Route 66 july or aug

[gdptwenty]

Hey whats up, I'm in la at the moment from australia.... I have bought a car and am looking to drive across the states roughly following route 66.... Be fun to travel with someone or meet some cool people along the way.

[agriadam]

well you are starting in LA and ending in Chicago. What is your plan when you get to chitown? if you decide to continue east stop in indianapolis I'll show you around this little town.

note: As Route 66 doesn't appear on modern maps anymore, one needs a good description before heading out on the old 2 lane highway.

I am assuming that you were aware of this but just thought that I would let you know. I came a cross a great map at one point it gave you turn by turn direction through each state I think that it was just called the Route 66 map??? Check it out.

Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series yep that's the one.

[pinion]

ok, this might be a stupid question. Why isn't route 66 on any modern road maps?

[kingcrazylegs]

Originally posted by pinion@Jun 2 2005, 02:23 PM
ok, this might be a stupid question. Why isn't route 66 on any modern road maps?

because it is pre-interstate highways...though I think you can still find it on stat by state atlases....Which is what I suggest you buy since you are driving across the US. You can get one for about $10.

[omisan]

Route 66 is now basically just a series of old highways and local roads (some with many many lights, i.e. Santa Monica Blvd.) that link together and form the cross-country "highway." If one were to put it down on a map with all the other highways, it'd be very disjointed and hard to get in scale - as in some parts it's a lone road through the desert (easy to put on a map) and in others it's just some stretch of an urban street.

I did a chunk of Route 66 through California and Arizona - basically I used the established highways where I could/needed to in order to avoid urban traffic, but in the middle of nowhere, I'd stray over to the old 66 and enjoy the 2 lanes of desolate bliss.

[agriadam]

How long is Route 66?"

The figure used most often is 2,400 miles. But this is really a rough approximation because the road has had many different alignments through the years.

"How many states does the route go through?"

Eight. Traveling from east to west, they are Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

"Is the original road still driveable?"

85% is still easily driveable in an ordinary car.

"Why isn't 66 on ordinary maps?"

It was de-commissioned as a federal highway over a period of years with the last stretch disappearing from the records in 1984.

"Why was it de-commissioned?"

Through the years, the federal government built a collection of high speed, interstate highways to bypass and replace old 66.


here are some cool pictures:

one of the undrivable parts of route66




a common gas station along route 66...closed down or tore down...

[gdptwenty]

Hey all thanks for the replies.... i've got a ton of maps... went to aaa and got maps to ever state i'm going to be going through as well as a lonly planet on route 66 telling u all the turns and different things to see.... I also got the camping books for places to pitch a tent..... it is very disjointed and will follow it in different places of interest.... I've heard taos is a really cool place.. .and am going to stop at this place called havasupi falls in arizona that looks absoultly amazing.
http://www.americaswonderlands.com/havasupai_main.htm

[gdptwenty]

Originally posted by gdptwenty@Jun 2 2005, 09:58 AM
Hey whats up, I'm in la at the moment from australia.... I have bought a car and am looking to drive across the states roughly following route 66.... Be fun to travel with someone or meet some cool people along the way.

"we run past what we need chasing after what we want"

[omisan]

If you get pulled over on your road trip, just tell the cop, "I'm sorry officer, I forgot. In Australia, we don't have speed limits."

A couple of Aussies I met in Venice Beach said they'd gotten pulled over twice on their cross-country road trips - both times in Texas - and used that line successfully. The cops' response the first time, btw, was "Oh yeah, I heard about that. Well, here we do, so watch your speed." The second one let them off with a warning as well.

Could be a crock of shit, but whatever

[bluepea]

Sounds like a blast! Lived in the states all my life and never even (as far as I know!) seen Route 66 but that would be a blast! Good luck and have so much fun!

[The Monsignor]

I lived in Arizona for a number of years... Some sections of that highway are totally impassable, but they also have some really neeto stuff that's still preserved (last time I went along it, they still had Burma Shave ads!) Well worth the visit...

[tumblezweedz]

I've seen those ads! Taos and Havasupi are both really cool, there's tons of cool stuff to see en route (I've followed portions of it on various trips). I'd recommend filling up on gas before going on some of the more desolate stretches - you really don't want to run out in the back of beyond! Check to see if your maps show gas stations, that can really help out.

And eat at the diners and mom-n-pop places, rather than the chains if you get a chance. Great way to get the all-American experience. Check out some of the cheesy souvenir places too, they are hysterical. I know you've always wanted a preserved scorpion with a compass on a rabbit's foot key chain...

[agriadam]

Originally posted by tumblezweedz@Jun 6 2005, 07:44 AM
And eat at the diners and mom-n-pop places, rather than the chains if you get a chance.* Great way to get the all-American experience.* Check out some of the cheesy souvenir places too, they are hysterical.* I know you've always wanted a preserved scorpion with a compass on a rabbit's foot key chain...

not only can it be fun but it also supports them and if people like us don't go and visit these places(and spend money) then they won't last and we won't be able to do this forever.....

[gdptwenty]

Hey whats up i've had a thought after reading everyones advise and looking at maps... It seems most the things to see are in az and new mexico.... My destinatin point is going to be toronto or montreal. Would it be more worth my while after new mexico to head north then east.... or is it worth while going through texas, oklahoma, missouri ?

[space virgin]

My advice is to head north and east, try to go through as much of the Rockies as you can. I guarantee it'll be more picturesque.

[omisan]

Texas can be a long and lonely drive... You can drive for hours on some stretches and not see another car. Which isn't a bad thing, really, but some people just aren't into that. Then again, I guess a run to Alice Springs in Oz wouldn't be so different.