Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2006
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Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
My buddy and I are in the planning stages of doing the Route 66 ride from Chicago to California and need some help. What time of year is best to go? I know certain factors need to be taken into consideration when planning our ride (i.e. Heat, tornados, busy time of year etc.). Any and all help or advice will be appreciated. Thanks alot.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
From: Antioch, CA
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
I would say mid-May to early October and qualify that May and October can produce snow as far south as NM. With the exception of the stretches where the old road is gone (where you have to get on the Interstate) you won't have to worry too much about traffic. Be prepared for rain and a wide range of temperature. Avoid chain restaurants and hotels;check out the mom and pop places and kitschy old tourist traps. Give yourself enough time to explore and check out the local scene in the little towns.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 1
From: Sunapee, NH
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
Don't miss Seligman, AZ
Great place, great food and cheap motel.
I paid $35.00 per night.
It was clean and the bed was comfy too
Live music at a couple places.
chappy
http://www.theroadwanderer.net/RT66seligman.htm
Great place, great food and cheap motel.
I paid $35.00 per night.
It was clean and the bed was comfy too
Live music at a couple places.
chappy
http://www.theroadwanderer.net/RT66seligman.htm
ORIGINAL: DRenoK
My buddy and I are in the planning stages of doing the Route 66 ride from Chicago to California and need some help. What time of year is best to go? I know certain factors need to be taken into consideration when planning our ride (i.e. Heat, tornados, busy time of year etc.). Any and all help or advice will be appreciated. Thanks alot.
My buddy and I are in the planning stages of doing the Route 66 ride from Chicago to California and need some help. What time of year is best to go? I know certain factors need to be taken into consideration when planning our ride (i.e. Heat, tornados, busy time of year etc.). Any and all help or advice will be appreciated. Thanks alot.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: OHIO
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
I've done66 many times, Great times each one.
Your post didn't say what state your from. I'm not partial to rain so I reccommend the driest month, August.
Gotta tell ya, 66 is a snooze from Chi-town to St. Louie. Mostly tourist traps for lame museums and such. BUT.........just west of St Louis is Villa Ridge. Lucked out at this great biker bar which is ON the old rt.66 when it was 1 lane. (Search good biker bars at): www.damnbikers.com/barsO)
Villa Ridge
Shady Jack's Saloon & Camp Inn:3417 Hwy O in Villa Ridge, MO
(636) 451-DUDE
Bar & Grill/Camping
Biker Comments: "20 acres campground, restaurant, inside & outside bars, swimming pool, game room, banquet-meeting hall (has bar, dance floor) off old route 66 about 20 miles from St. Louis. coolest joint. you'll never want to leave"
But even after that MO, KS, OK isn't all that. Just after Ammarillo, TX is where I think 66 is the best riding.
A sudden change in the landscape lets you know you are in the West. To me the Southwest has the best riding. Definitely stay in Tucumcari, NM. 40 miles from TX border. Neat small town with old time motorcourt motels all in neon lights. All the small towns in NM & AZ are pretty cool, you can't go wrong. Don't know how much time you have but a day or 2 in Vegas allows you to ride across Hoover Dam, go to the Grand Canyon,MT. Zion in UT or some of the other National Parks.(just not enough time!)
Next time we go, we are planning on flying the spouses out to Vegas to meet us halfway thru the ride. This way we can spend the extra days needed to show the wives all the cool stuff in the area w/o them having to be ironbutts like us riding 400+ miles perday to get someplace. Hmmmmm.........but then, that's why they don't come with us in the 1st place. Don't want to ruin a good thing.
Have a great time & Ride Free.
Your post didn't say what state your from. I'm not partial to rain so I reccommend the driest month, August.
Gotta tell ya, 66 is a snooze from Chi-town to St. Louie. Mostly tourist traps for lame museums and such. BUT.........just west of St Louis is Villa Ridge. Lucked out at this great biker bar which is ON the old rt.66 when it was 1 lane. (Search good biker bars at): www.damnbikers.com/barsO)
Villa Ridge
Shady Jack's Saloon & Camp Inn:3417 Hwy O in Villa Ridge, MO
(636) 451-DUDE
Bar & Grill/Camping
Biker Comments: "20 acres campground, restaurant, inside & outside bars, swimming pool, game room, banquet-meeting hall (has bar, dance floor) off old route 66 about 20 miles from St. Louis. coolest joint. you'll never want to leave"
But even after that MO, KS, OK isn't all that. Just after Ammarillo, TX is where I think 66 is the best riding.
A sudden change in the landscape lets you know you are in the West. To me the Southwest has the best riding. Definitely stay in Tucumcari, NM. 40 miles from TX border. Neat small town with old time motorcourt motels all in neon lights. All the small towns in NM & AZ are pretty cool, you can't go wrong. Don't know how much time you have but a day or 2 in Vegas allows you to ride across Hoover Dam, go to the Grand Canyon,MT. Zion in UT or some of the other National Parks.(just not enough time!)
Next time we go, we are planning on flying the spouses out to Vegas to meet us halfway thru the ride. This way we can spend the extra days needed to show the wives all the cool stuff in the area w/o them having to be ironbutts like us riding 400+ miles perday to get someplace. Hmmmmm.........but then, that's why they don't come with us in the 1st place. Don't want to ruin a good thing.
Have a great time & Ride Free.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Spokane WA area
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
I rode most of RT-66 last October on my way to San Diego. I left Columbus OH on the 8th and hit some nasty weather betwen Oklahoma City & Amarillo (tornado warning, 30-40MPH winds & hail the size of a dime) and then cold windy conditions the rest of the way. I'd suggest mid-Sept. as the latest to ride.
One highlight in MO is the only section of 4 lane road left that you can ride on, get off I-44 Southbound at exit 169 and also detour off to Devils Elbow. There's a biker friendly bar/restaurant in Devil's Elbow called the Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ Pit that serves pretty good food.
As other have said, I too think the best sections are TX, NM & AZ (I didn't ride much of the Calif. section since I was going to San Diego).
One highlight in MO is the only section of 4 lane road left that you can ride on, get off I-44 Southbound at exit 169 and also detour off to Devils Elbow. There's a biker friendly bar/restaurant in Devil's Elbow called the Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ Pit that serves pretty good food.
As other have said, I too think the best sections are TX, NM & AZ (I didn't ride much of the Calif. section since I was going to San Diego).
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,934
Likes: 43
From: Bloomfield, NM
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
We rode it in late June in 1998, and West texas was brutal hot. In the Midwest it rained quite a bit for part of the trip.
September might be a good time with most of the rain over in the East ,and the West just starting to cool off a little.
Don't miss Oatman,Az, the road from Seligman to Kingman, and of course Roy's in Amboy, Ca. There's nothing much there anymore, but it is a must see anyway. Be warned that the old road from Needlesto Barstow is in bad repair and very rough in places. You will have to take care. there is also a pretty good museum at the old Harvey House train stop in Barstow, Ca.
Bill
September might be a good time with most of the rain over in the East ,and the West just starting to cool off a little.
Don't miss Oatman,Az, the road from Seligman to Kingman, and of course Roy's in Amboy, Ca. There's nothing much there anymore, but it is a must see anyway. Be warned that the old road from Needlesto Barstow is in bad repair and very rough in places. You will have to take care. there is also a pretty good museum at the old Harvey House train stop in Barstow, Ca.
Bill
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 118
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From:
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
Billnourse,
The last time I was went thru Amboy (last April), alot of the road had been resurfaced, and you still could get gas in Amboy. DRenoK, watch your gas, there's not much out there.
The last time I was went thru Amboy (last April), alot of the road had been resurfaced, and you still could get gas in Amboy. DRenoK, watch your gas, there's not much out there.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 1
From: East Central Missouri
RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
ORIGINAL: SeadogCVA43
I've done66 many times, Great times each one.
Your post didn't say what state your from. I'm not partial to rain so I reccommend the driest month, August.
Gotta tell ya, 66 is a snooze from Chi-town to St. Louie. Mostly tourist traps for lame museums and such. BUT.........just west of St Louis is Villa Ridge. Lucked out at this great biker bar which is ON the old rt.66 when it was 1 lane. (Search good biker bars at): www.damnbikers.com/barsO)
Villa Ridge
Shady Jack's Saloon & Camp Inn:3417 Hwy O in Villa Ridge, MO
(636) 451-DUDE
Bar & Grill/Camping
Biker Comments: "20 acres campground, restaurant, inside & outside bars, swimming pool, game room, banquet-meeting hall (has bar, dance floor) off old route 66 about 20 miles from St. Louis. coolest joint. you'll never want to leave"
But even after that MO, KS, OK isn't all that. Just after Ammarillo, TX is where I think 66 is the best riding.
A sudden change in the landscape lets you know you are in the West. To me the Southwest has the best riding. Definitely stay in Tucumcari, NM. 40 miles from TX border. Neat small town with old time motorcourt motels all in neon lights. All the small towns in NM & AZ are pretty cool, you can't go wrong. Don't know how much time you have but a day or 2 in Vegas allows you to ride across Hoover Dam, go to the Grand Canyon,MT. Zion in UT or some of the other National Parks.(just not enough time!)
Next time we go, we are planning on flying the spouses out to Vegas to meet us halfway thru the ride. This way we can spend the extra days needed to show the wives all the cool stuff in the area w/o them having to be ironbutts like us riding 400+ miles perday to get someplace. Hmmmmm.........but then, that's why they don't come with us in the 1st place. Don't want to ruin a good thing.
Have a great time & Ride Free.
I've done66 many times, Great times each one.
Your post didn't say what state your from. I'm not partial to rain so I reccommend the driest month, August.
Gotta tell ya, 66 is a snooze from Chi-town to St. Louie. Mostly tourist traps for lame museums and such. BUT.........just west of St Louis is Villa Ridge. Lucked out at this great biker bar which is ON the old rt.66 when it was 1 lane. (Search good biker bars at): www.damnbikers.com/barsO)
Villa Ridge
Shady Jack's Saloon & Camp Inn:3417 Hwy O in Villa Ridge, MO
(636) 451-DUDE
Bar & Grill/Camping
Biker Comments: "20 acres campground, restaurant, inside & outside bars, swimming pool, game room, banquet-meeting hall (has bar, dance floor) off old route 66 about 20 miles from St. Louis. coolest joint. you'll never want to leave"
But even after that MO, KS, OK isn't all that. Just after Ammarillo, TX is where I think 66 is the best riding.
A sudden change in the landscape lets you know you are in the West. To me the Southwest has the best riding. Definitely stay in Tucumcari, NM. 40 miles from TX border. Neat small town with old time motorcourt motels all in neon lights. All the small towns in NM & AZ are pretty cool, you can't go wrong. Don't know how much time you have but a day or 2 in Vegas allows you to ride across Hoover Dam, go to the Grand Canyon,MT. Zion in UT or some of the other National Parks.(just not enough time!)
Next time we go, we are planning on flying the spouses out to Vegas to meet us halfway thru the ride. This way we can spend the extra days needed to show the wives all the cool stuff in the area w/o them having to be ironbutts like us riding 400+ miles perday to get someplace. Hmmmmm.........but then, that's why they don't come with us in the 1st place. Don't want to ruin a good thing.
Have a great time & Ride Free.
Phil
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 978
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RE: Route 66 Trip Question? I Need Help?
Stop in Adrian, TX (half hour west of Amarillo) at the MidPoint Cafe!!! The place is exactly the half way mark (respite with a great marker sign) between LA and Chicago.
Great home made pies. The ville has an interesting story about road signs...ask abut it...funny stuff.
Great home made pies. The ville has an interesting story about road signs...ask abut it...funny stuff.
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