all the old neon signs on the old motels. The Blue Swallow has a great sign and is owned by some 66 junkies.
   
  
• You'll have to decide if you want to take the side trip to Santa Fe NM. I would, but Santa Fe can be a whole vacation on its own.
   
  
• There's a gas station/souvenir shop at Continental Divide, New Mexico. It's pretty unspectacular for dividing the eastern US watershed from the western.
   
  
• In Gallup NM you have the El Rancho Hotel, which was a popular spot among film stars in the 30s and 40s.
   
  
• In Arizona, the Petrified Forest National Park.
   
  
• Jack Rabbit Trading Post in Joseph City (I think it is Joseph City)
   
  
• Winslow, the "Standing on the Corner" statue deriving its existence from the Eagles song.
   
  
• The song says "Don't forget Winona". It's a nice rhyme, but there's not much there to see - a gas station. But you can say you've been there.
   
  
• From Flagstaff, head north to the Grand Canyon. You can't come all the way over here and be so close and not go to the Grand Canyon.
   
  
• Williams is a very well preserved old 66 town and is probably worth spending some time in.
   
  
• West of Williams, you want to take the old alignment through Seligman, Peach Springs and Hackberry. It's the longest part of the old alignment still existing as a separate highway.
   
  
• West of Kingman, take the Oatman Highway. A little bit out of town is Cool Springs, a restored old 66 stop. The Oatman Highway is extremely steep and twisty and will be the most challenging riding of the whole trip. Oatman is an old western town that's now a tourist center and is famous for wild burros wandering the streets.
   
  
• From Needles California, if you are so inclined, you can go north to Las Vegas NV, it's an hour or two north.
   
  
• Make sure you have enough fuel if you take the old road across the Mojave Desert (as you should).
   
  
• In L.A. you'll be in heavy city traffic all the way across. You probably want to stick to the old route and surface streets - I don't know if you'll be ready for the LA freeways.
   
  

 

There's a lot of other stuff to see and probably many things I forgot, but that should get you started.

[steveknapp]

Mmm..fried chicken.

 

Was the Dixie Trucker's Home a Rt66 thing? I remember it being a mecca of sorts on childhood trips down to Arkansas. It's well run down compared to my memory.

[MickFinn]

Many thanks for all the advice and offers. I will post again when I have the finer details finalized.

[Godfather]

I did Route 66 Chicago to LA in Sept 2003 on a Suzuki SV 650. Read all of the books you can find. The Historic Route 66 website has all the info you will need including turn by turn directions (new; GPS downloads) and maps too.

2 weeks is a good ammount of time to do and see what is still there. Be sure to stop at The Curiosity Shop in Eric, Oklahoma. Be prepared for a big bear hug from Harley and his wife Annabelle as well as being entertained with their music jokes and stories. (He has a wonderful collection of Martin guitars too.) We lucked out..14 days, 6,000 miles and less tham 10 minutes of rain! Enjoy

[AdventurePoser]

 

One other thing, Mick, I live about 8 blocks north of the original Route 66 in Glendora CA. If you take surface streets once in LA county you will pass right by my place.

 

Sure hope to meet you in person as you pass thru...

 

Steve in So Cal

[DavidEBSmith]

Was the Dixie Trucker's Home a Rt66 thing?

 

Yah, forgot that one. Heading south, you get off the Interstate at Shirley to take old 66 to Funks Grove. (Really, really good home made maple sirup, as they spell it). Then the next town south is McLean where Dixie is.

 

It isn't a very exciting sight. They have some 66 memorabilia but it's kinda run down.

 

As if there weren't enough ideas for this trip, Doug Grosjean from the IBMWR list posted some links over there to pictures he took on a Route 66 trip this past summer. He has some pictures with landscape cameras that are pretty cool:

 

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00O1Dl

 

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/DougGrosjean/Route%2066%20-%202007/

[bmwdave152]

My wife and I did 66 last Sept. but from West to East. It was tarantula mating season. Watch out as they make a big splat. I agree with David's recommendation for a guide. We had the earlier version. Also the Big Texan is not to be missed. Bring your appetite. If I was coming over from another country I think I would spend three weeks if you can swing it. There is just so much to see and side trips are worthwhile. Bring plenty of film or a very large card.

Rt 66 is very popular with Europeans since that is whom I mostly encountered on my trip. You get a real sense of Americana on this road. I wish more Americans would check out their backyard while it's still there. A great many of the old hotels, gas stations, stores etc... are slowly disappearing. Ten years, or less, many will be completely gone.

Sometimes the road is hard to find but it is worth the effort.

You will love this trip!!

[Whip]

Don't worry about a thing......

 

 

.....just.....

 

 

[Twisties]

This LINK covers our recent trip from Camarillo, CA to Phoenix, AZ in which we criss crossed over the western extent of 66. You'll see a bit of Amboy, CA; Needles, CA; and Parker, AZ. Not so much help as what others have posted, but possibly of some interest.

 

Best wishes for your trip, and I don't think you'll need a guide.

 

Jan

[Twisties]

This LINK covers our recent trip from Camarillo, CA to Phoenix, AZ in which we criss crossed over the western extent of 66. You'll see a bit of Amboy, CA; Needles, CA; and Parker, AZ. Not so much help as what others have posted, but possibly of some interest.

 

Best wishes for your trip, and I don't think you'll need a guide.

 

Jan

 

Forgot, meant to suggest, you might consider renting RTs. You may appreciate their greater range between fill ups in the west.

[sebjones906]

And while you're out there check out the tourist traps.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ They are really a lot of fun.

[Joe G]

I rode The Mother Road 2 years ago, westbound, using AAA and the "Here It Is" maps. Didn't have a gps, never got lost, traveled When & Where and didn't regret having a guide. By talking to people I was always able to find out what I needed to know, and I always came away with more of a feeling for the place than a tour guide would have offered. PM me if you need any other info.

 

Oh yeah...Read! The more you know about those who came before you, the more you'll enjoy where you are.

[drharveys]

Missouri Hicks barbecue in Cuba Missouri.

 

Also Smokin Al's in St. Louis near the zoo. Especially on Wednesday or Thursday when Al smokes up some turkey!

 

Yeah, let us know as things get close -- you may end up accompanied on many stages of your route!