History Route 66 is the Mother Road, the pilgrimage all true road-trippers must one day take.

Route 66 is the most famous road in America. Generations of travelers have romanticized this highway as a symbol of unlimited mobility and freedom of the road. Its iconic status is enhanced by the unprecedented volume of music, books, films, and other art forms that depict it as the essence of America’s highway culture. Route 66 is the Mother Road, the pilgrimage all true road-trippers must one day take. One of America’s most treasured but often forgotten icons is fading. Route 66 – sprinkled with mom ‘n’ pop diners, neon signs and funky roadside attractions – tells a compelling story of not only America’s historical move West, but of our country’s culture itself. It seems like more and more car guys are taking the pilgrimage on Route 66. How many of you out there are planning to take the trip or have taken it already?

 

been riding or driving up and down (that should be back and forth!) the western states on 66 since 1950. my house in kingman is on the 'national old trails road' which predates 66 by a dozen years and 66 is just a stone's throw north of the house. travelers still can easily drive 3/4 of route 66 'chicago to la' all the way! (and 95% of it if you are willing to take the time to take the dead ends where it gets cutoff by newer alignments.)

 

Driven the New Mexico portion numerous trips as I work for the NM Dept. of Transportation.

http://www.historic66.com/

 

I've been wanting to travel OK66 for some time now.

 

Last year we took a part of Rt. 66 to the Hunnert Car Pileup. It was an organized cruise with upwards of 25 hot rods and customs....killer cruise!

 

Wife and I are putting together a plan for this trip now. Always wanted to...
Reading info gathered here just helps to get the plan in gear quicker.

 

The farther we move ahead ,the more we want to go back, Why is that???

 

My son and I are planning to do the entire route from Chicago to L.A. in an AV8 pickup we are currently building. He is 12 now. The plan is to have the truck ready for the trip by the time he gets his driving permit in 3 years. Should be the trip of a lifetime...

 

the route 66 'fun run' takes place april 29,30 and may 1, 2011 starting in seligman, arizona... then to kingman... then on to topock, az on the colorado river (by needles, california)... you can offically enter.... (or tag along for free!) it IS FUN!

 

I may have been there before.

I still haven't covered Chicago to Missouri completely. Maybe in a year or two when the grand kids are out of school.

 

One of my dreams is to ship my 55 gasser over from Hawaii to LA and drive that road all the way to Chicago! For this Hawaii boy that would be a blast! Am 69 already though so time is running out, and the gasser is not done yet, but getting close!
Aloha,
Willy

PS, for guys like me from "far, far away", are there maps available to help us find the "almost lost" parts of the original route? Where to look?

 

Yes, agreed. Need to go one day. Heck 4 years 'til retardedment.. maybe I'll do it then. Ahhhh the ol' route.. that'd be shweet!

 

some time ago i saw a really well detailed book of the arizona portion... it was at the 'powerhouse' in kingman az. I think it was written by 'judge magnum' of flagstaff az.

 

We drive OK66 from up by the KS line to Stroud, OK at least once a month to go see the wife's grandparents. I think every one of my cars has made the trip at least 3 times to "The Rock Cafe" to grab a bite to eat and it never gets old, besides, when you roll up in vintage iron to a place like that it always draws a crowd.

 

every chance i get i hit any portion of route 66 when i'm on vacations. even made it to the route 66 drive in in carthage mo,great old original drive inn. enjoy it before it disappears. remindes me of the old saying [you don't know what you have till it's gone].

 

My wife and I used to live a couple blocks away when I lived up in Pontiac Il. We always too it when traveling to Chicago or St Louis. Lots of great diners and memorabilia along the way. My wife used to live on RT66 when she was growing up and recalls people traveling along it all week long. On weekends there would be families and couples taking weekend drives. She said that cars would stop by when their Lilac tree was in bloom and the guys would want to buy flowers for their ladies.

 

Did i dream this or did I read about it?
A Rt 66 Business organization that the exsiting Rt 66 business owners belong to and has a magazine or travel guide.

Could somebody find this on Google?

 

Iv'e been on 66 several times since 1976. I found it sad , too many of the old diners were gone , service stations were in ruins and who ever desicrated the Cadillac Ranch oughttabe hung off of a Mesquite tree for the buzzards to eat !!!!! scrubba

 

Done, but I can do it again, anytime.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167995&highlight=kuztomklaus

 

Taking Route 66 on the way out to Viva, in a 1960 Ford Station Wagon.
Gonna be a Blast.

 

When I was 66 we took our 1966 Vette on route 66. We had a good time and the weather was great. Had the top down all the way until last 100 miles before we got home. We use to watch the program route 66 all the time when it was on back in the day.

 

I've travelled close to 3/4 of it in the last ten years, hopping onto it whenever possible. Gone thru countless rolls of film, and met some pretty fun people along the way. The road can become very addictive and the history behind some of the places along the route are fascinating. Take some time to investigate what's there and make sure to plan time in your schedule for random stops to check out something that you see. Enjoy the trip, wish I were going along.

 

Have done bits in Calif, Az, NM and OK....not bad for an eastern Canadian

 

I've driven the Mother Road from Needles to the end at the Santa Monica Pier! Cool as could be.....have memories and pics......

CB

 

I've been from Kingman to Chicago. Three different vacations. A total of 4 weeks. Oklahoma was the best stretch. Ill. was the worst.

 

Are any of the early roadside attractions still there, such as the Big Texan Steak Ranch, etc?

 

Got my kicks on 66 from Oatman to Santa Monica. Drive Foothill Blvd all the time. And going thru the Cajon Pass on the 15 theres old 66 down below. The road was a divided highway and only one side is open now with nature slowly reclaiming the other side. There are also remaints of motels and gas stations. The 15 cuts 66 in half at the 15/215 merger and one can see route 66 on both sides of the 15. Kind of sad. Not far from the spilt is the site where Sammy Davis Jr had his car accident while driving home from vegas because that part of 66 was also route 91.

 

I would really like to drive the whole route at some point. Trying to talk my wife into it. Of course for us it would be a cross country trip, but I would love the put the '65 through its paces on a trip like that.

 

Wife and I did a ten day trip in daily driver a few years ago. Picked up Rt 66 on and off in St. Louis (we're in Ohio), and followed it all the way Flagstaff. Spent a couple days in Sedona, and a side trip to the Grand Canyon on the way back. We even took the dog.

Got a little obsessed finding all of the "CARS" movie landmarks for real.....

Oh, and ate at the Big Texan coming and going.

We had an absolute blast. Hope to do it again before it's all gone.

 

have been on a few parts of it when i was driving otr. found a little diner that looks like time forgot just outside of tulsa, where you could either get on the turnpike or stay straight and follow the old road. cant remember the name of it or if its even still there. still playing 40's/50's music on the radio. it was just up the street from the budwieser plant. also, a really cool junk yard between ca state line and kingman az. never could stop, but saw lots of interesting stuff while driving by. of course, thats been more than a few yrs ago.