Route 66 USA advice required pretty please

[xgnr]

howdy folks

I have done a search but not too much luck.

My boss and his mate are having a mid-life crisis and want to ride Route 66 on a couple of Harleys July-Aug maybe next year (or this who knows). Anyway he asked me if I knew anyone that had done it or was there some one he could have a chat to about it.

So.... anyone that could offer some advice to him? Just wants some general advice and he's not a bad bloke (for a South African lol)

Cheers and thanks in advance

Stu

[longwayfromhome]

I'm in the US at the mo and will ask some mates who know the whole story what the go is. Be back with you shortly.

I rode part of it in AZ in late August. My comment would be...its the places off Route 66 that are much more interesting.

[scumdog]

Route66 is interesting in a lot of places - mainly the bits that are no longer the modern highway - which are also a bit rundown. (See the movie 'CARS'?)

You can't ride/drive the whole of Route66 in it's entirety, it's not a complete-from-end-to-end highway anymore.

But worth the visit and cruise.:niceone::cool:

[marty]

leave LA, head towards Vegas, turn right after about 100 miles. ride across america

[alanzs]

leave LA, head towards Vegas, turn right after about 100 miles. ride across america

This is basically it.

Much of Route 66 is a road in a town, nothing more.

The weather will/could easily be in the '40's that time of year.

Have fun...

[popelli]

If you are going july / august why not go to sturgis

Route 66 no longer exists in its entirity, its been concreted over in places by a new boring interstate

For my money I would go to colorado and ride through the rockies, montana wyoming and up the pacific coast

Spent 7 1/2 weeks 12,000 miles and 13 states riding around the states back in 97, had a brilliant time and would love to do it again

Places I would avoid, Vegas, Kansas and Iowa

[longwayfromhome]

Two good sites were suggested:

www.historic66.com
www.national66.com

Personally, having ridden 200k km in the US in the last 8 years, I could give you several wonderful Harley-style routes. PM if you are interested.

Oh, the other thing is...do not underestimate what riding in heat means...I was in 107F on Route 66 at the end of last August. Its is a serious consideration.

[ajturbo]

i've been told it's in the USA.. hope this helps

[shafty]

Hi xgnr,

I rode it in '94, and stumbled across a wee town called Seligman, then tripped thru a Barbershop door of a Guy called Angel (First name) - can't recall his surname but could if needed. He and his Brother started the Route 66 Preservation Society which was the start of it all. Great Guy. My business card is on his wall.

He has a Juke box with dozens of versions of the Route 66 Song on it, and has been interviewed on camera by 100's of TV channels, - and me!

He wasn't a young Guy in 1994 mind, but may still be around in semi retirement.

Good luck Dude

Shafty

[Hitcher]

Get your friend to send a PM to Ratast and enquire about going on one of his trips. Bloody fantastic!

[longwayfromhome]

Here is a couple more....
www.roadhouse66.com
http://roadtripusa.com

[longwayfromhome]

Here are a couple more....
www.roadhouse66.com
http://roadtripusa.com

[xgnr]

Many Thanks for the advice guys both here and through PM's

Have sent all relevant info on to the Big Kahuna so maybe I will get my bonus this quarter :banana:

Would like to try some of the route myself (but not on a Hog soz)

maybe when I am older... :2thumbsup

[The Lone Rider]

Oh and most important thing if you want to fit in with bikers there - carry beer. At all times. It's nearly mandatory.

[SARGE]

Personally, having ridden 200k km in the US in the last 8 years,


impossible.. we dont have km's over there

[Hitcher]

impossible.. we dont have km's over there

Ha ha. I'm surprised there isn't a US mile, to match the gallon, and the octane system...

And why is everything weighed in pounds, including really big shit, like Space Shuttles, suspension bridges and trucks?

[SARGE]

Ha ha. I'm surprised there isn't a US mile, to match the gallon, and the octane system...

And why is everything weighed in pounds, including really big shit, like Space Shuttles, suspension bridges and trucks?

its not always.. its measured in TONS (2000 pounds)

unlike the Metric Tonne which, by my estimation converts to about 2200 pounds

same reason that the US Dollar is used as a benchmark in many economies.. ( big news today.. the NZ$ is expected to plunge to 0.45 by the end of the week..) .. we may have hit a bump in the economy but the US economy still drives most of the world.. when the US sneezes.. the rest of the world catches a cold..

[longwayfromhome]

impossible.. we dont have km's over there

Well, hang on there my fine uniformed friend...I have seen km on numerous road signs in the US...quite confusing at times. The US has given it a go...but there were no free buffalo wings given out for participation so its languished a bit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States

Also, if I include the riding in Canada (full metrication), then I am creeping closer to literal truth.

[Hitcher]

its not always.. its measured in TONS (2000 pounds)

unlike the Metric Tonne which, by my estimation converts to about 2200 pounds.

That sounds awfully like a US ton. I raised this with some truckers whilst in the USA, who then got into a heated discussion about "long" tons and "short" tons, and then agreed amongst themselves that that was why people probably used pounds.

A "metric" tonne is 1,000kg, 1,000 litres of water at sea level. Breathtakingly simple really. That's 2204.622 US pounds.

[alanzs]

Well, hang on there my fine uniformed friend...I have seen km on numerous road signs in the US...quite confusing at times. The US has given it a go...but there were no free buffalo wings given out for participation so its languished a bit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States

Also, if I include the riding in Canada (full metrication), then I am creeping closer to literal truth.

The US attempted to go to the metric system in the late '70's if my memory serves me correctly (The 70's were a blur...). It didn't work. Many states even went so far as to change the road signs, but it never had full implementation or acceptance by the US public.



Bottom line, is they figure that metric is for non-Americans, therefore, inferior! :2thumbsup

[Hitcher]

President Ronald Reagan (the 40th President of the USA, 1981-89) was the person who decided to pull the rug on plans to metricate the USA.

[SARGE]

Well, hang on there my fine uniformed friend...I have seen km on numerous road signs in the US...quite confusing at times. The US has given it a go...but there were no free buffalo wings given out for participation so its languished a bit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States

Also, if I include the riding in Canada (full metrication), then I am creeping closer to literal truth.

yea .. i was takin the piss man .. i am actually from the US ..

so ... not so uninformed ..



President Ronald Reagan (the 40th President of the USA, 1981-89) was the person who decided to pull the rug on plans to metricate the USA.

nope.. just following the will of the people.. huge outcry when they were taking about it..


we fear change...

[scumdog]

That sounds awfully like a US ton. I raised this with some truckers whilst in the USA, who then got into a heated discussion about "long" tons and "short" tons, and then agreed amongst themselves that that was why people probably used pounds.

A "metric" tonne is 1,000kg, 1,000 litres of water at sea level. Breathtakingly simple really. That's 2204.622 US pounds.

And ain't a 'real' ton = 2240lb??

112lb = 1cwt and all that.....

[pritch]

And ain't a 'real' ton = 2240lb??

112lb = 1cwt and all that.....

Thank you.

I was wondering what was happening to the younger generation there. Well, actually I was really busy reinforcing my prejudices :whistle:

I'd have blinged you but...

[Bob]

Hi xgnr,

I rode it in '94, and stumbled across a wee town called Seligman, then tripped thru a Barbershop door of a Guy called Angel (First name) - can't recall his surname but could if needed. He and his Brother started the Route 66 Preservation Society which was the start of it all. Great Guy. My business card is on his wall.

He has a Juke box with dozens of versions of the Route 66 Song on it, and has been interviewed on camera by 100's of TV channels, - and me!

He wasn't a young Guy in 1994 mind, but may still be around in semi retirement.

Good luck Dude

Shafty

I've been to Seligman and to Angel's establishment - went there in 2005. That little town is what you want to find on Route 66, I think.

There is a website I found, by a specialist bike touring company, H-C Travel. Hope that is of use - link follows:

http://www.hctravel.com/

What follows is a link to their guided tour of Route 66, but you can arrange self-guided tours as well:

http://www.hctravel.com/html/route_66.html

Also, there is a DVD available, of a guy called Henry Cole, who rode Route 66 - he has also done a bundle of other rides, both in the USA and across Eastern Europe. These are available at:

http://www.travelchannel.co.uk/travelshop/MotorcycleRides.asp

Brief details available at this link:

http://www.travelchannel.co.uk/Series/ourprogrammes/riding66.htm

Hope some of this lot is useful!

[droopydawg]

East and North of Oklahoma is boring, all the way to Chicago. RT66 parallels Interstate 40, so some of the cool stuff you have seen pictures of, you can still see off to the side of the Interstate....Like that Big Texan or those Cadillacs that are half buried in the dirt and sticking up.
I'd say avoid RT66, unless it is just the nostaliga of it to say you rode it.
I rode to Sturgis in 07. It was ok, not my scene, daddy-o. I like the ride more than the destination.