Route 66

[Zugbug]

Thinking of driving Route 66 next fall, from Ca. to Ill. Has anyone out there made the trek and if so do you have any advice to share?

[DKDarrow]

You are aware that most.......probably 99% of the highway is not there???? What is left is through the various small towns and very few service roads next to the Interstate........

It would be good to get a road map of the old highway from pre-interstate days and then superimpose it over a current map to see what is left........Good luck and God bless..........Dennis

[Phrunes]

I did that several years ago, and again last month...although not to Illinois. I made the jaunt from Arizona to CA...make sure you are full of fuel! The nostalgia is priceless though. Good luck with your travels. And enjoy the Burma Shave signs.

[eubank]

About the longest remaining stretch I've driven is actually from the pre-1937 realignment from Los Lunas westward. However, there is presumably more of it available:

Route 66 in New Mexico


Lynn

[GREENovaters]

I'd also read some of the books you can find on the topic via internet or library for ideas of places to visit that really interest you.

[wkerfoot]

Zug,

Here is a site with a list of Route 66 books: Route 66 Guidebooks and Maps

Bill

Originally Posted by Zugbug

Thinking of driving Route 66 next fall, from Ca. to Ill. Has anyone out there made the trek and if so do you have any advice to share?

[Charlie M]

Arizona claims the longest remaining stretch of the old Rte 66, about 160 miles. In the spring they have a "Fun Run" from Seligman, AZ to Golden Shores, AZ. It is a fun time. We have done it about three times. It is for old time autos, but you do not have to have an old auto to attend. Currently at Lake Powell near Page, AZ overlooking the lake. Happy hour started early today.

[Air Hamel]

My wife and I have done it from Chicago to Williams Az. Have at least 2 people, one to read the maps, one to drive. Be prepared to back up, turn around, and ask where is this at? There is a set of maps, tan in color, one for each state. They are the best. Just remeber to be very flexible. The roads change all the time, very frustrating, but well worth the trip. It is the best vacations we have done. It takes about 2 days for each state depending on how much you want to see. We try to follow the old 2 lane, not always possible. But of the 1600 or so miles we have done, only about 150 was on the interstate. There is ALOT of the hiway still there. Lots of old tourist traps, gas stations, towns, cities, to see. We even found an original, untouched, 7 mile section in New Mexico that really gave us a feel for what it was like to drive. Yes it has changed, but it is The Mother Road. Be prepared for the unexpected, we found lots and lots of great people, stories, learned alot. It is 2448 miles of history education we can go touch. And most of all, ENJOY!!!!

[Air Hamel]

Sorry, the maps are the ones from Jim Ross, and Jerry McClanahan.

[Zugbug]

Great information thanks to all, I will post more as we get closer to the trip.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by Charlie M

Arizona claims the longest remaining stretch of the old Rte 66, about 160 miles. In the spring they have a "Fun Run" from Seligman, AZ to Golden Shores, AZ. It is a fun time. We have done it about three times. It is for old time autos, but you do not have to have an old auto to attend. Currently at Lake Powell near Page, AZ overlooking the lake. Happy hour started early today.

Actually, New Mexico has a longer stretch. You can go from Tucumcari to Gallup, almost 300mi.

[rtaylor537]

International Route 66 Mother Road Festival
Sent by Rand McNally's Explore America iPhone application


Each September the streets of Illinois’ capital rumble with the sound of hundreds of classic and vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles. From Camaros and Corvettes to Mustangs and T-Birds, the cars here display the ingenuity of the American auto industry. The meticulously restored vehicles line the streets of Springfield’s historic downtown, offering their owners plenty of chances to show off their pride-and-joys (and cast envious glances at someone else’s toy). The three-day event includes awards in categories such as best paint job and best convertible, a festival of cars parade, and a Manufacturers Midway for those interested in restoring old vehicles. On Friday night, cars take a cruise on Route 66, the legendary cross-country highway. Outdoor concerts, food vendors, and appearances by automotive industry celebrities will keep you busy when you’re not admiring chrome and kicking hubcaps.

America’s beloved Route 66 is a real road with a mythic aura. Established in 1926, just as automobiles were first becoming widely available, the route was one of the original U.S. highways. Running from Chicago to Los Angeles, it lured both adventurers hitting the open
road and migrants heading west (John Steinbeck called it “the Mother Road” in The Grapes of Wrath). Over the years, many portions of the road were absorbed into other highways, and in 1985 it was officially removed from the U.S. highway system. It lives on in story and song, however, and many groups around the country have worked to save stretches of the legendary highway and promote awareness of its historical significance.

Find your next adventure at www.randmcnally.com


Sent from my iPhone