Route 66

[carolvw]

Hi, I am considering riding route 66 and am interested to hear from anyone who has done the ride? Thanks!

[boman]

Don't know if this is relavent, but on the Travel Channel, on Sky, there is a guy, Henry Cole, doing just that. He can be a bit annoying, but the program is worth a look, just for interest sake.

[Sis]

We have travelled a bit of Route 66.

We were there for such a short time. 4 weeks.
2 Bikes.
4 People.
Great Fun

Got on Route 66 at Topcock. Travelled thru Oatman and Sitgreaves Pass. Lunch at Seligman (Road Kill Cafe) and onto Kingman.
A very small piece of it.
At Oatman we were resting when a group came in from the other direction (Sitgreaves Pass). They were talking about the switchbacks etc. I knew that in the heyday of Route 66, the locals would drive the vehicles thru because everyone else was so scared of the Pass. Some vehicles would have to be driven backwards due to the gradient and conditions.

You will love it! Especially Sitgreaves Pass. Just like home. Actual corners! Roads were all sealed and in better condition than some of our roads.

We stopped overnight in Flagstaff and that is on Route 66 too. From there we went up to the Grand Canyon, leaving Route 66 behind.

We basically did a big ride around California, travelling thru the nearby states and coming back down The Big Sur (coastal highway). Stopped off at Laguna Seca to watch Rossi and his colleages at the MotoGP. That corkscrew. Phew. Gotta be there to believe it.

The Big Sur is another road to enjoy too.

Make sure you have a gps. It made our whole trip so much easier. We were more relaxed and enjoyed everything, rather than worrying that we would get lost.

Oh, another road was Death Valley. Very straight at the bottom. But had to do it. They have signs where you can view the sand dunes. We got into Death Valley from Beatty so we had travelled from Las Vegas, past Area 51.

I recommend using google maps (satellite) to help you decide which bits you really want to ride.

One bit of road that I had found this way was called Old Stage Coach Road. Sealed. Lovely. Out in the hills, away from freeways and traffic. Come around a corner and the side of the hill would move. We had scared the squirrells and they ran away.

I am really envious. We would love to go back again

Have a great time!

[tigertim20]

Hi, I am considering riding route 66 and am interested to hear from anyone who has done the ride? Thanks!

the original route 66 no longer exists, it has been altered, newer highways etc etc has meant that it only exists in dribs and drabs, and is not the ride it once was.
there are still some pretty cool places in the rough area though.
I think scumdog has done what still exists of it right the way through, PM him and ask him, I beleive he actually commented on a post on the same topic not so long ago, maybe give the search function a go, and see what comes up?

[Kickaha]

the original route 66 no longer exists, it has been altered, newer highways etc etc has meant that it only exists in dribs and drabs, and is not the ride it once was.

A lot more of exists than most people realise

Hi, I am considering riding route 66 and am interested to hear from anyone who has done the ride? Thanks!

I will pm you, I have quite a good book (if you're a reader) about the road and what is left of it

[Hitcher]

I've ridden from Williams to Flagstaff (both towns are great but the road is officially I40) and from Seligman to Kingman on 66. Seligman is cutely commercial and Kingman is a shit hole. Ash Fork is well worth a detour.

[longwayfromhome]

Hi, I am considering riding route 66 and am interested to hear from anyone who has done the ride? Thanks!

Having lived in the US for nearly 12 years most of the time with a bike, I would recommend you determine what you really want...
a) do you want to ride Route 66 because its sounds like a great biking experience?
b) do you want the best riding experience in the Route 66 area in the limited time you have.

I would recommend the second.

Generally when people say Route 66 they are meaning the remaining bits of the western end in AZ and CA.

Personally, I would recommend a CA AZ UT tour of 2-4 weeks, which includes some miles on Route 66, but basically takes in:

• LA to LV & Hoover Dam
• Then AZ/UT canyons... Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Canyonland, Arches
• CO if you have a bit of extra time...
• Route 50 back to CA
• Yosemite and Lake Tahoe
• Route 36 to the coast, then down thru Ft Bragg to SF
• CA coast between SF and LA;

I can get a great route if you like, also happy to discuss. This is great riding country.

[Smifffy]

That sounds like a great itinerary to me. One of the highlights of my last trip was monument valley.

Having lived in the US for nearly 12 years most of the time with a bike, I would recommend you determine what you really want...
a) do you want to ride Route 66 because its sounds like a great biking experience?
b) do you want the best riding experience in the Route 66 area in the limited time you have.

I would recommend the second.

Generally when people say Route 66 they are meaning the remaining bits of the western end in AZ and CA.

Personally, I would recommend a CA AZ UT tour of 2-4 weeks, which includes some miles on Route 66, but basically takes in:

• LA to LV & Hoover Dam
• Then AZ/UT canyons... Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Canyonland, Arches
• CO if you have a bit of extra time...
• Route 50 back to CA
• Yosemite and Lake Tahoe
• Route 36 to the coast, then down thru Ft Bragg to SF
• CA coast between SF and LA;

I can get a great route if you like, also happy to discuss. This is great riding country.

[Old Steve]

Why don't you just take the modern freeways which connect the places the original Route 66 went through.

A check of the lyrics says it went from Chicago to L.A., so if you want to live the song you'd go through (though not in this order I would think) St Louis, Joplin Missouri, Oklahoma City, Amarillo Texas (isn't it?) Gallup New Mexico, Flagstaff Arizona, Winona Minnesota, Kingman, Barstow and San Bernandino (last three would be in Arizona, Nevada or California I would assume, towards the end of the former Route 66).

That way you'd click up some Kms (about 3000 km from Chicago to L.A.) and see the towns/cities Route 66 went through.

[nudemetalz]

Don't know if this is relavent, but on the Travel Channel, on Sky, there is a guy, Henry Cole, doing just that. He can be a bit annoying, but the program is worth a look, just for interest sake.

Watched that last night. Really interesting.
Reminds me of Charley Boorman, the "other guy" off Long Way Around.

Makes me want to do a '66 trip also.

[suzie-q]

Am doing it with a tour group Septmenber this year and would love to hear how it was for you if you did get to go.

[carolvw]

I've decided not to do it at the moment but a friend is going with a tour I think in September...sorry cant remember the name of it but maybe the same one or are you going on your own? If you're on a tour and want to let me know the name of it maybe I can give you her contact details?