Need advice for partial Route 66
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2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Washington
Need advice for partial Route 66
In late May - early June we have 7 days to make a trip on Rt 66. We are starting in Washington state and plan to head SE down through Jackson Wy and hit the Mother Road somewhere in the Kansas City - Oklahoma City area and head west to CA. Any suggestions on must see stops?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,422
Likes: 2
From: Las Cruces, NM
I've only ridden the area around Albuquerque but maybe this will help.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/chic...articles/76716
Hope you have a good time!
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/chic...articles/76716
Hope you have a good time!
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
I'm sure you know this already, but there are few sections of 66 that still remain. FWIW, the section
from Moriarty, NM through to the El Puerco river just west of Albuquerque has (sorta) been relabeled
"Retribution Road"..
http://route66news.com/2013/02/24/do...ed-rebranding/
The stuff further west is pretty well covered in a number of websites, but let me hit a couple in easy reach of
Albuquerque..
Not far west of Albuquerque, you can get on State Road 124 and take that remnant of 66 into Grants, NM.
It is MUCH more scenic than I-40..
As you cross into Arizona there are a number of trading posts.. "World's Largest Petrified Tree", etc. You
won't miss much if you don't stop, but if you've got a few minutes..
You HAVE to stop at the Painted Desert National Park and Wig-Wam Motel in Holbrooke, AZ a few miles
to the west of the park. You can see the main parts of the park in less than an hour riding the paved loop
and if you have a day to spend in the area, continue south into the Petrified Forest National Park (the two
are connected and straddle I-40).
Winslow has the famous "corner" from the Eagle's song diagonally across from a newly restored "Harvey
House" hotel (very upscale restaurant), Meteor Crater is about 40 minutes further West and then you
reach Flagstaff, access to the Grand Canyon, etc.
Here's a link to an online photo album of a 2010 trip I took from Albuquerque to Death Valley using as much
of the "Mother Road" as I could.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23167360
This is a nice trip, you should have a lot of fun..
from Moriarty, NM through to the El Puerco river just west of Albuquerque has (sorta) been relabeled
"Retribution Road"..
http://route66news.com/2013/02/24/do...ed-rebranding/
The stuff further west is pretty well covered in a number of websites, but let me hit a couple in easy reach of
Albuquerque..
Not far west of Albuquerque, you can get on State Road 124 and take that remnant of 66 into Grants, NM.
It is MUCH more scenic than I-40..
As you cross into Arizona there are a number of trading posts.. "World's Largest Petrified Tree", etc. You
won't miss much if you don't stop, but if you've got a few minutes..
You HAVE to stop at the Painted Desert National Park and Wig-Wam Motel in Holbrooke, AZ a few miles
to the west of the park. You can see the main parts of the park in less than an hour riding the paved loop
and if you have a day to spend in the area, continue south into the Petrified Forest National Park (the two
are connected and straddle I-40).
Winslow has the famous "corner" from the Eagle's song diagonally across from a newly restored "Harvey
House" hotel (very upscale restaurant), Meteor Crater is about 40 minutes further West and then you
reach Flagstaff, access to the Grand Canyon, etc.
Here's a link to an online photo album of a 2010 trip I took from Albuquerque to Death Valley using as much
of the "Mother Road" as I could.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23167360
This is a nice trip, you should have a lot of fun..
Route 66
I am going to do the trail of tears from St Louis on 30 then try to ride some of the pieces of 66 through Mo.
All this in Mo. as I have a Lawn care business and can only be gone 3or4 days. Wish I had more time. I will leave from Ottumwa Ia. where I work and take the Miss. river road south to St. Louis, ride the arch then complete the trip.
Will camp at night.
Figure around a thousand miles when forays are figured in.
All this in Mo. as I have a Lawn care business and can only be gone 3or4 days. Wish I had more time. I will leave from Ottumwa Ia. where I work and take the Miss. river road south to St. Louis, ride the arch then complete the trip.
Will camp at night.
Figure around a thousand miles when forays are figured in.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 247
From: Florida
Did the whole route last year, amazing fun!
Too many places to name but worth mentioning is, I went up to Santa Fe and instead of riding the normal route US-84 (boring) I took NM-3, had a real 'Wild Hog' moment, riding through a beautiful countryside rounded a corner and found a biker bar with loads of Harleys parked outside, luckily the group were friendly
Also another division to try is US-89A down to Sedona and then circle round through Jerome and back up to I-40/Rte 66
Final division I did was, looked at the final leg after Barslow and really didnt want to ride that sprawling mess called LA! I took CA-2, Angeles Crest Highway, what an amazing road 64 miles of twisty mountain road, then only about 15 miles of interstate down to Santa Monica.
And don't forget to get your pic taken in the middle of the road at Roys Motel
Angeles Crest Highway
And of course must do this one!
Riding back in 6 weeks time via LV, Zion, Bryce, Million Dollar Hwy, Memphis, Nashville and the Dragon then down to Tampa, counting down the days
I was extremely lucky, let Chicago on Fri 14th September and did not have one drop of rain all the way, only when reaching Cali did the temps start to get hot, 105F in the shade at Roys! We flew home 3rd Oct
Too many places to name but worth mentioning is, I went up to Santa Fe and instead of riding the normal route US-84 (boring) I took NM-3, had a real 'Wild Hog' moment, riding through a beautiful countryside rounded a corner and found a biker bar with loads of Harleys parked outside, luckily the group were friendly
Also another division to try is US-89A down to Sedona and then circle round through Jerome and back up to I-40/Rte 66
Final division I did was, looked at the final leg after Barslow and really didnt want to ride that sprawling mess called LA! I took CA-2, Angeles Crest Highway, what an amazing road 64 miles of twisty mountain road, then only about 15 miles of interstate down to Santa Monica.
And don't forget to get your pic taken in the middle of the road at Roys Motel
Angeles Crest Highway
And of course must do this one!
Riding back in 6 weeks time via LV, Zion, Bryce, Million Dollar Hwy, Memphis, Nashville and the Dragon then down to Tampa, counting down the days
I was extremely lucky, let Chicago on Fri 14th September and did not have one drop of rain all the way, only when reaching Cali did the temps start to get hot, 105F in the shade at Roys! We flew home 3rd Oct
Last edited by painey; Mar 18, 2013 at 07:05 AM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: SW Ohio
And tar snakes. Good food at the the Copper Cart in Seligman.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 642
Likes: 3
From: Bellmawr, New Jersey
Oklahoma:
The Big Blue Whale in Catoosa;
Oklahoma City National Memorial;
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK;
Texas:
U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, TX
Leaning Tow of Groom - in Groom TX
Big Texan Steak Ranch and Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo;
Midpoint Cafe in Adrian TX
New Mexico:
Blue Swallow Motel, Pony Soldier Motel, Buckaroo Motel, and Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari;
66 Diner in Albuquerque
El Rancho Hotel in Gallup
Arizona:
Teepee Trading Post in Lupton
Painted Desert and Petrified Forrest
Wigwam Village in Holbrook
Jack Rabbit Trading Post in Joseph City
"Standin' on the Corner Statue in Winslow Arizona
Flagstaff - the Museum Club
Williams - 66 Roadside Cafe and take the steam engine train to south rim of the Grand Canyon;
Seligman - the Birthplace of Route 66
The road to Oatman through the Black Mountains
California:
The Mojave Desert
California Route 66 Museum in victorville, CA
Send me a PM and I will send you the itinerary I followed.
The Big Blue Whale in Catoosa;
Oklahoma City National Memorial;
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK;
Texas:
U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, TX
Leaning Tow of Groom - in Groom TX
Big Texan Steak Ranch and Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo;
Midpoint Cafe in Adrian TX
New Mexico:
Blue Swallow Motel, Pony Soldier Motel, Buckaroo Motel, and Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari;
66 Diner in Albuquerque
El Rancho Hotel in Gallup
Arizona:
Teepee Trading Post in Lupton
Painted Desert and Petrified Forrest
Wigwam Village in Holbrook
Jack Rabbit Trading Post in Joseph City
"Standin' on the Corner Statue in Winslow Arizona
Flagstaff - the Museum Club
Williams - 66 Roadside Cafe and take the steam engine train to south rim of the Grand Canyon;
Seligman - the Birthplace of Route 66
The road to Oatman through the Black Mountains
California:
The Mojave Desert
California Route 66 Museum in victorville, CA
Send me a PM and I will send you the itinerary I followed.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Be aware that Arizona Rt 89 has suffered a major collapse south of Page
and (I think) a bit north of the 89 / 89A intersection. This was a major
landslip taking out the entire road and I don't know when they expect to
have it open again. The entire hillside will have to be rebuilt so this is not
a quick fix..
From the Arizona government website.. (emphasis mine..)
"US 89 will remain closed for the immediate future. There is no timetable
to reopen the highway, which has approximately 500 feet of damage,
including 150 feet of pavement that settled four-to-six feet due to a landslide
and failure of the slope."
An official Youtube video..
and (I think) a bit north of the 89 / 89A intersection. This was a major
landslip taking out the entire road and I don't know when they expect to
have it open again. The entire hillside will have to be rebuilt so this is not
a quick fix..
From the Arizona government website.. (emphasis mine..)
"US 89 will remain closed for the immediate future. There is no timetable
to reopen the highway, which has approximately 500 feet of damage,
including 150 feet of pavement that settled four-to-six feet due to a landslide
and failure of the slope."
An official Youtube video..
Last edited by Mike Horrell; Mar 18, 2013 at 11:32 AM.