Route 66 for Vacation?

[zenjim]

Unless my girlfriend's cousin comes through with some cheapo tickets for LAX-Rome, I'm thinking about riding Route 66 for my vacation this year. Leave Santa Monica, take a week or so to get to Chicago, head to Indy for the MotoGP, then head back via amber waves of grain, purple mountain's majesty, etc., etc. Understand parts of it are now slabified, but would look forward to funky diners, old roads, small towns, local bars  , bridges of Madison County, local bars  . You get the picture. Girlfriend should be picking up a 620 next month and though she's new to biking, shouldn't be a big deal kind of trip. If it is for her, I can always rent a girlfriend for those two weeks.
I kid.
Any thoughts? Anyone travelled Route 66 before? Recommend or avoid?

[NorDog]

Good luck with the bridges of Madison County, Route 66 doesn't go through Iowa.

[superjohn]

Colour me jealous. I've wanted to undertake that particular trip through Americana for a while.

You should map it out, stick to 2 lane as much as possible and only eat & sleep at local "Mom & Pop" type places. Sure, you could end up at the post-modern equivalent of the Bates Motel, but no one ever had a good story that started with "We ended up staying at this Motel 6".

[NorDog]

Colour me jealous. I've wanted to undertake that particular trip through Americana for a while.

You should map it out, stick to 2 lane as much as possible and only eat & sleep at local "Mom & Pop" type places. Sure, you could end up at the post-modern equivalent of the Bates Motel, but no one ever had a good story that started with "We ended up staying at this Motel 6".

The problem with this approach is that, for the most part, it doesn't exist anymore.  For the most part, there are no Mom and Pop type places, or at best a handful.  You need more than a handful of Mom and Pop diners and motels for 2400 mile road trip.

Riding Route 66 is a great idea in a romantic sense, but in reality I think you'll find it not so much.  Much of the road itself no longer exists; the Interstate Superslab is all there is, especially out in the vast desert wastelands of the West.

[Mike_D]

I've been toying with the idea of doing US Route 50 from Ocean City, MD to Sacramento, CA. which is one of the last coast to coast routes that is still largely intact and non-slab.  Just over 3,000 miles in length.  Going west to east, a great run would be from Sacramento to St. Louis.         

[victor441]

did it by car several years ago and much is gone and is now generic I40 freeway, though some parts are still great, remember the OK portion in particular....came back on I50 and liked it a LOT, especially across Nevada, that pert is called "The Loneliest Road in America"    FWIW there is a good and easy to find book on two lane roads including 66 and some info is at http://www.roadtripusa.com/

[zenjim]

The problem with this approach is that, for the most part, it doesn't exist anymore.  For the most part, there are no Mom and Pop type places, or at best a handful.  You need more than a handful of Mom and Pop diners and motels for 2400 mile road trip.

Riding Route 66 is a great idea in a romantic sense, but in reality I think you'll find it not so much.  Much of the road itself no longer exists; the Interstate Superslab is all there is, especially out in the vast desert wastelands of the West.

You are so bringing me down.

[Popeye the Sailor]

What time of year you planning on?

[erkishhorde]

It passes through my hometown (Upland) and there isn't anything special about that stretch. It's just a major street through a suburb.

[zenjim]

I've been toying with the idea of doing US Route 50 from Ocean City, MD to Sacramento, CA. which is one of the last coast to coast routes that is still largely intact and non-slab.  Just over 3,000 miles in length.  Going west to east, a great run would be from Sacramento to St. Louis.         

I rode over a small part of Hwy 50 in Utah on my way to the WSBK races at Miller MSP. They ain't kidding. Not so much twisties as long stretches of nobody and nothing. I saw maybe 5 cars and that many bearded, helmetless dudes on Choppers with shit-eating grins like they were just tipped for robbing a bank.

Here it is:


One of the highlights of my trip actually.

[zenjim]

What time of year you planning on?

Arrive in Indy by:
August 29: Indianapolis MotoGP

[zenjim]

did it by car several years ago and much is gone and is now generic I40 freeway, though some parts are still great, remember the OK portion in particular....came back on I50 and liked it a LOT, especially across Nevada, that pert is called "The Loneliest Road in America"    FWIW there is a good and easy to find book on two lane roads including 66 and some info is at http://www.roadtripusa.com/

I've got a recent book that tells the history of Route 66 and has some places that are still worth seeing. My only fear is that they are so few and far between it may be a boring trip. With a Moto GP at the end it can't be all bad. And I've got lots of suggestions for a fun trip back. Keep in mind that I can be amused for hours by the world largest ball of yarn type thing.

[erkishhorde]

Didn't you also say that the gf is getting a 620? It's not her first bike, is it? Long hauls aren't fun for noobies. They're not used to the saddle and get butt burn fast.

[zenjim]

Didn't you also say that the gf is getting a 620? It's not her first bike, is it? Long hauls aren't fun for noobies. They're not used to the saddle and get butt burn fast.

Yes, kinda, but that's a whole separate issue. If she's not ready we won't go. We've got lots of mini trips planned to access her abilities.

And Daddy's got lots of medicine for the butt burn. 

[erkishhorde]

And Daddy's got lots of medicine for the butt burn. 

Too easy.