Route 66

Has anyone here rode the length of route 66? I would like to try it and was wondering about interesting places along the way. I drove a small section in Arizona in a cage while we were in Las Vegas, travelled to Bedman. Billy Connolly did a mini series focusing on the highlights and interesting towns along the route and I was wondering if anyone has rode the mother highway?

...and led tours the length of it. Lots of decisions. Pre 1937, post? How much of the original?
There are whole map sets showing everything. I have them. If your Google-fu is bad, I'll give you ISBN for what I have.

By your response it seems I'm totally un-educated on this subject. Thanks for the reply, but I googled fu is bad and got nothing re route 66.


More intrigued now.

www.66maps.com has the 8 map, state by state, series. ISBN 0-9677481-4-3
Motorcycle Guide to Route 66 ISBN 1-929954-06-9
The Complete Guidebook to Route 66 ISBN 0-9701423-1-5
The Complete Atlas of Route 66 ISBN 0-9701423-1-5
These are the best I've found. I realize the last two ISBN match, but I think the two books come as a set.
It's a LOT of fun. Do not skip the local motels-some of them are fantastic. Sitgreaves pass in western AZ is not to be missed, read the old stories.

Make sure you get in the section that runs thru Oatman Arizona. I loved that section I've been back to ride it twice since I was last there.

Agreed. Sitgreaves Pass is the road to Oatman. Watch out for the burros!!

That's the portion I drove on. Time was tight so I didn't get a chance to have a beer at the Grand hotel.

Please post some specifics on sections of Route 66 that are worthwhile to ride.
We may have an opportunity to get out there on a rental road bike and want to make the best of it if we go.

...on what "worthwhile" means to you. There is a lot of stuff there.

Worthwhile, for this trip:
Fun roads, scenery, authenticity.

Probably on an RT or adventure tourer, two up.

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Fun roads: Twisties-limited to Sitgreaves Pass and maybe some of MO if you want them tight. Sweepers-Lots of places, but mainly the western part of NM and in AZ.
Scenery: depends what you think is pretty. The mountains are just a tiny bit of MO, but mainly in NM (pre 1937 route went north of I-40 into Las Vegas, NM on into Santa Fe and back down). Parts of AZ has some mountains. Open desert-lots of that in TX and NM parts. Trees- southern IL and MO.
Authenticity: Many of the old, original motels are still there and being used. Some of those are in fantastic shape with 'themed' rooms and all. Some are fleabags. Lots of restaurants are still open from 'back in the day'. Many are still 'authentic', but so is mild food poisoning. Most are still real cooking, but you have to look. There are lots of museums along the whole route. Most of these are great. Narrow parts: some of the fun parts are original, as in about 8 feet wide concrete with gravel shoulders so when two cars meet, they can pull over to pass each other and keep one tire on the concrete. There are still several miles of the original brick road with concrete curbs left.
Basically-there is about whatever you want to find there. The key to having a really good time is to relax, go slow, and look at all there is, then pick how you want to spend your time. The whole route can be done in 3 long days or three slow weeks. I have a great time whenever I travel this route. I tend to stick to the really old parts, original businesses, ride about 250-300 miles per day, and relax. There are the Interstates that bypass all the towns (the towns are one of my favorite parts), and if one gets lazy, they can hop on the I-55, I-44, and I-40 parts. Not much fun or experience in that to me.

Once you reach the bottom of the Cajon Pass in Southern California it turns in to a full on CITY ride all the way to Santa Monica. It would be nothing short of a nightmare to ride that section.

Most of it is Foothill Boulevard, there is absolutely no break in CITY, strip mall after strip mall, all with the same stores and business. Lots of opportunity to get donuts and dry cleaning.

I like the Oatman AZ section. Even the bits off the 40 between AZ/CA. The freeway killed most of the towns on 66, those that remain tend to be touristy.

When we ride across country (again) we will take some 66 but other roads are more interesting and the freeway is often more appealing.

I ride it everyday in (Los Angeles County)( I live one mile north on Route 30) Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Claremont, Pomona, Glendora and etc., it's not a pleasure and nothing to see you can't see in any over developed over populated area.

Thank you both for the additional commentary. Very helpful.

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http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=845101

I've ridden it from downtown Chicago to the plaque at the end on Santa Monica Blvd. Valker has given you links to good info. There is lots of Americana to see - so I'd take it slow, follow the oldest alignments you can find, and stop everywhere. Seriously. Everywhere. Old diners and motels of incredible architecture and history. Antique shops in small towns. Places that are run down, closed, abandoned, falling apart. Try to imagine people staying there, and who owns them now. Find the oldest sections of the route. Part is paved in red brick. There is another section that has 3 alignments running in parallel for miles - freeway, dual lane, winding single lane with a beautiful old bridge. There are lots of great bridges. Imagine the road so full of cars that a town had to dig a tunnel under the road so that the children could cross to school safely. Don't take shortcuts (except as noted below). Some states have official Route 66 museums - see them. So do many towns. See them, too. There is real history there. There are stretches of I40 west of Texas where the 'frontage road' is really the old Route 66 roadbed. I actually road on those instead of the interstate (I was a little obsessed). Get your hair cut in Seligman. Be caredul taking the old road through the desert.

One thing I have to agree about. Once you get south of Victorville, CA the original Route 66 goes down the pass and dumps you into San Bernardino. It then goes pretty much due west to Santa Monica - through hundreds of stoplights! There is no old route 66 or history there any more. Instead I got off I15 at CA 138 and headed west to CA 2 and the Angels Crest Highway. It dumps you into the basin just north of Pasadena from where you can ride to the Santa Monica Blvd and continue on to the Pacific Ocean.

Here is a link to my photos.
Enjoy!
-ceej