I am making plans for a long ride around first of June 2015 and this year I'm thinking I'm going to go west.


Recently a friend of mine moved to CA out near the Painted Canyon area. I don't know if I will make it all the way to where he is, but I'm going to hit RT66 in MO and put the hammer down and just take things as they happen. This will most likely be a solo ride so I will be free to choose my own destinations and stops.


Not getting any younger at 56 and I don't know if fate and circumstance will allow me another shot at this. What do you folks feel are the "can't miss" areas along the Mother Road?


Thanks in advance for your suggestions.


LiiT

 

When you pass through AZ stop at Hackberry general store and hit the little town of Oatman before you head into California.FYI not much from Seligman AZ to the border but you can always take a side rt to Grand Canyon or 89A down towards Sedona . Sounds fun .Rocker

 

2nd the above. I recently did the Oatman-Topack Highway. Crazy switchbacks and drop-offs. The town of Oatman was cool to pass through.

 

In OKC visit the Cowboy Hall of Fame (Western Heritage Center) heading west it is just before OKC.
In Clinton (90 miles West of OKC) their is a Route 66 museum.. by the Highway Patrol, at the west end of Clinton on 66..
In Texas there is the "get a free steak… but in small letters the rest reads… if you can eat it all, and all the trimmings… in one hour. It is only 72oz You might get lucky and be there when someone is giving it a try… (but if you can't do it, you have to pay for it..) and yes; many have done it (they have a list on their menu of who has done it)…. there have been grandmas and kids and a baseball player ate TWO..
Then west of Amarillo you will see the 'Cadillac Ranch' on the south side (you can just hit the next exit and flip around if you miss it…) this is the place where the rancher stuck brand new Cadillacs in the ground at a 45 degree angle with the tails of the cars sticking up… it is in the middle of a pasture with nothing around it.
And to spend the night, try Tucumcari in New Mexico…. all the billboards tell you too…
Make sure to allow time for the Grand Canyon.. go North out of Flagstaff and return south to Williams… then West again… also Flagstaff is a nice place to stay the night..
You will be about 90 miles south of Vegas, if you go there, I-15 will take you back to SoCal…. once you go West of AZ on 40 (if you don't go to Vegas) you will go through a bit of Death Valley… (make sure to have water and a tire repair kit)
On your return trip, if you ride the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) North it is a two day ride (should be) then to San Fran, across the Golden Gate, pick up I-80 and head back East.. going through Reno and Tahoe and Elko NV, then when you get to Salt Lake Utah, head South (lots of good roads to choose) and pick up I-70 and go through Denver (10,000 ft at Wolf Creek Pass… dress WARM) then East across the open plains…. I-70 will take you back to St. Louis.
Well, maybe I gave you more than you asked, but thinking about it is almost as fun as doing it…

 

Get the Rt. 66 book by Michael Wallis. He is one of the foremost authorities on the road. When HOG had a route 66 ride in 1997 they hired him as the official tour guide.

Bill

 

Stay at the Blue Swallow in Tucumcari. Time capsule.

 

Thanks folks! I truly appreciate the suggestions.


PTSDBob - All good points to consider. Thanks!


Owtlaw - That place looks awesome. Thanks to you too!


The older I get, the more I have learned to value my own company. So since I mostly take these kind of rides by myself, I seldom make too many plans and would rather let the trip just unfold however it does. I don't have to worry about anyone but me and I am capable of taking of myself just fine although I do usually meet some very interesting people along the way and get to hear their stories. Much more enjoyable to me that way.


So you see I often have no definite plans about where I'm going, how I will get there, or how far I will end up traveling. I just go. This is another reason I don't do group rides anymore. You are only as strong as the weakest rider in your group. I love the ride and traveling through places I've never been before. It makes me a happy guy


Thanks again, and I'm listening if anyone else has input!


LiiT

 

I rode it from Barstow to Williams on my way to the Grand Canyon in 2008. Road is really rough is some areas but if it gets too bad you bail to I-40 for a couple of exits. Along with aforementioned info the Bagdad Café in Daggett was pretty interesting. The movie of the same name starring Jack Palance was filmed there. You can get a beer and the food is not bad. Roy's Motel in Amboy is another interesting place. Don't despair at 56 you have plenty of riding left . I'll be 71 and am in the planning stages of a 4,000 mile trek through the western states and Canada

 

The only place I have been is Williams, AZ. It looked like a really cool town and I plan to go back one day. I gassed up, went in a couple of shops looking for a shirt and hit the road headed for home.

 

There's so much to see. For me it was "standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona." Also, Seligman Sno Cap Cafe, Hackberry General Store all in Arizona. I would love to stay at the Blue Swallow Inn in Tecumcari, see the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, the Gemini Rocket Man in Illinois - Someday...

Get a couple of books on Rt. 66 from Amazon - preferably up to date ones with lots of pics. Decide what you would like to see in each state. Once you know what you would like to see and stop for get the "Here It Is" maps. Included is one map for each state. Every site for each state is on there and it tells you which exit to take (example, in Arizona, Meteor Crator is off Exit 233, etc.).

I took my family on a two day tour of Rt. 66 in Arizona and we saw everything it had to offer and they all remarked how organized and easy it was.

So I would say, get books, decide on your "must sees" in each state and get some Rt. 66 maps to guide you. Planning will make it an awesome trip. That's one of my dreams to do all of Rt.66 someday.