Hi Guy's, We started our Route 66 trip yesterday. Went through Texas to Oklahoma, picked up a good Route 66 Guide at tourist information. Last night we got on Route 66 just outside of Oklahoma city and went east to Arcadia and visited the Round Barn and Pop's, a new edition to Route 66. We stayed overnight in Edmond and are about to set off again this morning heading East. Will post pictures later.
In OK look for the closed old road sections along the frontage road they now call 66, which is along the main interstate. You could slip beside the road closed signs and drive some of the OLD parts. Also in OK is the remaining single lane section of orig. 66. The Rock Cafe in Stroud seems to have been rebuilt. Lucile has p***ed away, but her station is still exists. Anyone who invites in strangers well after dark just to talk about 66 is cool. We feel lucky we got to meet her. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/3094 OK has lots of the old alignments left. In some places there were two or three different ones before the interstate took over. What they now call 66 may not be "original". There are good books available, the OK Rt. 66 ***ociation has some good ones published. Seen the Blue Wale? How about the Rt. 66 Museum in Clinton? We stayed in the Elvis room at the hotel there, still decorated just as it was when Elvis stayed there on his cross country trips - green **** carpet and all. The museum is worth a stop! http://www.legendsofamerica.com/OK-Clinton.html Most important advice for the 66 traveler - stop at things that look interesting and talk to people. Oh, and avoid all chain restaurants. Stop at the local places! Lived in OK for 5 years and still miss it! Ed
Yes, 48fordor has the right idea. We took our time, set no limits and just stopped where we felt like it and took over 1500 images of the trip. We had the most fun eating at small local places and talking to the folks in the area.
You can get on the "old" route just South of my house. Turn N at the Shell station West of Sapulpa, intersection of I-44/66/33. You wind around in the woods and end up on "the old iron bridge" over Rock Creek, just North of the golf course. Selena's steak house on 66 in Sapulpa has s pretty good lunch.
We got as far as Amarillo today. Did the Route 66 museum in Clinton, went as much of the old route as possible. Also did the Canyon Palo Duro which is a slight detour but well worth it.Still have loads of photos to upload when we get back.
fun trip for sure... i've done it twice, only going in the opposite direction from about St. Louis to Santa Monica. was in the corvette then though... do take your time and take lots of pictures. i aggree with retrorod about eating at the small mom and pop places....
Enjoy, I'm afriad one day the route will be gone. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more of your trip. Good luck and happy motoring
Hi Guy's, We got as far as New Mexico and Albuquerque. Went through a nice storm that we could see for miles in the distance. One stretch of road the guide book said do not drive it due to road conditions. We did anyway, next time we will believe the guide book, we had to go through what looked like a drainage culvert. I wish I had taken a picture of my wifes face at the time. Went to a car museum on the Texas/New Mexico state line.Its in a truck stop called Kelley's. It opened that very day, also went to another in Santa Rosa that had a 1957 Chevy . Will start again on 66 this morning heading to Arizona.
We finally got back today. We went as far as Needles, California. On the way back blew out a tire. The drive into Oatman to see the Donkeys was the best drive ever round the mountains with sheer drops. I'll get some pictures up as soon as we are unpacked. A lot of the Route is disappearing fast, the guide books we had must of all been written a few years back as the pictures they show are nothing as to what you see in real life. We stopped off a couple of days in Williams, AZ and did the Grand Canyon. Would I do it again, definately.
I would love to do this some time. How many miles are we talking about if the whole distance is covered. Sounds like it covers the whole of the USA .. lol
Enjoying the ride, looking over your shoulder. Thanks for taking us along with you. ENJOY every moment ! John
This is on my bucket list. Only problem is, I want to do it in the F100. At the rate I'm going, it's not gonna happen.
Hey aldixie, did you go out in the train to Grand Canyon? We did it earlier this year. Excellent day. We had an old Navahoe Indian entertainer on our carriage. He was great. Good little town, that Williams. We would like to come back and do the whole Route 66 before it is lost forever. Thanks for posting your trip.
I've managed to travel all of the remaining miles of 66 in OK, KS, NM, TX, and CA. Next is to drive what is left in AZ, then MO and IL. After that, tour the Lincoln Highway! Very nice pictures you have posted!
Yeah, next time I would like to do it in either the 50 Chevy or the Model A. I know that either car could not make some of the stretches of road as its just non existent. The road is just too rough. We are planning our next stage which will be from Oklahoma City to Chicago. May be next year or the year after, we spent more on this trip then we would of done on a Caribbean cruise. Next year my wife gets to choose.
Cool pics! We just did some of it last week out through Arizona. Did you get your pic taken "Standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona" next to the red flatbed ford? HAHA I know what you mean about some of those towns disappearing, they were like ghost towns. And ghettos..some of those towns had some freaky folk in em..
Been pretty Lucky have traveled a lot of 66 in AZ/NM/ and CA often by either bike or one of the old trucks. (61 Uni's) wife and I get to Oatman very often. Williams AZ is very old car friendly too. If you ever have the chance do even a small portion of it. Michael
I consider myself very lucky to have been raised in Springfield, MO. which was on the original route. I can drive an hour each way from here and still see some neat old stores, stations and all sorts of old relics. My dream is to one day either own a business or live in a house on the old road.
Great group of photos! Looks like that place has the worlds supply of Studies! hahah...dead end in both directions....
We did the WHOLE thing back in 07 in a 1958 Bel Air. That's a must to do this road trip in an old car. you get so much response from the people you meet. Klaus
I drove much of the old road while trucking in the 70's... the wife and i ran a short rt 66 tour around 2005... took us four days to get from Bloomington, IL to Tulsa. On that trip I bought my '56 F100 in Twin Oaks, OK just east of Tulsa... the wife was kinda worried when I asked her how much cash we had left! I took it all for the down payment except for $65.00 and a credit card.