Just wondering if anyone has ridden Route 66? My husband and I are thinking about making the trip next summer. Looking for do's, don'ts and any tips. Is it worth while? I heard big sections are in major disrepair.
I have been on as much of Rt. 66 as I could find all the way from Jackson St. in Chicago to Santa Monica. There is an expert on the highway that has a couple of books that you might want to get. He was the leader of the two Rt. 66 trips that HOG sponsored. I can't think of his name right now, but I will get it for you as soon as I can find it.
There is a lot of the highway that is really bad, as well as a lot of it that no longer exists. Some is covered by I-40 and some is just gone.
The State with the shortest stretch is Kansas just West of Joplin, Mo. The total milage in Kansas is 13.5 miles and it is all well taken care of.
The longest stretch, if I'm not mistaken is between Seligman, Az. and Kingman, Az. I was over this part of the highway in April, and it is well maintained. I was also on the Highway between Barstow, Ca. and Needles, Ca in April, and a big part of that stretch is in very bad repair.
Traveling this Highway is a great experience, and you will not regret makaing a vacation out of it. If you are really going to find everything I suggest you plan on no more that 250 to 300 miles a day for most days.
We just rode a bunch of R66 on a trip from Los Angeles to Laughlin. Most of it is pretty good during our portion of the trip except for the stretch between Barstow and Ludlow. It is so bad it will knock your fillings out........
Mike Wallis is a Tulsa boy, I have met him a few times. He definitely is the know-it-all guy when it comes to the Mother Road. The book he wrote last year is called "Hogs on 66 Best Feed and Hangouts for Roadtrips on RT66". The book has old recepies and landmarks for traversing Rt 66
it is a good book.
In Ca, you'll want to do the trip in spring or fall....way too hot in the summer. I've been on the section from Barstow to Needles several times this year, it's passable, but needs some patching. Problem is the state doesn't budget enough dough to fix it, and since Interstate 40 was build, 66 lost it's federal status, and funding.
Lots of history, get one of the books mentioned and enjoy the trip. It's the road that help populate the west after the dust bowl.
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Thanks for your replies Bill... I'm thinking about getting my husband a couple of books about Route 66 for Christmas. That way he can read up on it and figure out what he wants to do. So far it's all he talks about. Maybe we can even meet up with some HDForum riders on the way.
Thanks again.
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ORIGINAL: billnourse
The author that guided the HOG Rt. 66 trips is Michael Wallis. There are some books of his concerning the Highway on Amazon.Com.
Route 66
